Some friends of mine recommend James to me and I finally made my appointment to go and see him and now I know why they rave about him. He was gentle, knowledgeable and very thorough explaining all my teeth / mouth and gum concerns. His bed side manner was very calming- he put me at ease and didn't rush me out his practice ! The staff are very sweat too ! Thank you for taking good care of me ! read more

I found Dr Formaker referrals on Nextdoor and everyone loved him so I gave him a try and am so thoroughly impressed! Has great manners for somebody like me who is petrified of Dentist! His office staff and his technicians are all kind, gentle and professional! I highly recommend this office read more

Dr Formaker is awesome. I have had a great 10 years here. But his front office is unorganized and has been lacking for a long time. I forgave him and overlooked for it for many years because he is such a sweet man and a good dentist. It is hard to find someone like Lauren, his last front of office, who was amazing. So many times, there has been nobody in the front to take my payment. As a result, I have had so many billing mistakes. This last one was the last straw. I had to take it up with his new front of office, who is rude and awful to deal with. She was arguing with me what services I had, and she wasn't there for any of it. Unfortunately, I won't be going back. read more

I've been a loyal customer of Dr. James Formaker since 1993. He is a skilled dentist as well as being a Mensch who is always personable, giving helpful suggestions in maintaining dental health. When my gums were starting to recede which could eventually cause my teeth to fall out, Dr. Formaker prescribed for me perio gel & vibramycin antibiotic to restore & maintain my gum. The staff helping Dr. Formaker has always been professional, friendly, efficient. Andrea, dental hygienist, is warm, conscientious, thorough in her teeth cleaning methods. Nice office staff too so the whole atmosphere of his dental office is a pleasant place to come to. Well worth the visit to maintain oral health. read more

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Dr. Formaker has been my dentist for 14+ years, and I have only excellent things to say about him and his staff. I am grateful for his high quality of care and his attention to detail. He's been an amazing dentist for over a decade. read more

Great staff, excellent dentist and they're open on Saturdays. . I drive down from Bakersfield.

I've been going to James for my dental care for years and he and his team are ALWAYS great. Can't recommend him too much.

Best dentist in town! Dr James Formaker is the most honest dentist I have come across and his work is fantastic. His entire team is always very professional and their office is always very clean and welcoming. I feel lucky I have found them after researching many dentists who have not been honest at all. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPERTISE AND HONESTY AND LOVELY TEAM. read more

There is something strange about this dentist. I went to him for a while and he seemed nice but one time i had a small chip on the bottom of my tooth and he started grinding my 2 front teeth on the front for no reason. I stopped him and asked him why would he grind there when everything was perfectly fine there? He just kind of smiled and stopped and made up some excuse that didn't make any sense. I am glad I stopped him but yes he did damage my front teeth and I really don't know why to this day. It seems sort of an evil thing to do. I just wanted to write this review as a warning in case anyone else is unlucky enough to come across this part of his personality. read more

Dr. Formaker is an exceptionally caring and attentive dentist /care-giver. . He also has a state of the art high-tech office with immediate imaging of your dental problem with always a clear discussion of all issues and procedures needed for dental restoration. All care-givers should be like him. I could go on and on, he's truly a gem. read more

I had to take a minute to write about how great Dr. Formaker is. You should know, I am not a fan of going to the dentist, (likely what led me to this point in the first place). I had begun to have a toothache on a Thursday and naturally, I approached it with the Donald Trump attitude; if I ignore it, it will simply disappear and go away. Bad, bad idea... you might have guessed, it did not go away and in fact, it got severely worse. By Saturday afternoon, I was experiencing the worst pain that I have ever had. It felt like someone was stabbing me in the tooth with ice picks and the pain was even radiating across the entire right side of my face, ear, and neck. I found this office, here on yelp and noticed that they were still open for a few minutes, so I called. The office was just closing but Dr. Formaker still took the time to listen and speak to me. He assessed the likely problem of infection and scheduled me for their first appointment on Tuesday morning. He also called in a prescription for an antibiotic that I could begin right away. The most amazing part of this conversation was that he told me that if the situation became too unbearable, that I could call into his answering service and he would come in on his day off to treat me...for me, that is unheard of and very compassionate. Over the next 2 days, I consumed slightly...ok much more than the maximum recommended amount of Motrin and aspirin, and while I could hardly eat anything and I didn't sleep much, I finally made it through to Tuesday morning. At the appointment, Dr. Formaker was kind, patient, and extremely knowledgeable, explaining all of my options. Unfortunately, I ended up having to have the tooth extracted because the infection was so deep into my jaw but the procedure was smooth and everything in total from when I walked in until I left only took about 2 hours. Dr. Formaker even called me the next day to check on me as well, which was very appreciated. In a few months, I will have to get an implant but in the interim, Dr. Formaker laid out a maintenance plan for the rest of my teeth that includes cleaning, whitening and possibly straightening them, so that hopefully I am never in this position again. Because of his bedside manner, his patience and compassion, and his expertise in his field, he has made me feel much more comfortable about going to the dentist and I will now make it a regular routine. read more

Update - no one has answered the phone or returned my phone calls. I received a refund of 300$ today and then an additional bill for $200 with no context or itemization. I am so disheartened that someone I went to for 7 years would rip me off and not even have the courtesy to return a phone call. read more

The dentist. It's never fun. But, it's more stressful when the office staff and billing department are unorganized, condescending and impolite. I had been a patient of Dr. Formaker's for a few years but today was the final straw. Way too many changes in the staff, the x-ray techs, overall lack of "service" and zero appreciation of their patients have sent me elsewhere! My first visit (years back) was with an elderly hygienist. She was HORRIBLE. Not only did she insist on having a fan blowing on her the entire time. (I mentioned I was cold and she said she "needed" it to work." Well, I shouldn't have to be COLD during the entire cleaning!) Added to that - she kept poking a spot I mentioned to her was extremely sore. I looked past her lack of awareness and requested a different hygienist on the rest of my visits. The initial front desk manager was interesting. Many people didn't care for him. I think he was okay. Just not a people-person. Fair enough! The "new" front office girl is way too long-winded. Oh my goodness. Get to the point, girl. Most of us are at WORK when we call the dental office and she just goes on and on and on.... Very annoying. But, she isn't as impolite as the flat out rude billing gal! Wow. So many mistakes have been made and she didn't even offer a resolution. It's amazing how they just don't give a crap about their patients. Well, now former patients! No, not done yet.... Their office DOES NOT call your insurance company to confirm coverage and/or costs. (Every other medical office I deal with offers that service. I would think it would be for their protection too. Personally, I find this to be extremely unprofessional.) Add to this point - they recently dropped out of being a provider on my (now former) insurance without notifying any of their patients. How is that going to keep anyone happy? Oh... and following my recent periodontal (gum) exam - the hygienist neglected to SAVE the information so there is no record of it in my chart. Ugh!!!! read more

Just had my first visit with Dr Formaker. I was really impressed. I have not been to the dentist in 5 years due to lack of insurance. Well huzzah I now have insurance and needed to find a dentist. I remember going to the dentist was a lot like going to a jiffy lube, all they tried to do was pack as much billable options as possible with zero customer service and treat you like you're going to die if you don't buy this treatment. I found Mr Formaker on yelp because he was the highest rated for the area. Just like everything on yelp I was a bit hesitant. But it was worth a shot. I called and a kind respectful gentleman answered the phone and asked me a lot of first time visit questions and squeezed me in. First thought was wow this staff is very friendly. So today was the big day. First dental visit in years. The nerves are on high alert. I walk in and was greeted by the same friendly gentleman I talked to on the phone. The lobby was spotless and very comfortable. After I filled out my paper work they brought me to the back. The Dental assistant was a younger well spoken man who was very friendly and talkative. Made me feel comfortable. He continued to chit chat during the X-rays. Then after a few minutes Mr Formaker came in and introduced himself and he was very friendly and had a big smile on his face and made me really feel like a guest in him home. Being so over due for a cleaning I was expecting to get scolded but he very kindly showed me what 5 years will do and scrapped a big chunk of tarter off my inside bottom teeth. He kept me calm snapping jokes left and right. I was thinking " how can this be???? A friendly down to earth professional in Los Angles?" After the scrapping water toucher (joking) we were all done and he showed me different flossing techniques. Then I was done. I was amazing how painless it was. I know it took him more time to scrap 5 years of filth off my teeth and I never for a minute felt he was rushing or thinking omg this is taking forever. I highly recommend this place. He is kind and gentle. Now have to try to floss. I don't want to disappoint him and mess up his great cleaning job. :) read more

Dr Formaker has been my dentist for years and i recommend him to everyone. He's honest, helpful and the only dentist I'll ever go to! He's the best! read more

PROFESSIONAL - on time, excellent, detailed work. Completely trustworthy, unlike so many other places that seem to always want to upsell you on some service. PERSONABLE - you're not in a mill, Jim and his staff know your name and care about you. And they nag you to floss in the cutest ways. ;-) ACCOMMODATING - they might be booked up, but if you have an emergency they will stay late to take care of you. I've been going to Jim for about ten years now. The first time I went, it had been about ten years (and 20 dental visits to various dentists) since I had my braces removed. He removed cement from my braces that nobody else caught! No other dentist for me! I live almost an hour away but it's worth it because I care about my teeth! read more

Dr. Formaker is a terrific dentist, plus he's kind and really personable. Our family loves him!

I made a last minute appointment because I had a cracked tooth, his office is very accommodating and the staff is very friendly. Dr. Formaker was very nice and professional. Like most people I really don't like the dentist but he made me feel very comfortable and explained everything that was going to be done in detail. I highly recommend Dr. Formaker to anyone looking for a professional and knowledgeable dentist. - Brian S read more

Highly recommended Dr. Formaker, it's easy to make a phone call appointment, staffs are friendly and helpful, wait was short, did teeth cleaning and Dr. was super detail and nice! read more

Dr. Formaker is a great dentist. He has the best of training and is a very personable guy who will put you at ease. His prices are not outrageous despite his skill and training. Recommended! read more

We love Dr. Jim and his office. We always get the best care. We always feel welcome and Dr. Jim is one of the best dentists we have ever had. We highly recommend him!! read more

Wow, cannot tell you how amazed I was at his service, professionalism, office staff, price, everything. I called this morning at 8:00 am and asked his staff if there was anyway I could be seen. I lost my dental insurance, so I needed a new dentist, it had been a little longer than it should have since my last visit. I had cracked a couple of teeth, and one was partially dangling, and seriously, seriously killing me. I could not sleep at all last night. His office assistant asked if I could come right in. I was in my car immediately. Dr. Formaker was at the desk, said hello, and gave me the paperwork to fill out. After a quick bit of paperwork, his dental assistant got me set up, took x-rays quickly (love digital dental x-rays) and told me Dr. Formaker would be with me immediately. After telling me what services I needed, he started numbing me. He kept telling me I would feel it a little, but honestly, I never did. He knows what he is doing. I was not in pain at any point. He is polite, friendly, non-judgmental (which you sometimes need if your oral hygiene has not been perfect), professional, and boy was his office clean, and his staff followed cross contamination to a T. I saw so many glove changes, I almost felt bad for the guy and his glove bill. Then came the part I feared. I never asked how much it was going to be cuz I didn't care, I needed the service. To my shock, it was much less than I expected. My brother has already booked a cleaning with him for this Saturday. He is AMAZING, and his staff equally so. I have just found my new dentist, even if I get insurance through work in the future, and he is not in it, I will forgo it and pay out of pocket for Dr. Formaker. read more

Dr. Foremaker is an awesome dentist. He so comforting and personable. The two things I need when going to the dentist especially since I have an extreme phobia when I hear the sound of grinding in my mouth. He doesn't scold you but he teaches you how to properly maintain good oral hygiene. and that's what makes him and his team awesome!!! Glad I found him and I can gladly say that I actually like going to the dentist. and yes I don't want to forget Pat, he's awesome too! love his humor!! Parking has been ok so far. If you have an appt in the morning, you can easily park in the street. There is parking in the back for a fee though. read more

Fabulous, well experienced dentist and great human being. Honest about what may be necessary to improve your smile. He even is on-call if needed and if he is not available his office partner usually can accommodate. He's great. read more

By far one of the best dentist's I've seen. He has a wonderful chair side manner with his patients, always kind and happy. He has fixed several of my teeth from vaneers to cavities and I couldn't be happier with the results. Andrea, one of the hygienist, my favourite as well. Love the office staff too. read more

I have been going to Dr. Formaker since WAAAAY before Yelp -- but at first not happily. You see, I am absolutely phobic when it comes to dentistry. I hate, hate, hate it and can't begin to fathom wanting to go into a profession where hate and fear surrounds you. That said, something finally hurt so bad I just had to see a dentist. (Of course, this is inevitable when you avoid going since the age of 17.) A co-worker recommended Dr. Formaker. Besides my general fear of dentistry on a technical level, I also HATE it when dentists (and hygienists!) bawl you (me!) out for my lousy dental care. You think I don't know? You think making me feel like s$#t helps?? Dr. Formaker was (is) the NICEST dentist (if not human!) that I've ever met. He NEVER bawled me out even though I had the teeth of a pirate from the 1700s. He never hurt me, even though he had to chip away at plaque that bordered on 30 years in the making. He was just plain sweet. AND he did a wonderful job!!! Now get this -- one weekend MANY years ago I chipped a front tooth. I looked like, well, some might say redneck, others British -- I say I looked like hell. Dr. Formaker actually came in on his day off (a Sunday!!) and fixed my tooth!! I wouldn't have gone into work if he hadn't -- and he didn't even charge extra! I will never, ever forget that. (Who does that?!) The other day, I did it again -- broke off teeth on a very hard piece of otherwise-delicious candy. Again, no way I was going to ever be seen in public like that!! Dr. Formaker squeezed me into an already-packed day and fixed me! Again, no extra charge -- just perfect care and so, so kind. I can't BELIEVE I love a dentist, but I do. (Who'd a thunk?!) You will never find a more talented, compassionate and wonderful dentist -- or person -- as Jim Formaker!!! read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Formaker's for more than a dozen years and he keeps me coming back for more. Experienced, talented and funny, Dr. Formaker has given my family great care and attention. He has convenient office hours and has made himself available to help me out in emergency situations multiple times. I highly recommend him! read more

My husband and I have been going to Dr. Formaker for several years. Is going to the dentist ever a fun experience? Not usually. But with Dr. Formaker, I actually look forward to going to my appointments because I get to see him! He is such a great guy, so friendly, funny, and excellent at what he does. He has a positive energy that is infectious. And I trust him implicitly with my teeth, which I'm a little OCD about. I also really like everyone else who works in the office, and going to my appointments is always a pleasurable experience. read more

This is the best dentist I've ever been too! Dr. Formaker is straightforward and there are no hard sells and it is just dentistry at its best! read more

I've been going to see Dr Formaker about 3 years now. I no longer have insurance and see him on a cash basis. He is great, he helps anyway he can and offers a range of suggestions so you know all your options. Last time I had an issue with a tooth they managed to squeeze me in so I could at least see what was going on and get both some antibiotics and pain relief. He saved many teeth another office said needed root canals and crowns. There has been some staff change, although the hygienist is slightly pushy I do like the tech, the front office girl and love Dr. Formaker. read more

I've always had problem teeth. Growing up I had a severe case of enamel hypoplasia and had to get almost a full set of veneers by the time I was 18. When I moved out to LA, I started having trouble with my gums around where the veneers had been placed. Luckily, Dr. Formaker is the kind of Dentist who really takes the time to figure out what's going on. He was able to identify that my veneers were made incorrectly for my mouth and are actually too large around my gums, which is why I kept getting infections. Something that no other Dentist had pointed out. I was already religious about my cleaning routine, but he gave me new and improved ways to fight the infection so I can keep my veneers for as long as possible. Never have I met a Dentist who spends more time with you than the hygienist does! Definitely a great fit for people who need a little extra care with their teeth. Also, he's open on Saturday's which is really convenient when you need an emergency appointment! read more

I searched Yelp before going to this dentist. After reading several reviews, I had high hopes that Dr. Formaker and his office workers would be professional and a good fit. In addition to simply being a dentist and running a business, I am surprised he doesn't understand that he is ultimately selling a service. People need to be confident in this service in order to return. With the multiple changes in staff, endless construction in his office, challenging parking for the building, poor billing services, inaccurate maintenance of dental charts and his lack of accountability, I will not be going back to see him. read more

Review is long over due! We love this office. Dr Formaker is the best. My son was scared to death of going to the dentist. Our first visit here over 2 years ago changed that forever. Dr Formaker was so patient and gentle my son did not even realize he was getting novacaine. He took care of his cavities lickity split without a problem. Actually he did cry- and when Dr Formaker asked him what the tears were for he said "I am afraid of the shot" and Dr Formaker replied, "its already done!" My son laughed because he could not believe he had actually numbed him without him knowing. He now looks forward to his check ups and cleanings. We now live 60 miles away and still make the trek up here because we would not even try to find another dentist that could compare with Dr Formaker. We also love Pat who works the desk and sets our appointments- feels like coming to see family ( the kind you enjoy visiting)They are a great team! read more

James Formaker, DDS - Our friend Pat! - General Dentistry Near Me - Toluca Lake, California

Holy hell he did a number here my first time here. But definitely taught me good habits. Previous dentists would always tell me to floss more (I do floss), but Jim told me to get a gum pick, which cleared out all the plaque I'd get on my gums. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but definitely the most thorough dentist I've stumbled across. read more

I have had a lot of dental work in the past and have now become religious when it comes to my teeth. I've been to a lot of dentists in my life and sadly, a lot of bad ones. I don't trust most of them. I've been seeing Dr. Formaker for years now and have always been happy with him and his staff. He's super friendly and genuine and a great dentist. Everyone in the office is friendly, professional, clean, and personable. Dr. Formaker fit me in on extremely short notice once when I had a painful abscessed tooth and needed a root canal. He sent me to the right dentist who specializes in that procedure. Now I have to have a gum graft and I'm sure the periodontist he referred me to for that will be excellent as well. I can't recommend Dr. Formaker enough! read more

As a guy who had neglected his teeth for far too long, my choppers were in radically drastic condition. Dr. Formaker provided a friendly consultation with thorough explanations, and after a few visits he had engineered a totally painless urban reclamation project in my mouth. Now seven years later, visits to his office are still painless. Dr. Formaker is highly skilled technically and his great sense of humor helps make dentistry nothing to fear. He's not just a great dentist, he's a great guy. His rates are reasonable, the staff are friendly and efficient. I'm sincerely glad to have found a great dentist. Thanks for your help, Dr. Formaker! read more

Dr. Formaker is THE BEST DENTIST EVER!!! He does amazing work, he is an artist in his own right! Plus he's personable and makes you feel like the most important client he has. He treats everyone individually and aims to help you and your situation the best way he can and he does it amazingly! I have nothing but the best impression of him and I am so glad that my fiance and I have a dentist we can trust and rely on to take care of our teeth :) read more

Jim is one of the best dentists in LA! The staff is always friendly and willing to help in any way possible. Good prices too!. Highly recommend it. read more

Going to the dentist is never a pleasant experience. Finding a dentist who makes you feel comfortable with any dental experience is a hard thing to discover. Had my cleaning done with Dr. Formaker and he was so pleasant and funny it made the experience so much better than any previous teeth cleaning procedure. I also recently had the misfortune of chipping a tooth. Was able to get an appointment with him immediately and the repair was great. The first try the repaired tooth was a bit larger than my other and he adjusted it same day no problem. Strongly recommend this dentist. Awesome experience and great Dentist!! read more

Dr. Formaker is probably the best dentist I've ever had. When I first came to him, I had a filling that was coming loose- a result of a previous dentist's work. Dr. Formaker was very sympathetic, and apologizing on behalf of his entire profession, he fixed me right up. The cleanings by dental hygienists here are thorough and well done, and everyone is really great about putting you at ease, which is extremely rare for an experience at the dentist's office! read more