This is the most unprofessional medical office I've ever been to. Every time I call, no matter how polite I am, the front desk is incredibly rude. Every time I call, I get yelled at or rushed by them even when the call is literally less than a minute call. It stresses me out to call them even to make an appointment. Why am I the person who is exercising great care yet this person is the employee and I'm the customer? The fact Dr.Tai keeps his terrible front office staff despite patient complaints tells me he doesn't care because he knows we are stuck with him anyway. I don't understand the raving reviews below and I honestly feel people must be getting paid to leave reviews. As for Dr. Tai himself, I'm still on the fence about him. He advertised that he uses Invisalign yet he is not. Is that even legal?! read more

I finished my treatment about 3 months ago. had braces for about 1.5 years--just as predicted. prior to going to dr. tai, i consulted with about 4 other dentists/orthodontists before choosing him. dr. tai wasn't the cheapest nor the most experienced out of all the orthodontists i consulted with, but he definitely left the best impression. he was very confident in what he wanted to do and gave me the confidence that he was gonna get the job done. he's very nice and sociable and a really easy going guy and he works with you throughout the whole treatment. he's also a perfectionist--which is good for your teeth. I paid this guy in full about 6 months before my treatment finished and he still was trying to perfect my teeth, rather than just boot me out right away. the cost is really fair. you also can get 5% off your treatment if you pay all upfront. he offers invisalign if you are interested in that. only negative is that he's not open everyday because he works at another location in LA. but his hours for Irvine office is usually fri-sun which works out for most people anyway because its over the weekend. but if something happens and you need to get a hold of him ASAP--you can call him anytime and he'll address the issue pretty quickly. I still see him for follow up every few months to make sure my teeth are ok with the retainers. also, my sister has been seeing him for the last year and a half as well and she likes him too! read more

I'm not one to write reviews but I am just so impressed with Dr. Mario Tai and his staff. My son dreaded going to the orthodontist but now he loves it and it's all because of Dr. Tai! He is very professional and has a great personality that made my son feel safe and smiling throughout his visits. Our family couldn't be happier with Dr. Mario and his great staff! read more

The receptionists here put me on hold several times for about total of 15-20 minutes before finally scheduling a consultation for me. Little odd it's so difficult to do but fine. I get to my date/time for consultation taking time off work only to find out that I wasn't scheduled at all. Seriously? This is how you run a business? Then the receptionist tells me I can reschedule me for the following Monday after I just told her I took time off to come here and she just has the biggest DGAF attitude... probably because I caught her during lunch break. I showed her my phone log to confirm I called the right number and maybe she thought I was lying because she says maybe if I wait I can get squeezed in. Oh but everyone is super busy and it might be a long wait. No thanks I'll go somewhere else that has it together a bit more. If it's this hard for you make your sell to me then I can only imagine what it'll be like once I'm committed financially. read more

Dr. Mario helped fix my overlapping teeth with braces and Invisalign. After many years, my teeth eventually straightened, and I'm forever grateful for his expertise. Being one of his patients for many years, it's really inspired me to hopefully pursue a field in the medical field and help others. read more

I am very frustrated with Dr. Tai's office. I paid in full for my son's orthodontic treatment in order to get 5% discount. The agreement was when the office receives payment from insurance, we will be repaid with that amount. Maybe because we paid in full and there is no more revenue to be generated, the following services we received were really terrible. After the 1st set of invisalign braces which took about 4 month, the doctor re-scanned my son's teeth, and we were told the new set of braces will come in 6 - 8 weeks later. However, for the following 4 month, we received no information from the office. I called 3 times after the 8 weeks waiting period. Each time, I was told it should be coming in soon. Finally, I got upset and complained, then I was told the new set should be in by a certain date and we should go ahead to setup an appointment. When I brought my son in for the appointment, there was no new set of invisalign braces. Instead, they re-scanned my son's teeth and I was told the new set will come in 2 - 3 weeks now. 3 weeks went past again with no information from the office. I called again and was told the doctor is on vacation and no one knows when the new invisalign will come in. After many complaints, the office staff contacted the doctor and received a response to set up the appointment for my son 2 weeks later. So it took more than 5 month before my son got onto his 2nd set of braces. Meanwhile, there is no active communication from the office, no follow up after repeated inquiries. My son's retainer broke twice during that 5 month period, which I had to take my son out of his classes and practices in order to come into the office to get the new retainers because the doctor happen to be out of office that Saturday. Insurance billing is another issue. I inquired at least 4 times about the insurance billing. Each time, the assistant said it will be billed. Now it is almost the end of the year and I checked my insurance claim, there is no billing at all. I called again and reached someone who knows nothing about this. I am not able to talk to anyone in their office that knows about insurance billing. The only time that I talk to a person that knows about insurance billing was when I was persuaded to sign up my son for treatment and pay in full. The whole case feels that since I have paid in full from the beginning, the whole office does not want to do the promised work since there is no more money to be gained. read more

Love Dr. Tai and how he's always so caring for his patients, staff is always friendly and efficient, clinic is always clean and comfortable with beverages and television while you wait, been with him for 5-6 years and would never go to anyone else read more

The wait was normally long, which is fine as i would budget in the buffer time. However, the front desk service wasn't that friendly. Dr Tai is very professional I would say, a lot of thorough checks before he would commit to start the treatment for me, which eventually I stop going and didn't start the treatment. They didn't do the refund back to my insurance after they said they would. I have to call again and then they looked into it and promised to communicate with my insurance to start the refund. I will have to wait for 2 weeks to call them, and make sure they do it right this time. read more

Love this place. Doctor Tai is really nice and professional. My teeth are really beautiful and perfect now for only 7 mouths.

I did my teeth aligning with Dr. Tai for about two and half year, including two 3-months summer breaks that I was out of town and went back to China for visiting my families. It was an wonderful experience for me. The result was definitely beyond expectation and all of my families are happy that I can have a perfect teeth now. Dr. Tai is really thoughtful and attentive, and every staff in the office are welcoming and patient. It was such a enjoy every several weeks I went there for appointment. The adjustment for appointment is flexible and simple as well. I recommend to all of my friends who want to do the teeth aligning! read more

Mario E Tai, DMD DMSc - Orthodontists Near Me - Irvine, California

I have been with Tai Orthodontics for the past two years for an invisible aligner treatment after finding them on yelp and couldn't be happier with the results. They have made the overall process extremely easy and have almost become somewhat of a second family over the last two years. Everyone from the front reception to Dr. Tai has been extremely helpful in making sure everything is running its course and that I have been satisfied with the services. I am much more confident in my smile now thanks to their help and I could not recommend this place enough, dont hesitate to reach out as they make the consultation process and initial scan super quick. read more

Zero stars for the obnoxiously rude female at the front desk. It's obvious she hates her job and interacting with people is a challenge for her. Very unprofessional! It's the gal with the ridiculous false lashes. read more

I would say that I'm satisfied with my treatment result. Dr. Tai is good overall. The only thing that can be improved is the customer service. The waiting time since COVID is super long. Moreover, the lady in the front desk is super rude. Her behavior will ruin this place. read more

I first chose to go with Dr. Tai for my Invisalign back in 2014. I went to a lot of orthodontists for consultations and he was the clear choice among them. He was very up front about what I could or couldn't accomplish with Invisalign and it was clear he had the experience both professionally and academically to back that up. Best of all his price was incredibly reasonable compared to the other places I checked out! It was a no brainer. Fast forward a couple years and my treatment was all done and my teeth looked great! Exactly what I was hoping for. Dr. Tai and his staff were very accommodating throughout the whole process. He's consistently evaluating how your teeth are doing as you progress and if there needs to be any adjustments made he doesn't hesitate to put in the extra work. The proof is in the results and I couldn't be happier with how everything turned out. If you're considering going with Invisalign I wouldn't hesitate to arrange a consultation with Dr. Tai. read more

Today marks my last official Invisalign appointment with Dr. Tai, my orthodontist. Ever since high school, I'd always had a complex regarding the gaps in between the teeth, and the dentist would always recommend stuffs like metal braces, removing wisdom teeth, and even jaw surgery. However, Dr. Tai was different, and I was able to complete 1 year of Invisalign treatment with my whole jaw and teeth still intact. I am satisfied with the result, and here are just a few facts based on personal experience: - Pros: no food restriction (but i found it hard to chew stuffs like boba since my teeth was weak and aching with new trays), easy to clean, brief office visits, weight loss?! (LOL i thought i would lose weight but it didn't really happen... maybe 5 lbs) - Cons: you will get dry, chapped lips, possible canker sore, and annoying toothache that can last up to a week with each tray change, teeth become sensitive after removal of attachments, tray cleaning is kinda tedious though Dr. Tai is really nice, and he would try his best to take care of your teeth. read more

I just saw Dr. Tai and my experience has been great with him every time. I recommend his services to everyone as he is very patient, caring, and will always get the job done right. read more

I guess I experienced something different then everyone else. I went to this place trying to get my clear aligners, and after I paid, they told me that they would contact me once Dr. Tai had the treatment plan ready whether it is with extraction or not. However, i waited for half a month, and no one contacted me, so I called them. They told me they would try to find out what's going on with my case, and call me back later. They never called me back. Now it has been over a month, I have called five times. They kept telling me the same thing that they will call me back, but they never did. I think I am gonna wait for one more day. Except this, everything else is good. Dr. Tai is professional and caring, and the office is nice and clean. But the customer service is way below than what I expected. Hopefully they will call me back today. Problem solved. read more

While living in Irvine I needed invisible braces and went to Tai Orthodontics. Dr. Tai, as well as his technicians were great...detailed and attentive to my needs. The front of the office staff was also super welcoming and very helpful with scheduling. read more

I discovered Dr. Tai through the dental office I was receiving orthodontic care from. He was already the third Dr. assigned to me during my treatment, so I growled at him upon meeting him since a new Dr. meant a new perspective, which equaled an extended treatment =) Immediately I could tell the difference between him and previous incumbents. He is like a scientist/artist/bar owner at your local pub wrapped into one. He's precise, makes your teeth as beautiful as they could be, and he makes you feel at home all while doing so. When I say precise, I mean real precise. He focuses on one or two things per treatment rather than trying to cram everything into a few visits and hope that it turns out okay. He will work with what you have, even "bubbly" teeth like mine. He's traveled the world and is very cultured, so he'll keep you entertained while he applies his techniques to your teeth. When I heard he opened up his own practice, I was so relieved since I knew he was limited in what he could do due to the bureaucracy and guidelines set by corporate headquarters. He's already given quality care even if he didn't have to, so imagine his own practice? Niche: Adults with "are you for real???" type teeth Adults with "c'monnnn, your teeth is fine, but I suppose you could move a couple of things around to make it perfect" Adults with "holy mother of G*d, I drank way too much coffee" (he does teeth whitening) My thought is, you could spend 2-3 years with orthos who don't give a rat's a$$ about how long/effective your treatment is. Or, you could go to Dr. Tai whose main concern is for his patient's care. Check out his credentials when you have a moment....really, really, really impressive. I feel like a schmuck next to him. read more

Dr. Tai has been my orthodontist for almost five years since I arrived the United States. He is responsive and patient to me and all other patients. Every time I went to his office, he took great care of my teeth. If you want to get the greatest treatment for your teeth, come and find Dr. Tai. He will provide the perfect serve and a reasonable price. Highly Recommend! read more

I have been a patient with Dr. Tai for years. I was out of the country and took a pause in treat and then retuned. Dr. Tai continued my treatment without charging more fee. I am willing to pay more for his additional time but he was just amazing. My teeth are already improving and catching up to reach out objectives. I will definitely recommend him to all my family and friends. He will take great care of you if you are interested in braces or aligner treatment. I am under aligner treatment with him. Best wishes to you! read more

FRIENDLY, THOROUGH, EFFECTIVE!!! I searched thoroughly for an orthodontist to treat my daughter with braces. I settled on Dr. Tai for several reasons: Staff: His staff is EXTREMELY friendly and helpful. His office manager was very thorough on what our insurance would cover and they had a couple of options that were very suitable for our liking. Grade A++ Office: The office is very clean, the waiting room can become busy, but I would prefer a busy office than an empty one (a sign of how well the business is doing). They have: plenty of seating (I have seen it get full, but never over-booked), a large-screen television playing movies for the kiddies; a coffee maker and water for guests. A+ Patients: Everyone is smiling. Even the children!...in a dental office!...where pain is usually served on tap. And yet, Zee cheeldren: Zay smile! Adults alike. Doctor: Dr. Tai's staff is a reflection of him in regards to friendliness and caring. He took his time on our first visit and does so every time we see him, to address all of our concerns and answer all of our questions. True story: During our consultation, I shared with him a differing approach to treatment that another orthodontist had (who I was considering). Instead of bashing his fellow orthodontist, he stated his reasons based on his experience. And he was humble enough to say, "maybe the other orthodontist has had different results that I have had using 'that' method...I would call him and ask him these questions..." And they were honest questions, not constructed to "stump" the doctor, but rather to assist me in making the decision that was best for us. I found his humility, honesty and kindness (again) very refreshing. Grade A++ UPDATE: My daughter has been a patient of his for over seven months now and every time, his administrative staff and his dental assistants have been the most pleasant people to deal with. They remember my daughter by name and I feel that they have established a relationship with her. It is a "happy office" and we look forward to each visit. Technically, my daughter's treatments are coming along very nicely! We are all so pleased with the progress of her teeth straightening. Dr. Tai and staff have my highest recommendation! read more

This is one of the best and most professional orthodontist places that I have been to. All the staff and the doctors here is so friendly. Dr. Tai and Dr. Chen are both wonderful. They are both super attentive and pay extreme attention to detail. Now I have the smile that I always wanted! I get compliments on my teeth all the time and I really think that they did a fantastic job. I really think that if you ever were thinking about getting braces for yourself or any of your family members, you definitely need to come and check out this office for yourself. This will be a lifetime worth of happiness that you will have with a perfect smile! read more

I want to express my gratefulness to Dr. Tai and his staff members. I feel very lucky to eventually choose Dr. Tai to treat my daughter's poor bite crooked teeth. Dr. Tai is a very professional and detail-oriented orthodontist who is very patient and makes a detailed and thoughtful plan for his patient. I am so satisfied with my daughter's treatment result, and my daughter has great confidence to show her smile now. I highly recommend Dr. Tai and his staff members. read more

Welp, I took the leap and went in to begin my invisalign treatment! Like another reviewer said, Dr Tai is hard at work on an early Sunday morning. I was barely awake when i stumbled into his office. I've been researching Invisalign way too much in the last few months and was feeling anxious about having impressions made. I'm not sure if my experience was as "bad" as it gets or if the lady who made mine was just awesome, because it wasn't bad at all! That's not to say I'd be jumping in line to get them done again, but really it wasn't bad. She (wish I could remember her name) held the trays in place for me and kept checking the goopy stuff to make sure it didn't have to stay in my mouth any longer than necessary. Xrays, trays, trays, some photos, and out the door I went. Now I get to anxiously wait a few weeks while they're made. read more

Been going here for about a year now to get my aligners and they always have the best service, whether that be the front desk or the dental assistants. As for Dr. Tai, he's extremely nice, approachable and explained the process for my aligners extremely well, every visit I've had so far has been fantastic. read more

This is my first review. I felt it was worth the time to sign up on Yelp and share my family and my experience at Dr. Mario Tai's Orthodontics with the families that are truly in need of a great orthodontist. I highly recommend Dr. Tai for your orthodontic needs and the staffs are wonderful too! Our friends highly recommended him when our son needed braces. My husband and I brought our kids in for free consultation. Dr. Tai was very honest and professional. He was the second orthodontist we had seen for our son. The first orthodontist was expensive and had the high tech office. However, Dr. Tai is very reasonable with also his high tech and innovative machines. Our son ended up getting braces at Dr. Tai's Orthodontics, but our daughter had to wait. Thereafter, our daughter had gone in for 3 more free consultation. Finally, she was ready to begin her treatment. We persisted on having Dr. Tai treat our daughter, because we felt he was very knowledgeable with his treatment plan for each of our kids and thoroughly explained what needed to be done and the reason why he takes the certain approach. When my dentist told me that I needed to change my bite due to repeated crack on the same tooth, I also went with Dr. Tai. It was not just for the convenience since our kids were treated there, but I knew I would be in great hands. It won't hurt to get Dr. Tai's opinion on your orthodontic needs. Call for a free consultation. You won't regret it! read more

I have been seen by Dr. Tai for more than 2 years. Dr. Tai is very professional in his expertise and the staff is nice in accommodating with my schedule. My result is way better than what I had expected. Highly recommend!! The office is super clean. Best Orthodontist anyone can ask for! Dr. Tai is super thoughtful and patient!!! read more

I was recommended to Dr. Tai through a friend because let's not kid ourselves, getting braces or invisalign (in my case) is not a small decision to make nor a cheap one. Dr. Tai and his staff are extremely friendly and welcoming. Dr. Tai himself was very attentive, nice and knowledgeable. You can also tell that he's one of those doctors that are ahead of the curve by having the newest equipment (360 degree x-ray machine that took less than 10 seconds to complete). Pretty cool. My case was a pretty complicated one because I had a cross bite and I did not want to get surgery to correct it so Dr. Tai did his magic and came up with a creative solution to get my teeth to be perfectly straight without surgery and with my preferred method of using invisalign. He took the time to answer all my questions and explained everything thoroughly. If you check out his office wall, all his credentials are from Harvard so that helps confirm that I am in good hands :) The office itself is really clean with flat screens in each room so it's not your stereotypical dental/orthodontist office that can come off sterile. The chairs are white and modern and the feel of the office is pretty comfy/homey. I have less than a year left with my invisalign treatment and I've already gotten many compliments on my teeth and smile. read more

Dr. Tai has been amazing! My son had a severe underbite, which was why I was recommended to him by my daughter's orthodontist. We didn't think he would be able to get my son's teeth in alignment, but he did! Dr. Tai is not only a exceptional orthodontist, but a wonderful person as well. read more

My friend and I, were in search of a local orthodontist and came upon Dr. Tai's yelp review. After skimming through a few, we decided to stop in for a consultation. We were sold! This is my 2nd go for orthodontic care, and I'm very happy with his "master piece", thus far. Him and his amazing team are very polite and personable that they have me looking forward to my next appointment (oddly enough). The treatment is reasonably priced, and is worth every penny of it! read more

I absolutely recommend Dr. Tai Orthodontics to anyone and everyone! Whether it is your first time needing braces or you need to revisit previous treatments from other offices, Dr Mario Tai is the BEST! I came to Dr. Tai based on a recommendation from a coworker of mine ( who has braces and was very happy with Dr. Tai). I already have been through two rounds of metal braces with two other doctors (one when I was a teen -no complaints) and the other recently that was a nightmare. Dr. Tai is a master, he takes great pride in his work. Dr. Tai is incredibly intelligent and personable, he is very realistic in what treatment will look like for you as a patient. For me I feel he absolutely over delivered keeping the expectations with me very realistic. I appreciate his honesty and his level of artistic perfectionism to create the smile I desire. Dr. Tai is committed to making me happy and providing me with a result I am pleased with, I cannot thank him enough for the end result! I am so relieved I chose to move forward with Dr. Tai, I could't be happier (and I am a perfectionist) :) Dr. Tai and his entire staff are extremely polite, professional and understanding. It was very easy for me to book my first consultation appointment and every appointment following (added bonus, they are open on Saturdays!). It is refreshing to be greeted with positivity, feeling welcomed and be surrounded with staff that is knowledgeable, I feel very confident at Dr. Tai's office. Office atmosphere is always clean and inviting. Appointments always run on time, I never have to wait more than a few minutes in the lobby. Office is easy to get to and parking is ample. Communication in regards to appointments and care of braces is clear and polite. Paperwork with insurance and payment is clear and pleasant, fair and reasonable pricing. Sincerest thanks to Dr. Tai his entire staff for making the entire process for me so easy and pleasant. I love my new smile! read more

Our dentist referred my son to Dr. Tai in 2013 and he is currently receiving treatment. I also started seeing Dr. Tai due to my fixed retainers. I've had braces twice (first as a teenager and later as an adult- both times lasting between 2-4 years). My dental cleaning last week pulled the wire out slightly, which caused a space to open between my upper front teeth and the wire broke yesterday. I called Dr. Tai's office and got an appointment for early this morning. Dr. Tai was busy but he took the time to examine the problem, removed the old wire and glue and created a new fixed retainer- all the while concerned about my time schedule. Wow!! If you're looking for a knowledgeable, very competent, caring and patient orthodontist- Dr. Tai is your man!! Dr. Tai and his staff are absolutely wonderful!! read more

Before having Dr. Tai as my orthodontist, my mom and I have visited over 10 different orthodontists. Many of them were not up to the challenge and even if they were, they said that the only solution to solve my case is to have surgery in my jawbone. I had a severe overbite/ severe class 2. When we made an appointment with Dr. Tai, he was and still is very patient with us and he was up for the challenge. When he proposed an idea, we always try to find a non harmful yet an effective method to make my teeth normal again. Been having Dr. Tai as my orthodontist for over 5 years and I am very pleased with the results. Although the process took a long time, but the result is worth to wait for :). Highly recommend Dr. Tai because he is professional, experienced, patient, and kind. Thank you Dr. Tai for working hard on my teeth. I appreciate that. :) read more

Mario E Tai, DMD DMSc - Before - Orthodontists Near Me - Irvine, California

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I found Dr. Tai through Yelp two years ago. I was seeking a specialist to straighten my teeth and fix my bite. During my initial Yelp search, I looked for orthodontists with the highest ratings in Orange County. I contacted the top five and scheduled appointments. During each of my consultations, there were certain things that I like about each of the specialists, but there were also some things that caused me hesitation in moving forward. When I met with Dr. Tai, he was precise and adequately answered all of my of questions. At the conclusion of my consultation, I signed the paperwork and I was eager to move forward with treatment. Dr. Tai has outstanding credentials and he has an excellent reputation among his peers. Dr. Tai recommended Invisalign for my treatment. The plan was highly individualized and he utilized 3-D computer modeling to design and predict my treatment plan. After x-rays, photographs and impressions were taken, a series of customized invisible aligners were created. During each visit I received a new series of aligners. I switched aligners every 2 weeks and had follow up appointments every 6 weeks. My treatment plan was nearly effortless, duration was minimal and the ease of the plan exceeded my expectations. Dr. Tai is dedicated to his practice and truly provides impeccable individualized service. Dr. Tai and his staff are professional, efficient, punctual, friendly and accommodating. I was able to schedule all of my appointments on Saturday. My experience with Dr. Tai's office has been exceptional and my results are outstanding. I absolutely recommend Dr. Tai. read more

Dr. Tai is absolutely wonderful. He is extremely caring, honest, and talented. He helped fix my bite several years ago, and went above and beyond his initial promises. For the first time in my life that I could remember, I could bite down on both sides of my jaw. My dentist was also extremely impressed by his work.The pricing for treatment (invisalign+braces) was affordable - he offered a special for UCI students. I fully recommend Dr. Tai! read more

Completely unprofessional. Like other negative reviews, I can confirm you will waste many hours trying to contact Dr. Tai and waiting for him. He seems to always be out of the country so it's hard to make appointments and even when you can get an appointment, you'll end up waiting for hours passed scheduled appointment times. Worse yet, he tries to make you feel stupid when you ask why he can't see patients accordingly to the scheduled treatment plans. Truly regret ever meeting Dr. Tai and hope to save others from the same painful experience. read more

Thanks to Dr. Tai I now have the confidence to smile. I got Invisalign and he's not like other dentist that think that by taking impressions, Invisalign will take care of the rest, Dr. Tai monitors your teeth are moving the way they are supposed to and make any changes he considers necessary. I am so thankful to him and his honest desire to make you happy. I've recommended friends and family to him. read more

As a general dentist who has been practiced dentistry for almost twenty years, I was super careful in selecting an excellent orthodontist for my two children. After interviewed three orthodontist in Irvine, I am so glad I have chosen Dr. Tai. Now my kids finished their braces, and they have such a beautiful smile! Dr. Tai's office has these characters which stands out: 1. Office is high tech, all digital systems including impression, minimizing discomfort from molding, and reduce radiation. 2. Dr. Tai is a perfectionist, even the teeth already straight, Dr. Tai spent extra four visits to make sure the bite is ideal, which is important to avoid any future TMJ problems. 3. Dr. Tai diagnoses and treatment plans not only just teeth alignment but also facial esthetics and profile. I am glad Dr. Tai recommended extraction for my daughter's teeth, which has improved her facial profile and created more softer and feminine look. It is those little things that make Dr. Tai a distinguished dentist. Thank you for doing such an awesome job! read more

I have nothing but all positive experience with Dr. Tai since day 1. the staff are all very friendly and helpful. compare with the dentist that i had previously for invisalign, Dr. Tai's expertise and perfectionism made such a huge difference in the outcome and overall satisfaction. read more