This dentist is hands down not only the best dentist in the area, but overall as a medical professional, he's exceeded all expectations and my experience with him has superseded every encounter with Drs and dentists since I've been in Virginia. He's personable and he listens and values your concerns. I never felt like he was just trying to take me through the wringer and get as much money as possible. The office staff are also kind ladies and the genuineness was unmatched. Highly recommend! Thank you for being amazing read more

James H Nottingham, DMD - I inquired about evening out my front teeth and within that same visit he accomplished it flawlessly. - General Dentistry Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Best dentist I've ever been to!! He is so gentle and kind. He explained everything to me and gave me his background, which I really appreciated. I need a ton of work and have a huge fear of the dentist but with Dr. Nottingham, my fears have went away. He is one of a kind. His office staff are so friendly and welcoming. They got me in next day. If you are looking for a great dentist who you can trust, look no further. I've found my hone dentist and will be spreading the word. Thanks Dr. Nottingham and staff. You guys made me feel welcome and gave me my smile back. For that, I'm forever grateful! read more

Dr. Nottingham is no longer at this York Street address. He has a new practice I am a 64-year-old woman whose dad would bring me to this dentist when I was younger who caused me to be scared of going to a dentist. He would shoot me up with these big huge vials of Novacaine and go off and talk to my dad for hours about politics. The dentist would then come back and drill on me when I was no longer numb! For decades, I would have to take a pill to relax my nerves just to walk into a dentist office Until a friend told me about Dr. Nottingham. You can tell he really enjoys what he does because first of all he doesn't entertain the thought of retiring and secondly, he explains everything he's doing in detail to make sure you are comfortable. I am now working on undoing all the damage I have done by procrastinating doing my teeth! I highly recommend this dentist if you have any qualms???? read more

My husband recently had dental work done here and I made his first appointment. They asked me for his insurance information and informed me they took it and everything seemed fine at first. Then we get a bill for $2500 saying our insurance didn't cover certain things. We have BCBS federal I assumed they took that insurance and that almost all services would be covered. Come to find out they are not in network with our insurance. They acted like they were, took the information and then billed out of network and now are saying we owe them the difference. Zero estimate beforehand- something I've gotten at every single dental office I've ever been to, whether using insurance or not. We feel scammed! We pay so much for our insurance and could've easily found another dentist who is in network. We were misled. I would not recommend going to this business because they are clearly not in the business of caring about their customers- they just want to make a buck! The billing person is rude and unhelpful. They should be required to provide a good faith estimate if not in network same as required of self pay. OON essentially is self pay. read more

Dr. Nottingham is my savior! Afraid of the dentist? I know I am! I've hated the dentist (going to, not the actual person) since I was a kid. I hated the waiting and I hated the pain or even the thought of it. Nothing stressed me like going to the dentist. Despite taking care of my teeth, my DNA and an affinity for all things sugary led me to having at least one cavity per visit, braces, wisdom teeth removed, permanent teeth removed (believe it or not, my mouth was too small for all of my adult teeth) and 4-6 crowns (I've forgotten the actual number). Dr. Nottingham, yes, is my savior. I still hate going; it's a Pavlovian reaction. BUT, when I go, I'm seen ON TIME and IMMEDIATELY; no sitting in the chair stressing. I've had several fillings-ALL without a shot and NO PAIN. He does no unnecessary work and he's GOOD. I leave feeling like I've been taken care of the way I should. And, best of all, his prices are VERY REASONABLE. I'm no shill: just came from the office after having cracked a crown and requiring two fillings. And I feel GREAT! Don't put off going to the dentist; go to MY dentist! read more

I absolutely loathe going to the dentist. And that is probably one of the main reason, I tend to skip several years before I go to one. That is until I found Dr. Nottingham. He's absolutely the best there is! I've seen several dentists, since I've never been happy with any of them. But TRUST that I will be returning as frequent as my insurance will let me. New clients get a little "talk" about his private practice and how he likes to run his practice. And I absolutely agreed to everything. A simple business principle that seems to be lacking in a lot of places nowadays; doing great work in return for happy customers. He truly cares for his patients and that is how it should be. Thank you for saving my tooth! read more

Thank god for Yelp pointing me in the direction of Dr. Nottingham! I hadn't been to the dentist in years (my personal shame!) when I developed a painful toothache and knew I couldn't put it off any longer. I was terrified about going to a dentist who would make me feel ashamed for having gone so long between dental checkups, but I liked the sound of the reviews Dr. Nottingham had, so I took the plunge. Dr. Nottingham is really one of a kind. He's nothing like the dentists who turned me off the industry years ago. During my first appointment, he sat me down and just TALKED to me for a good fifteen minutes, about himself, his background, his philosophy for treating patients, my own history, my concerns for my teeth, any worries I had, etc. He then did the cleaning on my teeth himself - he does this for all of his patients rather than relegating the cleaning to a hygienist, so that he is able to thoroughly examine each tooth himself. While doing the cleaning, he allowed me to hold a mirror and showed me every single cause for concern he believed he saw, and made it clear to me that if I did not agree, he would not perform or pressure me to acquiesce to any procedures whatsoever. I went back four days later to replace the filling on the tooth that was giving me the toothache (decay was forming beneath the old filling) and to have an extremely uncomfortable nonfunctional tooth removed - a tooth I had requested my previous dentist to remove over 5 years ago, but had been refused because she was pressuring me so heavily into getting orthodontic work instead, although I made it very clear I was not going to go that route. Dr. Nottingham actually LISTENED to what I wanted inside my mouth, and made that happen. I was very nervous about the extraction, which was done under local anesthesia. Dr. Nottingham promised me it would be pain-free and he was a man of his word. He even used a topical anesthetic to numb the areas where he injected the novocaine before doing so, so there was never ANY pain during ANY part of my two-part appointment. The staff at Dr. Nottingham's office is so friendly and understanding, and you really do feel like they value you as a person, and not just a customer. I never thought I'd be writing a review for a dentist on Yelp (much less a positive one, haha!) but Dr. Nottingham has changed all that! If you're at all nervous about a procedure you need to have done, or just need a new dentist, I couldn't possibly recommend him more highly. GO SEE DR. NOTTINGHAM! read more

I am from out of town. I broke a tooth at lunch and called all around . Dr Nottingham's receptionist said they were booked up but she would try to get me in. She took my number and an hour later told me to come in. My hotel was 2 blocks away and I was out of his office by 2 pm read more

Coming from Chicago and Dr. Friedrich, whom I doubted i could ever match, I followed the reviews of Dr. Nottingham to his office. All of the positive reviews are true and then some. He is wise, humble, personable, reasonable, sensitive, and full of the common sense a life time of excellence will bring. read more

An update to a prior review. Apparently, after my first visit, I keep getting cancelled. Would NOT come here if you value your time. Received two cancellations for two appointments on the very day of the appointment. Took vacation days each time to accommodate the appointment. Very inconvenient. And they didn't seem to care at all. I have my own obligations as well. I also have emergencies that come up. Kind of funny, isn't it? If I have to cancel suddenly they actually have it in writing at this office that you have to pay some sort of penalty fee. Doesn't seem to be any kind of accommodation for those of us who get their appointments cancelled though. Can't risk wasting any more of my time. Don't waste yours! read more

WOW! I feel like I won the lottery in terms of finding Dr. Nottingham! He was skillful, compassionate and simply excellent. I am fearful of going to the dentist but I won't hesitate to return to Dr. Nottingham with my husband and son in tow! Truly a pain free experience!!! read more

My family has been seeing Dr Nottingham since 2003 and plan on being his patients until the day he retires (hopefully in the distant future). I will forever be thankful to the ENT who referred me to Dr Nottingham. Thankfully Dr Nottingham fixed all my dental woes and I've been a loyal customer ever since. I love how he explains the biomechanics of what he is doing and how gentle he is. He truly cares about not causing any pain or discomfort. Our children have seen him since they were 3. He is kind and gentle and really engages our kids. He has infinite patience with our son who wants to know what each piece of equipment is and why it gets used. We are forever referring our friends and associates to Dr Nottingham. We've gotten into the habit of telling anyone who tells us that they need thousands of dollars of dental work done, to call Dr Nottingham for a second opinion. Without fail, Dr Nottingham's solution is less invasive and costs a mere fraction of the original proposal. Dr Nottingham is one of those rare dentists who cares for the patient's pockets and the outcome. He never recommends any procedures that he does not think are medically necessary. I also like how he doesn't refer kids out to orthodontists at the drop of a hat. He has not bought into the money making, dare i say it, scam, of putting braces on pre-adolescents. The combination of being an engineer and a dentist, plus a retired naval officer makes for a winning dentist read more

Best dentist in Hampton Roads. Professional, thorough, honest, fair, and friendly.

Simply the best dentist I've had in my 50+ years. You never wait and they make any procedure very bearable. If you are looking for a great dentist in Norfolk, he can't be beat, read more

Came in today for my regular cleaning and had another 5 star experience. Dr. Nottingham and his hygenist are so friendly, attentive, and thorough. I feel like I am a VIP every time I go in. I look forward to my dentist appointments now! read more

I want to tell you about, who I believe, is the best dentist in town. His name is Dr. James Nottingham, and he is located on West York Street in Norfolk. I rarely write reviews, but I had to in this case. I researched the best dentist in Norfolk on Google, and Dr. Nottingham had a lot of positive reviews. I made the decision to go see him, and it was the right decision. First, this man is so personable. Before he looks in your mouth, he is talking about who he is, what his background is, and how he approaches his work. If you are like me, the first thing you will say is, "Where have you been all of my life?" He gives you a mirror to look at what he wants you to see, so that you will understand what is being done or what he suggests you should consider having done. He is gentle, funny, incredibly intelligent, and experienced, and just damn good at what he does. Since seeing him, he has worked to protect areas on my teeth that had been worn away by my brushing and/time. This, which is something I did not know, would help protect my teeth and avoid more costly and invasive work. Not only did he protect the areas on my teeth, but my teeth looked much better. He also corrected some work done by my previous dentist. During this process, he took his time to make sure that his work was "perfect". That was his word, not mine. There is also his incredible staff. You are met with the friendliest welcome and then you are met with his most personable hygienist. You see so many commercials that talk about "you are part of our family" or "we treat you like family". Well, this is true of Dr. Nottingham and his staff. I truly will miss seeing them until my next cleaning. Please, listen to me. I am so serious, and I want those people looking for a dentist to really consider this man. You will be so freaking happy you did. read more

My experience with this dentist was dismal. First off the receptionist completely ignored me when I arrived. She was too busy on a personal call and to be frank I was shocked by what she saying. Then after 10 minutes I was ushered into an exam room. I was immediately off put b/c the exam room looks like it hasn't been updated since 1995. I was used to my Dentist in Atlanta where everything is state of the art and this was not the case here. However, I decided to stay b/c I really needed to get my teeth cleaned and get an exam b/c I hadn't been to the dentist in over a year since moving to Norfolk. What happened next was like something from a David Lynch film. The hygienist sat me down in the chair and handed me the instrument used to rinse your mouth. I thought this was temporary but no, I actually had to administer this to myself during the cleaning. But before we got to the cleaning. Dr. Nottingham came in to "get acquainted" whereby he spent 15 minutes of my 30 min appt telling me about himself, which culminated in him looking at me very seriously and saying "I am not God" and proceeding to explain that sometimes Dentists make mistakes. Caps fall off, fillings fall out, etc... I suddenly realized I was getting a 15-minute oral disclosure agreement should anything go wrong. I should have run at this point but I stayed b/c I wanted to find out want the good Doctor found in my x-rays. He managed to find seven problems with my teeth. Seven. I thought hmmm...$$$$. Never in my life has a Dentist found seven things wrong with my teeth. I listened attentively and finally when I thought we'd never get to the cleaning I told him that I was on schedule and only allotted 45 minutes for the appt. Suddenly he jumped from the chair as if I just poured a cup of hot tea his lap and practically ran from the exam room. At this point I felt like a stunned deer paralyzed by headlights, what the heck was going on? So before I knew it, the very nice hygienist then conducted the cleaning, which I timed at a total of 6 minutes. I have serious doubts about this dentist and his conduct, however given that he did nothing wrong per se I have no reason to report him to the board. But if you are looking for an office that offers a professional atmosphere and an exam and cleaning that you can trust, I would go somewhere else. read more

Because I'm not very happy with my current dentist now and am a frequent visitor to Yelp, I have decided to visit the Yelp pages of the two dentists that I really regret having to leave (due to military relocation) and make sure that the world knows how wonderful they are. Dr. Nottingham is one of those dentists. I was referred to Dr. Nottingham's office by a co-worker when I was searching for a dentist. She told me that he did not advertise and only relied on word-of-mouth to promote his practice. She highly recommended him. I took her word on it and I am so glad that I did. What other Yelpers have said about him is very true. He is one of a kind. The time that he took explaining his practice, his education, his career path (inclusive of military service), and just getting to know his patients is commendable. I like having a relationship with my dentists and the fact that they respect me as an individual with unique issues and concerns. I also can entertain them joking with me and having some casual conversation, but when medical/dental professionals get too chatty with me (and spend time not addressing what I'm really there for, it makes me leery and nervous). He was extremely personable and very much about his business. When he got to work, he worked! His front office staff was amazing too. I'd go in and felt like we were old friends or something. They were very professional and accommodating. They were always helpful. His dental assistants were great, with the exception of one that I encountered. Its been so long since I've been to his office and I can't remember exactly what happened, but this particular assistant (she was new) said something to me that was off-key and he dealt with it (professionally) right then and there, so I wasn't left feeling like I didn't matter. I also picked up that they didn't vibe while working together. I'm sorry, but while in my mouth and I'm vulnerable, I need to know that my dentist and his assistants are in sync! I further complained about something else that happened with the same assistant and was informed that I wasn't the first to make these accusations. Her bedside manner was the worst. Anyways, she wasn't with the practice for long. The next time I went, she was gone. Sorry for her loss of employment, but happy that they recognized the feelings of their patients regarding their service and care. All in all, Dr. Nottingham may be as good as it gets in Norfolk, VA. He's interesting, professional, qualified, dedicated, and educated. He's also quite nice. Give him a chance, you'll see what all the rave is about! read more

Best experience I've ever had with a dentist. He and his staff are very friendly, professional, and honest. He takes the time to educate his patients so you feel you are making informed decisions. I had to have a couple of exposed roots taken care of, and he offered me a common sense, affordable solution. For military spouses/families out there, the office does accept military insurance--he is former navy also which is a plus! Absolutely the dentist you should see if you live in the Hampton Roads area. read more

Great Dentist. Very personable. Timely, attentive, direct and no nonsense. Just what you need in a dentist. Dr. Nottingham is truly geared to being the best dentist for his patients and not just out to get as many patients as possible. He will recommend the best most cost effective treatment you need and nothing more. Best dentist I have had in 8 years. read more

I wouldn't recommend them to anyone due to the fact that my experience was horrible. This was my first visit to the office. The receptionist ask for my SS# and my husband's SS# which I declined to provide. The hygienist came and got me to go to the back about 10 minutes after my appointment time. She again asked for my husband's SS# saying that they had a hard time getting paid if they didn't have it. I told her I have never had any Dentist, Oral Surgeon nor Orthodontist tell me that before. I indicated that there was a ID number on the insurance card and that our insurance provider said that was all that was needed to file. The hygienist, Sarah, became very rude and suggested I may not want to use them since I didn't "trust" them. I felt very much invited to leave so I did. I returned to the front desk to cancel all the upcoming family appointments. At this point the hygienist proceeded to accuse me of being rude and very dramatically torn up the folder/ record she has been creating for me. This was probably the worst experience I've ever had in a Dental office. I never even saw the doctor. read more