I should've left this review years ago but today I learned that the Dentists continue to verbally abuse and behave aggressively towards the children. 21 years later and they continue to take advantage of their patients. This is my story but there are other horror stories from people in my surrounding communities. Monterey, Seaside, and Salinas. Central Coast Pediatric Dental Group is the reason for my trauma. It took me years and years to recover from it. My mother brought me here for Sedation when I was 4 years old in 2005 and had ALL my teeth covered in silver caps. I was given a small cup with a liquid solution to drink before the procedure and according to my mother they had me waiting for a while because Dr. Murillo was helping other patients. While I waited for them to be ready my relaxer was wearing off and my mother was starting to get worried that it would have no effect on me. Dr. Murillo behaved very unprofessionally and shouted at my mother for expressing her concerns. When they took me to the back they put me on a papoose board and I felt every part of the procedure and began to cry because it was excruciatingly painful. I was in so much pain and discomfort and one of the Dentist's shouted at me and said "Be quiet!"and would cover my mouth with their hands to keep me quiet. They rolled me out on a wheelchair through the back door and all I remember is heavily crying and feeling terrified. 2 years ago my niece went in for sedation and said to me "aunty they were so mean to me". I had Flashbacks and knew she wasn't lying to me because I lived through that. The truth has come to light and I am here to be the voice of those children and their families. There are many stories about this place on yelp and Google reviews. Please do not bring your kids to this horrific place. read more

Horrible Horrible Service, Got a filling done at this establishment and the Doctor and dental assistant were so rough and aggressive during my treatment. At one point one of the tools he was using for my filling popped out and without a warning he shoved it back in and it was so painful, then the doctor didn't numb me enough and i could feel all the drilling being done the pain was excruciating. Then I heard the dental hygienist make an unprofessional comment like was she not aware that I was very much awake and hearing??? Would NOT recommend for your children. read more

I do not recommend bringing your child here for services as the entire spectrum of staff could benefit from customer service training starting from the registration staff, dental assistants, and some dentists. I had two separate appointments for my toddler in a span of a year. I gave them two opportunities to keep us as a patient and the first time my son was made to wait 40 minutes for the male dentist to come by and saw my son for two minutes and we were so tired and treated with indifference there was no "sorry I took so long" or updates us on how long we would be waiting. I gave them another opportunity and my toddler son was seen for a routine dental and the dental assistant didn't greet us and directs my 3yo like he's an adolescent to get on a scale and stand by the wall to get his weight and height. So I assist my toddler and show him what is being asked of him. My son later disliked the taste of the polishing or cleaning paste so he needed a break (the dental assistant leaves the room and gossips with another dental assistant and I guess she was curious enough that she comes and stands in the doorway and just lingers staring at us and doesn't say anything-odd behavior) later completed his cleaning. Just an observation but is it standard in a pediatric dental practice that all the dental assistants and dentists need to wear masks??? Needless to say this was the last visit for us. I want my son to experience a dental provider that provides a friendly and respectful environment, clear communication, child centered approach and positive reinforcement at this time this isn't it. I found a new provider that is closer to home and I hope it's better. read more

Let me start off by saying that we chose this practice because it was the closest pediatric focused dental group that seemed professional and had some positive reviews. Today's appointments would have been our 4th set of dental cleanings for our kids. We had 3 of our children signed up for teeth cleaning at the same time. I scheduled the appointment for 4:30 but they marked 4pm in the system. On this particular day, our typical 35 minute drive took 75 minutes in unexpected traffic (it was crazy all over the penninsula). We left just after the 3pm school bell and had to take the grade to avoid even more traffic. We arrived around 4:20 thinking we were early only to find out our scheduled time was 4pm. They turned away all 3 of our kids even after I explained all of the above (I had 4:30 and there was horrible traffic). On top of that, they claimed they called twice but I had zero missed calls or voicemails. I profusely apologized as it was not my intention to show up late. I showed them my phone and everything but they did not care and wouldn't clean any of our kids teeth. I understand running a business and the bottom line but that can't be what it's all about. It was clearly unintentional and they were still open taking patients after us. If you are local to Salinas and within 10 minutes drive to this practice, they do an adequate job. But if you live outside that zone and or want a humane and understanding dental practice, look elsewhere. We will happily support a different and local dental practice that values their patients. read more

Literally the worst dentist I have ever been to. First they can only see you every 4 months because their schedule is so full. Unless you try and change dentists then magically they can get you in, in a week. In April they discovered my child had 6 cavities. We were told on our first appointment they would fill 4 cavities and it would take about an hour. However they only did two and instead of filling the 2 bigger cavities they filled the smaller two and we were there for 15 minutes. Then they couldn't see us again till August. In August they say he NOW needs a cap and crown and that these cavities should have been filled first. =( I was hesitant to let them do a cap and crown because these were still his baby teeth. However the dentist reassured me that it would take about 30 min. We were there for 90 min of them injecting my son 4 times with anesthesia and them shoving the caps and crowns on and off to try and get them to fit and my son being in so much agony and pain. Such a traumatic experience with blood everywhere. It took a month for me to be able to get my son back to a dentist to get his other fillings done as he was so traumatized. Only to find out that everything they did needed to be redone and that there was still cavities underneath the cap and crown. WTH? read more

I am very pleased and happy with this group. I started taking my son here when he turned 2. he gets very nervous around any medical staff. He will cry and not have any one touch him. This dental assistant was patient and worked with me and him so gracefully. The dental assistant who helped us during our appointment was so sweet and kind. I couldn't thank her enough. She sang ABCs to try to calm him down and make him feel comfortable. I wish I got her name. The dentist was quick cause she knew my son was nervous so she made his check up quick and painless. I definitely recommend. read more

Horrible service. My niece went here to fill her first cavity and was numbed very heavily. When she napped after her appt she bit into her lip. When taken back to the office to examine the lip and make sure no serious damage done, they refused! Said it was parents fault. Part of medical care is AFTER CARE. This place sucks. There should of been communication about the risk of this happening. The dentist could of at least examined the lip and had compassion to my niece. read more

Central Coast Pediatric Dental Group - Pediatric Dentists Near Me - Salinas, California

For procesure they scheduled my son at 9:20. We get there check in at 9:am. No greeting walking in awkward silence for like 5 minutes. She sends us to the car with a device to expect a call but didn't explain what the device was for.. It is now 9:30 and no call for an update. So I called and who I spoke with said its at 9:30.. than at the end she said 9:20. I said ok? So what's going on? The doctors running behind.. that doctor always runs behind here at this dentist. There always a lag at this place .. its now 9:40 and nothing has been said or done.. Didn't get a call back until 10:20. read more

Came to our appointment at 8am. Took about 15mins to take us to the back. The kids got there x-rays done teeth cleaned. All within ten minutes being in the back. But waiting for the dentist to come and talk with it's been almost 40 minutes. And we are still waiting. When I can see him in a room on his computer. Walking back and forth. read more

I would give a ZERO rating to this place if it was an option!! Customer service was terrible and so unprofessional! I was waiting in line for a while and no one in the office took the initiative to at least say "Someone will be right with you" Everyone there looked bored like they didn't want to be there. They never answered my phone calls, nor did they return my messages. I went to the office in person as I couldn't get a hold of anyone. When it was my turn the agent/rep, Lupita, refused to make me an appointment because supposedly due to their "policy" they could only make appointments over the phone. I got my phone then dialed their number while I was there, and she picked up and answered right in front of me. How RIDICULOUS was that??? Then I go to my car while still on the phone with her and all of the sudden the call was disconnected. I went back in, and she looked at me and with a rude attitude said, "oh the phones are not working". Seriously, do not take your household members to this place. If I would have seen the bad reviews before I would have not waisted my time. read more

It is always quick and friendly service. So much better than Western Dental! We get in & out quickly and everyone is nice and professional. read more

The main reason I'm writing is that at a recent appointment, I couldn't help but notice that all of the employees were heavily covered in obviously uncomfortable personal protective equipment. (This is during the 2020 covid-19 pandemic). Some of the employees were using equipment that fit poorly, and the equipment did not appear to function in a fully protective way because of the lack of proper fit. Constant adjustment of PPE is a clear sign that the size is WRONG. I hope that whoever buys the PPE can purchase more sizes for all our safety. I will also say that the tooth cleaning process has been heavily modified to reduce the chance of spit flying everywhere. If your child is going in for ONLY a cleaning, be aware that due to safety protocols, the cleaning process is laughably short and not thorough AT ALL. Just delay until spit isn't a potentially deadly substance, if all your kid needs is a cleaning. read more

Never thought id yelp a dentist office but I brought my son here. As I was waiting to get let in two ladies came out and a mother with a small child warned everyone in line not to take their children here. I was super shocked and just wanted to grab my child and leave!! She was treated so ugly during her app and told everyone about it . The staff is rude here So ill give the mom that! It left me feeling really uncomfortable about the services they give and how parents are treated while their small children watch. For a business that services children you should look for staff that are nice! read more

Terrible costumer service ! Chang my appointment for 3 hours later and not even care to notify me ! In time I check in 8 am in a morning no one care to let me know about changes have been made, I and my child wait hours to found out after I decide to ask why it's take so long to take us in, they tell me : "oh, your mistakes you show up early " EXCUSE ME !!!!! And then I found out appointment was move to 11am We are still here and waiting....... I miss my work, kid miss school And no one CARES Terrible experience !!!!! read more

My little brother has a cavity. The day before his appointment they called and cancelled and said they are no longer taking kids over the age of 14. He is 14. He has been going to the same dentist since he was a baby. I can't believe they would do that. I understand COVID has impacted everyone's life but this was petty and they've made it clear they don't care about their patients. read more

I went in today as a ER visit and was very happy with the Pt. Care my daughter received. Dr. Nguyen and Perla R.D.A. were not only friendly and considerate but made my daughter feel as comfortable as she could while undergoing a dental procedure. Thanks to them my daughter will continue to have the same beautiful smile Keep up the Awesome work ladies! read more

This was my toddlers first visit to the dentist. I was not impressed. The building is run down, walls and floors pealing. Nothing to impress children or to play with. No fun decorations. They only had a tv going. We waiting 45 mins to see the dentist for two minutes. I was expecting to get a pamphlet with what to expect in his dental development and how to care for his teeth but instead dr just asked me if I had any questions or concerns. He didn't get a toy or book (which I heard some other dentists do so I will be looking into going there.) I feel I didn't get anything out of the visit. Also, I had to fill out 15 mins of paperwork in the waiting room because they don't have it online for you to fill out before hand, which I would have preferred. read more

Not a place to go! They declined services to my 4 year old child. They only have "word policies" not a written policy. Take your children elsewhere. To a place where they care for the families. read more

My daughters dentist was Dr. Morris and she had to be put under anesthesia to get the work done that she needed. I opted for a porcelain crown in the front as opposed to the silver so it would look like a natural front tooth. Instead the tooth is bright white, not matched to her natural tooth color at all and is the wrong size. It's longer and sticks out farther and goes high into her gum line. Does not look like a natural tooth. I paid extra for that so it would look nice and that's not what I got. Dentist also did x-rays and all the treatment very quickly as though he was rushing. Other dentist said one silver cap should take at least 5 mins meaning her treatment should have taken at least an hour and a half. Opinion I got from other dentists is that the treatment was very aggressive as opposed to more conservative, they also said the front tooth was poorly done. My daughter went through a lot and she deserved to have had a dentist who would have taken the time to do the treatment nicely and properly. Now I have to see my three year old self conscious saying her tooth is weird and she wants it to be normal. Heartbreaking to say the least. Sucks that if you have denti-cal and limited options you end up being screwed by a subpar dentist who I guess isn't paid enough to give a damn. If that was your child would that be acceptable to you? Probably not. Never would I ever trust them to touch my child ever again I'd rather pay out of pocket and have things done the way a person deserves. read more

Central Coast Pediatric Dental Group - Pediatric Dentists Near Me - Salinas, California

This place was making my son cry because they made my sons gum bleed he is 10 and cryed he never cryed at the dentist before

Wow. Absolutely unprofessional. Scheduled an appointment and they turned us away bc I didn't have the medí-cal card (I only carry my benefits card bc thats all people ask for usually). They didn't bother telling me beforehand that they were going to need it. So they said they'd have to reschedule and the next appt wasn't for another 2 months... I had already waited this long for this appt!!!! Not acceptable to treat people just like another number bc we have limited choices with this insurance. You are still a business and should have some common courtesy. read more

I would not recommend this dental group to anybody who cares about being treated with respect, compassion, concern for privacy or basic human decency.  I brought my child in for a major procedure accompanied by a 3rd party as instructed for proper post op care, to be sure my child was to be in constant supervision during transport home.  We came early, prepared, happy and eager to get the procedure behind us.  My happiness quickly dissolved into distrust and protective concern about whether my child would be safe and professionally cared for once I left the room,  based on how we were treated upon arrival.  I was met by team members with unnecessary personal questions which did not pertain to his treatment to any degree.  I am a mother who has full legal and medical/dental rights.  The office supervisor, assistant and dentist himself were  judgemental and argumentative and left me feeling very stigmatized and concerned about the care my child was going to get.  I am a concerned parent that was afraid to leave my child in their care.  Instead of reassuring me in a calm manner, they argued and disrespected me.  I asked for respect and to please not argue or raise their voices in front of my child.  They called CPS and I was escorted out.  CPS took a lot of time assuring me that I was not wrong and it appeared they were also treated rudely.  I was asked to remain outside while my 3rd party pleaded for treatment, which the dentist ultimately denied.  This horrible experience could have all been avoided had the office staff shown professional courtesy, respect for our privacy, and basic skills of kindness and empathy.  I am so grateful for the social workers and CPS for keeping kids safe under all circumstances and who are supportive of parents trying to do the same thing.  Parents do not need to tolerate discrimination or stigmas regardless of their circumstances.  If you feel uncomfortable and your instincts are saying something is wrong, listen to those feelings and seek a better place.  Don't let arrogant care providers push you around and accept nothing less than the best care for your kids.   I recommend contacting your insurance and asking for other recommendations.  You may be surprised and find a closer office that is MUCH more accommodating and professional, as I did. read more

Well first off let me start by saying this was THE MOST UNPROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE I'VE EVER HAD!!!!they scheduled us for a9:00 oral surgery at natividad and didn't get to my daughter until 5:00pm!!!!we did not leave there until 7:00pm!!keep in mind that I still had to drive home to Monterey!!they had us waiting in a room for 8hours until they got to my daughter who hadn't eaten or drank anything since 8:00 the previous night. She was scheduled for an extraction and fillings,when the doctor came in he tried to persuade me and tell m she didn't need the extract!!!!I then had to get in the phone with the orthodontist and have him tell the dentist that she needed the extraction. I think that because it was the end of the day and he was tired that he didn't wAnt to do his job,and I feel they treated me like a second class citizen and wasted my time and made us loose out on wages because of their inconsideration and disrespect of peoples time!!!I do not recommend this office to anyone!!! read more

I was not impressed at all. I took my 3 year old to get a check up and discovered that he had several cavities. I was shocked to hear just how many he had and became skeptical. The dentist did not take the time to explain this, however the assistant did. I was advised that in order to have the work done, my child would need to be put under anesthesia due to his age and because he may not stay still. The problem was that they did not attempt to see if my child would have the procedure done with out anesthesia. I then took my child to another dentist for a second opinion and discovered that my child had less than half the cavities they had told me at this facility. I was very upset but relieved that I went with my gut instinct. My child had the work done at the new dentist and did not need to be put under anesthesia. He was just fine. This is a horrible place and would not recommend it to anyone! read more

This review is for Dr. Morris who treated our son. Our son had some cavities filled and caps put in. We were nervous about the procedure because our son is fearful of the dentist but the options were either putting him under anesthesia or to administer a mild sedative and to 'Papusa' (restrain) him with a special blanket. We opted for the latter option because we had many concerns with general anesthesia on a child. Dr. Morris was very patient, professional, and thorough. He was equally as caring and patient with our son. He answered all our questions and showed us a video on the 'Papusa' process. This put us more at ease. On the day of the procedure, all went as well as expected. Everyone involved was very proficient at their job. Our son was in and out in no time and we were very pleased with the outcome. I recommend Dr. Morris without hesitation. You will not regret your decision to see him and your teeth will thank you! read more

I took my daughter here for a second opinion. When I called to reschedule my daughter dentist appt Liz N was very helpful and highly professional. Did not hesitate talking to the doctor being the middle person. My first time being in their Esmeralda Robles made me feel welcomed assistant my daughter with her vitals and answered all my unanswered questions I had in regards of the sedation. Thank you ladies and dr saisho for doing a great work on my daughter read more

Went in today for our 1130 appointment and was told we were cancelled because my daughter's cleaning couldn't be done for another 2 days. I asked when they called me and she said a few minutes ago. So 3 minutes before our appointment. I drive 30 minutes to goi there and they call 3 minutes before.. annoying. They could've called in the morning AND saved me the gas and irritation. You can't just call people 3 minutes before. Lotsof people come from other areas that are far away. Total lack of care and unprofessional. Sucks they don't care just because we have medi-cal. Not to mention all the times we get there and wait forever. Dr. Is usually great but they need get better up front. I guess because im not Spanish they treat us like crap. Very irritating read more

The only reason I'm giving it 2 stars is because the DA and Dr's deserve credit. They've always been good to me but the receptionist are the rudest people I've ever encountered ! If my daughter wasn't in the middle of treatment I would've walked out ! If you can take your kids somewhere else ! read more

Best pediatrician ever! They were so good with my 4 year old son. The staff and Dentist were amazing

Dr. Banks and his assistant Monica L. are awesome Monica was very friendly and so was Dr.Banks i have been to other dentist but this by far is the best.Both my daughters need return visits my youngest is 5 and my older daughter is 8 she has had 2 teeth pulled here and is looking forward to going back.That itself is a miracle,she is excited to go back for more dental work. I was a fit in appointment the Dr, was nice enough to move around his scedule to be able to help my daughter gotta love him Thanks Dr.Banks and Monica =o) read more

Dear Dr. Morris, I appreciate all the accommodations that you have done for many people. I understand that with the change of insuracnce it must have been a very hectic end of month. I work for a CPA firm and believe me , I know exactly what it's like to work under presure and deadlines. However, this is no excuse to give clients bad service and bad attitude. The experience I had the day of my appointment had nothing to do with the doctor. It had to do with the service I recived at the front desk. The people at the front office should make you feel welcomed and apprecatied and that was the last thing I felt. At first I thought that it was just me over analyzing the situation but that afternoon a received a phone call from a neighbor who was waiting in the lobby while I was there. She was calling me to see if I was feeling better since she heard how rude your secretary was being with me. Now, you think your office did a good job by increasing staff, but what your office failed to do is remind your employees that above all their job is to be polite and attentive to your patients needs. This is what your front office staff failed to accomplish on the day I was there with my son. This is the MAIN issue I had with your office the day my son was going to be seen. Also you being at a different office and getting a compliment from another parent is nether here or there. You might of done a great job for that patient, but the treatment I received for my daughter (about a month ago) was a completely different procedure and preformed NOT by a board certified dentist, but by an assistant. Lastly, I knew about the changes that were going to be done by Healty Families, Denti-Cal, and the issue here was that your employee made a comment and singled me out by the mere fact that I had certain type of insurance. She assumed that the main reason I was there with my son was because his coverage was going to change. I understand that this might have been the case with most of your patients, but that gave her no authority to discriminate me because of that. The reason that my son needed to be seen was because he needed one cavity filled before his braces were put in. Now if I'm spending $5,000 on his braces, why would his insurance coverage be an issue with me? And this is where your employee made her mistake. Do you see where I'm getting at? It's not the Doctor's care I'm disappointed with, it's your staff. read more

Worst staff ever and not friendly.. When you call to schedule and need a specific day or time they never have it available. If you request for a specific dentist they give you a hard time. read more

My kids have been going here since they were two years old. Now they are teens and still go here for their dental care. The doctors are all good with patients and parents. They do a lot of community outreach and pro bono work (is that the right term or is that only for lawyers?) regardless, they are good people doing good work in a profession which doesn't get much positive press read more

Worst experience ever! They don't know what they are doing! You see a different dentist every time, it's never the same dentist that you saw at your last visit! The staff is friendly and we never had to wait long however our last visit was awful and we have since switched to a dentist who actually knows what he is doing! Last year they said our 3 year old had the beginning of a cavity in one molar and told us to brush regularly and they would check it at her next visit. Next visit comes along and it's now a cavity and they want to sedate her, wrap her like a burrito and use arm restraints to hold her down! And they wouldn't allow a parent in the room during the procedure! And insurance will not cover it!!! We took her to monterey peninsula pediatric dental group where we were allowed to watch the procedure. dr bayless filled the cavity using a shot of anesthetic and also sealed her molars to prevent any more cavities because they had deep ridges! Central coast never ever offered to seal her teeth! This entire ordeal could of been prevented if they had sealed her tooth last year!!! But they offered absolutely no preventative treatment! Oh yeah..... Dr bayless also has TVs in the procedure room so your kids can watch cartoons while having their teeth fixed and he doesn't use sedation either and parents are allowed in the room! read more