Dr. Din has been my dentist since I was in third grade, and now that I'm in my 30s, I continue to trust him completely with my dental care. He is transparent, diligent, thorough, and communicative, always taking the time to explain procedures, discuss options, and answer questions clearly. He listens carefully to patient preferences and priorities and incorporates them into his treatment plans, which has made me feel consistently respected and well cared for. Something that I particularly appreciate is that he takes before and after photos or even just FYI photos of teeth, so I can verify what's going on. His services are so good, that when I moved to the East Coast for nearly a decade, I still chose to keep him as my dentist, arranging visits whenever I was back in the area because of the high level of care I receive. His combination of clinical excellence and professionalism makes him, by far, my favorite dentist, and I recommend him without hesitation. read more

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7/16/26 While eating a super seedy bagel, I heard a crack! My denture had a hairline crack. I informed the Duchess and she called her dentist, making an appointment for10 AM the following morning. Interestingly, after we arrived, we were asked to wait outside until we were notified that we could come into the office. Once inside, I only waited a couple minutes, before a very attractive lady led me inside and seated me in the dentist chair. She (Ruby) and Dr. Din looked over my denture, took it, and an hour later I was out the door. Very friendly office, lots of laughter, and would highly recommend. The cost did hurt a little until the Duchess paid the $500+ bill. Nice to have the Duchess around. read more

Dr. Ala Din is truly exceptional! I have never encountered another professional so dedicated to their craft, with such profound experience and genuine humanity. I had a tooth that two specialists said needed a root canal, but Dr. Din took the time--more than he would be compensated for--to save and restore the tooth without a root canal. I am amazed by the skill, compassion, and teamwork exhibited by the entire staff. I am deeply grateful for everyone I interacted with. I would recommend Dr. Din's office to anyone I care about, even friends living far away, like in San Francisco. Despite the distance, it's absolutely worth it! read more

Ala Din - General Dentistry Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Receptionists are not good at communicating information in a clear manner. I don't know about Dr. Din's abilities other than he recommends a lot of things that needs to be done which I am uncertain about its necessity. read more

Honestly care and cost me better than most dentist I consulted Dr ALA DIN does quality work and want to give five stars Wish him success My whole family go there read more

I love coming to the dentist!! The staff here is wonderful as well. Such a warm & wonderful community.

Dr. Din is a transparent, thorough and personable dentist! One of the best I've been to in my life and that's saying a lot, having been to some of the best dentist in NYC and San Diego. I found him via yelp and I am so happy I did! He took pictures whilst progressing through my filling, showing and sharing with me what he was doing and why, all along the procedure. End results are gorgeous. Dr. Din, and his entire staff and warm, friendly and kind. Will travel any distance going forward to visit him for biannual cleanings. read more

About 6 weeks ago, I got a root canal on a molar. The next day I was in severe pain. I knew immediately something was wrong as my previous root canals went smoothly & painless. Several of my colleagues are patients of Dr. Ala Din and recommended him. After 5 weeks of enduring excruciating pain (it's a long story), I had reached my breaking point. I called Dr. Din's office late afternoon. Natalie answered the phone and she was the sweetest person I have met this year. She told me to come in right away and they will try their best to help me. I was greeted by Dr. Ala Din and I begged him for an extraction. He tried to convince me to save my tooth but I just wanted it yanked out. I was shaking, I was crying, I was having a panic attack. I received so much empathy from Dr. Din, Natalie and their entire team. Although he couldn't extract my tooth and preferred I go to a specialist, he was willing to numb me and shave the tooth to release pressure. He also took xrays to try to find what went wrong in the root canal. And he did all this for FREE!!! They didn't charge me anything. All they were trying to do was comfort me and help relieve the pain. I have NEVER met any dental or medical professional team who is willing to help a complete stranger for free. They had won my heart. I have a wonderful relationship with my dentist but I will refer many people to Dr. Din. I will continue to sing his praises because doctors like him are rare. May God bless you & your entire team for trying to help me on that awful day. read more

The doctor and his staff do an excellent job on my teeth and are additionally very kind, polite and generous. I look forward to seeing them for my dental needs in the South Bay going forward. read more

I've seen many dentists in the past year to figure out what has been going on with my teeth. I switched from my previous dentist to Dr. Ala Din for a few reasons. I confirmed both with Dr. Ala Din and a separate dentist from another office, that I had multiple cavities. My previous dentist did not alert me about this or did not see them. That built a lot of trust that they were not just there to do work on my mouth to get money. I was in pain. That pain had been written off by previous dentist and even the one which helped confirmed I had cavities. Dr. Ala Din and his whole staff listened and identified the issues I was facing. They spent the time. I hope someone else is looking for a dentist and reads my review. The whole office has been tremendous. If your teeth are healthy or in tough shape, they'll provide a positive environment to get you on the right track. read more

Great service. Dr Ala Din Is a very funny guy. Very nice and professional. Really did a great job. Highly recommend!

I am so scared of dentist but after seeing Dr. Din I am no longer scared. He was so kind and patient with me and he really took good care of me. I will be recommending him to all my family and friends. I look forward to my next appointment with him. read more

Dr. Ala Din, What an amazing experience it has been to visit your office. I have got to admit, I was terrified! Terrified from my past dental experience and of the unknown. I walked in your office with facial numbness and I was scared to think it was something other than tooth discomfort. Dr. Din, not only did you see me at the last minute and took care of the problem, but you positive energy, your ora, your smile, your patience made my experience painless and without any fear. You and your entire staff are the people that make coming to see a dentist worth while. I am no longer afraid!! Yay. I look forward to see you Dr. Din and the staff who also make this happen. Highly, highly recommended Dr. I will spread the word for you. I thank you. read more

This has been the BEST overall dental experience of all time for me: from the moment I called in due to a spontaneous dental emergency (shout out to Hope for making my experience welcoming & comfortable!) to the kindest dental assistant EVER, to Dr. Din's warm professionalism, thorough dental expertise, & ability to understand, care for, & provide solutions for my dental needs...to the moment I left the front desk chair (Laura is great, too!). I was able to get my issue(s) fixed/discussed with ease and excellent customer service. I felt safe & in great hands, here. I stumbled across a gem of a team & apparently you have, too. My highest of recommendations go to Dr. Din & his team. If I could give them 10 stars, I would. read more

I neglected my teeth pretty badly for more years than I want to admit. I found Dr. Din online and selected him based on the high rating. I was not disappointed. Like most people, I worry about the pain associated with going to the dentist but after multiple fillings and one root canal, I couldn't be more pleased with my experience! Dr. Din is a true professional and a perfectionist. You cannot tell I've had any work done. He took his time with two of my larger cavities and saved me from root canals. I was really on "thin ice" on one of those and feel like it's a miracle it didn't end up as a root canal. He really cares about his patients; he and his assistants make sure you're comfortable ... and the best part??? I DIDN'T FEEL ANY PAIN! He's got the good drugs lol. I feel like the staff has become family. Dr. Din is very friendly and caring. He takes his time and listens to your concerns. He's experienced and knowledgeable. The front staff and the dental assistants are just as kind; I seriously love them! Thank you Dr. Din and staff! read more

This place isn't what it used to be. I was a patient for over seven years and used to believe Dr. Din and his team prided themselves on their work and customer service. Over the years, the work has severely declined - to the point where I feel obligated to write this review to warn others. The last thing I want to do is shop for a new dentist, but I've hit a point where returning to this office feels irresponsible. I came in for a regular check-up/cleaning this January and they performed a 'Deep Clean' instead. I was never told this visit was going to cost extra or that the work they were doing was going to come with charges beyond the standard cleaning fee. They presented it as if it was an ordinary course and proceeded with the cleaning without asking me whether I wanted to proceed with something that was different from the cleanings they'd provided over the last several years. They weren't able to finish the first cleaning in one visit so they had me come back a second time. I received no explanation at either visit of the additional work that was being done and the costs associated with it. I was then handed a bill for over $800 (post-insurance coverage). I was shocked by this and asked for a breakdown of the fees. There were multiple line items of unnecessary costs that drove up the bill. I followed up with the billing department and the front desk multiple times, both via email and phone, to try to understand these additional costs and have been ignored each time. This is a stark contrast from when I've required dental work and Dr. Din personally answered my calls, calling me "friend". The bottom line is that this office will take advantage of you wherever possible and overwhelm you with messages and reminders about dental work but ignore you the second something comes up that doesn't equate to profit. I am so disappointed by the way Dr. Din and his office have handled this situation with a long-time patient. read more

Dr. Ala Din is an ANGEL! I dont know how many times I have came to him to fix my two front teeth because they chip so often! I am probably his most needy patient. He is ALWAYS there to fix and no matter what he does his work with integrity and LOVE. Guess what!! I ate a mexican tostada and my tooth chipped again!! I didnt get the memo that i wasnt supposed to eat hard stuff so here we are again. He kindly squeezed me in during the day to get it fixed AGAIN. Aside from this tooth chipping problem, he is soo detailed and cares about the entiree mouth. He really knows what he is doing. Even if I am his most reoccurring patient and he probably wouldnt prefer that way I would neverrr leave my dentist for any other in the area. I live in San Jose now and i still go visit Dr. Ala Din for all my dental needs. God bless that man. P.s The dental assistants are also super amazing! Cleanings are always a breeze. read more

I would travel very far to be in the presence of Dr. Ala Din, whatever his profession or trade happened to be. As it turns out he is a dentist. He's not just a dentist, he's a MASTER dentist, who loves dentistry. He is also a positive high frequency human being. His presence is like a tuning fork, everyone who is in his presence just naturally finds their vibration has risen to to be in tune with his. His exquisite, gentle caring comes through his beautiful assistant, Manana, from the Country of Georgia, herself a matchless dentist in her own right. And his caring comes through both Hope and Jessica, the other members of his team, which they each express with their own precious individuality. Dr. Ala Din's skill as a dentist continues to surpass whatever I could have imagined. When I walk home from his office, reflecting inside me the high frequency he embodies, full of the respect and the love that I experienced there. read more

BEST dental experience of my life! Dr. Ala Din genuinely cares for his patients. I honestly felt relaxed throughout a complicated root canal. I highly recommend Dr. Ala Din, He is the best! As well as his friendly, informative, and talented staff! read more

Dental service was good, although Dr. Din was a bit pushy for extra treatments not covered by insurance, without any solicitation or interest from me, during a routine cleaning. However, the copay I was charged ended up being more than what I actually owed according to my insurance claim. Not necessarily a problem. But the office did not reach out to me to let me know about the mistake. I had to call them multiple times over the course of a few weeks and explain to them that the price I was charged did not match the amount I owed. Multiple times, they said they would call me back and did not, so I had to continue to call them to inquire about the status. They then said they would refund my payment, but ended up re-charging me again instead. An accident, I'm sure, but I had to call again to resolve it. 2 months after my appointment, after 5 or 6 separate phone calls, I finally received a refund for my overpayment. I will not be going back. read more

This is what my mouth look like after almost 24 hours I did the deep cleaning. It was painful too during the procedure, causing my gum felt the pain all the way, I complained about this pain, but the girl who did the cleaning one me saying that pain was normal. I really do not want to post any thing, give any ratings till now, just look at my mouth! Keep bleeding all night, and I do not know when this gonna end.... read more

We all hate going to the dentist. If this is you look no further. You've found your guy! I've been a patient of Dr Din's for over 2 years now and I can't imagine going to another dentist! If you ever have any issues just voice them to Dr Din and he will rememdy the situation. Dr Din: Dr Din is a kind and patient man. The dentist I was previously seeing would prescribe me valium just to get me in her office. Dr Din's gentle personality makes it so I know I'm going to be in good hands thus lowering the anxiety of the "dreaded dental appts". He will always lets me know what he is about to do if he senses any anxiety. He will crack a joke and always have his best smile on. He always put customers first. Always. You can also expect follow up phone calls from Dr Din himself after having work done. Like I said this guy cares. Office Staff: I love working with the staff. Sal is in charge of billing and appointment scheduling. I never have an issue that Sal can't resolve. I can't tell you how many times I've cried to Sal about my insurance and he would calmly explain to me what I'm actually looking at and help me fix it! Dr Din's assistant is wonderful and hi-lar-ious. Can't remember her name at the moment as she is fairly new but this chick is on fire. I don't think I can ever get any work done without her by my side. Atmosphere: Just plain awesome. You walk into a small intimate sitting area. Across from your seating is Keurig K-Cup Brewer and an assortment of different coffees and teas. Don't drink cofffee? Look beneath the coffee maker and there is a small fridge fully stocked of delicous juices and water. Remember to grab a water for the drive home. I should also tell you that I've never had to wait to be seen. Not once! Parking: A very small parking lot but you will never find any issues. You can park right in the front. You will find the driveway widens to fit a few cars in the front. There are a few spots in the back but you don't need to even go there. If for some odd reason these options are taken there a few street parking spots on the side of the building that you can just drive into. read more

What is there not to like about Dr. Din? I've lived in every time zone in the continental United States and Dr. Din is BY FAR my favorite dentist of all time. Not only are he and his staff extremely knowledgeable and well trained but they are GENTLE. I have never had such a pain free experience with a dentist. To top it off, he has all the newest technology available which allows for quicker visits. X-rays are instantaneous and show up right in front of you on a screen immediately, as well has his magic little camera to show before and after pics- again, instantaneously. He takes extreme care in understanding and adjusting your bite to eliminate potential future problems and has all the tools right there to assist you. I can not say enough good things about this dentist. The fact that I'm actually leaving a yelp review for a dentist is impressive in my book. Just look at his rating! See you in 6 months Dr. Din. read more

After moving from New Jersey I had to find an entire new team of doctors. I found Dr. Din and decided to try him out. He and his team are absolutely FANTASTIC! They are extremely consultative and are always there to help educate. After getting my teeth cleaned, I went back a couple weeks later with some weird tooth sensation. I thought I may need a root canal, but after Dr. Din took a look he just said my tooth was "bruised" and to let it heal naturally! If that's not a trusted Doctor, I don't know what is! I'm so glad I found a doctor I can truly trust. Thank you, Dr. Din! read more

Can imagine a pain-free dentist who has affordable prices, works very quickly, and is extremely caring about building relationships with his patients? Well, neither could I before I met Dr. Ala Din. Dr. Ala Din is by far the best dentist I have ever had work on my teeth! After receiving an excellent referral, I went to him to get a second opinion on whether or not I needed to get a root canal, or just a new crown. Turned out that I did not need a root canal, and the price of my crown was less than 50% from the original quote. He completed all of the work for the initial stage on my first consultation and I was out of there within an hour. I also had zero pain and was impressed by their state of the art technology for images and X-rays. Dr. Ala Din also called the next day to say thank you for choosing him, and see how I was feeling. What an awesome experience. I highly recommend Dr. Ala Din to all of my friends and loved ones! P.S. Before Dr. Ala Din I was very happy with my dentist over the past 10 years, but now I wish I had found Dr. Ala Din earlier! read more

I have been using Dr. Din as my dentist for over a year now and I am so glad that I made the change to his service! I used to loath trips to the dentist. I knew that I would be shamed for not flossing enough and leave in pain from intense cleanings. That is NOT the case with Dr. Din. He is gentle in both his cleaning technique and his encouragement for proper oral care. I was also floored at the technology he has to assess oral hygiene and include the patient in what he sees. He has an excellent staff as well. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. I will certainly continue seeing Dr. Din for all of my oral healthcare needs. read more

I'll write here what I told Dr. Din when I moved out of California. That it's going to be tough to find a dentist as capable as him. I appreciated the care with which he always provided me. That is not easy to find and I really do appreciate it. Dr. Din was able to figure out the cause of a problem with my dental implant, which had used too long of a post, causing the crown to fall off. Another dentist I tried to have fix it could not figure it out. Dr. Din is very observant, kind and smart, in addition to being an excellent dentist. read more

Being relatively new to the area, I am so glad to have found Dr Din. Dr. Din is very personable. Both he and his entire staff/assistant took the time to understand what my concerns were going into my visits and tried to clearly address each and every concern before moving forward or making a decision with me. I have a painful history in Dental visits, and although I think I proved a unique challenge for Dr. Din, they were able to assist me in every way possible. I have never had such a thorough experience in my entire life for a cleaning/general visit. They took the time to show and explain to me exactly what they were looking at, doing, and looking for. He also explained to me that it is his goal to take care of any and all issues and work toward his clients maintenance so that no more major work is required. Dr. Din presented a product I had never heard of that he suggested and explained how it could work for me. They were able to show me some of my areas that had been "repaired" by other dentists in the past, in comparison to the work that he did on my teeth. The results were absolutely astounding. As he put it, he doesn't give "fillings" he provides restorative work that, when completed looks as good as the original area. While taking care of an area of a tooth, he also took it upon himself to make other improvements near the area he was already working. I like that the office is small, therefor the entire staff is attentive to your needs. Scheduling has been very easy. I look forward to continuing my visits with Dr. Din. read more

I have known Dr. Din for about 1 year now through a group that we both belong to. After hearing about the rave reviews everyone was giving him, I decided to try him out as well (I had been going to the same dentist for over 10 years and had no complaints, but when everyone you know speaks so highly of someone or something you have to check it out). Walking into his office I was immediately greeted and offered water. Filled out the normal new patient paperwork, got my picture taken, and then moved on to the dirty work! Dr. Din took his time asking questions about my history, any pain I may be having, and thoroughly reviewing my ex-rays. He is very easy to talk to and made me feel quite comfortable. I can definitely tell he loves his work and strives to make his patients happy and comfortable, all while keeping their gorgeous smiles! 2 thumbs up! read more

I am Dr Din's patient only for a couples of month. I am glad I found him. He is detail oriented, a very good dentist, efficient and a pleasant personality. He listen to your concerns and finds good solution for your dental problems. His whole team is great. I highly recommend him. Dana S. read more

Dr Ala Din, was my life saver. I came to him with intense jaw pain(that I had had for 2 years) and from a dentist who had told me I needed extensive work to rectify the pain. She had also taken almost 2 years to fix one tooth, and the final implant was ugly. Dr.Din checked out my whole head, and when he pressed a place in the back of my head I winced. He did a thorough check and informed me that my pain was not due to "bad" teeth but grinding at night. He made me a night guard and within a few days my pain was gone. I have been with him for several years, and he is a very honest dentist, who does everything to preserve my teeth. Just recently, my bridge broke, and, he suggested 4 different ways to go with the restoration. They ranged from $3K-$12K . When he uncovered my broken tooth he said he thought he could possibly have enough root to be able to crown it. So he did a root canal on the tooth and put on a crown. He saved the other part of the bridge which seems sturdy. All of this was accomplished for under 3K. I do know I will at some point have to address the rest of the bridge, but now at most I will need a crown and 1 implant. Hopefully not for some time. His work is meticulous and he worked on my tooth for 3 hours , missing his lunch hour... a dedicated man, with his patients best interests at heart. A wholistic attitude to preserving and working on teeth I highly recommend him. read more

I called Dr. Din late on New Years Eve and explained that I had broken a front tooth veneer. He offered to stay late that evening or he would meet me on New Years Day at his office the next morning. He opened his office the next morning and went about rebuilding the broken veneer to send in to the lab for replacement and built a temporary in place. He was very competent, professional and did not rush the process. The temporary came out perfect and I was very impressed. Dr Din went above and beyond in customer service and has won a new customer. I will look to him for all my future dental needs. read more

I have been going to Dr. Din for several years. In fact, my entire family uses his services. He is caring and thorough. He is very detail oriented and a perfectionist. His work is beautiful. The staff is friendly and very accommodating. Dr. Din also makes himself available to fit your schedule. My daughter was home from college and needed an appointment - Dr. Din came in to help her on his day off. That is service above and beyond. read more

I really recommend Ala Din DDS. Dr. Din is a very reliable and professional person in his job. The staff is very friendly and helpful; they do their best to make the appointments when you have availability. Once you are there, they also explain you about what they are going to do and the tools they will use to check and clean your teeth. Great location and clean installations. Thanks Dr. Din for your service. read more

I went in for a cleaning and cavity filling today, 8/23. Dr. Din has really changed my mind about dentists. I feel like I got myself worked up for nothing; I was so nervous and anxious. In general, I'm afraid of the needle pain and drilling, but I felt NOTHING!!! When Dr. Din came in to numb me, I was very nervous and next thing I know he was done injecting me and I had no clue. I actually said to him, "did you really inject me?!" And he said, "yes"...I said, "no way!" I was nervous for nothing. Their dental hygienist is amazing as well (I got this done before my procedure). I liked that she talked to me while cleaning my teeth because it really calmed me down. She's so funny as well! Back to my procedure... after Dr. Din finished working on my husband, he came over to start on me. He was very gentle, clean about everything and super careful. I ended up needing a root canal because the cavity was so close to the nerve...ouch! I felt that one, but with a quick raise of my hand and Dr. Din gave me more numbing medication. My husband then came as support and Dr. Din completed the root canal. After the second dose of the numbing meds, I didn't feel a thing! No pain at all!!! And this is coming from a person who was nervous and anxious for days before this visit. I was so happy after the procedure; smiling and talking. Dr. Din, if you're reading this, my husband and I want to thank you for your careful attention to detail and talent. You have restored my faith in dentist. Thank you! read more

I had an exam and cleaning. Dr. Din is very thorough and highly skilled and experienced. 5 stars! read more

I chipped my tooth and had to go to Dr. Din in a hurry. He was very nice in accommodating me even though I believe it was outside his usual hours. I ended up needing a root canal procedure (my first ever). I have heard horror stories about root canal procedures so naturally I was a bit apprehensive, however, the only pain or annoyance was having my mouth wide open for an hour and some minutes. I was pleasantly surprised by how well it went. I will highly recommend Dr. Din as I think he is very professional in how be takes you through what needs to be done and the kindness he shows even when he is going to inflict pain (jk). read more

Whoo hoo! Rock Star Dentist and amazing staff. Yes, I am very happy. Dental work costs $$. I don't have dental insurance so any procedure for me is very expensive. However, Ala Din's rates are very reasonable and especially in my situation. I have a front tooth that badly chipped at a dinner party. It had been repaid before. I Yelped for a great dentist in Palo Alto area and was led to Dr. Din. (thank you Yelp!) I sent an email for an appointment at nearly 9pm at night describing my situation and attached my phone number. Within 10 minutes my phone rang and it was Dr. Din arranging for an emergency appointment for me at 8am the following morning. So far, great - I'm in. My tooth had been repaired 15 years ago and i was very happy with the result back then. There was no indication the repair would just fall out but i'd say a 15 year product is really good. Dr. Din said he would do his best to match the tooth and i gave him my chipped tooth. He placed it back on my tooth and laughed as he said i was "very kind" to say that it was a perfect match because he thought the old repair didn't match the tooth at all. I had a great laugh and a very big sigh of relief because i thought the old repair was a very good match. I was in the chair at 7:50am. Dr. Din and some cute assistant worked on me for over an hour to repair my tooth and tried to finish to get me out of the chair before i had an important meeting that morning at 9:30am. I was late getting to the appointment, but my tooth is amazing. Thank you Dr. Din. I've had very traumatic experiences with dentists and orthodontists in the past and I avoid them like the plague. But now, I'm so comfortable with Dr. Din that i can't wait to get back into that chair and have him work on other issues I have (enamel at base of tooth disappearing, cleaning, etc.) and just to talk about cosmetic issues i have always wanted to address but didn't know how. I very much look forward to his wisdom and work. This dentist is super competent, extremely professional, amazing infectious feel good attitude, and very reasonably priced. Zero pressure! He's a keeper on my medical list. read more

Dr. Din has been our family dentist for well over 30 years now. I've been to plenty other dentist but no one is as honest, quick, and friendly. He generally cares about you whereas other dentist treat you like a number. I make it a point to go back to him even though I don't even live in the Bay Area anymore! read more

If you're anything like me, you've been paralyzed by fear for a long time. The fear takes many forms: Fear of experiencing even greater pain than the pain you live with every day, fear that they'll tell you nothing can be done, fear that you won't be able to afford the work that you need, fear that they will shame and humiliate you about the state of your teeth. But that pain in your mouth is growing and getting harder to ignore. That's all okay -- you're reading these excellent reviews now, which means you've already almost finished the hardest part of the nightmare ordeal: getting started. After a traumatic experience with my childhood dentist, I developed what I like to call a "rational irrational" fear by which I mean a fear that is irrational in its intensity but at its core is based on actual past negative experiences. After that trauma I avoided dentists and also streets with dentists' offices. I avoided live television and radio programs that might have dental advertising. I abandoned books that made repeated use of dental metaphors. I avoided hard exercise that made my teeth ache more when the blood got pumping. I avoided foods that required too much chewing. Worst of all, it takes a lot of lying to cover up all this odd behavior without confessing the real trouble, the dental trouble, to the people in my life. This went on for 12 years. That we form such strong aversions as a result of pain is actually an evolutionary trait that helped our ancestors survive on the savannah, and I was like a gazelle on the lookout for anything that might prompt somebody next to me to say, "Hey, you should really see a dentist." My young nephew recently said to me, "It's the year twenty-seven teeth!" He meant that it was the year 2017, but to me it was a sign that the time had finally come to get help. I had to schedule my appointment in person; I felt sure that if I called in I would be a silent person breathing heavily on the other end of the line, unable to speak. When I first arrived at Dr. Din's office I had what I'm pretty sure meets the medical criteria for panic attack: heart racing, trembling, shortness of breath, and dread. I climbed the stairs to the front door in slow motion, trying to maintain composure, the way a convict climbs the gallows. Laura offered me tissues and water and encouragement while helping me with the intake paperwork. She asked Dr. Din to prescribe an anti-anxiety medication to take before coming back. If your mental anguish is more externally subdued than mine, you may need to ask for the medication. But I'm sure they will write you a prescription if you ask. Making that appointment was the hardest thing. At my first visit Dr. Din told me the one thing I really needed to hear: "We can help you." Ever since my first treatment, I have felt that I am safely in the hands of people who care about me and doing what's best for my teeth. The medication helped me, but I no longer feel the need to take it. I trust Dr. Din fully and now even look forward to my visits. I came in with 5 teeth decayed to the point that they'd begun to crack and break. One tooth was completely gone except for the root. I had wrongly assumed that all of these teeth were goners, but I have been surprised to learn that all (save the one that is completely missing) are salvageable. With a skilled craftsman like Dr. Din the possibilities are far beyond my imagining. So far I've had four root canals, several crowns, and a few fillings with a minimum of discomfort. The discomfort I do experience is mainly from holding my mouth open for so long and not from what they're doing to my teeth. Dr. Din and his assistant always wait until my lips are numb before beginning. They ask me frequently how I am feeling and will use additional local anesthetic if I signal that I am uncomfortable. One other reviewer mentioned having pain, but that does not match my positive experience; after many hours in Dr. Din's chair I have to believe they didn't let him know how they were feeling at the time or he would have made adjustments. A few words on root canals. Root canals get an unfairly bad rap mostly because of unthinking dental professionals who hold out the prospect of a root canal threateningly to people with relatively minor problems ("Floss daily or you might end up needing a ROOT CANAL!") The reality is if you need one (or a bunch) of these your main experience will be one of relief. Crowns are amazing. The small amount of discomfort involved in having these procedures is nothing compared to the misery of living with these problems for so long. Coming to Dr. Din has been one of the best things I've ever done for myself. I still have a lot of work to go, but I no longer carry around a weight of pain and fear and shame. I feel as if a lot of mental space has opened up to think about other things for the first time in many years. If you're scared and on the fence, just do it. Stop putting it off. Dr. Din can help. read more