When I signed up for dental insurance I had to pick a dental office then and there. I turned to Yelp and Google to figure out which dental office closest to me was the best. I saw that while this Sky Dental office in Whittier didn't have any reviews, their other two offices were well reviewed. Figured at that point I might as well give this office a shot.
It seems like a fairly typical guy thing for us men to not go to the dentist for years upon years in our mid to late twenties. I'm much the same. It's been at least 7 years or more since I'd been to the dentist. And to my great personal shame, I didn't take the best care of my teeth for a while in my twenties (didn't floss!). I made the dentist appointment expecting the worst: an hours long deep cleaning, with multiple fillings, maybe a root canal. I wasn't experiencing any pain or had any problems, but I figured it was best to go in with lowered expectations.
My first visit was very quick, my x-rays were taken and then the doctor came in to give me the news: I needed a deep cleaning (some plaque under the gum line), and I had a cracked filling that needed to be replaced. That was it! I was so relieved. He recommended braces to me, a bit of an up-sell but not unwarranted: I was interested in pricing, and ultimately passed for now.
I made an appointment to return in a week for the deep cleaning and the filling replacement. I have to admit that I must be a giant baby because I was nervous. I was terrified. My last dentist experience was fairly traumatic and the memory of it was still fresh in my mind even after nearly a decade.
I have to say that everyone in the office was super polite and courteous. I don't talk much, and for my second visit back I was so nervous that I couldn't say much anyway. It was almost like they read my mind: I am all business. I came in, sat in the chair, and we got down to it. No chitchat.
I remember getting stuck with the needles as the worst part from prior dentist visits, but he numbed my gums really well and I almost didn't feel a damn thing when he stuck me. When the deep cleaning began I initially panicked a little because they hadn't numbed me everywhere, but aside from a couple moments that were really uncomfortable, it wasn't that bad and it looks like they did a great job... my mouth was pretty gross before, in my opinion, though not as gross as some I've seen, and now it's pretty and plaque free.
Then I was scared of the filling replacement. The drilling! Oh god, it must be worse than the deep cleaning, right! I remember the horror of being drilled in the past. But again, the doctor came in and there was about four seconds of drilling that I couldn't feel at all (especially as my teeth and gums were still smarting from the deep cleaning) and we were done. The whole thing took less than an hour.
I paid, a very small amount possibly thanks to my insurance, and left. The entire process wasn't literally painless of course (the deep cleaning ensured I will brush and floss at least twice a day from now on that's for sure) but it was definitely the best dentist experience I've ever had in my life so far. No complaints. Even after I move to Long Beach I might drive up to keep coming here. read more