I've been coming here for years and highly recommend it! Here are some highlights: - thorough with my dental insurance. They know exactly what and how much will be covered. - up front with pricing. Before I had my root canal and crown done, they walked me through all of the costs so there would be no surprises. - fast! No endless waiting in the chair despite the office being full with multiple patients. The whole office is a well run machine - personal. Just had a follow up call from their staff to see how I was feeling after my root canal. Really appreciated that. Last note: my wife is a dentist and she comes to this office for her care. (If you're wondering why she doesn't do my work, it's because she works at a community clinic that only serves a specific client base.) read more

Hello, I am writing this review to ALERT New and Existing patients. I have been a patient for about 30 years started with Dr. Kates and since Dr. Michael Balikyan has taken over his office manager Naomi which also handles the billing has been overcharging my family and I & has also foraged my son-in-law signature to squeeze more money out of his pocket from original treatment plan Naomi presented him a foraged signature that she tried copy his very unique signature. Most recent visit for myself in July 2026 with dental dual coverage I was billed 100% of CT scan of $220.00 without billing either of my insurance with a $75.00 deductible - $50.00 primary and $25.00 secondary however deductible applies once secondary is billed and dental plan will apply deductible depending on the allowed amount of coverage. Example if allowed amount is $15.00 than deductible is $15.00 until deductible is met for the year. Naomi and I have had our differences with overcharging but enough is enough!!! Naomi also highlighted for front-end office staff to bill me for $857.00 for a Zirconia Crown with both insurance payments of $385.50 each total = $771 when I called first was told crown charge is over $1500 then was told crown charge is $1450.00 minus $771.00 insurance payments my balance forward should be $679.00 overcharging me $178.00 I want to point out that Dr. B is a great dentist, and I have not experienced any dental work issues with him and his back-office staff hygienist reason for me continuing to drive from West Covina to Pasadena. Please always ask for a copy of treatment plan, itemized statement and check your benefit plan coverage and/or call your insurance. In my case procedure code D0364 is a covered benefit at 50% with primary and secondary insurance coverage. If you feel you are being overcharged file a Grievance with your insurance or reach out to DMHC.ca.gov for assistance read more

South Lake Dental - Treatment Plan - General Dentistry Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great dental hygienist And dentist! Everyone is incredibly friendly, and they do a great job with the teeth cleaning. They recently moved offices, and everything is brand new and extremely welcoming and inviting. read more

One front desk staffer in particular (I think her name is Patrica) is awful. She is rude and condescending. She always speaks down to patients, like we're in the wrong for asking questions or getting clarification or prices and services. The rest of the office staff and dentists are great but she made us move to another office. Once during a conversation, I was so fed up I asked to speak to her manager and after taking my message, I never got a call back. How much you want to bet she didn't even forward it? I really wish she didn't work there because otherwise, we'd still be patients. read more

The doctor is very rude, made me extremely uncomfortable when I told him I'd like to do X-rays on another day and was quite condescending. I 100 percent will not be coming back to this place, I feel like it's important to make your patients comfortable. Wish I could give this place zero stars. read more

Been coming here for years, way back when they were still on Lake Ave and when Dr Shimasaki was the primary doctor. While there have been some instances where I've been annoyed (such as a delay in my appointment), overall this is a wonderful dentist in a clean office and convenient location. In addition to my regular hygienist appointments and fillings, they also helped me with my sleep apnea/snoring problems. Although not fully covered by my insurance, they offer a service where you can take a sleep study device home with you that you can easily strap on to your head, and it tracks your sleep. In my case, the study showed that I have mild sleep apnea, so we created an oral device that helps with my jaw adjustment when I'm asleep. It has made a tremendous difference in my energy level in the morning, and my snoring. I'm so grateful that I didn't have to get an ugly/uncomfortable cpap machine! read more

Dr. Balaykian is awesome! I had to share this review because he's so good. I see him 1-2x a year and this time I had a broken tooth. He somehow fixed it up with a filling so no root canal! He's gentle, patient, listens!, and just does a great job with my teeth. read more

I have been going to the dentist for many years because of the quality of care, easy procedures for checking in and out. Excellent staff.

I had the same wonderful dentist since I was a little kid and then he retired. Finding another good dentist to fill that huge void has taken years! Enter my wife's suggestion, to see this awesome dentist (Robert Shimasaki DDS), who worked on her teeth a few years ago. We try going to his dental practice only to find that he's moved. That leads us to South Lake Dental where we are guided to (his colleague/partner), Michael Balikyan DDS, who is a wonderful dentist! This is after getting some "work" done over several visits. I had a few cavities filled, a root canal and post with a crown in one of my molars. There were plenty of numbing procedures to make the experience as painless as possible. The team of assistants are very professional and orchestrated. I felt very safe the whole time. Everyone is very receptive! There is also an amazing hygienist who is painless and very thorough in deep cleaning and scaling your teeth. She also uses numbing procedures to keep the experience as painless as possible. My gums are thanking her! The office staff is very efficient in checking you on, giving you a cost breakdown, keeping you informed, scheduling, texting reminders (I love these), and calling to check on you the day after a procedure. Lastly, a word on covid. I felt very safe going here for several appointments. The entire staff is masked, there is a temperature check with the usual symptoms checklist before you can enter, distance between patients, and several air purifiers running. read more

I visited this practice a few years ago. At the time they told me that I grind my teeth and need a mouth guard. This was extra money I had to spend out of pocket but I agreed to it thinking it would be important for my teeth health. Years later I am at a different practice (due to moving) who tells me that I have no signs of teeth grinding and they are not sure why the other practice would have said I needed it. I later found out that mouth guards are a common way that dental offices try to upsell you. Not to mention a hygienist who seemed to be shaming me for drinking tea because there's "pollution that gets on the tea leaves". I do not recall asking her advice or opinion on that as it seemed to me that we were just making typical light conversation during the cleaning. While the office is in a nice area and had a comfortable office, I now look back at my experience negatively. I understand that the employees are likely told to meet certain requirements to get clients to buy services, but I don't think I could ultimately recommend this office to my friends and family. read more

They claimed to perform a lengthening procedure as part of my crown treatment. According to two other dentists and even the insurance company this procedure involves incisions and sutures which did not take place. They just added this procedure to my treatment plan to increase the cost of my visit. Don't go here unless you want to be upcharged for treatments that didn't even occur. read more

Great office. Everyone is so kind and helpful. When I walk in I don't have to tell them my name, they remember me. Never got that at old dentist office. They dentist is great. Thanks you team read more

Please don't go to this dentist. He convinced my mother he could fix her teeth. He gave her veneers and implants that required him to put extra (cadaver) bone in her mouth. We didn't know nor did he tell us it was cadaver bone. Whatever bone he put in her mouth kept growing more bone which caused her to grow a huge tumor and having to get half her jaw cut out. My mother had no other issues with her teeth and I didn't even think she needed veneers but he convinced her to get all that work done took all her money and now is going through major reconstructive surgery. I never thought this place was clean. It's too busy which indicates he's all about the money. It's set up like a barber shop with no private rooms. It's unsanitary to have people sitting literally right next to each other with stuff lying all over the place. I honestly don't think he knows the compounds and chemicals he's putting in peoples mouths. I wouldn't recommend this dentist to anyone. read more

Great place! Professional staff ! Was shocked how fast I booked my appointment and didn't have to wait half a month like in most clinics. Thank you ! read more

They're at a convenient location and have a busy practice but they will push a bunch of unnecessary things onto u. Upon check in they will push Velscope onto u for $35 to try to make a sale. After check in, the doctor will push a custom $500+ mouth guard if you grind your teeth and a $35 oral rinse at your cleaning session. When I said no to all of these add-ons, the front desk was extremely rude and gave me attitude for declining the upsell. Would not come back here again... read more

They gave me a deep cleaning which ran me $300 out of pocket without telling me beforehand. They charge $500 for a simple night guard that DID NOT FIT. I asked the dentist for a refund and he furiously threw the night guard in the trash and demanded i leave his office. The front office lady refused to give me a refund for money that I paid out of pocket, saying i need to "go through insurance". Stay far away, they are robbing people in broad daylight here. read more

I came here for 1 year +, and the experience seemed normal. The dentist told me I had 3 cavities that needed fillings, and to be put on a plan because my gums were unhealthy. This required a deep cleaning every visit and to visit the dentist every 4 months. Everyone knows a dental plan only covers 1 visit every 6 months. They also told me a nightguard would be $500 with my insurance. This didn't sit right with me because I've only had two fillings my entire life, and never issues prior. I never got the 'cavities' filled and went to another dentist. X-rays showed I do NOT have cavities and my gums were very healthy, and there was no sign of any previous gum issue. Also, with the exact same insurance as before, the nightguard was around $180. It was $500 without running it through my insurance, which is what they were trying to do. I am so glad I trusted my gut and went elsewhere. I will not be returning to this office again. Be careful everyone. read more

First time at this office and have to say from the moment i stepped into the office until the moment i left. All i got was a positive experience. Dr. Balikyan is the most honest and straightforward dentist i have met in my life. They earned my Family as a lifelong customer. read more

Highly recommend. Dr. Balikyan is great - he's straightforward and efficient. He explains things clearly and honestly. His staff and technicians are friendly and helpful. I had a mishap where my night guard broke the first week - he and his staff were super on top of getting me a proper replacement. read more

Dr Balikyan is a wonderful dentist and is very professional and knowledgeable. I love my whiter smile and I notice that I am smiling more. I truly appreciate the kind and gentle care that he gives. read more

Office staff and dental staff all very nice. They run on time based on your appointment time. Office is clean . Easy parking. I feel they really care for your teeth and make recommendations. They'll let you know if you need to do a better job at brushing or flossing. Would highly recommend. read more

I was very disappointed with this office. My wife and I both went for teeth cleaning. The dentist came in to evaluate us. He must have taken all of a few seconds to tell us that they could not do a cleaning until we had a scaling done first. After the scaling we were surprise that our bill was a lot more then what was expected. There were expense that we were not told about. Until we got the bill. Also the bill did not say what the expenses were for. It seems to me that this office is more interest in making money, then they are in providing good service. read more

I really like this dentist & office. Everyone is kind. I have a tough time going to the dentist, getting fillings etc, but every time I have been properly injected with local AX and the fillings are a painless, easy thing. I really appreciate the doctor and how he takes his time & explains everything. Thank you. read more

Thank you to everyone at South Lake Dental! I always struggle with anxiety when it comes to going to the dentist, but Dr. Balikyan and his staff were a great support team. They helped relax me and talked me through the whole treatment. read more

The staff is lovely and courteous, but I was seen 30 minutes after my appointment time. I asked if there was any discount given I was self-pay for my deep clean appointment ($365) for a show of good faith, but the manager denied it and did not come to give an explanation or apology. I'll probably look for some place else for my routine maintenance going forward. read more

Great place and customer service. Erica, the hygienist, was amazing and thorough with her work. It's always great to see Michael, the dentist. See y'all in 6 months read more

I've been going to Dr. Balikyan for almost 10 years now and have been very satisfied with his skill and professionalism as a dentist. As someone who has had my fair share of dental issues, I come with lots of questions and expectations. Dr. Balikyan is always patient and takes time to explain procedures and assuage my concerns. He has a very pleasant personality and always puts my anxiety at ease. Also, in the decade that I have there and all the work I have had done, I have never had an issue with billing and they are never pushy with their recommendations. The dental hygienists, especially Tania, are very professional and kind. They have added more staff to the front desk, who are nice, especially Noemi, who is an absolute sweetheart. I highly recommend Dr Balikyan...you won't regret it! read more

Dr did an onlay on one of my tooth 7 years ago and it is still very good. Fast service and convenient location and parking.

Office was efficient and pleasant. The dentist himself was obviously intelligent, very personable, and didn't push sales stuff. They totally met my needs and I walked out completely satisfied and a little surprised by what a great dentist experience it was! I'm switching my insurance so I can go back and make them my primary dentist. read more

I really appreciated and was relieved when I walked in and they have safety measures in place. As soon as you walk in, there are only a few seats available in order to create social distancing. The receptionist area has a clean and dirty pen container and they take your temperature upon arrival. All staff are wearing masks. The Dentist and his staff put on a fresh pair of gloves in front of you prior to being treated, which was amazing. I didn't have to ask them to do that, it was already standard practice. It seems that are trying to do the best they can with the current pandemic situation. Thank you to Dr. Balikyan and his staff for the great work they are doing. read more

Two of the teeth in my smile below are implants from Dr Balikyan. He does both the implant and the crown, and his prices are half of what you'd pay in most other offices. I definitely recommend going here for affordable and quality dental implants! read more

South Lake Dental - General Dentistry Near Me - Pasadena, California

Called at 9:45 AM on a Thursday to schedule an appointment. Two times I got a message saying they were closed; the third time at least the message stated that the receptionist "was away from their desk". Used two phones to make sure it wasn't something with the signal causing "electrical infetterence". Called again 5 minutes later to make sure I wasn't going crazy. Three strikes you're out. read more

I have been coming to South Lake Dental for 3 years and it was the best change in Dentists I could have made! The office is clean and very modern. They even have chairs that message you! The x-ray was always the part I use to dislike when going to any dentist because it was painful. Well since coming here I don't mind getting x-rays. The staff is amazing and so professional and when I say they care about your teeth they really do. If you are looking for a clean and friendly dentist office look no further. I'm so glad my insurance through my job is accepted here. read more

Negative experience. Dentist refused to provide regular teeth cleaning (prophylaxis) when I declined added service at extra cost. Being new to the area, I made an appointment at South Lake Dental for a teeth cleaning. They gave me a set of dental x-rays, and asked me to wait in the lobby for about twenty minutes. Then they came back and recommended periodontal scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) and bacteriostatic irrigation at extra $$$$. I declined their recommendation for cost reason and insisted on just a regular teeth cleaning included in the insurance, but the dentist refused to perform the regular cleaning without the extra procedures and added fees, saying that the regular cleaning is not what I need and is not in my best interest. They did not give me any other option so I walked out without any cleaning. read more

The staff are rude and impatient. My overall impression is that the doctor just wants to extract money from its patient. The last time I went in for a dental exam I was told that I need a molar extraction. I scheduled for an extraction but was only told on the day of the appointment that a bone graft was needed. They asked me to sign a payment authorization without telling me what a bone graft is and why it was on there. I stated I would not sign until someone explains it to me. When I talked to Dr. Balikyan, he was unable to explain why it's needed and literally said he does not know whether a bone graft will have any long term effect. He also said he didn't know whether my situation would be particularly risky if I do not do a bone graft. He did say there can be bone loss in the adjacent molar but was unable to answer why the bone loss happens or how the bone graft may prevent it. The front desk staff accused me of wasting their time because I decided to reschedule after having learned that they scheduled me for something I didn't schedule for and was never told about until they asked me to sign a payment authorization. No sane person would do anything without knowing the risk factors, especially when the doctor himself does not know what the risks are. Now here's a research article showing that "Socket grafting with the xenogenic materials tested did not changed bone crestal height and bone radiographic density in the long term". I left it to the reader to interpret what this implies about the doctor's recommendation of bone graft. In fact, many of my friends have extracted their molars and none has heard of the need of a bone graft. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/20440633/ This visit was a total waste of my time and I definitely do not recommend South Lake Dental to anyone. read more

I'm not technically a patient, but you'll understand why after my review. My old dentist sold his practice to South Lake Dental. I'd been to my old dentist just before the sale, and I had to contact South Lake Dental to sort out an insurance billing issue. Over a two-month period, it took me five phone calls to South Lake Dental to resolve the issue; several of those phone calls ended with the person I spoke to telling me everything was fine and then hanging up on me while I was still speaking. Displeased with this poor level of customer service, I requested my records so I could take those to another dentist. This took two emails (which I never received a reply to) and yet another phone call in order to get my records. The dentist in charge may very well be a fine practitioner of dentistry, but I'll never know firsthand because I see no reason to deal with office staff that are rude, curt, and take weeks to address, let alone resolve, basic issues that any dental office should be able to handle. I've worked in a health care office and know how busy it can get, especially with an influx of new patients, but this poor customer service was uncalled for. read more

Great dentist office! Everyone is very nice and helpful. They are being very vigilant about COVID19 with hand sanitizer and air purifiers. The lobby has every other chair closed and they take your temperature when you walk inside. I felt very comfortable with all of this and Dr. Balikyan is great. I definitely recommend South Lake Dental if you need to see the dentist and want to stay safe during this pandemic. read more

When I had my teeth cleaned at South Lake Dental, I was warmly greeted by Pat and Amber. I waited very few minutes before Tania got started on cleaning my teeth. She has the most gentle touch, yet really gets your teeth super clean! Dr. Balikyan checked my teeth, in his usual professional but friendly way. He also answered questions about front teeth caps, and put me at ease about seriously considering doing it! Checking out, Pat helped me, again to figure out a 6 month date that didn't conflict with a Fall vacation. (She's done this many times before) Truly, everyone in that office is very helpful and friendly. It's a pleasure going to the dentist there!! Margaret V read more

Grat Experience as always! I was greeted with big smiles at the front desk. The staff at the back office are amazing and so caring as well. Dr Balikyan is a wonderful doctor with gentle hands! I love coming to this office for my teeth! Thank you South Lake Dental! read more

Okay, I usually don't feel so compelled to do things like this, but, given the circumstances, I am not able to let this be. First, I came to these people on a suggestion from the company I no longer work with (but was still carrying my dental plan at the time) when I had come down with a horrible toothache. They had told me that the tooth would need to be extracted, and they'd need to do so as soon as they could. Not a bad experience, right? At least they were being honest. Or, so I thought. They had also recommended a bone graft, which is not covered by any dental plan because it is not a medical necessity. I wish I had known that at the time, I just wish that somebody had made it clearer seeing it as though I had not been able to make a dentist's acquaintance in a while, and that the job that had provided me the insurance was the first one that had done that for me. Now, this, in and of itself, is partially my fault, I suppose. However, the aftermath of the procedure was not. They had given me an estimate of what the insurance company would cover, and had taken it off the total that I would be paying them. A month later, I get an EOB from the dental insurance plan telling me that they had actually paid $200 more than what was estimated. After I got the information from them regarding the check and the cash date, I contacted the office to get an understanding. I regurgitated said check information, and they had told me that the payment was received at a later date, despite the fact that I had called the INSURANCE COMPANY myself to get the information. I know, it's pick your poison when you have to choose between a dentist interested in covering their own ass and a company which makes its money off privatizing the health of others. But I digress. So, after this little white lie, the receptionist starts to get defensive, so I already know that something's up. When I go to the office myself to try and see what's up, and why my totals are not coming down, yet my insurance company covered more than $200 of what they were supposed to, I got a bunch of run around and blah, blah, blah, lie, lie, lie. First of all, they charged my $450 for a fucking bone graft. I could have gotten a bridge for a cheaper deal. Second, never try to argue with a sketchy dentist. You will not win. Your need to make sense will get the best of you. They are not in it for sense, and definitely not for strength of character. They are in it to annoy you until you storm out of the office angry and frustrated, and all you can do is report them to the BBB and write a detailed report on it on Yelp to anyone who is reading. read more