Dr. Kau is friendly, thorough, knowledgable, and best of all, honest. Came in a few weeks ago with significant pain after banging my tooth. I was convinced I cracked it or worse. After evaluating the area and taking xrays, he confirmed it was just a ligament sprain and it would feel better after a couple of weeks while providing tips to keep my mouth relaxed to promote healing. Sure enough after a few weeks, the pain has subsided. An honest dentist is a beautiful thing. Highly recommend this dental practice. read more

My experience with this office has been wonderful and very insightful. It has been great to work with someone knowledgeable and progressive in their field of study and it is helped me understand the various discomforts and challenges associated with teeth and jaw. Couldn't recommend the status more. Definitely check him out if you have the need for a thorough and attentive practitioner. read more

Top notch doctor that is not after your money but your well being. Amazing professional staff and beautiful office. Very thorough and caring examination. Everything was on time. If you found an opening for new patients, don't hesitate ! read more

Dr. Kau and his staff are very honest and professional. Every dentist that I've gone to tried to pull my wisdom teeth and claimed that I had cavities. Dr. Kau took a look at my teeth and was honest with me and told me he didn't need to pull them. Honestly goes a really long way with me so I'm a customer for life! read more

De Kau us our family dentist for years. Cant say enough good things about him and his staff. We are driving to see him from South bay to Pasadena and its worth it! He is conservative, he never dies a treatment unless you need it, it took me a while to talk him into doing my veneers for he says nothing is better than your own teeth. I gave been to dentists who were ready to put 20 veneers into my mouth. Dr Kau did 6 on top and my smile is beautiful, still talking him into doing my bottom ones:) he fixed a cavity for my 5 year old yesterday , i cant thank him enough for patience with my little girl. Thank you dr Kau, theres not enough space to write all good things you did to our family members over years. read more

Andy D Kau, DDS - General Dentistry Near Me - Pasadena, California

Wow am I glad I found this dentist! Dr. Kau is so good, I'd come here with or without insurance (willing to pay). He very honest and forthcoming with dental information as it pertains to your treatment. I appreciate that he takes the time to tell you what's going on, your treatment options, and what to prioritize. He does not just skim over the information quickly like dentists i've come across in the past. The customer service at his office is wonderful, and the ladies who deal with billing are amazing with connecting to your dental insurance for payment, and setting up payment arrangements if needed. I also, cannot say enough good things about the hygienist, Margo! She is so awesome, and leaves my teeth sparkly white every time (removes stubborn tea/coffee stains). So glad to have found a dentist I am comfortable with. I highly recommend Dr.Kau for you dental needs! read more

I was just looking for a new dentist and Dr. Kau came up on my radar with raving reviews. I went in as a new patient for a crown replacement. Everything seemed to go alright. On my own accord I decided to come back and get a full mouth X-rays cuz it had been a while and I was hoping I had found a new dentist in my area. Upon looking at my x-rays, Dr. Kau realized the crown he had put on was not aligned correctly. So not only did he not initially check his work, I now needed to get the crown he had put on; taken off and replaced again, AND I was fully charged $300 for my full mouth of x-rays. His office staff wasn't very helpful when I tried to ask if there was anything they could do. I stuck with him since it was his mistake, I figured he would fix it and we'd be good to go. When I went back to have my final crown put on it was extremely painful when he applied to cement and put it in my mouth. A very random thing happened before that last appt. I had a cut from my retainer, that i found out later, had got infected. But at the time, I didn't know why I had such excruciating pain on the other side of my gums. It was visible and Dr. Kau told me it was herpes and that I needed to wait 14 days and it would go away. I knew his diagnosis wasn't correct but he insisted. I waited 10 days and the daily pain made me almost unable to eat, drink, and basically live without downing a bunch of advil. I proceeded to go to a different dentist, who referred me to a specialist (what Dr. Kau should have done) and it was indeed an infection! I needed antibiotics which took it away in 3 days. Anyways, I'm sure plenty of people have good experienced with Dr. Kau, as the reviews show. That's why i went to him in the first place. However, I did not have that pleasant experience all theses reviews talk about. Never going back. read more

I was a patient of Dr. Kau for 7+ years while I lived in Pasadena and I have never had a better experience with a dentist. He is communicative, kind, empathetic and patient. I transferred my care to him after having a bad experience with a fractured tooth requiring a root canal and crown. He, unlike so many other dentists, takes the time to explain what is going on and the decision making behind the treatment plan. I had a filling fall out on a Friday afternoon and he came in on a Saturday when the office was closed to help me with it. I have since moved to Portland, and I went to a new dentist who suddenly suggested I needed 10+ fillings and a crown and Dr. Kau was gracious enough to revisit my old X-rays as well as my new set. I have referred many of my friends to his practice and everyone has had a great experience with him. read more

DO NOT COME HERE. They send your bill to the insurance and the insurance sends the check for you to pay it. We have the check and have proof they cashed it, yet they still sent me to collections after speaking numerous times to the receptionist. The receptionist admitted she made the mistake and assured it would get taken care of and now 4 years later it is still not fixed. read more

I never liked to visit the dentist, Until Now. I broke my tooth and decided it was time finally go to the dentist. I searched on yelp.com to find a dentist that was well recommended in the Pasadena Area. I reviewed each dentist I found, read the good along with the bad reviews. I wanted to make sure I found a good dentist after all we only have one set of teeth! I notice Dr Kau had 5 stars and everyone seems to really like his dental work. I called and made an emergency appointment and visit his office, I let the dentist inspect my broken tooth. Seems I had more than one cavity that needed attention. "I blame my good friends Ben and Jerry for this decaying process and a little lack of brushing after sweats.." The Dr. Removed the decay took impressions and put a temporary in until the lab sends the new crowns I will be needing. It was a 2 hour simple procedure. Dr. Kau hand is extremely light; meaning I did not feel any injections nor did I feel any pain when he was doing the work. The staff is extremely pleasant, smart and they're there to help out the Dr. with what ever he needs to make your visit smooth. The entire team is devoted to making sure you get the best dental care and service possible. They respect your time and make sure you are in and out according to your appointment. He did not rush any of the work and made sure that the temporary felt right before I left the office. He called the next day with a follow up phone call to double check if I was ok for the weekend with the temporarily filling, because I grind the crap out of my teeth at night... I highly recommend Dr Kau, if you are looking for the best dentist in the Pasadena Area; you have found him. He has all the latest technology to determine what you need to have done with your teeth. I have found an Extremely Skilled Dentist thanks to Yelp.com read more

I had originally chosen to go here based on reviews for Dr. Kau. I had chipped my tooth and needed an appointment right away but Dr. Kau didn't work that week (I called on a Wednesday). So I made an appointment with the other dentist at his office, Laura Chew. I was impressed! She was really friendly and nice and just seemed very knowledgeable in her practice. She did a couple of things I had never experienced with any doctor previous: she shared the X-rays of my teeth and went over her analysis. She also gave some advise about a missing tooth that no dentist had ever mentioned. She fixed the chip in my tooth perfectly and I now have a whole tooth! So, I will be choosing her as my dentist while I live in Pasadena. I know Dr. Kau is recommended but I recommend Dr. Laura Chew just as highly! read more

Excellent customer service from the front office. I needed emergency care and ultimately was seeking an oral surgeon. Instead of making me make an appointment just for a referral, the front office just gave me the number. Thank you for saving me time and money. read more

Dr. Kau is an amazing dentist! He explains everything thoroughly. The thing I love most about Dr. Kau is that he is conservative; he only does the work that is needed. I found out the hard way what that means after trying to find a dentist closer to my home. That was a huge mistake!! I ended up with a crown that I really did not need! Sadly many dentists worry more about maximizing their profit than doing the right thing for their patients. Now I happily drive an hour+ to see Dr. Kau again. The hygienists and other staff are excellent as well. I have been going to this practice for more than 10 years. I have never had any issues with their billing. read more

The best dentist practice period. No one else compares - I always feel welcomed, safe and at ease and let's be real, no one likes going to the dentist but you will forget that when going here. Highly recommend! read more

I love, love, love Dr. Kau and his team. Let me start by saying I have been going to the dentist since I can remember because I have bad teeth; this and my constant disappointing experiences had developed a phobia kind of feeling of going to the dentists for me. This was all before I met Dr. Kau. He's incredibly passionate, nice, understanding and caring. He does an amazing job every single time and is thoughtful of you during the visit. My fear is totally gone and believe it or not, I actually look forward to my visits!!! True story. read more

I had a good dentist prior to this office... i thought he was good. After i saw Andy Kau, I realized my dentist was just okay. Andy is not only a good dentist (he really cares about you as a patient), he also has a great group of people helping him. I am so happy (thank you to Yelp) that i trust good Yelp reviews and went to him. I hope you will be the lucky patent of Andy Kau. read more

Oh man, I wish everyone hadn't given them five stars. That's just gotta be total B.S, right? So here's my take on it: Firstly there's Andy (the fella with the DDS), who is so personable, adept and cool. I have a pretty extensive dental track record and his was the first injection I couldn't feel at all - so he gets 5 stars. Then there's Drea the assistant, who's adorable (sorry, she is), skillful and really attentive - she gets 5 stars as well. The first time I called about my chipped tooth, I was given an appointment the very next day at 8 am. There was no awkwardness about payments or appointments (you know those offices that try to up-sell you on teeth whitening before you even begin your treatment?). Each person who walked by while I filled out papers greeted me with a smile or a handshake, and my insurance card was even walked back to me while I was seated (I guess I thought all office were run like the DMV). The front office gets 5 stars. The back office is observably clean and efficient - x-ray holders are taken out of autoclaved pouches in front of you and care is taken not to cross-contaminate keyboards, drawer pulls, etc. with gloved hands. You're given a little orientation of the office when you're brought in, so you'll feel like their casa is your casa, as well as gain a sense of trust from that transparency. There's even a photo timeline of the office's history on one wall. In my book, that counts for a lot towards the integrity of the practice and the long-term relationship they seem to build with their patients. Tidbits: Technology and digital x-rays are a plus here. They'll send you text alert appointment reminders. Also a plus is the free parking in the cute mid century building with it's requisite 90's waiting room. If they updated their pastel wallpaper, I'd have to dock them for being bourgie. Maybe. One wall in each operatory is made up entirely by a giant window - which is such a relief when you're stuck in a dental chair for two hours. read more

I was looking for a new dentist in the area I moved to and as well as someone covered under Delta Dental as provided by my workplace. Found Dr. Kau through yelp and just had my first initial visit. Plenty of parking at the office. The staff and Dr. Kau are very thorough. They informed me that my prior dentists had been doing my teeth cleaning wrong by only using the ultrasonic device. Interesting to note and makes some sense that one would miss stuff when the device is doing all the work. Only bad thing is that I had to plan 1.5 months in advance. New patient visits are scheduled for 1.5 hrs so they have to be booked far in advance. Also note that the initial new patient visit is only for initial check-up and asking questions. Thankfully, I had no issues and was able to get my teeth cleaned as well during the initial visit. Otherwise, I would have had to schedule another session for teeth cleaning. read more

I have a lot of anxiety when going to the dentist and when it comes to my bad teeth. Dr. Kau and his staff, especially Andrea, always puts me at ease and patiently answers my questions, no matter how stupid the question. They try to explain everything that's going on with my teeth to me, and try hard to help me understand. Dr. Kau has a lot of high tech equipment to ensure high quality of work and I totally trust the guy. read more

Since I've moved back down to LA I'd been putting off finding a new dentist. No one jumps up and says, "I can't wait to start going to the dentist!" I'm sure having a job that strikes terror into millions can be a bit of a downer sometimes. Or, you know, awesome for the occasional sadist. A lot of people don't want to acknowledge that going to the dentist is quite an intimate experience. Please don't confuse the word "intimate" with "romantic." It is intimate in the way that it involves a lot of trust, especially during your first visit. You're going to some place and having someone look into, stick their fingers in, and poke around in a very sensitive part of your body. What I'm trying to say is, for me, picking out a dentist can be a really big deal. My friend recommended Dr. Kau and now I am forever indebted to my friend because Dr. Kau and his staff are absolutely wonderful. The office is clean and I absolutely love that they embrace technology. I can put in a request for an appointment by email. I can get text reminders for my next appointments. Xrays are all digital, of course. Dr. Kau was not only patient and answered all of my questions, but he was great at explaining what was going on with my teeth, what he recommends be done about it, and WHY. Everyone in there was so incredibly sincere and made me feel like they were truly happy to have me as a patient. A few days later, I even got a "welcome to the dental family" card THAT THEY SIGNED. BY HAND. ALL OF THEM. Gold stars for everyone at Dr. Kau's office! read more

I was originally Dr. Lindners pt and had reservations when I heard about a new dentist joining the staff. No fears any more after meeting Dr Kau!! Dr. Kau is nice and very personable. He answers all my questions and I never feel rushed out of the office. He is very thorough in his dental exam. I always feel taken care of after each visit!! Dr. Kau rocks!! read more

I refused to believe that a dentist actually deserved this much praise...but he and the staff really DO deserve the highest praise. I imagine this is what doctors and dentists were like many decades ago - when they actually cared about their patients and appreciated their business. Hi-five to Andy and staff. read more

The other yelp reviewers are right - Dr. Andy Kau is friendly, highly knowledgeable, and does a thorough job of explaining everything that you might question. I was also impressed by the polite and courteous staff, whether it was the admin at the front desk or the hygienist taking my x-rays; they were all very accommodating. By the way, get your dental x-rays done...you want your dentist to be precise and confirm the exact state of your teeth. Of course, that isn't to say Dr. Kau pressured me to get the x-rays, but he did explain why it was important and allowed me the freedom to make my own decision. Thankfully, my insurance covered all the x-rays. Insurance: I have Delta Dental PPO which they accept, but typically I will have to pay 20% for their services while insurance covers 80%. No big deal, as their prices seem to be reasonable, especially for Pasadena. They have their own parking lot and sometimes there is street parking. read more

Coming here is like having your best friend work on your teeth. Dr. Kau came in on a saturday in his flip flops to rescue me from a root canal. That's the kind of guy he is, simply looks out for your best interest. He explains options, even the least expensive, and avoiding unnecessary costly procedures. Just the nicest and most professional dentist/doctor I've ever had. There is no other dentist I'll ever go to if I can help it. Staff are just as friendly and helpful. read more

As with a few of the other reviewers, I too was a loyal patient of Dr. Lindner, one of the most personable and consciencous dentists i have met. When he brought Andy Kau into the business, it was not without a good deal of vetting. Andy made a seamless transition into the practice and deserves the 5 stars he receives from all the patients below who have reviewed him and the practice. First, the entire staff is first rate. Front office is friendly and efficient and have found several touch points ( phone, email, text) in order to remind you of an upcoming appointment. Billing issues are handled promptly, on their part at least, and you are notified of any issues with your insurance. Suzy and the other hygienists on staff do a fantastic job with the twice a years, and are extremely thorough in finding any developing issues in the teeth or gums. The dental assistants that with with Andy are also first rate and work with Andy like Radar did on M*A*S*H somehow knowing exactly what the dentist will ask for. Andy is never rushed and makes you feel like you are the only patient for that day. His pain management is meticulous as he checks in with you throughout the procedure. During the diagnosis, Andy pulls out charts, computer images, whatever is necessary to ensure that you have a full understanding of the upcoming procedure. He has also made several investments in new technology which is always appreciated. If their were more stars to add, I would add them for Dr. Kau. read more

I have been searching for a good dentist for years and a friend of mine strongly recommended Dr. Kau. When I first came in, the front office staff was so kind and outgoing (I've been to other dentists where the front staff gossips and could care less about the patients--NOT so here!). I found out that they are actually retired hygienists and still up-to-date on their certifications, so they truly know what is going on. Dr. Kau came out and greeted me while I was waiting in the lobby, and then I got a tour of the entire office (including their break room!) before settling in to take x-rays and have my appointment. Dr. Kau was very down-to-earth and you could tell that his staff truly enjoyed working with him. He took the time to answer all my questions and was very attentive to sensitivities in my mouth (other dentists I've had seemed to take pleasure in finding sensitive spots and poking repeatedly until they drew tears). From start to finish, Dr. Kau's office completely exceeded my expectations and I have finally found a dentist I will be keeping indefinitely. read more

Andy Kau is hands down the best dentist I have ever been to. His staff was incredibly friendly and Andy is a cool dude and very very professional. I would give them all 10 stars if I could. High quality service at a very fair price. I will be back in march for another cleaning. read more

All I can say is BEST DENTIST EVER!! Schedule your appointment and you will see why. I am too lazy to name all the reasons this place is awesome...it's that good. read more

I'm always walking away with a smile! I was referred to Dr. Kau's office from a friend at work. She had been going there for years and said they were great. She could not have been more accurate. I have been seeing him for my dental care for the past 3 years and actually had to change networks so that I could see him. After speaking so highly of him to my friends, I found out that many of them go to him for their dental care as well. Dr. Kau and his staff are like family. Dr. Kau is very knowledgeable, caring and down to earth. His staff is so friendly, attentive, and accommodating. His office is clean and has the updated technology to They all work really hard to make your dental visit painless and enjoyable. read more

I have been coming to Andy (aka. Dr. Kau - yes, we're on a first name basis!) for many years now, and I have not been happier. He is a family friend, but I keep coming back not because of that, but because of the excellent service they provide time and time again. The office is always clean, all the staff are super friendly, and they are meticulous when providing their services. They genuinely care about your well-being, and it's apparent when you are there. I have switched several health insurance companies over the years and have made sure that whoever I go with will allow me to see them! You will not be disappointed! read more

Dr. Kau is my dentist of choice. I used to go to one of those Chinese dentists that is open all the time. So, I was a bit surprised to learn that Dr. Kau's office is only open until 5 pm M-T, and runs a half day on Fridays. But after I had my teeth cleaned here, I understood why. They do excellent work. The best thing about this office is that they don't try to oversell you. They watch small cavities; they don't push extra services; they make suggestions, sans the sales pressure. This is different from all the other dentist offices I have ever visited. Every one of the staff members is passionate about dental hygiene. I think it is a bit odd, but I also think the quality of care is improved by their dedication. read more

I cannot speak more glowingly of this office. I do love that they utilize technology in both calling and emailing you a remind before your appointment date. To update, Dr. Kau has worked with me to refer me to a local periodontist and through the process continues to follow up with me in each visit also taking the time to contact the perio to check up on my progress. It's easy to hand-off a patient to a specialist and then just let them do their thing, but again a sign of great service and excellent patient care. I also wanted to review Andrea who has been my hygienist and really great. She's gentle yet thorough and really gets to know you as a patient. It never ceases to surprise me the details and conversations she remembers from previous visits and really works with me to keep my mouth squeaky clean. She fits in perfectly with the always helpful and friendly staff that exemplifies this office! read more

I have had dentist related anxiety ever since I was a child. I avoided going as an adult. I was referred to Dr Kao's by my nutritionist and that completely solved my "afraid of dentist" problem. Pros: * Everyone at the office is SUPER friendly and nice (They treat you with respect and you feel like everyone sincerely cares about your well-being.) * Dr. Kao is extremely honest and transparent with the procedures (he laid out several options for a complicated thing I needed to have done. He also explained everything in detail so I knew what was happening and when). * Dr. Kao is very efficient. I think he is a superb dentist that helped me save a couple of teeth. * THEY TAKE INSURANCE YAY! Tips: * Because they are amazing, they are always booked. Make sure you call ahead. By the way, I am never going anywhere else to get my teeth looked at. So, there we have it. I have finally found my dental home in Los Angeles! Yay! read more

Simply the best! All the staff is accommodating and warm. Margo makes it easy! I would recommend Dr. Kau's office to anyone I know in the local area. read more

Had a great experience with dr kau. Called to see if they could fit me in for swollen gums and they were able to the same day. The visit was outstanding. The entire visit was quick and timely. Dr kau was able to diagnose the problem quickly. Dr kau and his employees were very attentive, pleasant, and easy going. Dr kau himself is down to earth and easy to talk with. It is as if you are speaking with a good friend. I definitely recommend and will be making dr kau my new dentist. read more

Awesome office that goes the extra mile to make sure you're experience is nothing less than spectacular. Dr Chew really takes her time and is, in my opinion, a perfectionist and makes sure things are done the right way! I have had fillings, crowns, and whitening done under her care and am 100% satisfied with the results. Highly recommend this office if you're in need of dental care! read more

At the recommendation of a friend, I made an appointment to see Dr. Laurie Chew for my regular check-up. I really appreciate her pleasant chair-side manner, gentle touch, and thoroughness as she shares observations, procedures, & recommendations. I had a concern regarding an old ill-fitting lower mouth guard from another dentist which caused several of my teeth to shift, and was beginning to impact the position of my upper teeth. Dr. Chew presented me with a few options. The office has modern equipment which generates exact measurements for perfect-fitting mouth guards & retainers. I am very pleased with my new appliances which recently arrived. Dr. Chew made sure they were perfectly fitted. read more

I typically don't write reviews, but this is one of those experiences that I find completely abhorrent, and I find it hard to not make a comment. After having read the nearly PERFECT review on yelp, I decided to visit Dr. Kau's office. We made a phone call to arrange for a time, and went at our scheduled time. We were not particularly greeted with a warm welcome, just a simple cold remark "please sign in and have a seat". We signed in, waited 15 min before we were called over to fill in some forms. We had trouble getting the insurance to work with the office, which made the lady at the desk even more impatient with us it seems. I ended up leaving them with the insurance information, which they said they would look into and get back to us to see if that would work with them. They said they would call, but they never did, and everything after ended up becoming out of pocket. The overall atmosphere was fine, it was a small cozy space, made as comfortable as possible for a dental clinic. When we went, there was practically no one there, with only the 2 of us waiting in the lobby. Even then, the wait time was insane. Dr. Kau came into the front some time later after having seen a patient, who started small talk with him and the front desk lady on topics completely unrelated to her operation for a good 10 min before they came to talk to us, with a smile of course. They had their fun and good laughs, didn't seem like too busy a day. For this first visit, my wife really needed to get her teeth checked, so our appointment was basically for her checkup, with the typical x-rays etc. Results show she needed a couple of fillings for cavities (I recall 5 together). We were given a sheet detailing a 2 session treatment plan to do cleaning and all of the fillings, a few at a time. We went through with the first portion of it, and my wife went back to get some of the fillings done. The service was nothing particularly different from other dentists that we are accustomed to, but we were severely over charged for it, more expensive than I have ever seen of dental work done in the states without insurance. I have paid out of pocket for fillings before several times because I've had a lot of fillings done, especially during times when I freelanced and didn't have insurance, and Dr. Kau's pricing is nearly 3 times the cost I normally pay for without insurance. I don't know what kind of special equipment they use that's more advanced than usual, or what kind of magical material they use for their fillings, because the end result was not all so special. My wife felt discomfort from her fillings for 2 days whenever she drank cold water, which has never happened before for her. As for the billing, we started to look into why my insurance was not working with this clinic, which was complicated, because the insurance went through my company, and we were hoping to find out what was going on with the coverage. While we are looking into it, we were bombarded with letters and emails asking us to make the payment, and on top of that, they continue to call and pester us about making future appointments. We told them we were looking into the issue with insurance and we politely declined making future appointments because we were unsure if our insurance would work, and we still had to make our payment for the last appointment. When my wife didn't go in for her next appointment for fillings because we were still looking into the issue with billing, the staff called and gave us an attitude over the phone about how Dr. Kau is extremely busy, and missing our appointment was problematic for his scheduling, and would cause other patients from being able to see him in a timely fashion. My wife was being forced to make a new appointment. We had already stated very clearly that we will no longer go back to the clinic for more visits until we resolved the issue with the insurance. On top of that, we had moved away from our old address so it was even more unlikely for us to visit their clinic again, but they continue to push for us to make more appointments. I have never seen a clinic so eager and pushy to keep their patients! After a few months, we had finally figured out that the insurance I had really did not work with their clinic and would not cover for the costs. So my wife called and made the payment over the phone with her credit card. Even after that, they continue to email us saying we have not made the payment, and continue to pester us about making the next appointment with their clinic. We did not enjoy our experience with Dr. Kau's office, and never will again after all that we had gone through. We feel disappointed after having read so many great reviews, we feel disrespected for the way they throw their attitude at us, and we feel disgusted for their continual pestering for us to return to their clinic. I hope they continue to please those who do go to them and like their services, but we will never visit this clinic again. read more

The best dentist I have ever been to period. But be aware it's very expensive and their prices are not really covered by the insurance. Regardless, I still love this place and recommend anyone who can pay a premium to see the dentist to come here read more

I hadn't been to the dentist in quite a while because I've always loathed the experience in the past. When I was a kid I had a number of terrible experiences with my childhood dentist. I went to see Andy under protest. But I'm glad I did. Great experience. Seeing Andy was a pleasure. He and his staff did a lot to make me feel comfortable, they explained everything they were going to do before they did it, answered all questions I had, and were very thorough. It was as painless and comfortable as the situation permitted. read more