Bolam Dental Office, Inc.

I've gushed before and I have to gush again. This place is so wonderful. The staff is incredible…read morefriendly (if they sold a pill I'd buy it!). The lobby is soothing either a waterfall and good music. Comfortable furniture and very clean! Fishbowl window and digital aquarium help! Mom is back for quite a bit (caps, fillings and partial) and they are being so gentle and respective. Sges been incredibly nervous about the appointment and yet she felt a bit more at ease as soon as she saw dr Shen. Mom came out of her appointment with work done saying she is no longer terrified (literally) of going to the dentist. She was smiling and truly amazed. Here's how great they are, a gentleman literally just left the office jumping for joy saying beautiful teeth over and over again! And he wasn't even in for all that long!!

Today was my first visit and I was very impressed with this office! Each of the staff was very…read moreaccommodating and kind. I will continue with more work to be done.

Dr. Timothy Shen

Letti (Office Manager)

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Marisol (Hygienist)

La Mesa Family Dentistry

4.8(68 reviews)

I first encountered Dr. O'Brien twelve years ago while managing a dental practice where he served…read moreas an associate, and even then, his reputation for exceptional care and patient satisfaction was widespread. It was a natural progression, therefore, for me to entrust my dental health to him when he established his own practice a few years later--a decision I have never once regretted. Dr. O'Brien embodies an unwavering integrity and a profound ethical compass that shines through in every aspect of his professional life. His philosophy is unequivocally patient-centric, prioritizing conservative and truly essential treatments. He operates with a steadfast commitment to only performing critical procedures, consistently seeking the least invasive yet most effective solutions to preserve and enhance his patients' oral health. This dedication is evident to anyone fortunate enough to be under his care; he demystifies complex procedures, employing advanced imaging to visually elucidate diagnoses, meticulously outlining comprehensive treatment plans, and proudly showcasing the impeccable results of his work. His precision is second to none--no detail is overlooked, no shortcut taken. Whether it's meticulously adjusting a bite after a filling or ensuring the margins of a crown are near perfection, his commitment to enduring quality is absolute. Beyond his formidable clinical skills, Dr. O'Brien possesses an exceptional chairside manner. His genuine warmth and delightful sense of humor transform what can often be an anxious experience into a remarkably pleasant one. He truly goes the extra mile --not just in treatment but also in fostering an environment where patients feel heard, understood, and genuinely cared for. Having dedicated years to the San Diego dental community and collaborated with well over 100 practitioners, I can confidently state that Dr. O'Brien stands among a very select few whom I implicitly trust. The excellence of Dr. O'Brien's practice extends seamlessly to his entire team, a group of individuals who are incredibly gracious, caring, thoughtful, helpful, and hardworking. Louella, the Office Manager, is not only exceptionally proficient but also deeply compassionate. Her dedication to patient advocacy shines through her meticulous handling of treatment coordination, insurance navigation, and transparent financial guidance. Her expertise ensures clarity and peace of mind regarding financial aspects, consistently delivering accurate and fair out-of-pocket estimates. Similarly, Cheryl consistently brightens the office environment with her infectious positivity and unwavering empathy, contributing significantly to the practice's welcoming atmosphere. Natalya is a phenomenal hygienist; she always does a thorough job in cleaning my teeth.

Disappointing decade here after starting with the previous dentist who retired. The rest of my…read morefamily left years ago because of O'Brien's constant upselling (sealants, night guards, etc.); lack of appointments; and their frequent cancellations and rescheduling (i.e. delays and headaches). I don't like change so I stayed for convenience. Turned out: it meant constant inconvenience. They regularly cancelled appointments, and then rescheduled weeks and even months later (as they overbook). Today, they just announced they no longer take my CA teachers' insurance (not a big enough profit). As I most recently waited three months to be rescheduled--and I'm late for xrays and a cleaning--I questioned them. They said I should trust the dentist and want to pay out of pocket. Absurd. This is a for-profit venture, with everything revolving around funding O'Brien's family. Left high and dry in the most uncaring way.

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Office View from Lake Murray Blvd

Javadi Smiles

4.7(182 reviews)

A very friendly staff. They are concerned about my teeth and make the visit as easy as possible…read more I had to change insurance, but added an extra for dental so I could continue to use them.

I've been coming to Javadi Smiles for years now and I can't say enough good things. Dental…read morehygienist Hanan is the absolute best! She's so kind and supportive and even takes time to ask about trips I've taken or things I've done since the last time I was in her chair. Everyone in the front office is very attentive and friendly. I recommend this dentist to all my friends and family.

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La Mesa Dental

4.6(251 reviews)

1.2 mi

Got my two front teeth chipped playing sports and they fixed it up perfectly! Exceedingly nice…read moredentist experience. Shout out Dr.Low

I've been coming to this office for years and have always had a wonderful experience. The front…read moredesk assistants are kind, organized and explain everything so well. My hygienist Dan is the best. He's quick, kind and gentle. Seems genuinely interested in my health and well being. I've recommended this office to at least 20 friends and family.

A BIG "FIXED" SMILE because Dr Abigail got to go to the big Padre WIN at PETCO yesterday! YAAAAAA!

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Big boysfirst tooth extraction 1'10'2018

Allen Wei, DDS

4.8(87 reviews)

Dr.Wei and his staff are phenomenal, from the smooth making of my appointment, the check in,…read moreintroduction to staff, to the doctor himself , the whole team made you feel comfortable. Highly recommend.

Allen Wei is truly a great endodontist! Everything about this experience was first class. I would…read moreknow, I'm a dentist myself.

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La Mesa Modern Dental Group

3.8(145 reviews)

0.9 mi

I've been seeing Dr. Kamali for the last 3 years and he is awesome! Straightforward, no…read morenonsense/unnecessary suggestions/upcharges. Quality cleanings and always accommodating for scheduling. Staff is always professional and pleasant!

I've been coming here for dental cleaning for several years. Hit and miss service. Today I had an…read moreappointment with their new periodontist. The old one left abruptly without competing my work from a prior consultation. I arrived for the appointment with their new one and found they had randomly cancelled my appointment same day with no notice to me. They claim they left me a message but I did not receive it. The reason was the dentist just wanted to go home early. This is terrible client service for a medical office.

La Mesa Modern Dental Group opened its doors to the La Mesa community in December 2016.

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Coast Dental Care

4.3(66 reviews)

0.9 mi•Rolando

Staff was excellent, friendly and accommodating. The dentist was reassuring and kind. Not afraid to…read morego to the dentist anymore. Prices were very fair.

Dr. Kashani is wonderful! His staff is great. The "receptionist" as she's been referred to by some…read morereviewers is on point... just have your ducks in a row and she will make it happen. I have some crown work to be addressed due to an over zealous dentist in the past. You know... if your dental insurance is too good you all of a sudden need major dental work... if not so good you have a cavity. Dr. Kashani did his exam, reviewed the x-rays and did the right thing. He did not for one second try to upsell me or pressure me into work that didn't need to be done. I trust him to put my dental health above the next medical claim. If you are looking for a great dentist... look no further.

Best care ever

Coast Dental! Amazing dentist & staff . They make you feel right at home!Dr.K.A.Kashani is excellent with senior Citizens! =]

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Easy to spot entrance

College Avenue Dentistry

3.7(63 reviews)

1.6 mi•Rolando

I have been coming here since 2022 and have always been satisfied. I don't love going to the…read moredentist and they make it not so terrible and my teeth are healthy. I have gotten services like a regular cleaning, root canal and deep cleaning and haven't been traumatized once. It's a comfortable space, adequate room to move around and not cluttered. It's clean and the desk people are very nice and lovely.

About half a year ago I scheduled an appointment at this office because I needed root canals. The…read morevery first email I received from them was the chart detailing care for a DIFFERENT PATIENT. If I hadn't needed care so urgently I would have cancelled my appointment as I no longer felt confident my personal information was safe in their hands. I also felt like they were constantly trying to upsell treatments by making me feel like I only had one option for care.

Modern Dentistry in San Diego CA

Welcome to College Avenue Dentistry in San Diego, CA!

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CEREC CAD?CAM Single-Visit Crowns and Fillings in San Diego, CA

Jeff Gray DDS - Espire Dental

4.6(308 reviews)

1.8 mi

Treatment by Dr Hurtado and his assistant was excellent on my first visit. I've had problems with…read morebillings and payments. After over a year I've given up. On my third cleaning and annual visit I was not seen by the Dr or contacted afterwards for follow-up. My experience with the dental hygienist on that visit was very uncomfortable. Unsure if I will return. I have never left a bad review before.

This office has been life changing for me. I'm someone who has had major trauma in the 70's with a…read morereally bad dentist. It left me literally scarred, which then made me ignore my oral care for YEARS!!!! (Like 30+ years) I was lucky that everything I needed to get done was "fixable" but after the tooth pain set it, it took be weeks to actually call and set up the appt. From the first phone call, to checking in, meeting with the Dr. Grey BEFORE he even examined me, to the exam, to meeting with the financial coordinator to actually scheduling the procedure (3 root canals and 3 crowns+ a cleaning), I left the office feeling already so confident in them and nothing had even been done yet!! Three weeks ago I had my sedated procedure and yesterday I had my permanent crowns put on! What an amazing experience!! All I can say is if you are ME, do yourself a favor, go to their website, watch their videos, make your appointment and just go! You will NOT be disappointed! Dr. Grey and his entire staff has made this such an easy process. They will forever be my dentist office! They have acquired a patient for life! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

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Lisa L.

11 years ago

Dr. Bolam is a most amazing dentist. When she retired and found a replacement, I was concerned that her replacement would not be as compassionate, gentle and caring as she has been over the past decade as our family dentist. Dr. Obrien who has taken over her practice is every bit as wonderful a dentist as Dr. Bolam has been. Thank you to both of you and your great staff of hygenists, assistants and office personnel. Lisa Lecko read more

Bolam Dental Office, Inc. - generaldentistry - Updated August 2026

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James J Kozak, DDS

(8 reviews)

I can say enough good things about Dr Kozak, Laurie and Krystal. They will treat you like family…read moreevery time you go in. Dr Kozak is so easy to talk to and is very helpful! Krystal will go out of her to help you and is just great! Laurie is also wonderful I love to have my teeth cleaned. HAHA I know that is funny to say but it is true! I would highly recommend them to anyone! My whole family goes including my 6 year old daughter!

What can I say, if my husband will go, then this is the guy!! Wonderful office staff,…read moreprofessional, warm and caring. Dr. K is a great dentist. I had a hard time leaving the office I grew up with, as I was with them for over 30 years. A friend referred us to Dr. K, as my husband will NOT go to the dentist unless he has to and he needed to go. He went and had nothing but good things to say. When my dentist retired I decided to come here as well. Now this is our family dentist and we highly recommend him.

Banaag Chester R DDS

4.2

(12 reviews)

Dr Banaag performed a root canal with Dr Killian and did an awesome job. This was over 20 years ago…read moreand I have yet to find another dentist as good as they were. Office staff were always professional and kind. Was really sad to hear of Dr. Banaag's passing, way too young and he was a good man and a great dentist.

My daughter sees Dr. Banaag, while my husband and the rest of our family see dentists in Poway…read more(Drs. Salamy and Snyder at Pomerado Dental). I am really jealous of my daughter! Although we have great dentists, she gets the royal treatment at Village Dental, Dr. Banaag's office. The staff is all friendly. Bernadette has been the dental hygienist who has cleaned my daughter's teeth the past two times we've visited, and she is fantastic! My daughter gets scared about some of the sensations and tools experienced at the dentist's office, but Bernadette put her at ease and talked to her the entire time. The office is definitely child-friendly. Dr. Banaag is a supercool guy with a very friendly, easy-going demeanor. My daughter loves it when he finally comes in and she gets to talk to him. As a parent, I appreciate that he tells me what to watch and where to give special attention when helping my daughter brush her teeth. The part that makes me really jealous is the awesome selection of things that my dentist doesn't offer. First, they have a cool, pink substance with which they swab your teeth. It shows where all of the tartar is, so that the hygienist can see where to focus when cleaning and scraping. They also have a pretty good selection of tooth polish flavors. My daughter was offered her choice out of strawberry, mint, VANILLA, or CHOCOLATE! Vanilla or chocolate tooth polish? I'm so there! Parking is available in an underground garage. Be sure to have your parking validated by one of the receptionists before leaving the office. I would definitely recommend Dr. Banaag and Village Dental to anyone.

Umekubo Peter, DDS

(3 reviews)

Dr. Umekubo is a wonderful dentist. He was able to work with my dental anxieties with such kindness…read moreand respect that I have now been seeing Dr. Umekubo for +20 years. Shirley the office manager is great at maximizing your insurance benefits. Professional office staff. I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Umekubo and his office.

Kind, professional, down to earth people who know their business!…read moreFirst appointments for our family were years ago. We keep coming back. Saw me with out an appointment... immediately after I bit down on a piece of a ceramic bowl in that was my french onion soup at Yard House San Diego. Worked with me to document the injury for insurance claim.

James M. Lovell, D.D.S.

4.3

(12 reviews)

This dentist just blows my mind now...but not in a good way. Here is my terrible story:…read more I submitted my previous review of this man and of his dental practice far too prematurely. I submitted it before he had actually completed the work in my mouth. Before he had even completed the work he had been paid for up front. I came to see Dr. Lovell in the first place...to repair a broken molar. He examined my teeth...seemed pretty sweet and while he was prepping my mouth for the crown I needed he kindly offered to try bleaching one of my front teeth. This front tooth had had a root canal and needed a bond to conceal it's stain. Dr. Lovell charged me about $150 to bleach this front tooth...but he promised to refund that amount in full if it didn't improve the color of the tooth. he removed the structure behind the tooth to run his bleaching agents through it. Dr. Lovell's bleaching work never improved the color of my tooth whatsoever. He never refunded us for the bleaching as he had promised. But even worse...the plug he then replaced into the rear of my tooth has now entirely fallen off! This has left my front tooth entirely o p e n in it's rear, weakening the integrity of my front tooth and permitting food and bacteria to enter the tooth itself...to rot it out from with. Believe it or not, his front desk agent, Elsa...has informed me today that I must now "learn to live with it and like it". Unbelievable. Dr. Lovell charged me half upfront for the crown he was allegedly having made for my broken molar. Our arrangement was that the other half payment would be due on the date he actually put in my crown. Unfortunately...his office staff doesn't bother to abide by any of the arrangements and payment options Dr. Lovell makes. His office staff makes their own rules. They don't even bother to respect the Business & Professions Code when they contrive their rules. I was left a number of increasingly threatening messages by his front office staff....Elsa & Margie....both of whom actually hanged up on me when I tried to reason with their office over the phone. Dr. Lovell did send me a very kind letter apologizing on behalf of the unkind women who manage his front office. He even offered to come in on a Wednesday...so I wouldn't have to deal with them. Unfortunately...these two woman, Elsa & Margie, have kept me stringing along for a year now...trying to get my appointment for him to finish the crown he started and I paid for...not to mention to repair the work he so poorly "completed" on my front tooth. I'm reading through the other reviews that have been posted for this dentist. I would bet you money...at least two of them were submitted by his office staff...who are so gushingly praised in his counterfeit reviews.

Today was my first appointment with Dr. Lovell and I already know I love it way more than my…read moreprevious La Jolla Dentist. My last Dentist must have also been a used car salesman, because I think he got off on suggesting a lot of unnecessary work to pad his pockets. And judging by what others are saying on his reviews I'm not the only one with that opinion. I'm happy to say that Dr. Lovell doesn't do that at all!! In fact he says things like, well if they were my teeth I would do it this way....or here's how you can correct that with just some different brushing. Versus.....you need to spend $4000 on gum surgery and deep cleanings every 4 months and and and.... I recommend him highly! Thanks Yelp for pointing me his way!! It's funny, my last dentist had almost $6,000 in scheduled dental work for me and today my new Dr. said...what? Really? Your teeth are great! Your fillings are all good and your teeth are white and you've got no major problems, I'd tell you if you did. Hmm....I like his honesty.

Fletcher Family Dental

4.4

(11 reviews)

Monique was the best for cleaning my teeth without any pain!! The new dentist is super nice! I've…read morebeen coming here forever and always feel taken care of

Marcelle is a Rock Star! She runs this place and is so competent. I felt very taken care of…read more Jacquline was great! She is so personable and makes what could be stressful, a good experience. Dr GrantSimpson is kind and knowledgeable. I felt like he told me the "bottom line" in a professional yet kind way. We now have a new family dentist practice -yay!!

Poggio A Valeria DDS

(1 review)

Dr. Poggio is AMAZING!!! I am an adult getting braces for the first time. I was very careful…read moreselecting an orthodontist. The staff is friendly, competent, professional,caring, and truly wants what's best for the patient. The wait is very short. The office is clean. Dr. Poggio is so kind,gentle,knowledgeable,and puts the patient first!!! I would recommend this Doctor and office staff to everyone...,

Hekmat Dental Care

4.3

(4 reviews)

Hekmat Dental Care is a first-class operation. I've been going there for more than 5 yrs and they…read morenever disappoint. No long waits... ever.... superb staff with great knowledge, super friendly and professional... Dr. Hekmat is my dentist and I can't say enough positive things about him.His knowledge, experience, skill, and bedside manner are second to none. I would highly recommend this dental practice.... they are great people and professionals."

Been coming here for years, since I was a kid. They take great care of their patients, makes sure…read moreyou're always happy. They do all types of treatments for your teeth and gums.

Stephen Baral, DMD

3.4

(27 reviews)

When I was 22-ish, I tried to be a grown-up and go to the dentist on my very own dental insurance…read morepolicy. I found a provider near my house, made the appointment, went in, took some x-rays, got a cleaning...and the dentist told me I had one, possibly 2 cavities. That was the last time I saw her. In fact, that was the last time a saw a dentist for years. Then the "okay...this is getting skanky" thoughts about not having had my teeth cleaned kicked in. I took another stab at it and hit up Dr. Baral. I was sold when at my first appointment (a few years ago, now), he sat me down in a chair, put a dental instrument with a camera in my mouth and we went over all the teeth, one-by-one. I was able to see my mouth and my teeth, while he gave me all the dental lingo. Essentially, my teeth rocked and there were no cavities in sight, thus continuing my flawless dental record (only braces and wisdom teeth pulling). I love this office! Every dude who has cleaned my teeth has been very personable and makes the routine cleanings easy. This morning, my cleaner gossiped with me about the receptionist's neighbor and his cheatin' ways. Scandalous! Plus, you will be in and out in no time at all, so you can get on with your day. The catch (and this is minor, but worth mentioning)? Dr. Baral and his staff preach the use of baking soda like it is gospel. Throw out your floss and only use the baking soda!!! Ummmmmmmm...no. If I am damned to dental hell for flossing, then so be it. To each their own, but they bring it up every time. Enough already! I have told you I am going to rub a thread between my teeth. Deal. Ignore that and you will be so, so glad you are seeing Dr. B!

I was a patient of Dr. Baral's for three years. Plus side:…read moreOffice staff is personable and, depending on your temperament, Dr. Baral is personable. Making appointments is relatively easy. Side note: Dentail hygienist doubles as dentist's assistant. Negatives: No x-rays. At every visit, I was reminded to brush teeth only with baking soda. Last year my gums started to bleed and was told it was because I was flossing too vigorously. A few months ago, Dr. Baral put in two fillings and both fell out within weeks. When I went back, he explained why they fell out but did not redo the fillings. I switched to a new dentist. At the initial appointment they took x-rays and checked my gums. I had periodontal disease and decay in four teeth.

Charles M Hulsey III, DDS MS - Leading Edge Orthodontics