It has been almost two years and I and still in orthodontic treatment to fix what this office did to me. They had me in braces for 5 years. He ruined my bite and my life. 7 years and I'm still braces because of him. The top picture was before braces the bottom after. It's disgraceful and I trusted him and he could care less. My daughters teeth are out of alignment too after less than 3 years. I am tears writing this because of what he did to m. They also removed my previous review. read more

Surillo, Santiago A, DDS, MS - The top picture is what my teeth before the bottom is after 5 years. That's how he left my teeth. - Orthodontists Near Me - La Mesa, California

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I cannot say enough wonderful things about Dr. Surillo and his staff. From Dr. Surillo, to the dental assistants, to the girls at the front desk, they are thoughtful and compassionate and wonderful at what they do. I Brought all three of my kids in and they absolutely loved their dental visit. They are constantly asking me if they can go see the dentist again, which makes me happy because I was terrified of the dentist as a child, and even as an adult. My kids even received little cards in the mail with stickers which they adored...I especially want to thank Valerie for holding my hand through everything. Thank you. read more

Surillo, Santiago A, DDS, MS - Orthodontists Near Me - La Mesa, California

I can't recommend this pediatric orthodontist enough. From the start, I appreciated that he never pressured me into getting braces for my kids before they were ready. He actually advised us to wait, which I respected. Three of my kids have now had braces here, and their teeth look amazing . Even my grandson--who inherited my overbite and crooked teeth--has a beautiful smile now . The real game-changer, though, was getting sealants. One of my kids didn't get them early on and needed a crown, which was stressful and expensive . After that, I got sealants for the rest of the kids, and we've avoided cavities altogether . I saw a negative review about the sealants once, and honestly, it made me sad . In my experience, sealants saved us thousands . Sedation, crowns, and dental work for kids can add up fast. $350 is a fair price for high-quality protection--and the materials they use here are top notch. I've had crowns from other offices that felt rough, but the ones we got here were smooth and well-made . This office doesn't cut corners. Another huge plus is that the doctor is both a pediatric dentist and an orthodontist--‍ a rare combo! That means you don't have to visit separate offices for cleanings and braces. The staff is amazing, the care is thorough, and the office itself is beautiful, clean, spacious, and calming--truly one of the nicest dental offices I've ever seen . They also make the process fun for kids! Prizes after appointments, and when the braces come off, they do a red carpet-style celebration with a treat bag . It's adorable and memorable. And I have to say--as the parent of a child with stage 3 autism, this office has been such a blessing. The staff is patient, understanding, and the environment is soothing and sensory-friendly. Anyone raising a child with autism knows how difficult dental visits can be, but here, we've felt supported every step of the way . And for families who need it--he's also fluent in Spanish, which is so helpful for many parents . Bottom line: this place is 100% worth it. The quality of care, the honesty, the atmosphere--it's everything I hoped for. Plus, it's in a great shopping center with everything you might need nearby . If you're looking for a pediatric dental and orthodontic office you can trust, this is it . read more

I love this place! I've been coming here since I was a little kid and I've always been so happy to see the same faces. Always so welcoming and with a smile on their face. My brother has always been anxious about going to dentist and doctors, but this place doesn't cause him any anxiety. I've never had issues with the type of care they provide. Always an amazing doctor and amazing dental hygienists! read more

I am so glad we found Dr Surillo!!! His wonderful staff welcomed my kids ages 5 & 3 so warmly and made them feel so comfortable throughout their appointments. From the front office to the hygienists everyone was so friendly and the office feels very "neighborhoody" which we love. They even sent personalized handwritten thank you notes post-visit which was such a nice touch. They are moving to a brand new office in spring 2023 so I look forward to seeing their new facility! Sidenote: we went to the The Super Dentists in the past and felt it was a factory just churning kids out whereas with Dr. Surillo I know my kids are getting much more personalized care. Highly recommend 5 read more

Best dentistry I have found for my kids. Very patient and kind. Have been there for orthodontist care for my child and dentistry for all my kids. They did great and love the environment. My 5 yo had to get his teeth pulled, they were so good about hiding the shots, he didn't cry or feel much. They don't allow parents in with the kids, which I wasn't a fan of. But they did report back to me throughout the procedure. Office Representatives are very helpful. I definitely feel comfortable having my kids get their dental care at Surillo Dentistry and orthodontist. read more

All I gotta say is wow! Dr. Surillo and staff were super nice to my daughter as a first time patient. Shes so scared of dentists. She needed a lot of work done and it was flawless from start to finish. His staff is amazing and so very kind and compassionate to not only her but to us as well. They are very attentive and intuitive to our needs. And then....we got flowers from the office 2 days later! Unheard of coming from a pediatric dental office. I was amazed and wished I had found this group sooner. Highly recommended! read more

Surillo, Santiago A, DDS, MS - Orthodontists Near Me - La Mesa, California

Really bad service by the billing team. They always worry about what "their accountant" wants and not what the customer wants. Not customer friendly. read more

All three of our kids have gone to Dr. Surillo"s office. We have had great experiences here with excellent dental work and braces. The office staff informs ilia of copays and treatment options, is very welcoming and they always ask about what is going on in our kids lives and talk to them involving the kids to take responsibility in their oral health. Thanks for the beautiful smiles out kiddos have!- The Duke Family read more

My daughter, Sara, had her braces off March 21st and her teeth are so beautiful! Amazing staff! From behind the desk to chair side. They are all so kind and helpful.Thank you Dr. Surillo and staff very much for doing such a wonderful job making my daughter's smile even more beautiful!" Rita T Auton read more

Super happy with Dr. Surillo and his staff. My daughter just had her last orthodontic appointment and what a smooth process this has been. We shopped around a lot before deciding on this office. I feel like they were priced fairly and my daughter felt comfortable with everyone from the beginning. It's always been super easy to make appointments, they are on-time, and the total treatment time was accurate in terms of how long she would have her braces. Also, they were also very helpful when it came to providing the paperwork needed for my flex credit. We will definitely see Dr. Surillo again when it's time for my younger daughter to get braces. read more

The staff and dentist who attended to my kids were great, my kids had a very positive dentist experience and for that I am grateful. My issue was with the front desk staff. When I made the appointment weeks before, they made me fill out tons of paperwork and submit all my insurance information to make sure we were all covered. I sent everything in. The day of my appointment I checked in and showed my insurance card etc. My kids got cleanings, checkups and x-rays. When leaving, the front desk person informed me that "she was so sorry but the insurance didn't cover any of the services and oh insurance companies are the worst and she even tried calling them to beg". OK so why did I send you all the insurance info weeks ago? For you to wait until I was in the back getting treatment to finally check it out? So anyway $500++++ later, I won't be going back. read more

This place is great! Dr Surillo is creative with difficult cases. He always gives the best results! Always available when you need to discuss progression of case. So excited he took me as a patient as well! One happy mom :) read more

Dr. Surillo and his staff are absolutely top notch. We have been coming to this office since my son was 2, after an unfortunate fall that killed his top front baby tooth. (He is now 13). He has ADHD, so he has a hard time sitting still, but that has never been an issue here. My daughter loves this office as well and also has beautiful teeth thanks to Dr. Surillo and the wonderful care he provided. In fact, she only started seeing a different dentist this last year as she is now 23. I can't tell you how grateful I am as a mom to know that our money was well spent! Their prices are reasonable and they work with insurance to give you the best rates possible. You will not regret coming to this office. They are seriously amazing!! read more

Surillo, Santiago A, DDS, MS - Perfect, gorgeous teeth! - Orthodontists Near Me - La Mesa, California

I have taking my Son there a few years. They always been extremely friendly, professional, and fast. My Son just got braces put on about a month ago. We were at baseball practice and he got hit in the mouth with the ball, scary hard. We rushed to dentist office and Dr. Surillo saw us immediately. He had my Son's pain under control within minutes. We will be loyal customers for life. read more

I haven't logged into yelp for a while. But, I felt like I needed to write this review. First off the office and staff are very good with children. I was very impressed with them and their ability to put my daughter at ease. The office was well kept and clean. The whole experience is designed to help make your child happy and comfortable. However, my experience with Dr. Surillo's left me uncomfortable... Now to be fair, maybe he and I were both a little "off" that day and my experience was unusual and not the status quo as it seems to be in sharp contrast to other reviews... That being said, I feel there was a real effort to "up-sell" his services at the end of the appointment.... At the end of the appointment, we were to wait for the doctor, so he could come and evaluate my daughter (age 3). Now up until the point, my daughter's teeth had glowing reviews from the staff. We brush and floss her teeth 2 times a day, so we were not surprised to hear from the state that her teeth were in good shape. However, as soon as we met with Dr. Surillo, everything was all about her potential for cavities and the problems they would cause; He recommended dental sealant for her teeth (8 in total) and it should be applied as soon as possible. He said it could be taken care right then and there, and it would only take 20 more minutes. Now, this information was in stark contrast to everything we heard about my daughter's teeth the last 45 minutes; it caused me to pause. I started to push back a little bit, just to see how legit and pressing the issue really was. So, I asked several questions: I though she had good teeth? Is see showing any signs of decay? Can you show me on the x-ray and sign of enamel erosion? No sufficient answers were provided. The best reply was "She has deep pits, if you don't do it, the pits in her teeth get soft and she'll *have* (not *might have* but *have*) cavities in 6 months when she comes in next time. The absolute proclamation of my child's poor future dental health seemed like fear mongering and didn't sit well with me. At that point, I just said, "We didn't have time today, and I'll look into and get back to you." He tried to schedule me for a follow up right there, I declined. and said he'd get me a cost schedule. As we left my child got a "report card" for her teeth stating her teeth were "average," (despite the 45 minutes of praise from the staff) citing the lack of sealant as a major factor. With the report card, I was also given a cost schedule for the sealant for $350!! After the fact, I realized how much this upset me. Never during the process of discussing the sealant with the Dr. Surillo did he disclose the exact cost. All he ever stated during the appointment was the financing was available. The whole process seemed to me as if it was being sold as a quick easy fix to a dire and impending problem. I did not appreciate how the process was pitched and how there was a complete lack of transparency about cost. After the fact, I looked into dental sealant for children, and it seems my intuition was right. according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, "Children should get sealants on their permanent molars as soon as the teeth come in -- before decay attacks the teeth. The first permanent molars -- called "6 year molars" -- come in between the ages of 5 and 7." My daughter is 3... read more

Excellent experience every time. My kids (5 and 3) really like getting their "teeth checked" here, it shocks me every time. Super friendly staff and Dr S is always so calm and nice which in turn is very comforting. This office genuinely cares for their little patients and oral health! read more

I was so completely happy from start to finish! Going to the dentist is usually known for bad service, unhelpful assistants, horrible work, unnecessary work and over-billing issues. I have had the complete perfect experience from start to finish! I was completely overly amazed on how polite and empathetic the staff and dental hygienists were to me and my 5 yr old son. 1. The office was very nice and had little arcade games in the waiting room to entertain the little ones. 2. Loved the seasonal decor, felt like a warm welcome into a kindergarten class room, very nicely designed for children to make them feel safe and secure. 3. Every single person we interacted with was so helpful and actually more than willing to answer questions I had and answered questions I didn't know to ask. 4. The staff is experienced really knows how to talk and interact with children to make them comfortable and fun! Yes!! Fun!! 5. Their prices are fair and reasonable, as I had no dental insurance or dental plan so I had to pay out of pocket. 6. They REALLY, HONESTLY do not try to do more work than actually needed, then over bill you for it. They actually SAVED me money and heartache!! (Read on below). My son broke off a part of his molar, after the x-rays they said had one cavity and needed a stainless steel crown and pulpotomy for the broken tooth. I was scared and worried. I research and investigated everything about crowns and alternatives, turns out, crowns are the best option, but still felt the need to discuss to the doctor about saving his tooth and doing a filling. The hygienists gave me affirmation that Dr. Whitcomb always does what is best and is conservative by doing the least amount of work and only does what is absolutely needed. Still apprehensive, I at least had that trust walking out of the office. After my sons procedure they let me know they were able to save the broken molar and no steel crown or pulpotomy was needed just a good filling. I literally wanted to cry I was so happy, I hugged and thanked everyone. So that saved me $380 and most importantly my sons beautiful tooth!!! This was my sons first dentist experience and not once was he scared, he actually liked it a lot! I would recommend them to everyone young or mature and will continue to only go there from now on. Dr. Witcomb is a marvelous accredited Dentist and does wonderful work! Again, thank you for your service in the Military Dr. Witcomb! Thank you to all staff and Doctors at Children's Braces and Dentistry in La Mesa read more

This is the best Kids Dentist Location! An amazing friendly staff, great Dentist, office filled with games, toys and decorations! My son has been going here since he was 3 and he gets excited when it's time to go to the dentist! read more

The BEST Children's Dentist around!! I've never met a staff as kind and sweet. They are all so friendly and welcoming. Dr. Surillo is very personable and connects very well with the kids. My kids always look forward to going and we've never, ever had a negative experience. Never even heard a child crying in this office; not common elsewhere. They even met us on the eve of a holiday for an emergency! Make the change today and take your kids to see Dr. Surillo and staff! Your kids will thank you... read more

Braces were removed prior to senior portrait and son's teeth looked fabulous after bleaching. Suggested since he's now 19 that he considers switching to a "big boy" dentist. No way! He loves Dr. Surillo and his staff and insists he will continue with them until them boot him out! That's a pretty strong testament to their dental care. read more

I've been going to Dr. Surillo since I was 4 years old and I am now 19! The dental hygienists are my absolute favorites! They are all so sweet and always take perfect care of me. I had braces when I was 11-13 and my teeth look great. read more

Dr. Surillo and his amazing staff are such a pleasure to work with. My son has been coming for nine years and my daughter for five. They both enjoy their dental and orthodontist appointments (actually like to come, which is unheard of). Every single person in the practice from check in to the Dr. are professional, positive and take the time to explain what to expect and what is coming next. I don't typically have/take time to write these recommendations but I am so impressed, I thought I would add my feedback here. I would highly recommend Dr. Surillo to everyone with kids! read more

The staff is amazing and Dr. Surillo is amazing with my boys very patient and thats what keeps me coming back

I took my kids in for the first time and I had called previously to make the appointment and provided them with my insurance info and they said that it would cover the services and that an insurance specialist would take a look at it and if it didn't cover they would call me to let me know. Nobody called me to follow up or for an appointment reminder . We went to the appointment and the staff was nice but when we checked out, they told me that my insurance only covered half the cost . So I had to pay out of pocket almost $300. I was very disappointed that I was not given the information before hand so that I can decide wether to the the kids there or not. They billed me and I mailed the Payment to their office and they said they never received it. I literally dropped it off at the post office that is walking distance to their business. I called to follow up and says that everything had been processed , so I had to cancel the check with my bank and pay a fee. I made the Payment to the dentist over the phone and the person that processed it said that she would email me the receipt in 5 minutes and I never got it. I called to follow up and they stated they would leave her a note. I just got a bad feeling from this business . I will not be taking my kids back. It's too bad because I was considering the orthodontic services for both of them . I think that they just want the business from anyone inquiring and they don't care enough to check the insurance coverage before hand. read more

I have been seeing Dr. Surillo and his dental assistant, Judy, for years! They have done an amazing job with my Invisalign and have been more kind and courteous than I could ever explain. Everyone in the office is professional, accommodating, and extremely welcoming. I recommend their office to anyone with kids but also adults as well! No better place in San Diego for orthodontic services! read more

I've been getting the majority of my dental work done here for most of my life. From the time I was 3 or 4 until now (age 21). People wonder why I still go to a dentist that has a prize cabinet, and I have a very simple answer to that. Every time (and I mean, literally, every time) I go to any other dentist, it's been an awful experience. Half of that is probably that other dentists aren't all that great, and the other half is definitely because I've been spoiled by Surillo and his staff. Surillo himself is fantastic at what he does. He's personable and I would call him an artist when it comes to teeth. I had braces from this practice while I was growing up, and now my teeth look great. He has an intricate understanding of how teeth work and how they move that goes beyond what his education could provide. He has a legitimate talent for this work. His staff (from the front desk to every last assistant) are also just as phenomenal. They remember who you are, things you told them last time, and they care about you as a person. They are extremely gentle and still do their jobs very well. In all the years I've been with them, I could count on one hand how many times my gums were even SLIGHTLY unnecessarily sore. That's rare. At any other place, I could count on it at LEAST 95% of the time. This practice is a blessing, and although they'll be referring me out in the next few years, I'll be clinging to them as long as possible. read more

Dr. Surillo is amazing and so is the whole office staff. I have two son's and a niece who come here. They are so patient and kind with my boys and niece. They answer all of our question's even when after I left got home and forgot what we needed to do with head gear they explained again and made sure I knew what to do before getting off the phone. I recommend them to everyone. My older son needs to know what you're going to do to him before even starting and Stephanie has never had a issue doing this. Max asked to see her every time and the office is so welcoming to that. read more

Great office, great with kids, 5 year old boy thought it was amazing and fun.