I have been to this place 3 times so far. I have 4 year old twins that had never been to the dentist. My son had a tooth where his gum line was completely recessed that I was worried about and my regular dentist isn't pediatric. I called some other pediatric dentist from yelp and they were 2 months out on appts. I got an appt here for the next day. The office staff was GREAT! They are so nice. Their forms are easy to complete online. They send appt reminders via text so very easy to work with. I took my son first because of the concerns I had and they took him back without me. Remember he is only 4. He came back out super happy and had no issues getting x-rays and a cleaning. I had to schedule an appt to have the tooth pulled. I then made that appt for a month later as well as a cleaning appt for his twin sister for the following week. Again they took her back and did x-rays and cleaned her teeth without me and she was great. So now both my kids love the dentist. They get a toothbrush, they get a toy, they love this place. Now my daughter is upset that her brother "gets to go to the dentist today" and she doesn't. Today was my sons appt to have his tooth pulled and I had tears in my eyes because he was so excited to go and I knew he was going to have to get the needle in his gums and would be traumatized by the dentist from now on. To my pleasant surprise, he got his tooth pulled and still loves the dentist! He wants to go back to have another tooth pulled ‍. Overall I am very happy with this place so far. Also they had a Bible in the waiting room which was a pleasant surprise to me given the times we are in. I def recommend this place for small children. read more

Michael Maurer, DDS, MS - Tooth extraction was a success and no blood or pain afterwards! - Pediatric Dentists Near Me - El Cajon, California

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Been taking my boys with Dr Maurer from baby teeth to the awkward early teens, to braces. My first born child has now outgrown pediatrics dentist, but my 7yo & my 16yo are still here. Staff is helpful, and every visit is explained thoroughly! They're honest and explain everything. read more

I have been bringing my girls here for over 15 years. Absolutely love how detailed Dr Maurer is. He has take great care of their teeth and has never recommended anything they didn't need. In addition to the doctor, the entire staff is beyond nice. Extremely professional and caring. read more

Super nice staff , very good at sending reminders for the next schedule app. Very happy with the services

Dr. Maurer is very knowledgeable and takes the time to explain everything. I wish he would have been our orthodontist from day one!

I have been taking my kids here for 9 years. There really had been nothing to write home about until the last year. They are both a dentist office and an orthodontist office but I only see the name Olen and Maurer. So is one a dentist and one an orthodontist? Or are they trained in both? I'm not sure. The issues arose when I took my son to an orthodontist closer to my home. Dr. Maurer became rude whenever I would ask him questions during the twice yearly checkup. He would make comments like, "What does your orthodontist say?" In a very rude way. I was asking about teeth that we're taking a long time to come in that he had pulled! I got the feeing he was mad I did not bring him to his office for orthodontics. Well jokes on him because now I'm finding a new dentist. I'm not waiting around to listen to his antics anymore. My red flags are up. His latest recommendations are also the complete opposite of what my ortho says and it makes me think he is just suggesting unnecessary procedures for the money. I'm out!! read more

Took my two toddlers here for the first time. Almost 3 and almost 4 yo.. prior to my appt day the lady who confirmed my appt said she would check my insurance and call me back to let me know if the check ups would be covered by my insurance or if we would have to pay anything out of pocket so that we wouldn't be surprised with a bill which was nice. I never heard back after a week so I called them back and the woman said if I didn't hear back it's because it's covered by insurance 100% (for check up/ exam and cleaning) so when we arrived to our appt I asked and the lady at the counter said she checked and it's covered 100%. My 4 yo did great with his exam and cleaning. My 3 yo would not even let the dentist look in her mouth as he tried to peek into her mouth while she was sitting on my lap so he said it's ok she's not ready, try again in a few months which was fine. I received a bill a few weeks later for $28. It doesn't explain what it's for so I called and left a message asking them to call me back regarding the bill and left a brief message explaining what I'm saying now. Never got a call back. It's been over a week. Also, they billed my insurance for an exam for my daughter who wouldn't even let the dentist look in her mouth... seems kind of shady to me. Instead of calling them and leaving more messages I'm just going to send them a check for $28 because it's not worth my time and frustration. But it's still pretty shady. The office is nice and staff is nice in person. However, my children will not be returning because I don't trust the staffs professionalism. If this review was based on only my sons experience and I didn't receive a random bill after being told my insurance covered everything I would have given them a 4 or 5. read more

My daughters recently had their braces removed and needed to see a dentist for a cleaning and exam. After looking up in network providers and reading reviews. I narrowed down to 3 local dental offices. First two didn't understand my needs. But the best was for last. I was lucky to have had an experienced staff member, Shelly who understood me right away. I explained to her that I would be losing my current insurance and needed my girls to been seen asap to use my insurance. Shelly went over and beyond to help me make this happen for both of my girls the very next day. Over the phone I felt that she passed, No judgment, was helpful,actually listened to my needs and was honest. The location is a bit deceiving but inside surpasses the outside. Upon my first arrival I was impressed by the friendly staff. All of the front staff had a smile on their faces and acknowledged my presence as if they've already know me. Very important to have great customer service. I met the dentist in a small room to discuss his work and problem areas. He also answered my questions and concerns. I definitely will recommend this dentist office. Thank you again Shelly for being so understanding. read more

I brought my 3 year old daughter for her first dental visit here, mainly because the prices were low and the receptionist sounded friendly. As soon as I arrived, however, I was taken aback. They told me they don't allow parents to be with their children during their appointments. They gave me 2 reasons, one was that they wanted the kids to see the parents trust the doctor so that they will, too, and the other was for privacy of the other kids (HIPAA laws). I asked them "well, how can I trust the doctor if I know nothing about him"? I insisted on being with her and was willing to walk away. They said they'd allow it this time, and ended up putting us in the back room which is basically a closet in the storage room. But at least she had privacy. The other kids were all in chairs in a big open room with no walls between them. And the reviewer is correct that they only want to see younger kids in the morning. They say it is because younger kids are more receptive and easy going in the morning. I'd have to agree, but still think it's bad business. Some parents just can't make it any other time. I'll be looking for a place that respects kids AND parents. This place doesn't do either. read more

I went to Dr. Olen for about 18 years, (the other Dr. at this office) and saw Dr. Maurer for about the last year that I went to this office for some periodontics. Dr. Maurer is amazingly kind and caring and he is a great dentist. A little about the office (I just copied from my review of Dr. Olen): Unfortunately they didn't get the giant flat screen TV's till I was too old to go there, but they are great for keeping kids entertained while in the dentist chair. They even have grape flavored gloves! The technicians are the nicest women around - as is the office staff. They were always willing to work me in in an emergency. read more

If I was writing a review of the office staff, I would give 5 stars. But I'm not. I'm writing a review of my experience with Dr. Maurer, his "treatment plan" and the office policies. Yesterday my 2 year old chipped his front tooth. He's never been to the dentist but I knew about this office from others so I called & they got us in right away. The office was fine. Im particular about cleanliness and nothing caught my attention as amiss. We got called back within an acceptable length of time. I was able to go back with my son - had they not let me I would've walked out immediately. They attempted an X-ray with my son on my lap. It was unsuccessful - I mean, I can't hold my sons arms, his head, AND the X-ray square in his mouth. Dr. Maurer came out to greet us. By greet, I mean he didn't speak to my son. At all. He didn't try to build any kind of repertoire, make him feel comfortable, show him the tools, tell him what he was going to do.....basically, he didn't treat my son like a child going to the dentist for the first time. Or even acknowledge him. His exam was maybe two minutes, and he then explained our options. To leave the chip, leaving the tooth susceptible to decay - or bonding the tooth. He further explained that bonding would require sedation of my child. With Valium. And nitrous. That he'd be strapped to a papoose board. And that I WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED BACK WITH MY TWO YEAR OLD. He said this policy was non-negotiable. I admit I was in shock and made the appt., not giving my instincts enough credit. Once I came to my senses I spoke to three other mom friends, my Own mother and my husband. All reactions were the same: HELL NO. I called two other pediatric dental groups and was told that they do not follow those policies. Not only do they not use narcotics to sedate a toddler, they allow parents with their children - at ALL TIMES. An efficient and skilled pediatric dentist should be well-versed in techniques that do not require sedation, beyond nitrous, of a young child. And if additional, heavier sedation is required - the procedure should be performed in a medical suite with all resuscitative tools available. Additionally, the papoose is dangerous. Their use is outlawed in many countries. By restraining a child (person) ESPECIALLY when sedated, the chances of respiratory distress is exponentially increased. I hope the office reevaluates the safety of this item. I also hope that this office reconsiders its "no parents allowed" policy. I was told it was because children look to their parents to "rescue them". You're right. Parents jobs are to nurture, console and comfort. If I saw that my son was agitated past a certain point, it is my right to put a stop to the procedure in order to prevent unnecessary trauma. It is not the dentist are staffs job to decide when/if my child has reached that point. The end result is I cancelled my appointment and we will be going to a dentist that *might* use nitrous and my son will most likely be in my lap for the entire procedure. read more

Been taking my boys to this guy for the last 3 years. This last visit in August/2013 was the first time either of them have ever had cavities. We didn't do anything differently, not drinking soda, or eating excessive amouts of candy and then BOOM out of nowhere, both boys have 5+ cavities each. Fishy? Maybe. The treatment for the cavities with insurance cost me around $600...WITH insurance. I was willing to pay if thats what they needed so I did. But the day of treatment, my younger son had a very traumtic experience afterwhich we will not be returning. As a couple reviewers pointed out, Dr. Maurer yells at his patients. Well he yelled at my 5 year old to keep still, keep his mouth open, and really terrified him. He came out looking very stunned and then when we got to the car he just let it all out and told me about the yelling and was crying alot. We got home, I tried to soothe him and he was just scarred. This office needs to work on its bedside manner--and from what I'm reading, its prices, and let parents in the back to soothe their children in an anxiety-provoking situation such as dental work. read more

Rotten service! The recpetionist told me the "doctors" would not want to see a 1 year old in the afternoon. I work from 6am to 2:30pm so afternoon is the only time possible . Not sure how they can claim they are a pediatric dentistry specializing in infants and children. What a joke. read more

I've been taking both my kids to Dr Olen and Dr Maurer, they've always felt comfortable going. Both doctors have been great! I really like the staff they explain everything to detail. read more

Great dentistry practice and the best staff I've ever dealt with. My kids are not big fans of the dentists office, but these guy make them feel like part of the family when they reluctantly come in. Dr.Olen is very personable and explains everything so well to my girls. I would highly recommend the practice to any and all looking for a family oriented casual environment dentistry. read more

Best dentist office! My boys come here for any of their dentist needs. Everyone is super helpful and great communication. I'm so grateful I found them. read more

Absolutely love this office!! My son has always been terrified of the dentist, so when we decided to switch from Santee Town Center dental, which was awful, to this office, we were greeted with warm friendly smiles from the ladies at the desk, and from then on, it was a wonderful experience!! They made my son feel comfortable and at ease, without my assistance, and were honest about what he needed done, unlike the other dentist that told us he needed hundreds of dollars in dental care which he did not need at all! So if you want an honest, caring dentist for your child, I highly recommend this office!! read more

Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Appointments start on time , they don't overbook. Dentists do great work, I wish I could go here! read more

this particular dentist should not be dealing with kids, accroding to my 7 year old daughter, that when she couldn't keep her mouth open the way that they wanted, this Doctor told her "how many times do I have to tell you to open your mouth and the dental assistant told her the same thing. I think that this is the reason why they dont allow parents to be in the room with the kids so they can be mean to them , what a disappointment for a supposedly pediatric dentist, who doesn't have patience with children. I will never recommend this office at all. read more

I've always had a wonderful experience taking my children here everyone is very friendly and helpful

Dr mauer goes above and beyond expectations. The kids love him and so do we! The whole staff everyone is so helpful and friendly

I brought my daughter in for filling that we were told were needed prior to having braces placed. Not sure if she actually had cavities, since she saw MY dentist 9 months before and her teeth were perfect. When my daughter flinched in pain from the drilling, she was scolded not to do that or Dr. Maurer might "cut her tongue". Dr. Maurer was very rough on her when packing the fillings, causing her pain during the procedure. Five weeks later, she still has sensitivity in her mouth. We went back to get the rest of the "necessary" fillings done, but they would not allow me to go back with her. Even though the Patient's Bill of Rights states the patient has the right to that. It is their "office policy" which apparently supersedes the needs of the patient. Needless to say, we are not going back! read more

Dr. Olen is the only dentist my kids have ever been to. They have never felt nervous or apprehensive to go to their dental appointments. Dr. Olen and staff are friendly and provide a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere for my kids. I like their understanding and flexibility when family life tends to conflict with appointments. I recommend Dr. Olen and Maurer's office as a top pick for anyone looking for a great pediatric dentistry. read more

I wish they worked on adults too! We love Dr Maurer and Dr Olen and our kids to do. They do great work

I understand parents complaints that younger patients will not be seen in the afternoon but I'm sure this is from the staffs own experience. I have taken both of my daughters here for the past 2 years and have been very pleased with the staff, Olen, and Maurer. read more

We love Dr Maurer! Been with him for years with two girls; braces and all. Very thorough, reasonable, and proactive.

I've been taking my kids to El Cajon Dentistry for 3 years now and the experience was always good. My daughter had major work done by Dr. Maurer and even my son had some cavities fixed last time. Both times it was satisfactory experience. My kids were leaving happy and willing to return. No problem there. read more

I've been taking my kids to this dentist, we mostly see Dr Maurer, since they were abput 3 and 5. We love this dentist, my kids are never afraid to go even if it is for a filling or other "work". They do the cleaning, evaluation, talk it over with you and then you work with the receptionist for scheduling. There were a few times when the recommended things were just not in my budget, even with insurance and I never felt pressure to get things done that were considered more cosmetic than necessary. I feel like the Dr understands that we all want what's best for our kids but that money is a consideration. Often he will refer to products that may be helpful but advises they are not necessary for good oral hygiene but are an extra and not needed. No the parents can't go back to the chairs but my kids never hesitate when their name is called, and I watch many other kids happily go back with the hygienists. My kids are now 9 and 11 and still enjoying trips to the dentist. Previous posts - sometimes the Dr has more experience with kids and knows what's best as far as treating kids who are new to the dentist, I wouldn't want to take my 1 yr old to the dentist in the afternoon.....I would take time off work. This dentist has very early hours! read more