Such a beautiful dentistry and the staff is the cherry on top I tried other dentist in San Diego and even tried a few in Tijuana and I regret wasting my time elsewhere. The care they give me here is amazing. They explain everything and don't mind going into details whenever I get anxious because I didn't have good experiences in dentist before finding this location my biggest concern was price at first but the front desk made sure to try to fit my budget to their best ability and I truly appreciate that. Miss Happiness the dental hygienist is such a lovely Dr! She made my deep clean very enjoyable. Dr Ellie gives such keen detail to your teeth I feel like I'm in good hands when I'm here. All in all 10/10 experiences and I'm excited to continue coming back read more

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Stay far away from here. All they care about is money. Telling you need all this stuff done.

The staff are great, Very caring and helpful. I have been seeing Dr. Ellie for more than 5 years and have never had a problem.

I went to this dental office because the location was close to where I live as my regular is some distance away. I have always gotten regular checkups every six months. When the doctor came in, she told me I had a broken tooth, needed new crowns, had lots of decay etc. The projected bill was to be $7500! I was suspicious and decided to go back to my original dentist who took new x-rays and examined my teeth. He found absolutely nothing wrong and no treatment was necessary. I felt that the integrity of Dr. Ellie's Dentistry is very questionable. read more

All they do is try to up-sell. In January I had a deep cleaning and they wanted to charge me an exorbitant fee for medication after the cleaning which is not required, at a price higher than the going rate. I refused. I asked for the billing code and spoke with my insurance company (dental staff told me not to call until the following week but I called the next day). The code they provided was for a totally different service than what they wanted to do and at a much higher cost. This week I had a appointment for a cleaning. They wanted to charge $90. I said my insurance allows 2 deep cleanings and 4 regular cleanings. They said it was a periodontal follow up cleaning (not covered by insurance). I said no, I wanted my regular cleaning per my dental coverage. They said in case my teeth were bleeding--they aren't. After arguing they finally did a cleaning. The claimed the system was down when I tried to schedule the next appointment. Now they have dropped me as a patient. Prior to the pandemic I'd had a total of 3 dentists and had no problems with any (two retired, I moved away from one). I'm almost 80 but I'm not stupid. Do not go here unless you want to pay for services you don't need. read more

They tell (almost) everyone they need a deep cleaning, read most of the reviews. Even if no other dentist has ever told you you needed one, this place will. It's their M.O. Deep cleanings are extremely expensive, and the dental insurance companies probably pay out the most with that claim. Beware! They will also spend hours, wasting your valuable time taking X-rays and then trying to convince you into a deep cleaning. They will then refuse to do a regular cleaning. So half a day is wasted there! read more

Worse dental appointment ever! The dentist told me " it looks like I got my dental work done in Tijuana" when I refused all the extra costly stuff they suggested that my insurance didn't cover and I didn't need. Three different people tried to sell me on some deep cleaning and other stuff. How many times do I have to say no. They moved me to the back and the insults proceeded. Wow! Weird experience. I told her who my former dentist were and orthodontist. She was mean and ruthless to get a sale. The tooth cleaning was the WORST I've ever had out of the many years of going to a dentist. Most incredibly horrific experience!!! Maybe it was racism maybe they treat all their customers this way. Who knows?! I've been meaning to write about this for a while. It's worth taking the time to write this... read more

Worst dentist in terms of lying, rudeness, and not caring what the customer wants. I did Smart smile (Invisalign knockoff) with them. The main receptionist Michelle is extremely rude always. Made me come in, sign in, waste 20 minutes just so they could hand me new trays without even looking at my teeth multiple times. Would not give me the trays when I refused to sign in when I was just picking them up. Dr. Ellie lied straight to my face multiple times saying they would continue my service until my teeth were straight and to my liking. Claimed I needed a deep cleaning that's why my teeth weren't moving every single visit. At the end she said they were straight and their work was done when my teeth clearly weren't straight or to my standards. There is 0 arguing with her. She will just keep repeating herself while blatantly lying so they can do the least amount of work as possible. I will have to get braces now. Absolute waste of 4.5k dollars. These guys are crooks. They will not give me any partial refund since they claim my teeth are straight now. Will try to report them to the BBB. Do not go here. read more

Just had a scheduled teeth cleaning with them. They are all extremely friendly and polite, but the whole time I had a feeling I was in the funnel of a sales pitch, it absolutely was. They took x-rays and poked around for a bit. I don't have the best teeth and they told me that. They weren't able to do a regular cleaning because they said I needed to schedule a deep cleaning instead (not covered by my insurance and would cost $600+ out of pocket). I asked if they could just do the general cleaning and was told that it would need to be approved by Dr. Ellie which may not happen. In summary, I think they were only open to working on me if I spent a bit extra money. read more

I came to see Dr. Ellie for an exam and cleaning, and had a great experience. All of the assistants were very friendly and explained every step of the process, which helped me feel comfortable with the visit. I was impressed with the comprehensive photos and X-rays taken from multiple angles and level of thoroughness. Dr. Ellie is kind and caring, and she spent time addressing several of my concerns. This was one of the best dental experiences I have had! Highly recommend Dr Ellie and her team! read more

Awesome dentist. Always so clean inside and staff is very responsive and kind. No complaints and I plan to keep coming back as long as I'm still living in San Diego read more

Ellie's Gentle Dentistry - Waiting area - Cosmetic Dentists Near Me - San Diego, California

They are there to suck your money. Bad service, we called many times, no answer. We switched our dentist, asked them to email our records, no luck for two months. read more

Gentle dentistry? More like aggressive "I am going to force a procedure down your throat" dentistry. I have been meaning to write about this dentist for a while now. In the beginning, I really did enjoy going to see Dr. Ellie because I trusted her and she made me feel like she was doing the best for me. However, the first time I came in, I was only expecting a simple cleaning. My dentist that I went to before I moved to San Diego never said anything bad about my teeth. Then, at the first visit, Dr. Ellie tells me I need a root canal and to replace ALL my fillings because they are "cracked". I never saw any proof but I believed her and gave her the benefit of the doubt. I came in for the fillings another time and she says that my gums are receding and DOES A PROCEDURE/FILLING FOR THE TOOTH with the gum recession WITHOUT my permission. I got charged at the end, and what makes it especially worse is that a few weeks later, I was getting extreme pain in the tooth. I didn't want to go back to Dr. Ellie's so I went to another dentist and they fixed it for me and let me know that the last dentist (Dr. Ellie) did a bad job with the filling, which is what was irritating my gums. Long story short, I told my brother all of this and he read several yelp reviews on Dr. Ellie complaining of the same experience that I had. Dr. Ellie DOES NOT CARE ABOUT HER PATIENTS. She is only trying to make money off of her patients, telling them procedures that they do not actually need. I DO NOT RECOMMEND GOING HERE UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE LIED TO. YOU ARE WASTING YOUR MONEY. I would give 0/5 stars if I could. Please learn from my lesson. I wasted $2,000 here. DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR BUSINESS. I am sorry to everyone that this dentistry has finessed. read more

Like many comments, I was less then thrilled with the service at this clinic. I was told that I had 6-7 cavities through out my mouth. This was suspicious for me as six months earlier, at another dentist, I had a clean bill of health. On top of that, the diagnosis and explanation of the cavities did not come with the doctor identifying the cavities on my x-ray. Just informing me I had cavities. I came to Yelp and read through the comments and realized it was a common experience; so I got a second opinion. Second dentist performed x-rays and looked over my teeth. The verdict? Only a tiny cavity on a back molar. One. Compared to the seven I was initially quoted. I was quoted almost $500 from this clinic. The second opinion saved me hundreds. read more

Dr Ellie is great, she's super nice and is very gentle. The front desk workers are so nice and helpful. The issue that keeps coming up is I get nitrous when I have procedures due to to previous trauma, but I've had my apps canceled multiple times bc they don't have any nitrous, and had to wait weeks for another app. Also, the staff doesn't know how to use it well, I've heard them, more than once, say they didn't know how to work it and it even ran out once and they didn't know until I told them it had stopped. That makes me nervous. They also try to get me to not use it every single time I come in, which makes me feel like I have to explain each time why I request it. read more

Dr. Ellie has totally changed my fear of going to the dentist...PAIN IS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME, nor is it hers. She listens, and adjusts to the needs of the patient...not assuming that Oh you can take it...beyond happy with my recent crown along with other host of services I've receive. I'm SO happy that I didn't have to travel too far as the office is located in the heart of Mission Valley...beautiful office, latest equipment, and a SUPPORTING STAFF OF SUPER AWESOME PEOPLE (Natalie, Michelle, Yuko, Gent w/Nice Hair; Sweet Young Lady, and especially SAMMY) along with many others who simply GO OUT OF THEIR WAY to ensure you're comfortable and satisfied!!! When you find the right professional that is going to treat you like the VIP we are as unique individuals...it's my resolve to refer, and promote great service which is solely why I'm leaving this review. THANK YOU DR. ELLIE FOR TAKING CARE OF ME AND MY FAMILY...WE SMILE BIG BECAUSE OUR TEETH/GUMS STAY HEALTHY BECAUSE OF YOUR EXPERTISE!!!!!!!!!! read more

Not a good experience. I went for a crown and when I went in for them to put it in they had me in there for over an hour wrenching on me and finally said the crown wouldn't fit. So I had to go back in again. They got it on and now it's 2 years later and I went to a different dentist. They told me that the crown had broken off. They told me that Ellie's should fix it because crowns are supposed to last at least 5 years. I don't want to go back there, though, so I'm having the new dentist redo it. I don't want to deal with Ellie's again. read more

I wish I'd read the reviews before I went in. I had a root canal they said was infected so I had to have it redone. They also said my cavity filling was leaking, and when she took it out she said I needed a root canal because it had been leaking for some time and would be immoral to leave it since it was so close to the root. I also had to have a ton of cavities filled and refilled. Like other reviewers, I was told I needed a deep cleaning. I had so much work done my insurance ran out and I had to pay out of pocket. Now after reading the other reviews I'm wondering if I really needed all of that. I'm disappointed I now have to live forever with a crown I might not have even needed. read more

I get the same impression the people below who rated it one star or somewhere near there. I can't trust what they're saying AND I pride myself on my ability to discern trustworthiness. I recently changed to Dr. Ellie (last May) and went in to do a normal cleaning. I only changed after 15 years with my old dentist because of distance to my old dentist after I moved. Dr. Ellie's office advised that I would need $1600 in additional work to be done. Interestingly enough, I never had some of the problems they mentioned with my previous dentist. Much like a couple of the previous complaints on this page, they told me I would need a crown and I had multiple cavities and something else I can't recall at the moment. I went in this time (today - January 10th) and they almost without even looking closely at my teeth gave me the same prognosis and told me they can't give me a normal cleaning without giving me the deep cleaning (which costs $450) because that would be unethical. It seems too scripted. I told them that if they can't give me the normal cleaning, I'll go elsewhere. They asked the lead dentist to come in and talk to me. She told me the same. They can't clean them without giving me the deep cleaning. I have a good ability for discerning honesty from people and I just don't get an honest vibe from them when they talk. I'm going back to my old dentist even though he's a much further drive. read more

I was assigned to Dr. Ellie's by my insurance provider and was a patient of her's for a couple years. At first my experience was fine, but I was surprised that each time I came in for a cleaning (every 6 months) they would find at least two or three cavities that "needed filling." In the past I had occasionally had cavities here and there, but I found it odd that all of a sudden Dr. Ellie was finding two or three per visit. The last time I went in for a visit I was told that an old filling needed to be replaced and this would require an $800 crown because the tooth was too damaged and just doing another filling wouldn't be enough. I immediately made an appointment at another dental office for a second opinion, and they told me the filling did need replacing but a crown was definitely not necessary. What a relief! This story seems similar to many other reviews, and I believe that Dr. Ellie takes advantage of patients who trust her expertise and recommends procedures and treatments that are not necessary. I would absolutely not recommend her office. read more

Like many people reviewing this dentist, I also do not leave Yelp reviews... but I would feel irresponsible if I did not this time. This is my personal opinion and experience: Do not go to this dentist. I believe this dentist is unethical and not trustworthy. This dentist is all about high pressure sales and the bottom line $$$. She does not look out for your best interest. This dentist told me I needed a crown (read the other reviews, this seems to be a pattern). She had the receptionist (her main goon) pressure me into paying. When I refused, she became VERY AGGRESSIVE. She said she contacted my insurance, which was a COMPLETE LIE. I foolishly trusted them and had the crown done. My insurance later told me NOBODY had ever contacted them on my behalf. I believe I know why they pressure people into getting crowns... it's because this dentist has the crowns made "in-house" which saves her tons of money, but comes out of pocket to you! And the quality is very poor. The crown I had done broke three weeks later! AND THEY BLAMED ME FOR IT! This dentist wanted to charge me half price to re-do the crown!!! While trying to "fix" the broken crown, she aggressivley stuck me three times with the anesthesia needle. I continued to feel pain as she worked on my tooth and she blamed me saying it was my "fast metabolism" for the anesthesia wearing off. She painfully and aggressivly stuck me about 10-15 more times and I still felt pain!!! I had to stop her and I left her office with the broken crown. I went to a NEW dentist and he stuck me just twice and I felt NO PAIN AND he fixed the broken crown. This dentist told me I needed a $200 mouth guard because I was grinding my teeth. My wife had never heard me grind my teeth. After a second opinion, my new dentist told me I had no signs of grinding my teeth! This dentist was VERY AGGRESSIVE. If she's in a bad mood, SHE WILL TAKE IT OUT ON YOUR MOUTH! She becomes very visibly upset and does not hide it when she's working on your teeth. She even makes very passive aggressive comments while working on your teeth. Not what you want from a dentist. Like many reviewers on this yelp, I also was told my mouth was riddled with cavities. It took months of work to "fix" the cavities. Looking back now, I was very foolish not getting a second opinion. My mistake, but I hope my terrible experience can save just one person from going to this dentist... YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. read more

I've been going to Dr. Ellie's office for a few years now and every time I am in awe on how much they pay attention to the details. What I love is that they explain what they're doing which makes it super peaceful and comfortable appointment. This office just gives stellar service every single time from the front desk to Dr. Ellie and her hygienists and assistants! read more

Dr. Ellie is one of the best dentists I've ever had...and I've had a lot! I had a change in my insurance and was lucky enough to find Dr. Ellie's Dentistry. This is a top notch practice with a staff of wonderful and helpful people! My teeth needed a lot of help when I got there and Dr. Ellie made everything right again and better than it was before. I highly recommend her! read more

After waiting months during the pandemic for the chance to go back to my dentist in Mexico, I finally bit the bullet and went to Dr. Ellie's Gentle Dentistry. I needed to take care of a cleaning and had a problem with old fillings that had gone bad. A friend recommended this dentist, so I took the chance. My experience was mostly wonderful, so I want to share and encourage others. Yes, this was predictably more expensive than what I would have paid in Mexico, but by CA standards I think I got a fair deal. I let them know from the get-go that I have no dental insurance. I needed to reiterate this several times, but ultimately, they offered me a deal I could go with... The exam itself took about an hour and a half, with x-rays, photos, etc. I think it was a bit over the top, but in a way, it was reassuring to have such a thorough exam and to be able to see results up on the screen. The staff is wonderful, from the assistant techs, to the hygienist Naz, to Yuki the skilled dental assistant who worked to fill my teeth with the special bonding material. Their skill level was exceptional. Dr. Ellie was a superhero with the Novacaine and the drill. Amazing work, and I felt no pain at all. She double checked the work done by her team and gave me advice regarding work other teeth will need in the future. I am very glad I went and was confident in their skills from start to finish. Yes, I recommend this dentistry team. read more

I have a severe anxiety disorder and haven't been able to go back to the dentist since the military. I came in fully having a panic attack, and write away everyone was there whether it was water, encouragement or personal stories. If you have any type of anxiety of going to the dentist, I recommend this place. This is part I/3 - deep cleaning. Once my anxiety was down and I was CHILLING (literally playing Pokémon Go)- they gave me the numbing shots (I had to get a total of 6) - I didn't feel the injection and I didn't feel the process. Started with 4, then she told me at any time if I feel it I can get a bonus. She even did a tester so we could know before we did the top. Added 2 more, and continued. She was so kind, thoughtful and experienced. I was so surprised at how different my teeth looked after one deep cleaning. Next step is the bleaching (will provide review) and last is veneers (will provide review). My hope is that this review can help anyone else scared or nervous about any of these procedures. Everyone there made me feel good about myself and excited for the next step. 13/10 read more

I came to Dr. Ellie's Gentle Dentistry on a recommendation from our insurance carrier for a dental evaluation. After filling out new patient paperwork, I was seated in a room for X-rays and evaluation. After the assessment, Dr. Ellie recommended a "deep cleaning". After the treatment was performed, the hygienist asked if I would like to have an "antibiotic rinse". I declined, and she again offered an antibiotic "laser treatment." I again declined. While setting up a follow-up appointment, the receptionist charged my credit card $300. After checking, I realized that Dr. Ellie's office had charged me for a service that was not covered by my insurance (chlorhexidine rinse). Additionally, I was charged for a service that I had specifically declined. At no point was I ever specifically warned that this treatment was not covered by insurance. After discovering the error, I returned to the office to state that I had not received the "antibiotic rinse" or "laser treatment." After checking the chart, the receptionist refunded the $300. If I had not declined it, the service would have been performed. I am upset that there was no discussion about the necessity of the treatment, as well as the personal cost to me if I had agreed to it. I do not feel that their new patient paperwork satisfies the requirements of informed consent and feel that they were trying to take advantage of my naivete of being a new patient. read more

Unfortunately I had a bad experience at this dental office. My first time here they took pictures of my teeth and it took so long to get it done! They had a camera that wouldn't work and I had that big mirror in my mouth while holding my breathe because I couldn't breathe through my nose! It was horrible. Probably more than 40min trying to get the camera to work. I also had my teeth cleaned and they tried selling me two different treatments of some sort because my "gums were bleeding" And to protect my teeth these people insisted way too much. My old dentist who I miss by the way but unfortunately doesn't take my insurance anymore never tried to sell any products for my gum or teeth. It seems like this dental location just wants $$ and don't seem to care for their patients. I also got x-rays done and it was fast but next thing you know they tell me I have about 6-7 cavities?! And I should start that same day with at least 2 to get filled. Thank God i didn't because I was so sure i didn't have that many after visiting a dentist 2 months before my appt and I only had 1! They called me several times for my next appointment but no way im going back not worth it. The Dr. also had me waiting quite a while! and once she saw me she repeated the same info as the dental assistants trying to sell me medicine. I DO NOT recommend this office please look somewhere else! I should of looked this office up on yelp first because it seems like everyone was being told to buy a treatment for bleeding gums and apparently everyone has hundreds of cavities lol. read more

It's been a while but I'm still not over how this was the worst dental experience of my life. I went in for a general cleaning and was told I needed a deep cleaning just so they could repeatedly push an unnecessary $400+ laser treatment on me. As some one who regularly flosses and never needs one I was suspicious but refused the laser and just got the deep cleaning (which was still extra out of pocket). This also took a total of three visits. I went in, had to come back for the cleaning, and then back for polishing "to see if I still could use the laser." I've since switched to another dentist and go in for a standard, fast cleaning with no issues. read more

Just got back on dental ins. (DeltaCare USA) a couple years ago. As it happened RIGHT before the shutdown, I dragged my feet in going back into a dental appointment regimen (my last dental provider was SmileCare; that should tell you a little bit about why I wasn't in a rush to get back to the dentist - LOL). After cutting my gum last week, I finally said enough was enough & decided to make an appt. last week. Not knowing who my dental carrier assigned me to, I called DeltaCare and was told that I was assigned to Dr. Ellie. I immediately called for an appt. and was able to get in mere days after my initial call. This afternoon was my first appt. after 4-5 years of going without a dentist. Expectations low due to my last dental practice, Dr. Ellie knocked my socks off! Her her team/practice is the REAL DEAL! I received full x-rays, had a series of mouth photos taken, met with the hygienist for a cleaning consultation, and met with Dr. Ellie who did a thorough tooth exam (including jaw, throat, and thyroid) & who reviewed the x-rays & photos with me while providing explanations. After years of neglect (but still brushing and flossing 2x a day), my teeth are in good health, but my gums are in need of a little prof. attn. After the deep cleaning treatment was explained, along with my ins. coverage & associated out-of-pocket costs for the periodontal procedure, I asked if they were able to do it today. I was told it wasn't likely, and that was that; I understood. Unbeknownst to me, Dr. Ellie's team had a little pow wow & a look at the schedule. Dr. Ellie pleasantly surprised me at the end of my visit by letting me know the hygienist WAS able to do the cleaning today (& I'm pretty sure that staff stayed past closing to accommodate)! As a new patient, they didn't even have to do this, let alone entertain my ask. I felt so seen, cared for, and respected in that moment. The deep cleaning was ENTIRELY painless (thanks to topical anesthetic), completed in in less that 50 minutes (thanks to modern dental tools, laser technology, & the hygienist's tenure & skill)! This group really genuinely cares about their patients' time, physical comfort, and health; their actions from today speak louder than any words on a website or in a review. I honestly think I've found my forever dentist (insurance-willing!). I am so incredibly grateful to Dr. Ellie's team for making my first appt. back a total breeze, entirely painless, and for being so welcoming, compassionate, and positive (since I sat there kicking myself for letting my dental care fall on my life's priority list). From Michelle booking me in to the schedule so quickly, checking me in/out today, and booking my next follow up appts., to the two kind dental assistants (sorry but I am forgetting their names here), to Dr. Ellie's hygienist (who, I am embarrassed to say I am not remembering her name either), to Natalie (office, billing, and insurance), to Dr. Ellie, and to all other staff I haven't met as of yet - THANK YOU! Thank you for making me feel welcome, seen, valued, and for encouraging me when I was down on myself for putting off care for so long. You all were so sweet - expressing I should be proud that I didn't let it go longer, & even thanking me in trusting Dr. Ellie's practice for my dental needs! I can't imagine a better team to seek out when you need to take care of your dental health... no matter how long it has been since you've had care. This team will NOT make you feel ashamed, embarrassed, disrespected, or uncomfortable. Best in Class staff aside, Dr. Ellie has built a clean, modern, welcoming, comfortable, and private dental environment & experience for her patients. If you are shopping around for a dentist, PLEASE include Dr. Ellie in your list of considered dentists. I promise that once you meet Dr. Ellie & staff, & experience her office and equipment, you won't have a need to look further. THANK YOU DR. ELLIE & STAFF! It takes a village & you have built one the absolute best that I have encountered in all of my 44 years! read more

Ellie's Gentle Dentistry - The "thank you" gift Dr. Ellie's team gave to me as a first time patient. - Cosmetic Dentists Near Me - San Diego, California

I'm a total wuss when it comes to the dentist - have been to many over the years and I always dread it. That was until I started going to Dr. Ellie's. Everyone at the office is super considerate and gentle and I've found my "for life" dentist with Dr. Patel. I've gotten so comfortable and trusting that I finally decided to do Invisalign with Dr. Patel and couldn't be happier with the results! read more

I literally NEVER write reviews and actually had forgotten my password for Yelp, but really felt that I needed to share my story so that no one ever makes the same mistake I did. I loved my old dentist but had to find a new one since I moved. I briefly skimmed Yelp and saw a couple good reviews for this place...but I wished that I had kept reading. I had a very similar experience to all of the horrible reviews on here. First off, I had been to my old dentist 6 months before with NO problems. Everything was great. I kept up the same brushing and flossing routine, but according to Dr. Ellie, I had 7 cavities!!! I thought "hmm that's a little odd..." but continued with the appointment. I was then told that my gums were so bad, that I would need this infamous "deep cleaning" everyone else has been mentioning. I have NEVER heard of this before from anywhere else. I got pressured into doing it that day which was $200 out of pocket. They scheduled another appointment for me to fill my cavities. (Again, had to pay more out of pocket). Two of the cavities were filled that day on the right side and they informed me that I'd have to set up another appointment for the rest. I came back a couple weeks later and am told they will be filling 4 more on the left side. After that, I would still have 1 more that needed to be done on the right. I asked why it was not done at my previous appointment and Dr. Ellie LITERALLY said "I don't know." She made a joke asking why I don't want to come visit them again and I said that I wish I could've just gotten it over with last time while that side of my face was already numb!!! Her whole demeanor changed and she instantly became more aggressive and not as friendly. After my fillings were done, they began trying to adjust my bite. Throughout this, Dr. Ellie was talking about how big the next appointment she had was and was OBVIOUSLY rushing through my current one. She would ask how my bite felt, giving me like 2 seconds to feel it out. After several attempts, I said it still felt off. She was getting noticeably angry and kept saying "it looks fine." I was so upset at this point that I just said it was okay so that I could get out of there. I will not be returning for my last "cavity" nor will I be returning "every 3 months" to get a "deep cleaning." I honestly have no idea how this business has gotten away for so long completely SCAMMING people. I beg of you, please DO NOT GO HERE. No one deserves to be taken advantage of and this establishment does not deserve to still be running. read more

"Oh my gosh! Wow! You weren't satisfied with your visit. She was too rough? Wow, I've been here for 7 years and I have never heard that from a patient. No, not one... She's always very gentle. You may want to consider seeing another dentist, I wouldn't want her to feel uncomfortable treating you." That's what the receptionist told me after I expressed how rough Ellie was with me. Based on the reviews here, there's been more than enough unhappy patients, some that complained about the above-quoted receptionist specifically. This leads me to believe one of two things: a) Ellie's cares so little about their patients that they don't bother to read their own reviews, or b) They've had the same complaint so many times they had to provide the receptionist with a script and "utter shock" skit to nail down. Appointment #1: 5:30pm. I was checked in and promptly ignored for a full hour. Finally asking to reschedule, I was assured "just one more minute" and please have a seat.. for another 30 minutes. The visit was interesting. My previous dental work was criticized, we went over options for a retainer to correct a slight gap, and otherwise told I was doing a great job, my teeth were clean and well cared for. Ellie rolled in around 7:00, and the story changed - they don't offer any retainers, and oh! you have a massive cavity that will need a crown, and another partial crown on the bottom. My previous dentist had pointed out the "massive cavity" to me two months earlier on an x-ray, noting that it was so slight i could wait on the filling if i wanted to, and to note that it would grow and eventually have to be done. WOW! In just 8 weeks it had become so HUGE that it would knock the entire tooth out to repair, better slap a crown in there! ..... Notice in the reviews that EVERYONE has needed a crown? At least one? Peculiar, I'd say... considering they're very expensive and out of pocket... Think they might be... no, no that would be unethical and bad practice. I should've ran then. I was sent a quote for $1700 for both teeth. With no-dental-training-ever precision, I realized I didn't need half the items on the quote and requested changes. 2 weeks passed, I went into the office to inquire and THEN that sweetheart receptionist rolled her eyes and said she'd get it to me. It came back at $970, done in 3 appointments. I went in to schedule Appointment #2 and said that I was a bit nervous about Dr. Ellie, that after making me wait an hour and a half for my consult she was very rude and aggressive and seemed rushed and anxious. Sweetie Pie told me they're never running late, the last visit was an exception, the doc is always very gentle and relaxed and I had nothing to worry about. Ok, fine. When I came in for #2, Sunshine insisted I sign the 1700 plan "for their records, just to show that i was given the option". When I refused and said i would only sign what i agreed too, i got that eye-roll and she stomped off to print it. 45 mins past my appointment time, I entered the torture chamber and they got to work. Ellie and I had great conversations, like: "Stop bitey your cheek" /"sorry, its numb, didn't feel it"/ It is not numb, i numbed the right side./ Well its numb over here on the left too /NO it is NOT I numbed only the right. Bite again and stop bitey your cheek". Then we played a game where you raise your left hand if it hurts & they stop what they're doing, only I raised my hand, then waved it around, tapped the docs knee a few times, groaned loudly, and finally grabbed her wrist and forced her hand and the drill out of my mouth. There was the part when she told me to "open wider", and i said i couldn't. "yes you can, wider." "no really, that's as far as it goes." Boy was I wrong! All she had to do was rip my lip open and sure enough, it opened a little wider. That little cut in the crack of your lip is a real bleeder, and stings for a good week, but she got back there alright. Long story short, she didnt listen to any of my needs, was forceful almost to the point of just being mean, I had to physically stop her when in pain, and the entire time she spoke to me as if i were a HUGE inconvenience. She wanted to be done and on to the next. Good thing, too, with 6 or 8 chairs and one dentist. I went to my last appointment where they told me I would need 2 more to finish, turning 3 visits into 5. Whatever, just get it over with. I was taken back right away but sat there long enough to FINISH a crossword puzzle. I went to the restroom and watched a dental assistant exit without washing her hands. I called her right out to the other nurses, who scrambled for excuses. Really, whats excusable? Those hands are going in someone's mouth. Ellie rolled in, promptly cut off the questions I had, shoved the crown in and pushed me out the door with such a bad attitude I felt like saying "If you hate EVERYONE, why are you a dentist!!" I informed Suzy Q on my way out that I would NEVER be returning. No way in hell. read more

Ellie's Gentle Dentistry - Cosmetic Dentists Near Me - San Diego, California

I've never had such a bad experience at a dentist. I came to Doctor Ellie after my insurance changed to an HMO and I was somehow auto-assigned to her. I had broken a crown and needed it replaced. Not only did the crown cost $1200 (and this was only half; my insurance company paid the other half), and the work was definitely not gentle (and there was blood on the bib they put over me when they were done) but when the temporary crown was put on I was already feeling a large amount of constant pain. I told her about it repeatedly, and each time she said it was "normal" because of the way she had to repair the tooth, and that it would be better once the permanent crown was put on. Two weeks of misery passed, during which the pain increased, and then the permanent crown was put on, and though I told her the pain was even worse, she insisted it was fine and even left the room while I was complaining, leaving me to deal with the nurse (who doubled as the receptionist) for the rest of my visit. Very rude. I called in to complain again a few days later, because the pain had gotten unbearable and I was having trouble functioning, and finally she recommended an endodontist; a few hundred dollars later I had a root canal and a hole in my nice new crown. I'm not going back to her again. She made a bad call, ignored her patient's feedback, and seemed more concerned with lining up more procedures than with her patient's concerns. I should have read the other reviews on Yelp. read more

I'm usually not one to write reviews but I wish I had read them prior to my appointment. Sad to say, but everything that was described in the bad reviews are so true! After a consultation with Dr. Ellie, I was pressured to do a 3d CT scan and deep cleaning in the same day. One of the insurance coordinators came and sat with me to inform me my out of pocket cost after insurance benefits. After I refused repeatedly she kept pressuring me saying well you need to get it done like now, I kept refusing saying not at this time, I'm not prepared financially. She walked away and I could hear all the girls whispering to each other and just got a bad vibe from there on out. I scheduled my appointment for a routine cleaning as I wasnt prepared to spend over $500 during that visit. They refused to do a simple cleaning stating that "it wouldn't makes sense to do it". Which I see where they're coming from BUT if I cant afford a deep cleaning at that visit yet my insurance covers for a routine, why not do something to make my time worth it. So I called another in network dentist and informed them I am scheduling an appt for a second opinion (mainly because I just did not want to go back there). I stated how nothing was done for me because I refused the deep cleaning. Dr. Ellie charges a $25 fee to have them email the xrays. Why? Labor took like 5 minutes or less to do? I just felt like everything was about money. I've never felt like that at any dental clinics i've been to. Bottom line they pressure you to get more money out of you. Don't give in. read more

My husband went here in November, they billed his dental insurance and gave him a quote for procedures that later deemed unnecessary. They never did clean his teeth which is what he made the appointment for. Very disappointing and expensive. read more

Dr. Ellie is excellent. and so is her staff. she is efficient and confident. the office is relaxing and clean. the equipment is updated. she doesn't over charge, she is right on target with the insurance rates. read more

Well, as one of the multitudes who hate going to the dentist, I can't say I was "stoked" to go here when I decided it was time for a checkup, but Dr. Ellie and staff made it a professional and relatively painless experience. On the initial checkup, she found that I had some pre-gingivitis and would need a deep cleaning. So I went ahead and had the deep cleaning done. Aside from the anesthesia which was *painful as a mofo* (but it IS a series of shots into your gums), the deep cleaning wasn't too bad at all, and my mouth was a-ok by the next day. I also had a whitening done here. Again, they anesthetized me for it (which again HURT) but there was also some leakage of the bleach during the procedure which pretty much felt like someone taking a cattle prod to my gums. Afterwards, my teeth hurt like a mofo and continued to do so for a couple days. But on the bright side, I was happy with the results.. as my teeth had gone from *yellow* to "not so bad." Aside from that, everyone who works there is pretty friendly and professional. And I felt the prices were very fair.. but I have nice Bluecross PPO insurance. The fact my mouth is traumatized to go back isn't really an indictment on them though. I think dental work hurts.. shots hurt.. and bleaching hurts. If you *really* want to experience "gentle dentistry" then take very good care of your teeth and you won't have to go to extremes like deep cleanings and bleaching. So I would say this place should probably be called "Dr. Ellie's As-Gentle-As-Possible-Given-The-State-Of-Your-Grill Dentistry." read more

Dr Ellie is the best, I'm EXTREMELY dental phobic but unfortunately have bad teeth so I have to go alot. She's not only gentle and kind, but she always asks about my personal life and remembers me as a person, not just as a patient. She arranges for me to have laughing gas for procedures that make me freak out, and that helps alot. Her office staff is the best. At most other offices you walk in and have to sign in and sit down while the person behind the desk refuses to make eye contact with you. Not so here. If you go more than once Natalie remembers who you are and greets you with a smile, no sign in sheet, and no odious office manager that treats you like your a criminal. Nori, Dr Ellie's dental hygenist, is also friendly and gentle, doesn't try to get you to buy a bunch of products you don't need, and doesn't treat you like you haven't been taking care of your teeth. The office is very nice as well. Dr. Ellie has coffee and snacks for those stuck in the waiting room waiting for a loved one, usually a concert movie playing as well as the usual assortment of magazines. Only she has magazines that are somewhat current and people actually want to read. Also, if your having a long procedure they can play a movie on the screen in your room to make the time go by faster. The office is also in a convenient location right next to Mission Valley mall so there's always shopping if its going to be a long wait. I should have done this review a long time ago, I'm so happy with Dr. Ellie, but better late than never. read more

Well, I must say, Dr. Ellie and her staff must have taken the comments from this website and made some drastic improvements. I have been going to Dr. Ellie for a couple of months now. I hadn't been to the dentist in years and needed a lot of work done. I have several cavaties, 1 huge one in particular. At no time did I feel uncomfortable or "scammed". Everyone is very sweet and accomodating. I am able to make payments for work done and the prices are very reasonable and comparable to other offices, depending on what your coverage is. I recommend this Dental Office!! read more

I went in for the first time (I was assigned to Dr. Ellie through my insurance) and they told me I had THREE cavities. I did not want to get them all done at the same time so I got one filled. Ever since then my tooth has been extremely sensitive to food so I think she got too close to the nerve. For the other two cavities, I decided to go to another dentist for a second opinion and they told me that I had no other cavities!!!! I would have gone in to Dr. Ellies and gotten two cavities (that don't exist) filled. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND to not go to this dentist. Will only use you for money. read more