I went to Tonka Smiles for a cleaning and exam back in 10/2025. They are in network with the HealthPartners dental insurance I had at the time and offer nitrous. As someone who prefers female dentists, I love that the staff is all women. :) The team - Dr. Phillips, Julie, RDH, Kara, RDA, and the front desk staff - are friendly and thorough.
The main reason this rating is 4 rather than 5 stars is that I felt they recommended work I didn't really need, specifically a crown. Dr. Philips recommended a crown on my bottom right molar where I had a root canal in 11/2017. I'm 8 years out from the procedure and neither the endodontist who did the root canal nor the 3 general dentists I saw between 2018-25 said I needed one. Though she said it's common practice to place a crown after a root canal to avoid the tooth from breaking, I'm reluctant to undergo a procedure on a tooth that has caused zero issues for 8 years. At first I thought she found something other dentists missed but later realized that 4 other dentists (endodontist followed by 3 general dentists) would have said something sooner if I really needed a crown. Other than the root canal, there was no abnormal findings clinically or on the x-ray that convinced me to follow Dr. Phillips' recommendation that I get a crown. Now, if I had a cavity, I would get that filled right away to avoid further decay. But when none of my previous dentists over the past 8 years told me I need a crown and I'm not having pain in that tooth, why create work when none is needed?
She also recommended fixing a small chip on one of my front teeth and Invisalign from my bottom teeth, though both were cosmetic so I declined.
By comparison, my previous dentist of 5 years NEVER recommended any of the above work.
To her credit, Dr. Phillips wasn't pushy about getting the work done. When I asked if it's likely I'd lose the tooth over the next few months if I don't get a crown, she couldn't say. I know it's not always possible to predict medical/dental outcomes but her not knowing told me that I didn't have to make a decision right away and I'd likely be fine without the crown. If the recommendation for a crown was made because I had pain and/or a fracture/other abnormal pathology was found, I'd be more on board getting it, especially if I had been going to the practice for years and didn't need dental work beyond cleanings until now. But as a first time patient to the practice, having a procedure recommended for a tooth that hasn't caused pain or other issues for 8 years makes me question whether I truly need the crown or it's financially motivated.
I moved back to my home state in late March so I cancelled the cleaning previously scheduled for April. If I were to see them again (as I want to move back to MN in a few years) and they recommended any dental work beyond bi-annual cleanings, I'd get a second opinion before agreeing to anything. However, I'd more likely find another dental practice that is more conservative in their recommendations, similar to the dentist I previously saw prior to moving to MN. read more