Best dental experience ever. I never thought I'd ever be able to write that sentence, as I dislike going to the dentist. Between a sensitive gag reflex and having my tongue cut twice by past dentists, I generally try to avoid dental clinics.
Select Dental is refreshingly different. When I called to make my appointment with Elizabeth, she was understanding about my slight guilt about it being over two years since I've had a checkup. She was knowledgeable about my Delta Dental PPO insurance, answering my questions informatively and with ease.
On the day of the appointment, after signing in and barely a minute of waiting, I interacted with Tylon, the dental assistant who helped do the x-rays. He had a calm demeanor that helped me relax a bit, and when I mentioned I had a gag reflex, he said he'll try to do his best and suggested I try breathing through my nose and counting down from 100. Furthermore, small things matter: Generally, after each x-ray, dental assistants move the tubehead, and then take out the plastic piece from my mouth; after telling Tylon about my gag reflex, he took out the plastic piece first and then moved the tubehead, shaving off precious seconds of the plastic piece being inside my mouth.
Weird to say, but a compliment I want to give: Michelle the dental hygienist quickly became my favorite medical professional. She was gentle, knowledgeable, and had a warm demeanor. Michelle did a periodontal charting, which I somehow have never been offered, and she taught me how gum health checks work. It was super cool of her to explain everything she was doing once I started asking out of curiosity. And Michelle allowed me to hold the dental suction device so I could suck out all the yuckiness from my mouth any time I wanted! I had so much power!
Natalie, another dental assistant, did the cleaning and polishing, and I actually felt fine about the procedure for once. I only have unpleasant memories of dental cleanings, so it's nice to have a positive one for once.
Finally, Dr. Alireza Mola arrived and we had a good chat. It's not like I've never had a good dentist, but I've never had a dentist whose bedside manner is as good as Dr. Mola's. He was warm and, while completely professional, was friendly and approachable. I was expecting to do two crown replacements, but Dr. Mola said the second one isn't absolutely necessary, so it's up to me whether I want to wait. I saw at least a few other reviewers say that Dr. Mola doesn't try to have patients pay for unnecessary procedures, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Before leaving, I sat down with Jannette the office manager, who gave me a clear breakdown of my charges, explained what my insurance covers, and scheduled me for my next appointment. She encouraged me to ask questions - and I asked quite a few, all of which she answered thoroughly.
Weeks ago, I was slightly anxious about going to the dentist, so before choosing Select Dental, I created a spreadsheet to determine which of the dozens of top-reviewed dental clinics that accept my insurance I should visit. Select Dental was on the top of my list, and I'm so glad they had an opening for me. At the time, I had read the About Us page for Select Dental and noted, "Our mission is to deliver quality dental care in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. We want you, the patient, to feel 'at home' with our dental office family." After just one visit, I can safely say that all the staff members I met actually seem to have taken this mission statement to heart. I will be returning within a month for a crown replacement and cavity fillings, and for once, I'm actually not afraid. Okay, fine, maybe a tiny bit afraid, but less so than I've ever been for a follow-up dental appointment. And that makes me happy enough. read more