COULD NOT SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT DR. VICE. She is a delightful person, she is extremely skilled, and she is HONEST. She will NOT try to talk you into having work done that is not necessary or doesn't have to be done now. I am 68, my husband is 79. We moved to Durham from S. Francisco 2 years ago and a friend enthusiastically recommended Sunrise Dental to us. These reviews are based on maybe 6 visits I've had and maybe 10 or 12 for my husband, who has had more complex work done. I am an honest person and had always assumed that my dentists were honest. Then, 15 years ago, I dated a man who taught dentistry at UCSF -- a highly respected man who actually ran an elite program with spots for just 8 post-docs. I was SHOCKED to hear how "flexible" his billing was -- charging people more if he thought they wouldn't notice or blink an eye at the high charges and it was common for his hot-shot dentist friends often did that, too. They would all sit around and compare how much money they'd made that month and what kind of expensive cars they were driving. It was a real (and very sad) revelation. EXAMPLES OF WHY I"VE GIVEN 5 STARS 1. SHE'S HONEST -- SHE WILL NOT PUSH YOU TO HAVE WORK DONE THAT YOU DON'T REALLY NEED -- OR BUY THINGS. SHE WILL SUGGEST THE MORE AFFORDABLE OPTION. I was told years ago that wear on my teeth shows that I clench my teeth. As I've never experienced any pain, I didn't get a night guard...but I noticed that my teeth are looking very flat. Dr. Vice had mentioned it --and when I came back, asked her about getting a plastic night guard. She said, of course, she could order one for me....but truthfully, you can order a kit on Amazon that costs about $12 and they seem to work very well for a lot of people so -- why don't I try that first and see if it works? Would save me a couple hundred bucks. I had also mentioned an old filling in a back took that seemed "low" -- and I was afraid maybe some of the tooth that was high around it could crack or something. She said yes, it was old. No hadn't fallen out...but a little low. Could build it up... didn't push. Two years later, I said "I'd like to have that built up" -- and she did. 2. SHE REALLY CARES & WILL BE AVAILABLE IF YOU NEED HER. I take good care of my teeth but one Friday, I suddenly had a tooth ache and though it could possibly be an infection or the first signs of needing a root canal -- I've had 2, so know how they start. I was able to get in that afternoon. Dr. Vice said "nope -- that tooth already has a root canal, so can't be the nerve -- I'm guessing it's a sinus issue." Well, I've never had sinus problems -- no allergies, no headaches, et. I trust her -- but it did seem odd. She said take antihistamine and to CALL HER OVER THE WEEKEND if it got worse. She said she could call in a prescription for an antibiotic, so it if got worse, I could get that filled. I said yeah, better be safe... As I said, sinus sounded weird but -- took an antihistamine and -- must've been what it was cuz it went away. SO appreciated her saying to please call on a WEEKEND if needed and she's see me. SHE IS A PERFECTIONIST ABOUT HER WORK. That's a good thing in a dentist! for example, my husband was having a crown done to close an annoying gap between 2 teeth that was always trapping food. The crown arrived -- but she said she didn't like the tolerance -- still too wide, she thought it would still tend to trap food. Instead of not saying anything and just putting it in his mouth -- whoosh! Back it went to redo it. Know this is long -- but I read reviews carefully and if someone says something good or bad, I want to know WHY. Might add that I've been lucky to have excellent dental care all my life. Grew up a mile from Stanford U., lived in S. Francisco all my adult life -- which has TWO dental schools -- top-rated UCSF and Univ. of the Pacific. So there is -- literally-- a dentist office with exceptional dentists every 2 blocks if not on every block The competition is so fierce that dentistry is actually one of the only things in SF that DOES NOT cost more than it does in other cities! read more

My family relocated recently to the Durham area and I needed a dentist who could repair bonds on the front of my teeth that had worn off and are causing excruciating pain. My in-network dentist does not do bonding so I sought a provider who could, and would also submit to my insurance on my behalf, and then bill us after services, which is what our dentist in California did. Sunrise claimed to do this. So I went in for an estimate in November 2024. It is now over 3 months later. I have contacted Sunrise by email and phone at least 10 times asking for updates. My teeth are in pain. Not only have they not provided an estimate, but they claim it is now my responsibility to call my insurance company. Again, I clarified before going to them that they provided submitted on patients' behalves. (I did call Metlife and they say they never received anything from Sunrise over the last 3 months other than a reimbursement bill.) What is more, Sunrise is now trying to charge me $80 for services rendered during my visit to have an estimate, after billing my insurance, even though they have not provided the agreed service, which was just supposed to be an estimate to fix painful teeth. They continue to send me this bill by text and USPS. What is going on? I get no answers, no returned calls. I spoke 2 days in a row with a new front desk person who continually interrupted me. I reminded her that I have been in chronic pain due to my teeth for 3 months. She did not listen. She accused me of being rude and also implied that she added this to my chart. I really don't even know what to say. I have never encountered a medical operation with such poor procedural follow- through, and a completely callous and unprofessional approach to patient pain and care. I just told this story to my local primary care physician and she was baffled. Update: A lady who appears to be involved in company management called me to try to help. She waived my $80 fee and promised to address the rudeness and insurance issues as soon as possible. Great customer care and goodwill re-established! But then all this new happiness disappeared because later the same day another woman (who appears to be the office manager) contacted me by email. She wrote that the insurance company had actually pre-authorized my treatment over 3 months ago. When I asked her why the office had not followed up with the insurance when they (they say) never received the pre-authorization for treatment--especially since I called a number of times asking for it--she said in writing that as she sees it, it was my fault for not following up with the insurance and also the insurance company's fault for not making sure their office had received the pre-authorization. I don't even know what to say here. Every doctor I have ever been to in my life tells me how much I owe after insurance coverage. No doctor has ever told me it's my responsibility to know all of their treatment codes and find out myself how much insurance will pay them. Moreover, I came into this place for an estimate after insurance. This is the service they offered. A day previously, she had said that I could go ahead and get the dental work without insurance. This is a bit insane because the reason I came in the 1st place was for an estimate after insurance coverage, which we already pay for because dental work is expensive. My family needs to budget for treatment costs. Honestly, the office staff of this company gives the impression that this company doesn't want to deal with patient insurance AT ALL, and so makes the process of filing extremely difficult for patients so maybe they forgo insurance. This extraordinarily upsetting and stressful experience has eclipsed the very pleasant experience I had with the actual dentist. I am hoping that the other nice lady calls me back. read more

I had an accident while traveling in Europe and cracked my tooth. Upon arrival back in the U.S. I called Sunrise and booked an immediate appointment with my dentist, Dr. Laura Azzu. To say Laura took impeccable care of me doesn't quite say enough, she and her team at Sunrise were kind, expedited my crown, and did amazing work. She also was insistent that I not take a crown that wasn't perfect and that I wasn't 100% satisfied with. I left today with a crown that looks great and can't recommend Dr. Azzu highly enough, she's great! read more

They receive zero stars from me but this site makes you select at least one star. I made an appt. as a new patient. The front desk staff is wonderful. However, the dentist was not willing to see me for an annual cleaning with no problems today due to wanting me to have X rays. I had my previous dentist send the most recent panoramic and bit wing X rays. I had prior to making the appt. explained to staff that I have an increased risk of cancer due to family history and would not want X rays unless absolutely necessary. I asked that it be included in my new file. It was a sheer waste of my time, and theirs. I can't recommend this practice at all. Find another. I called back after getting home to request my record be deleted. I was first told it wasn't possible. I was put on hold. I looked up my attorney's phone number while waiting. They came back on to say they could do it. Absurdity. read more

I have a love/hate relationship with all dentists, let's be honest. The people are really nice and take good care of you, and I appreciate this. Overall, I'm happy with them, but I do encourage you to think through a few things. Where I'm not a fan is what subsequent visits occur. I went to the UNC dental school for a few years and I feel like they've redone every filling, even their own Sunrise Dental fillings because of cracks from 2 year old fillings. Do I really have to get them fixed every two years?! It could be my teeth, but what was a small cavity with no pain, led to a crown with chronic pain, and then a root canal that depleted my insurance coverage. They don't charge you when you have to come back to have a filling filed down but this has happened at least 3 times and it's eating into my sick time. Looks like the positive reviews come from Dr. Esther Hansen so I'll have to try her next time, maybe I'll have better luck! read more

I hadn't been to the dentist in years only because fear kept me away due to an unpleasant experience. Dr. Azzu was recommended on my local Next-door community page. I was able to get an appointment for my husband and myself. Dr. Azzu was extremely pleasant, kind and so understanding of my fears. I had a procedure done which was pain-free & left me feeling encouraged and positive. I highly recommend Dr. Azzu at Sunrise Dental. read more

New patient here! Rhonda and Erica were an amazing team! You can tell that Rhonda loves what she does. I felt confident in her care the whole time. I was also very impressed by the covid precautions taken by the practice. I am actually looking forward to my next dentist visit. Thank you for a wonderful experience! read more

I had two visits to this office. During the first visit, a receptionist (found during second visit) washed my teeth, and Mr. Mark performed the oral eximination. The magic Mark took two minutes to see my teeth, and told me that I need to do cavacity fillings at more than 20 places (In fact, both my previous and current dentists told me that I needed to fix only 3 teeths). I still visited the office the second time to see Dr. Hansen because I saw some good review about her, and because I needed to fix two teeth. Before filling, I signed a paperwork which indicated which teeth / sides would be filled. But Dr. Hansen said she filled one more side, and charged me more without my agreement. She seems not as capable as reviewed, and she broke my gum. In particular, she cheated me that the nerve on my last tooth died, and root canal or extraction is needed. But my current dentist filled my last tooth without much trouble. read more

I have had multiple procedures done with Dr. Esther and they have all been magnificent experiences (which is not something that can always be said about dental procedures!) When I had to get a cavity filled, they used my computer screen to let me watch The Office. Now you tell me...Does it get any better than that?! (But, aside from my personal TV show preferences... Sunrise Dental is 100% amazing in all aspects of dentistry and professionalism!) read more

Dr. Esther Hansen is wonderful. I have had several procedures done by her. Dr. Hansen and her staff are always friendly and make me feel comfortable. I rarely have to wait past my appointment time and have even gotten last minute appointments when needed. I have contacted Dr. Hansen after hours with issues and she has always been very kind and helpful. It is also nice to go somewhere where they don't "preach" at you about your teeth. I have been to places in the past that have scolded me for not getting a procedure done sooner. What these other places don't understand is that Dental work is expensive and we aren't all rich! I definitely recommend Sunrise Dental. read more

I'm really surprised by the up and down nature of these reviews. I have been a client of Sunrise Dental for the past 6 years (2 years at the Chapel Hill location, 4 years at Durham). At both offices, I fortunately have had no issues with the check-in staff, dental assistants, dental hygienists or dentists. I currently see Dr. Donoway at the Durham office and love is chair-side manner. In my experience, he is focused on and committed to high quality service delivery and patient care. The front office check-in staff and procedure is great. The staff are generally very kind. The assistants and hygienists have all been super friendly and are excellent to work with. The only downside is the checking out process which limits my rating to 4 stars. It is certainly a business transaction but I wish that it didn't feel so "business-like" and cold. The billing/appointment-setting staff at the end of services are not very friendly (no smiles, no eye contact) and operate in a robotic and distant manner. It is certainly a low-point in the whole experience.... Overall, I would highly recommend this practice and Dr. Donoway. read more

Awesome dental practice. Dr Vice is terrific. Dr Hansen is stellar. Couldn't be happier going to the dentist-is that possible! :)

My family and I became patients of Dr. Vice 3 years ago. Since the switch in dentist she has been a miracle worker for us! I have had Invisalign, wisdom teeth removed and an implant done. She has done root canals on my husband. My oldest has had wisdom teeth removed and Invisalign. Our whole family gets our regular cleanings at the Cary office as well. I was thrilled to be able to have a dentist and team that is so educated and experienced in more than just general dentistry. Her advice of alternating Tylenol and ibuprofen works like a miracle. I'm glad to have a doctor that does not prescribe habit forming drugs! Thank you Dr. Vice and team for all of your hard work and making sure my family has healthy teeth! read more

It's really too bad that I have to give Sunrise Dental 2 stars. I think the people who work here are generally nice and welcoming and always have a smile on their face (despite the fact that they don't get lunch breaks!) HOWEVER, I don't trust them. Every time I go in and pay whatever co-pay I owe, I end up getting some bill later saying I owe more money. Then, one time I went in for a cleaning, and I was told that I was overcharged last time and that they owed me some money. Here's my question...would they have given me that money if I hadn't come back in? Absolutely not. If I had moved and didn't return, I would've never seen that money. That isn't all. They tried to convince me to get retainers the first visit I was there. I decided that made sense. I then continued to basically beg them to make me retainers for the rest of the 3 years I was going to Sunrise. When they finally did my molds for my retainers, they made me pay the several hundred dollars before getting the retainers. Six weeks went by before I went in (without hearing any word from them) and asked if my retainers were ready. I am sure you won't be shocked to hear that they hadn't even made my retainers and looked at me like they had no idea what I was talking about! So then I had to make an extra trip back, only to find that the retainers didn't fit. Because I was moving the next week, I didn't have time for them to make new retainers so they just shaved them down. So now I have retainers that cost me several hundred dollars with holes in them. The icing on the cake....I got another bill in the mail for $25 after I moved and the receptionist couldn't even tell me what it was for. I paid it, but only so I don't have to get another stinking piece of mail from Sunrise Dental. Good riddance, Sunrise! You have some nice hygienists, but that's about it! Take better care of them and of your patients please. read more

Dr. Mark Donoway is an excellent practitioner, a great person, and is incredibly thorough. He's one of the only reasons I continued visiting Sunrise Dental at this location even after the rest of the staff had thoroughly soured me. The rest of this review, in no way, reflects treatment I received by Dr. Donoway. ------ First of all, not one of the female dentists at this location have any manners. They're rude when you're in the chair. They're rude when you get them on the phone for a follow up. They act like they're doing you a favor by doing their job (which you pay them for). Sunrise Dental Durham is timely. They check you in and get you in the chair quickly. They are more than happy to bill your dental insurance incorrectly but ever so efficiently. But when you're standing at the counter to check out, you're in massive pain and Dr. Donoway HIMSELF walks over to hand you a pain killer prescription in front of the office staff, you've been told how much you owe, and you hand over your CareCredit card, why do not one but two women sit on their thumbs and make you wait only to tell you that you're not eligible for XXX financing with CareCredit. I didn't ask you about financing. I handed you a card to pay for services so I could leave to get a prescription filled and I'm in visible pain. Swipe the card. Give me the receipt. Let me leave. I have canceled all future visits to Sunrise Dental Durham and am switching to a NON-SUNRISE practice right now. ------ Dr. Dirk Vice at Sunrise Dental in Raleigh is one of the best dentists in the Triangle and he and his staff took care of me for years until I moved closer to Durham (with the exception of one female dentist who screwed up one of my fillings that Dr. Vice had to fix on a separate visit). If you're a current patient at Sunrise Dental in Durham and you're dissatisfied, switch to the Raleigh office. They know what they're doing and they are aces. read more

I recently moved to Durham and got a post card in the mail from Sunrise offering a 97.00 cleaning, exam and x-rays. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical and assumed they would try to sell me services I did not need or recommend unnecessary work. Boy was I wrong, this is a top notch dental office, I got a great cleaning 6 xrays 2 visits by the dentist while I was in the office and as I was having a problem with pain in one of me teeth the dentist had to give me 3 shots of novocain and guess what....The bill was 97.00. Super friendly staff great hygienist, great dentist and best of all no up-selling. I would recommend this office to anyone it was really a great experience. read more

Love this place! Love Roberta Brown and Dr Vice! I discovered this office when I was a poor UNC student with limited dental insurance and needed to get wisdom teeth removed. This office was very helpful in working with me to pay for the procedure without judgement because I couldn't afford to pay for it out of pocket, unlike other offices I visited that required massive down payments. They set me up with a carecredit line minus my Caribou Coffee dental (great dental coverage for Barista standards!) and I ended up paying small installments with my small student salary. Four years later, I still come for the cleaning and fillings. They have THE best staff (Roberta Brown, RDH) and Dr Vice, who take great care of this patient! I trust them since I have great anxiety growing up in a country that didn't value painless dental care. Thank you for being so kind and understanding!! read more

Dr. Modlin is AWESOME. My first trip was in the fall of 2011 and I hadn't been to a dentist since high school (ten years) because of awful experiences. This meant I needed an appointment every 3-4 weeks to get a serious cleaning as well as getting my fillings replaced. After one visit with Dr. Modlin and the great staff there I now always look forward to going back. Also, I use nitrous to keep me from panicking with shots. He is great about getting me back on oxygen so that I'm coherent to drive and is probably so good at the shots that I would be okay without the nitrous. Bottom Line: I would and have recommended him to everyone. read more

I chose Sunrise Dental because they were one of the few in the area that accepts my insurance. When I called to schedule the appointment, the receptionist asked if I had insurance and if it was through my employer. I answered yes and told her who my employer was. Apparently she was able to pull up my insurance info right then. Impressive! The office is a little hard to find but once I was inside I was impressed with the decor - flat-screen and wall fountain in the waiting area. I received a cleaning, x-rays and an exam. All were quick and painless. Dr. Hansen is so nice and friendly I could have chatted with her all day. She made some suggestions about replacing some fillings and her assistant provided me with a printout of what each procedure would cost after insurance. read more

First off I hate going to the dentist! I have had really horrible ones in the past, one even left a hole in my tooth. Other words you can say I am not there biggest fan! Along came sunrise corny I know ! But you got to roll with the punches. Loved them from the start. They worked with me to get a handle on my cavities. One a month that's what we did! My dentist is Dr. Donoway ! Best man for the job. Could be happier with them. read more

I went to Sunrise Dental because they are an in-network provider for my insurance as well as they advertised that they offered nitrous for dental-averse patients such as myself. While Dr. Hanson and the assistants are very nice, one of the temporary crowns they did has popped off twice in a little over a week. The previous temporary on that tooth which was done by another dentist at the end of January held for three months with no problems whatsoever. I am having very serious doubts about returning here for any additional work. read more

I'm shocked to see the good reviews here versus horrible reviews elsewhere. I am new to the area, and was lured by the coupon and convenient location. The cleaning was mediocre at best. The dentist told me I needed every single filling replaced. These filling were done in the past 7 years by a highly regarded dentist. What is the statistical probability of getting a cavity in every single tooth all of a sudden, when I have not had a cavity in more than 20 years? And no dentist in the past 2 years has indicated any potential cavities on the watch list. I wonder how Sunrise picks their marks for their scams. Given the reviews here, it is clear they single out certain people rather than scam everyone. That is a smarter strategy on their part. read more

I had not truly smiled in over twenty years due to my front teeth not matching in color and previous crowns just creating a bad visual. Hiding ones smile and declining self confidence wears on a person daily. Being in the public eye more often it became a real struggle to find some balance. No one truly knows how a good smile affects you within until you can not smile yourself. After a deep sincere conversation with Dr. Hansen she came to understand my situation and never gave up on me. Dr. Hansen went to work meanwhile never giving up her quest to see me sincerely smile once again. Surprise !!! Dr. Hansen found a solution and now I'm sincerely smiling. It still seems unreal because its been so long since a dentist got it right and truly understood my pain. I walk by mirrors and just smile. I can not thank Dr. Hansen and her team enough. Thank you and I truly appreciate you going the extra mile when you did not have to. read more

The dentist and hygenists are all very nice and the place is clean and well-located. They often have coupons online for certain services too which is nice. The reason I only gave 3 stars is on 2 separate occasions I have shown up for a scheduled appt. and the receptionist says I don't have one scheduled. This is a giant pain in the butt because I have to take off of work and find someone to watch my baby. I live 20 minutes away as well. Clearly something is wrong with the receptionists and they can't do their job correctly. This needs to be remedied. read more

I've had a great experience with the dental hygienists, front desk staff, and Dr. Laura Azzu here. She repaired a cracked filling that another dentist put in the year prior. She is affable, professional and efficient- in fact, the whole office is. I highly recommend this business! read more

Chose Sunrise because they accept my (really crappy) dental insurance. I waited nearly 45 minutes in the waiting room to be taken back. Not sure what the hold up was, but once I got in the chair, I couldn't have been more pleased. The hygienist, Christy, was super friendly and kind, not to mention competent and compassionate. I can't remember the name of the dentist I saw (something with an M...), but he was wonderful as well. He performed a very thorough exam, and although it seemed he'd had a busy morning, he didn't rush me through. And I appreciate that the entire staff was sensitive to my financial concerns about the cost of treatment. Despite the rocky start in the waiting room, I had an outstanding experience and would definitely recommend! read more

Had a filling that had cracked from a previous dentist in Overland Park, KS redone today by Dr. Mark Donoway. He was extremely professional, very nice, and his entire staff was assuring and made things very easy and efficient. I would highly recommend him and his entire team. Sunrise Dental will be my dentist as I'm new to the area. Thank you, Dr. Mark and Staff. read more

I was hoping this was going to be a great experience as I was recommended to this practice by a friend. This was the Durham- Southpoint location. I went in as a first time patient and was extremely turned off. I wasn't welcomed by the front desk and they were more concerned with gathering my financial info then welcoming me. I was waiting for 15 min past my scheduled appointment time in the waiting room, and then was brought back for x-rays. The technician was inexperienced and struggled to take the correct x-rays leading to way more x-rays then needed. I was beginning to express my concern over all the exposure and she then said she would be right back. She never returned and a new technician came to finish the x-rays. I was waiting for an hour in the chair and felt like I was in a chop shop. I could hear and see all the patients lined up in rooms and there appeared to be only 1 doctor on staff. I decided to leave and told the tech. I walked to the check out desk and then the doctor approached me which made me very uncomfortable and made me feel badly for leaving. The next day my gums were swollen from all the x-ray plates roughly placed in my mouth. I will never go back. read more

Dr. Donoway left. I was scheduled to see a male (can't recall his name) but ended up seeing the same female I mentioned in last review. Her bedside manner was somewhat improved. Still miss Dr. Donoway read more

Before I proceed, I'll like readers to know and understand that I have absolutely no affiliations with this business other than a satisfied customer/patient. I had a 'tooth problem' I've accepted for decades; not because I don't have the money to see a dentist, but because a previous dentist left a 'sour' taste in my mouth. It was so bad that I'd rather forfeited my self-esteem after that procedure to live with the outcome, than see another dentist. A terrible tooth ache prodded me to Sunrise Dental about 7 years ago where I was seen by Dr. Dina Vice and her team. She gave me a service that totally transformed my old perception about dentists. So, years later(insidiously beginning to trust a dentist again), I went back to Sunrise Dental to get that 'tooth problem' (the 'self-esteem-crasher' :))taken care of. Well, this time it was Dr. Donoway. Man, I love that guy! This gifted dentist transformed my smile and gave me back my self-esteem with much care and compassion that goes a long way to show that, they're more concerned about the QUALITY of rendered services than the $$$. And not to mention anymore names, it seemed as though the whole staff underwent some kinda 'TLC' training. Great personalities from 'Welcome to Bye'. I went back later after an accidental damage, and received a repair at $00. His words: "I have to stand by my work, even though its still under warranty." Wow!! How many dentists today can even say that? Boy, I'm extremely satified and pleased with thier service. Going forward, I plan to undergo the recommeded bi-annual dental cleanings. This dentist and his team did not just enhance by physical well being, but psychological, social, and spiritual as well. As a nurse, I affirm this as a paradigm of comprehensive care and HIGHLY recommend them to anyone! read more