I've been a patient at this dental office for approximately 14 years, and until recently, I never had any issues. Unfortunately, that changed when my daughter needed care beyond a routine cleaning. She had her wisdom teeth removed in December. At the time of service, we were told the procedure would cost one amount. Later, I discovered that a different and higher amount was billed to my account, and neither the amount paid in the office nor the amount later billed matched the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from our insurance company. We were also charged an office visit fee for the post‑operative follow‑up appointment, even though we were advised multiple times that the follow‑up visit would not be billed. I've been calling the billing department since early January--over four months--to resolve these discrepancies. Each time, I'm told there is no office manager and that the billing department cannot get anyone from the office to return their calls. While waiting for my daughter during her appointment, I personally observed several front‑desk errors, including scheduling mistakes, the wrong chart being sent in with a patient, and a billing issue being discussed at the desk. These types of administrative problems are something I've only started to notice in recent years, which made the unresolved billing issues even more concerning. With no resolution and concern about being sent to collections, I ultimately paid the bill to protect my credit. As a long‑time patient, this was deeply disappointing, and I hope the office improves its administrative organization, billing transparency, and communication. read more

Stay far away from this practice !!!! They tell you that they are in network with your insurance and they aren't and you will get billed. They told me I needed to get a deep cleaning which wasn't true just to pad the bill for insurance . The dentist Fernandez and office manager Jackie were very rude and not professional. Very bad experience and my insurance company isn't paying them because of lying about being in network. read more

One of the most unprofessional and unwelcoming practices I have been to. Pretty much all of the office staff clearly don't want to be there. It took THREE times for my filling to be done correctly, and we're talking about in the span of only approx two months from getting the 1st one, not an extended period of time from the initial filling. To make matters worse, after being told I was not being billed for the 2nd and 3rd time I went in for them to fix it, I have repeatedly been receiving emails, texts, and bills in the mail since Summer of 2025 (it is now Spring 2026) saying that I do and threatening to put it in collections. Good luck getting a person to reply to you in either a timely manner or at all. Even when they do, the problem doesn't get corrected. I was more than understanding all of this time before coming to write this review, but at some point enough is enough. I do not recommend this practice at all. read more

The receptionists are the rudest and most unprofessional people. They will ignore you sitting texting on their phones when you are standing right in front of them and are of no help. They do not answer the phone you will sit on hold until it hangs up on you even when their are three of them sitting there. Every time I have come in for an appointment I sit for an hour waiting before they bring me in. read more

I had and am still having an issue with Eastern Dental of Howell NJ. The office staff from the Office Manager to the receptionist are rude, disinterested and unprofessional. On my first visit within the first 10 minutes of my sitting in the chair I was told it was imperative I had a deep cleaning, my regular insurance covered cleaning that I was scheduled for was never done. I was out of the chair in 10 minutes. I foolishly paid the portion that my insurance wouldn't cover when I made the appointment. I went for my first half of the cleaning, it went great , hygienist was excellent, and since I don't enjoy the dentist, I asked to schedule the second portion of the service with her, which was over a month later. On the day of my appointment, I get there to find out she was on vacation. I was never notified she wouldn't be there. The receptionist was so rude, she didn't even pick her head up to look at me. When I said I wouldn't be staying she "OK". When I asked about a refund, she yelled over her shoulder "He want's a refund" and said talk to her she'd the manager. The manager offered no apology of remedy and told me corporate would issue me a check. I have been waiting and inquiring since August 9. No one has an answer for me nor do they show an interest. They ask for my number every time I call, no one ever get's back to me. I've emailed the corporate office twice no response. I also have my insurance investing the claim, there is a possibility the office billed them for the service I didn't receive, which would be fraud. I'm sure if it was the other way around and I owed them money since August and didn't pay, I'd be in collections by now. I had to give at least one star to be able to post this review, even one is being generous. read more

Office staff is rude. Dentist did not review my medical history before sending me for a procedure. Make sure they have insurance approval before starting a procedure. read more

I had a very disappointing experience at Eastern Dental in Howell. I came in for a routine cleaning and was told I've been doing a good job maintaining my oral hygiene. Despite that, I was informed I needed a deep cleaning that would cost nearly $600. When I declined, they refused to provide the regular cleaning I was originally scheduled for, which should have been covered. It felt like they were more interested in upselling services than providing care. While I was in the waiting area, another patient briefly stepped out to his car to get some water. When a nurse came out to call him and learned he had just stepped out, even after we told her he'd be right back, she responded, "Oh well, I'm not waiting, I'll call the next patient," in a noticeably rude and dismissive tone. Overall, the experience felt rushed, impersonal, and more business-driven than patient-focused. I left feeling very uncomfortable and won't be returning. 0 Star. read more

Took them 5 months to complete a Root Canal ! When I went to get the post,I was told that the lab said there was not enough tooth, and I was told they could not save the tooth. Tooth was broken after multiple visits and continues drilling . The tooth was extracted. The tooth was 100% intact before I started treatment. DO NOT USE!!! read more

I am still coming here every 3 months. Thank goodness the dentist here takes great care of my teeth and the staff is fantastic The bottom line is I would not go to another dentist. read more

We have an emergency situation on a Saturday and they have been our dentist for years, and for some reason they cannot see that my husband has insurance so they refused to see him. I sent them the screen shot saying we are active members through guardian, I offered to pay them with a credit card until they can work it out with my insurance company for the next business day and they refused. They lost 3 customers by their inability to work with paying loyal customers. I dont care that the front desk employees are new, there is a person that is in alot of pain that they refused help, they expect him to wait until Monday. It is cruel and unnecessary. I am absolutely going to make sure that the dr knows what his employees have done and how it has impacted his cutomers. It is so wrong. read more

Not sure what happened here but they stopped answering phones and won't return messages. I actually drove there to make an appointment and was told by the people there (who were periodontists or something) that the office was closed and they were just contractors. Not good. read more

Horrible customer service you are left to rot in a waiting room for over an hour . They are terrible at answering phones as well. When I called to ask why my son was left waiting for over an hour I received attitude and was placed on hold then disconnected . Find a place that respects you as a patient and one that also values your time . I only left a star so I could post . My rating is zero read more

I have been coming here for cleanings for years. The hygienists are always friendly and caring. Today, Francine Hunter was my hygienist. She was gentle, quick, and friendly. After inquiring about their new teeth whitener, I was sold. The cleaning was so easy with their new suction equipment. Thank you for a great experience! read more

I was very happy with Dr. Rodriguez and his staff are wonderful. I don't understand the 1 star review. The office is bright, the staff are all so kind and accommodating. This was my first visit, and I am so happy to have found this dentist. Susan was so great and was very caring. Everyone made me feel relaxed. read more

Absolutely awful. Almost every single time we come here there is an issue. After 1 hour sitting here had to ask when my son was going to be seen. We probably would have been sitting here for 5 hours had I not asked. We saw people come in after and leave while we are still sitting here but interestingly when I had asked about the delay, a few minutes later he is called to see the dentist but there was NO ONE that had left. I am a 100%sure he was forgotten. If you are okay with ineptness and horrible customer service, this is the place for you. read more

I would give them 5 stars but is a dental office, after all! Seriously, I began using them approximately 8 months ago for some major work. My dentist is Dr. Natour, and he is excellent. Everything has been explained and I was never uncomfortable - even during a root canal. The office staff, especially Joan, is excellent and a pleasure to deal with. Joan is so pleasant when calling to confirm an appointment I almost feel as if I am being called by a favorite restaurant. All in all, they are professional, courteous and never make you feel badly about your personal dental situation. This is a large office with many dentists performing necessary work but you will always see "your" dentist for every appointment. Follow up calls are always made, no matter the procedure, and they are available to you should an emergency develop. read more

My daughter has an emergency and I was told to call at 8am to get an appointment. I was on hold for 20 minutes and I used the house phone and called while on hold. They pick up and I told her how long I have been on hold and still no appointment. Worst customer service I have experienced. read more

I don't know what's going on with all the one star reviews today was my first visit at eastern dental I wouldn't say I'm scared of the dentist, but I was nervous. I was treated with the upmost kindness, and patience Dr. Rodriguez was amazing, Susan did my cleaning she was awesome, Jamie did my X-rays she was so accommodating, and just super kind. I felt taken care of, and listened to thank you eastern dental for being one of the best experiences at any Dr's office I've been to read more

I've been going here with my family for a few years, however, we have decided to leave for another dentist. The doctors and hygienists are excellent and any dental work I've had done I always felt was quality work and I never had issues in that regard. Unfortunately, the customer service/front desk is making us leave. They literally don't answer the phone when I need to make an appointment. They do not call you back if you leave a message. Email messages are not returned. It takes weeks to book a simple cleaning, and I've even been forced to actually drive there to make an appointment. Last week I chipped a tooth and I still can't get in touch with them. My wife has had the same issues. I've witnessed other patients fighting with front desk staff, and they just don't seem to care and they just started yelling back at the patient. I don't like writing negative reviews and rarely do, however, I hope this review will prevent others from making the mistake of going here. read more

Eastern Dental of Howell Township is absolutely wonderful. Dr. Rodriguez is compassionate, concerned about his patients and extremely well informed. Miss Liz at the scheduling desk is wonderful and got me an appointment within 7 Days of my last visit. I used to go to Eastern Dental of Ocean Township and I would wait 2 months between visits and I dealt with terrible attitudes. I have had nothing but a positive experience at Eastern Dental of Howell. And I would encourage everyone that is disenchanted in Eatontown / Ocean Township to transfer to Howell. It has completely restored my faith in dentist who care. read more

0 STARS !! I had left several voicemails in a 2 week span and no one has returned my call. I finally got someone on the phone, Sumiya ( not sure of spelling ) who claims she was the manager . The way i was brutalized on the phone shows poor customer service, i am appalled on the way they treat customers . Telling me i dont understand that they are understaffed? So you dont call someone back after 2 weeks ? I needed to reschedule my appointment and not get charged for not showing up . After that experience i cancelled my appointment all together and will never be back to that facility again which is a shame since i live in Howell. I want this formal complaint relayed to the owner of the facility and if they want to benefit their business and not lose more clientele start by firing your unprofessional manager. Thank you read more

The dental procedures have always been good. I've had Dr. Rodriguez a few times and he has always done a fantastic job helping my situations out and I have also had cleanings done and those as well were fine with zero pain - coming from someone who is not very fond of dental procedures. What brought me to write this review is that I am commending the office manager - Linda Marra. Being a business owner, I understand how hectic everything can get, but it got to the point where I was thinking about switching dental offices until I spoke with Linda. She walked me through and navigated me through my issues when no one else did - or did incorrectly. When I arrived, she sat with me and explained to me the situation(s) at hand. I recommend anyone who is reading this, if you are uncertain about any situation, I'm sure she would be happy to speak with you - as she saved me as a customer from the billing nightmares that unexpectedly arrived at my door step. Eastern dental should be honored to have you work for them. Thanks Linda - this review is for you. Be well. KG read more

Prepare to spend at least 2 hours in this office for a check-up and cleaning. Good luck with getting anyone to answer the phone when you call and if you leave a message they don't return your call. My daughter has issues with anxiety about loose teeth and they don't seem to know how to deal with it at all. Cleanings are sloppy and rushed. We've been going here for about 5 years and it was ok when we first started but over the past 2 years, it's gotten progressively worse. We won't be back, we'll pay extra to go somewhere else as this is the only dentist who is covered under our insurance. It's an assembly line and they must overbook or don't have enough staff to get people seen even close to their appt. time. Very frustrated with this office. read more

Place has gone down hill. They will not answer phone calls. I had to drive there to set up an appointment. Be prepared to wait! After all of these negatives, the crown I received had to be fixed by a competent dentist. Avoid this practice! read more

Norma, Nicole,Sherry, and Caitlyn were absolutely AMAZING!!!!! They are always working their tushes off despite being short staffed. Staff here are VERY PLEASANT:) read more

This place is the worst!! They ruined my dental work. Had to go to a real dentist to get it fixed . Called my dental plan and told them to drop eastern dental. They never answer the phone or call you back if you leave a message. Dr Rod is horrible!!! read more

VERY UNPROFESSIONAL! Because of the negligence of the medical assistant, I was charged for a service never performed from over a year ago, when I already have a different dentist. When calling the office, it rings through to voicemail, for which the inbox is full. I went to the office to discuss the bill to which the receptionist rudely insisted I had to call and leave a message. Do not recommend and reporting to the BBB! read more

First things first, this has been my families dentist for years (only one near by that would take our insurance trust me it's not due to loyalty) and I must just urge everyone and anyone to not use this office. My final straw came today when I was there for my appointment. As I was sitting in the chair waiting to be examined, one of the dentist and an assistant had a full blown SCREAMING match. This carried on for minutes. I couldn't believe how unprofessional the dentist was and continued to treat the staff like they were idiots. It was appalling that any professional dentist would behave like an ape in an office, but here we are. Please do NOT use this dentist read more

I absolutely hate the dentist, but this was the first time that I went to one and left happy. Everyone was very nice both at the desk and while I was getting my cleaning. They were very informative and helpful. This is actually the only dentist in the area where my visit was completely free with insurance which was a nice surprise. Also, I felt comfortable being there because it was very clean! Everything felt sanitary and like the staff puts extra care into making sure you are taken care of properly. Also, keep in mind that some of the negative reviews on here are from people who have literally never been to this dentist and are basing their review on a phone call. When it comes to dental work especially, it is very difficult to find a great dentist that you can trust with your teeth and I can confidently say that I will be going here from now on because I felt relieved with the experience and it was the only time that has ever happened to me. read more

Love this Dentist and Orthodontist! They are friendly and it is a state of the art brand new facility. Can't recommend this place enough!!! read more

Eastern Dental - State of the art facility! - General Dentistry Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

Hello!!!!!!!!! Anyone there. No one answers the phone in this office and when you walk in to try and make an appointment they give you an attitude. read more

Once again had a wonderful experience with Dr. Rodriguez and his amazing staff. Norma treats me and my family as if we were her family, she's truly caring professional. I had the pleasure of meeting Donna, a covering hygienist she was awesome. Great cleaning and terrific advise. She was terrific. The care from Dr. Rodriguez and his staff is consistently excellent for over 18 years for my entire family. Thank you Eastern Dental of Howell. read more

The Dentist is by far the WORST! Every employee constantly has an attitude, it's like making them do their job is hassle. They do nothing but play on their phones and goof off with each other behind the counter rather than be friendly and helpful. Always have an issue on every visit. Can't wait to switch my insurance in January and NEVER come back! read more

I received a call today from the office manager in the Howell office Eastern dental telling me that one of their employees have tested positive for Covid, during one of my visits. They protect THEIR employees privacy by not saying who it is or if it was the asst or dentist that I dealt with or if they are showing symptoms. I was also told it's NOT MANDATORY that their employees get tested weekly or at anytime for Covid. They had no problem asking me all of the neccessary questions to keep their staff members safe but I'm not allowed the same privilege. Their policy is disgusting & beyond unprofessional. My heart goes out to anyone suffering from this virus but I say SHAME ON EASTERN DENTAL for not taking proper precautions for their patients. read more

If my insurance covered any other dentist, believe me, I would never come back. I've had nothing but problems with the doctors here. They don't use enough novocaine (I still feel them drilling in my teeth) and my fillings that I have fallen out TWICE from... get this... FLOSSING! Dr. Rodriguez has zero bedside manner, although he is easily the most competent dentist in the office (do NOT go to the woman, hers are the ones that fell out). They charged me twice for the same set of fillings, which sent me into a negative balance in my bank account, and I had to wait three days to get that money back. After the experiences that I've had there, I'd say the only person who knows what they're doing is the little southern belle who cleans my teeth. She is a doll and she shouldn't have to work with the incompetence around her. read more

My husband went to eastern dental in Howell with pain and was told there is no findings and was being brushed off , after he insisted general test was done with no findings, 2 days later his gums were red and swollen, he was referred to a specialist but that did not pan out the office manager Tara was supposed to follow up with insurance to obtain referral, after calling the office for follow up there was none it had been over 3 weeks and Tara is not answering our calls this is unethical and sad. this office is unprofessional and does not follow up thank God my his did not develop sepsis . read more

This office has gone downhill fast. New ownership has cut corners and it shows. Good luck trying to call and have someone answer the phone. They call and need to cancel your appointment more times than not. I've been trying to call numerous times to reschedule an appointment that THEY cancelled and no one has called me back after numerous phone calls and two weeks later. The hygienist is very nice but is overworked. She is the only FT one there. They finally hired a part-timer which is still not going to be enough to help with the long waits. Brace yourself for sitting in the waiting area for awhile. Dr. Rodriguez is nice, haven't ever used Dr. G, but the lady dentist has made several mistakes with dental work - would not recommend. I would go elsewhere if my insurance company gave me more options. I would not recommend this place to anyone. read more

Read all the bad reviews this place got. Figured I would give it a try as it is close to home and everyone has different opinions. I tried calling this location to get an appointment. Called and had to leave a message - no human to answer phone. Called the next day - same thing. Then went online to request an appointment - received no response. How on earth can this place still be in business???? Ridiculous..... read more

In the past month I had called to try and schedule an appointment for an exam and cleaning. Three times I called and three times I left a message. I did not receive a response. Finally, I drove by and went in. Before I got two words in edgewise, I was told that the front desk is extremely short staffed, that the receptionist is training two others and that return calls were impossible for now. I sensed the irritation loud and clear. When I asked if they were shorthanded in the dentistry department as well, she abruptly told me they don't answer phones or return calls. She obviously was only focused on herself. Long story short, they are booked straight through the end of December for exams and cleanings. This was once a favorable dental practice, but I would not waste another minute ever again with this place. Making an appointment here is like pulling teeth. Although pulling teeth might be easier elsewhere. read more

There is no privacy in this place. In the check-up area everyone can see and hear you and you can see and hear them as well. The dental assistants are very mean, refuse to answer questions and ask PERSONAL questions unrelated about why you are there. I could understand if it was somewhat relevant about dental history or something, but my PERSONAL life is none of your business. Also this was and experience form a year or 2 ago. Hopefully they changed. read more