Terrible! He used to be very nice and caring. Now he's arrogant and has his staff do most of his work. Receptionist has an attitude. Overcharged me and also they never got back to me on it. Not going back. I advise you to find another dentist. read more

I'm permanently living on Maui now and was looking to establish a new primary dentist. It is extremely hard to get an appointment at Smile Hawaii sooner then 2 months out. The 1-star rating is for the very rude, unprofessional, very "catty" like attitude that Elysa the front receptionist gave me over the phone (3 separate times about different occasions over a few months total) and the face to face communication and interactions I had with her in the office, as well. I do not take my time to write 1-star reviews ever so this really upset me as I come from a customer service background myself and know the power that attitude, friendliness, kindness and appreciation really means to people when it comes to service. She does not seem happy to be working and does not seem to care about customer service kindness and friendly attitude. She honestly doesn't seem to care at all. Not sure how she is allowed to talk to people like that but even while sitting in the office lobby and listening to how she speaks to other people over the phone and checking them in in-person, she has this attitude towards everyone. She is the reason I chose to take my insurance elsewhere to find a dentist where I feel appreciated and spoken to kindly by all the staff. Kamalei the dental assistant is amazing, so kind, caring, knowledgeable and friendly and represents what all customer service workers should entail, which would most importantly be the type of attitude you would want with the front receptionist and person answering all your office's phone calls to bring you more business. A first impression is everything. read more

Our entire family have been going to Dr. Ogata for 12 years. He and his staff are always great!! I've only had positive experiences there along with my family members. He also is a supporter within the community of events like the Maui Film Festival @ Wailea & MACC and the Taiko Drummers. Stella & Barry Rivers & Ohana read more

I love my new dentist!! Dr. Ogata and his stuff are the best dental office I have ever been to! I'v been there only a few time and it was an excellent experience and amazing results. Everyone is Very friendly and welcoming. They are really knowledgeable and experienced. Using the top notch equipments!! They take the time to explain everything clearly I still have some work to do but I know that I'm going to the BEST dentist (and not just in Maui) read more

I've had my share of dentists over the years, and without a doubt, Dr Ogata is the absolute best I've ever had. I'm incredibly scared of needles and drills, and he's incredibly understanding, patient, and after seeing him a few times for some cavity work it's amazing how much better I feel about going to the dentist. He's respectful, he's funny, and I trust him with my teeth. He uses modern equipment (e.g. special diamond drills) and the staff doesn't push extra work at all, and they do amazing things with in-mouth cameras to show before and after. I highly recommend him without any reservations. read more

Ok, so I called for the next available appointment for my daughter who is experiencing discomfort from an emerging wisdom tooth. She also is due for her annual cleaning. Kristy the receptionist could not fit her in until THREE MONTHS later, NOT acceptable! She said she'd have the office manager return my call to see if she could squeeze us in sooner. Office manager called but I was on the other line and she did not leave a message. Since then I have called back TWICE with NO RETURN call. We will NOT be seeing Dr. Ogata after all....I guess it only worked for my husband. read more

I am one of those people who have had past trauma around dental work and gets extremely anxiety ridden with just the thought of having to do to the dentist. Upon moving to Maui 13 years ago I found a kind gentle dentist in Kihei but this last year, his retirement pending, I needed to find another. Through the recommendation of a friend I ended up at Dr. Ogata's. He has proven to be an excellent dentist. I am currently in the middle of a lot of dental work and I have to say, for the first time in the last 20 years I am actually calm in the dental chair. Well, as calm as I'm going to ever be. :) He has taken my anxiety into consideration from the beginning of our relationship and his workmanship is excellent. Anela, his RDA is amazing and the embodiment of ALOHA. Mahalo Dr. Ogata and staff. You have calmed my nerves and gotten me through multiple visits without incident. read more

Dr. Lance Ogatta has been my dentist for the past 18 years. He is the best I've ever had. He is very skilled, always on the cutting edge of technology and very attentive. I received a new crown today and it was actualy made in the office by a State of the Art new machine. He took pictures, designed it on the computer, sent it to the new machine. A half hour later I was out with a perfectly fitted and color matched porcelain crown. No more waiting a month and going back and fourth to get a crown fitted. I have recommended Dr. Ogatta to many friends and they all have thanked me and remain loyal patients. There simply is no one better in every area! His staff is very friendly and professional. Aloha Jeff read more

Smile Hawaii - General Dentistry Near Me - Kahului, Hawaii

Sadly my long time dentist, Dr Merrit (5stars) had to sell his practice to Ogata. In the past year I've seen the new dentist only once. I'm a regular 4 times per year patient. I like to have my teethe cleaned 4 times per year, yes I'll pay out of pocket, but dr Ogatta's staff have cancelled ALL FOUR of my appts this year!! Twice I've taken the day off work, and was called the day of to cancel. There is never ability to be flexible, didn't think their hygienist was all that great anyway. Terrible patient service!! I'll find a dentist who wants patients with reliable hygienists. read more

I would advise everyone to stay away from this scam that Ogata is running. I was a patient of Dr. James Merritt, and received excellent work from him. When he left for Texas, Ogata showed up in his place. On my first exam he said I needed to replace all my fillings. I agreed to replace a couple, and upon leaving his office, I was told by his worthless desk person, Chelsea, that full payment was due. I told her I had insurance, and always paid the difference after the billing. She processed my credit card the full amount, and also billed my insurance. After receiving the insurance payment, I asked for the difference to be returned. No money has been returned after several months. I went to another dentist to get a second opinion on needing all my fillings replaced, he said they were all fine, and there was no need to replace them. read more

Jennifer is the best when it comes to getting your teeth clean. She's efficient, thorough and still gentle with your teeth. After not going to a dentist for 10 years she was amazing, no joke. My teeth never felt better! read more

Great dentist! The staff is kind. Dental assistants were caring, patient, and thoughtful. Dr. Ogata is funny, and I trusted they made my dental experience as comfortable as they could. I was offered a blanket, magazines, and head phones. The office is nice and clean, with cookies and coffee. The equipment was the most advanced I have seen. Five stars! read more

Dr Ogata has been my family dentist for over 15 years and I am happy to recommend him to anyone needing a excellent dentist. He is professional and caring while examining then explaining treatment plans in a easy to understand relaxed atmosphere. Dr Ogata has given me a wonderful smile. Let him do the same for you. read more

I've been fortunate enough to have met Dr. Ogata many, many years ago when he came to our house on Black Sands Beach in Makena. It was wonderfully fortuitous, as he's been our family dentist ever since. And, my goodness, is he a fabulous one at that: Articulate, compassionate, intelligent, funny, and a master at both dental health and one's overall well-being. I wouldn't go to anyone else on the island unless physically forced to. read more

I was a patient of Dr. James and got stuck with this clown, ogata! Very unprofessional staff. Like they never ran a show like this before. What ticked me off the most was when ogata was doing something in my mouth. He did something that hurt. So I was like whoa! That hurt! And he had the nerves to tell me.. Iv be doing this for a while and I'm the dentist that didn't hurt! If he wasn't halfway done doing what he was doing I would have walked out. Really got my blood pumping. I would highly recommend staying away from this dentist!!!! read more

Awful bedside manner. Spoken down to for the last time today at my appointment. I have been a patient here for several years and have never received great treatment but have been putting up with less than friendly service because Maui is so limited on dentists, and I'm tired of looking. However, my cleaning today with a new lady was bad enough to push me out the door forever. The hygienist was negative, and rude. She tried to use scare tactics to intimidate me. I heard everything from the Dr. Tung's floss I was using wasn't good (and only their in office Coco floss costing $17/roll worked), to my Sonicare toothbrush was no good bc it was purchased at Costco (so I needed to purchase a new toothbrush from their office). The doctor's bedside manner is no better. He also regularly uses scare tactics, is negative, and his only interest seems to be selling you an almost $1,000 night guard, to Invisaligns. I'm confused why at 40 years of age,with straight teeth, I suddenly need Invisaligns. They wouldn't let my husband leave his last appointment before forcing him to sit down and look at financing Invisaligns (he's had braces twice as a teen). He was told it was a quote and that he wasn't committed. But it was enough to make him never go back. That was last year, and I should have done the same thing then. I don't like leaving a bad review, and rarely do. However I felt like my treatment was bad enough that I needed to warn others. read more

Dr. Ogata and his team/staff are awesome! They are always welcoming, friendly, professional and responsive. The office is inviting, very clean, conveniently located in Kahului, and there's always plenty of parking. I've been a patient of Dr. Ogata for about three years now and have recommended several of my co-workers to him as he is a part of our dental insurance network. For as long as I plan to be a resident of Maui, Smile Hawaii will be my choice of dental provider. read more

Dr. Ogata and hygienists are top notch professionals. Super knowledgeable and friendly staff with state of the art equipment. Going to the dentist is so much more comfortable with Dr. Ogata and team! read more

If you want a dental team that exceeds in quality care and a dentist who is an expertise in creating beautiful smiles then call Smile Hawaii. Dr. Ogata is professional, skilled and a compassionate dentist. His staff are well trained too with many years experience which makes one of the best dental teams on Maui! His office is updated with the latest technologies and you will get best care. I am so happy when I leave the office as the positive experience out weighs any discomfort that I may have had. read more

Dr. Ogata has been cleaning my husbands teeth since he was a teenager, and my husband raves about him. I thought I would check him out, and I'm glad I did. He's awesome, and always makes me laugh. I was afraid of the needle, and I swear I didn't even feel it. He's magic! His office staff are always so kind and personable. I'm so glad he's my dentist now too! read more

No one likes a dental emergency while on vacation. But it happened to me, as on the plane ride to the island one of my crowns fell off. I called two other dentist offices on the island and the only one that would fit me in that day was Dr. Deborah Ho. She is amazing, I'm a big baby in the chair, and her and her assistant Jordan Robertson, made me feel at ease. Dr. Ho assessed the tooth, and took pictures. She and Jordan built me a new crown that looks like a natural tooth. The whole appointment was less than 2.5 hours. That was removing the small decay that was the reason for the crown popping off, prepping the tooth, construction of a new crown and fitting the tooth. They are an incredible team! They sent me on my way to enjoy my vacation, with some good tips on what to see on the island and no worries. They even gave my daughter a flower Lai and a chocolate chip cookie. Wish they were closer, The office was inviting, and the technology was very advanced, better than my regular dentist! If you are looking for an awesome dentist, or have a dental emergency like me, I highly recommend this team! Thank you for saving my vacation. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Ogata for a little over a year now and I can say wholeheartedly that he and his staff are the most professional, caring, and efficient dental professionals that I have ever interacted with. During my initial visit, I was given a thorough examination equipped with digital x-rays and digital pictures of specific teeth that seemed problematic. He and his staff sat with me and discussed the state of my oral health and he prioritized the work that needed to be done over the course of the year. He asked me how I felt about it and we compromised on the dental work. I made a comment in passing that I was concerned about the amount of money that would be involved to complete all the work and to my surprise, the clinical coordinator came back in with a revised plan to help alleviate some of the financial pressure. They put my needs first and that was something I was not accustom to from a dental office. I have gone in numerous times over the last year to do cleanings or redo very old fillings and each time I am impressed with care that I receive. As soon as I walk in the door the front desk lets the hygienist or dental assistant know that I am there. Before I can even pick out a magazine someone is there to escort me upstairs to start on my appointment. My hygienist, Robyn, is amazing. She remembers our conversations and always makes it a point to followup. She is so in tune with you and the best part about it is that she makes it so comfortable that I can fall asleep in the dental chair while she cleans my teeth. And when I am there for a longer appointment, to redo a filling perhaps, Dr. Ogata and his staff make sure I am as comfortable as I can be while I wait - giving me a blanket to put over my legs and an iPad to pass the time and to also listen to music while they drilled in my mouth. And when my appointment is over, someone walks my downstairs to the financial coordinator and gets me checked out right away. Their efficiency amazes me! Dr. Ogata is very progressive and is very interested in the latest technology in the dental arena and how it will improve his patients' oral care. I thought that it would translate in more $$$ for me as a patient but the truth is that I don't see a difference in costs over my formal dental office, which did not have nearly the same technology that this office has. You definitely get a lot of bang for your buck! I recommend Dr. Ogata and his staff to everyone I can because he really is great at his craft and it shows! read more

1. Like most dental insurance, mine covers 2 dental cleaning per year. Dr. Ogata's office booked me up for 3 within a year without consulting with me the time frame and if I was OK not having one of them covered by my insurance. The way they did it made it seemed like I was having my 2 annual and the 3rd one was booked within the next year. When I complained about that last time I went for a check up, the receptionists just smiled at each other and said nothing. I payed my bill at their office that very same day. Now I have their billing department trying to double charge me for that cleaning that wasn't covered by my health insurance and when I complained with her about them booking services that were not covered without my consent, her answer was: "well we do what we think it's best for the patient." Excuse me, but I do have great oral hygiene and haven't had cavities in a very long time, therefore their reasoning seems money oriented. 2. Lat time I went I wanted for the Dr. to see me since I had been suffering really bad headaches from TMJ (clenching at night time). I was offered 2 solutions: a) purchasing invisalign for over $4,000.- or having a custom made night guard for over $1,000.- it felt that they were only trying to get money out of me. Luckily the Dr. I work for does Botox and it helped me to relax the muscles and suggested I got a night guard at longs for a value of $25.- My TMJ got so much better after botox treatment and the affordable night guard. 3.I referred my ex-boyfriend to their practice and they also tried to convince him of doing root canal and crown. When he went to the mainland and his uncle (who happens to be a well known dentist in NYC) checked him, said he didn't need those treatments at all. Therefore I decided to change dentists. read more

Do yourself a favor and do not go to this dentist. You will regret it! His staff does not return calls or emails, and it is impossible to contact him in a dental emergency when you need him the most. He is by far the worst dentist I have ever had. He is rude and condescending, and acts like he is doing you a favor by taking your money. I credentialed advance practice dentists and doctors for a living, and I am shocked he manages to keep his credentials. Best to go to anyone else. You have been warned. read more

I was a patient of Dr. James Merritt at Maui Smiles for many years here in Maui. And Extremely happy. Unfortunately, Dr. Merritt sold his practice to Dr. Ogata to move to the Mainland to be closer to family. I was in the middle of having work done when this transfer went through. Dr. Ogata took over some of Dr. Merritt's patients and I was one of them. From day one I don't think I have EVER been treated more poorly! Not only by the staff, but the Doctor! The Doctor would not even listen to what I wanted when I tried to explain the how I would like my new two front teeth to look (After shelling out $2500), arguing with me to the point of tears on my behalf. The staff disappears and can't get appointments correct in their computer, with No excuse. I show up on time, if not early, and the office bumps me to a later time because the person before me shows up a half hour Late! The entire staff and Doctor seem to have a SERIOUS problem with communication!!! He may have HAD a good rep here on Maui, but the expansion of his office has put him on the bottom of the list! Down right, the worst customer service~ not just once or twice~ 5 times!!!! I have already paid for these crowns and the service just keeps getting worse! I guess it goes to show me that you Never pay until the job is finished!!!! read more

I can say without hesitation that Dr. Ogata and staff are the best dental office experience I have ever had. When we moved here two years ago and went to Dr. Ogata (he was highly recommended by my husband's co-worker) we were immediately impressed by their willingness to go above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable. One of his assistants even covered my legs with a blanket because it was cold in the office! Talk about top notch treatment! We were also impressed by the technology Dr. Ogata uses in his practice such as a camera that gets a close up on each tooth so he can show you very specifically what issues you have. I also have had a wonderful experience with one of the hygienists Marsha. She is highly skilled and the cleaning is as comfortable as it gets. She is also very knowledgeable in preventative care and has made some very good recommendations that have vastly improved my oral hygiene. We have recommended several people to Ogata and staff and all of them have had the same excellent experience. This dental office is really as good as it gets. Everyone who works there is incredibly friendly and makes going to the dentist enjoyable. We are sadly moving back to the mainland at the end of the month but I am tempted to fly back here to make my 6 month appointments because they are just that good! I will miss being part of the Ogata Ohana. They are truly the best!! read more

Amazing dentist with caring staff. He recommended the Invisilign to me, and I am so happy that I did it! My teeth have never been more healthy, with no cavities. read more

For the last couple months I have been trying to make an appointment. It goes straight to voicemail and no one has returned any of my calls. If they are at capacity with clients, then they should at least return my call and tell me so. read more

I have been a patient of Dr Ogata's practice for 10 years. My two daughters also see him and his staff. His entire office is on it, very efficient. They are all very warm, pleasant, professional, and the hygentist are gentle, overly educated to bring the latest up to date dental care to serve patients. I feel like I am at a dental spa when I have my twice yearly visit. I am so grateful I have such a great dental practice for my service. I have had 3 crowns done by Dr Ogata, expertise, perfect, no issue, Dr Ogata is also gentle, he has done fillings on my kids, all perfect. One of my daughters has deep crevices and has needed reapplication of her sealants many times. Dr Ogata and staff always throughly checking her teeth for wear and tear due to her situation. I sent a co-worker to Dr Ogata's practice for a dental emergency and she received perfect service and is now his patient too. Dr Ogata's practice is completely up to date with digital x-rays and technology, his appointment reminders are either by email and text to confirm, so nice. In the 10 years I have been a patient at Dr Ogata's practice I have always had perfect service, excellent care, I think he is just the best. Maui dental asset for sure. read more

I only visited Lance Ogata because he bought my previous dentist's business and I was very happy with the hygienist I had been going to. She stayed on after Dr. Merritt left. I did not have a good feeling upon my first visit to the office after he took over. The front desk personnel was new to me and not at all welcoming. In fact, I received blank stares with no "hello" at all. Chocolate chip cookies are offered to those who wait to get their teeth cleaned or a cavity filled! Thought that was a bit ironic. As to his knowledge and skills, I have no confidence in either. I had a veneer fall off and called to make an appointment to get it put back on. His office called the morning of my appt. and asked if I could come in thirty minutes early. I arrived early just to wait for over thirty minutes and still no Ogata. I finally walked out taking my veneer with me. Ogata and his assistant refer to veneers as crowns. Thinking maybe they were confused or made a slip, I specifically asked the assistant if they referred to veneers as crowns and she said "yes". Ogata called me later in the day and left a message saying that, unfortunately the crown had broken in half and I would have to have a new one!!! He didn't even see it and they have x-rays that would prove otherwise. It wasn't a crown to begin with and the veneer was perfectly intact!!! My husband was scheduled for a visit to the hygienist, but was informed by Ogata's front desk staff that he would have to see Ogata first for x-rays, etc. before he could get his teeth cleaned!!! I have since found another dentist on Maui who knows the difference between a crown and veneer and whose staff is wonderful. They also don't disallow you from getting your teeth cleaned until you've paid approximately $400 for a full set of x-rays. Talk about a SCAM. My advice - stay away. read more