I dislike going to a dentist almost as much as I dislike going to any other kind of doctor. That said, Dr. Sonin makes dental care far less stressful than most other dentists I have seen. Her approach is to do what is needful, not what is going to buy her a new yacht. (I don't the she *has* a yacht, truth be told.) When I had a tooth crack and eventually need a root canal, she gave me options and didn't pressure me to go one way or the other. She is also very attentive during procedures, taking care to make sure there is as little pain and/or discomfort as possible. 10/10 recommend! read more

Nina is very soft spoken and makes me feel comfortable even for having work done. She is gentle and does good work.

Dr Sonin is very knowledgeable and caring. She would go out of her way to take care of you. I had a tooth pain during Xmas when my regular dentist was closed. She diagnosed and completed the buildup and crown after I got my root canal. read more

I came to Dr. Sonin because I had been experiencing severe pain in a tooth. I had thought it was being caused by a certain set of circumstances, but Dr. Sonin explained in a clear and easy to understand way what my actual problem was. She has a comforting, yet very professional, style and definitely knows her business. I see in some of the other reviews, that people have described her as "cold". I didn't get that feeling at all. She has a no nonsense approach, but I felt a sincere desire on her part to help solve my problem. She is definitely a "10" Her receptionist was also very nice and helpful. I left with a smile on my face. read more

Their staff literally hang up on you when they find out you have an insurance they don't wanna take. Awful. Go elsewhere.

Dr. Nina Sonin is the best dentist that I have been to in over 20 years. I walked in with an awful busted up rotten grin and she brought my smile back to its youthful pearls. I have not been to see my lovely dentist in over a year because of the pandemic. She is professional and for me was very understanding and generous regarding compensation for her excellent work. Love her accent, clicking heels and Stephanie is pretty awesome too. I miss her but I have been really good! I posted some pictures to show my smile, my youthful smile and the rotten grin she so wonderfully fixed. Thank you Dr. Nina Sonin! read more

Nina Sonin, DDS - My beautiful teeth! Almost 3 years I walked into Dr. Nina Sonin and over a year since I have had a cleaning. - Oral Surgeons Near Me - La Crescenta, California

Dr. Nina Sonin is a hidden gem in La Crescenta. In a nondescript office deep in the bowels of an unremarkable building on Foothill Blvd works an amazing, charming, skilled, professional dentist: Dr. Sonin. My former dentist did not accept my new insurance so I had to select a new one: a scary thought. I knew I didn't want a big corporate office and Dr. Sonin was on my list so I rolled the dice and made an appointment. I wondered what I was getting into as I descended the steps and opened the office door which was a bit stuck and almost expected a creaking sound from rusty hinges. Then came the singing voice of the receptionist welcoming me with a big smile and laughing voice. OK, that was better. So, into the chair I go, fingers and toes crossed. That's when I meet the doctor and she gets to work. X-rays and examination done she details a 12-month treatment plan including costs (in writing) for me that makes sense and is thankfully affordable. Now feeling confident, I agree to get started. With the initial work completed and a follow-up scheduled for three months, it's time to write a review. "Hidden Gem" is what kept going through my mind. Look, there are a lot of dentists to choose from. But if you prefer a small practice and a doctor that will take a personal interest in you and perfect care of your teeth, I would encourage you to take a chance and visit Dr. Nina. She will be your doctor for life. read more

Scary cold Eastern European dentist in a cold scary basement with no windows. The dental nurse was very nice

The first time I went in, she took X-rays but could not upload them so I had to come back another day. When I did go back, I felt like I was going to drown during the cleaning. She also recommended that I come in three times per year, although my insurance wouldn't cover it. Totally unnecessary! No other dentist has ever told me this. When my insurance changed I asked for my x-rays. She told me it would cost $50 to email them to the new dentist. Ridiculous! And now, neither the office or Dr. Sonin will returns calls. read more

Actually... I'm really surprised by the wide range of reviews. Dr. Sonin is professional and truly cares about her patients. I went on line just now to confirm her address for my appointment tomorrow and I seriously was shocked by the wishy washy reviews!!! People.... I LOVE Yelp and rely on their/our reviews and was surprised how wide Dr. Sonin's reviews were! Honestly?? She's a basic, simple, dentist who knows what she's doing. You walk in thinking you are going to get a bargain because of the front office appearance... which are simple and bare bones.... but wait. Go past the reception area... Get a cleaning, experience her methods and attention to detail.... She understands teeth and she wants to get to know your teeth. Oh. And wait. She cares. It may not show that she cares about you.... But that's really not why you're there.... Right?? She cares about your teeth. She knows what kind of treatment you need immediately and gives you her opinion. Yes. She is straightforward, and that's what I like about her! read more

This Dentist charged me for an appointment I cancelled and then sent me to collections for it. I don't care about the quality of work (which was okay) of a person who has poor ethics at worst and poor customer service at best. Proceed with caution. read more

Unethical, unprofessional, disregards insurance coverage and the law.. I have Delta Dental through Kaiser which covers x-rays, exam and cleaning. During the consultation after the x-rays and exam she advised me that I had to pay $95.00 to clean my 1 (one) implant tooth! So I said, "Just clean the others." She refused. I've had that implant for about 5 years and never has a dentist charged me extra for the implant. "Dr." Sonin said she had to use a different tool to clean the tooth...and she'd have to do it by hand, thus the $95.00. I made an appointment to buy time to check it out. After I left I called other dentists on the same plan and none of them charge extra for an implant when doing a cleaning. So I called Dr. Nina Sonin's office to request that they email me the x-rays. I was going to change providers. They quoted me $50 to send the x-rays. I explained that the fee was covered under my insurance and thus already paid for. She could have cared less and advised that my fee was $50.00. She accepted my insurance which pays for it and refused again. All conversations were through her receptionist/assistant. I felt sorry for her...she could only repeat what her boss told her to do. My rating, since there are no zero stars is: UNETHICAL AND DISHONEST PS: My daughter manages a large dental practice in W. Hollywood and I just called her. My x-rays are digital and therefore there is no duplicating fee (only if it is film can a fee be charged by law). A dentist must, by law, send the x-rays to another dental office if so requested by the patient. She called Dr. Sonin's office and made the request authorized by me. They refused. That was a stupid thing to do. THAT IS FLAT BREAKING THE LAW... but do they care? No. I believe I'll take this much further than Yelp! Dr. Sonin has not heard the end of this. That I guarantee. WATCH OUT FOR THIS OFFICE! I hope all future Yelps will be fantastic fives! read more

I called and spoke to the front desk lady (did not get her name) but she has the worst attitude. I called made an appointment due to a family emergency he could not make it, we did not call to cancel or re-schedule (agreed we should hAve). I called at a later time to schedule another appointment she again was extremely rude scolding me about my husband not showing up I apologized to her, made an appointment and told her I will call if he is not able to make it and she told me he would have an addition charge of $50 for missing his appointment I agreed to that. My husband called out of work for his appointment and I don't know if it was some type of retaliation but he shows up and they let him know they cancelled his appointment and gave it to someone else I was not there for the following but my husband stated he had to leave mid-conversation with the front desk because she was so incredibly rude I called the office and got nothing more then an "oh well" response Definitely will be changing dr and the worst of it is that we never even got a chance to work with the dentist she might have been great but her staff is the absolute worst read more

My review is simply on trying to get in for an emergency visit. Like many others, I dislike going to the dentist this or that reason and of course I wait until the last minute to make an appointment, normally when I'm in pain and need to be seen. Yes, guilty! I changed my dentist to Sonin Nina because someone I trust directed me her way. I had really bad pain and knew I needed an RCT and I was ready to take care of it. I set up my appointment and planned to get everything done that same day, which has never been a problem. The day before I get a call from her employee telling me that my appointment had been canceled, the dentist had replaced my appointment in order to see her friend. Not only this, she had quoted to charge me an arm and leg because my HMO, which she has set up a contract with "doesn't pay much". If this doesn't set a red flag, I don't know what will. One of many reasons I don't trust dentist. I found this to be an unprofessional act on her behalf. Now going to my first sentence, I directly went to a Endo office in Glendale, the receptionist there tried to get the referral from S. Nina and she refused to sign it because she had to see me first. Really? I got on the phone with the insurance, they put me on hold so the rep could call the office and didn't bother to speak to them. Then found out she left for 'vacation'. Shady as hell! *I'm giving her 1 star because we all know we can't post a review without a damn star. read more

I needed to see a dentist and did not want to return to my previous dentist who had a different tech each time. My son and brother had seen Dr Sonin and were very happy. I hadn't seen a dentist in a long time and anticipated work. Dr Sonin was prompt and very professional. She reviewed the x rays and treatment plan with me. She showed me exactly what insurance would pay and what % they would not pay. I discussed with her that some of her recommendations, while needed, would need to wait for financial reasons. We broke it down into 3 appointments, the last which was yesterday. She is very aware of patient comfort and is extremely professional. I am very happy with the treatment I received and will ne back in 6 months! The only negative is her office. Its old and dark but I'm not there for the waiting room, am I....... read more

Run far, run fast! She tried to double charge me. She anchored my bridge to a tooth she should have known wasn't strong enough to hold the bridge more than a year. Worst dentist ever! Update: as expected my bridge is on the verge of falling out, I asked my new dentist if Sonin knew that the tooth wasn't strong enough. He said yeah, she probably knew it wouldn't hold. She even sent a collection company after me. Needless to say she dropped it after a couple months. Probably knew that her charges were bogus and wouldn't hold up under scrutiny. She is unethical and dishonest. read more

Since Dr. Sonin no longer works out of this office, I'm just including my other review below. I can add that this is where she was working when I first became her patient, & there was always a marked contrast between her & the senior partner at this location. The other doctor would constantly suggest things I did not need or want, & Dr. Sonin was great at overriding him, & explaining to me what was really necessary, & which were just frivolous extras. My original review, cross-posted from Dr. Sonin's current listing, follows. Dr. Sonin has been my dentist for over a decade. She is incredibly meticulous ~ as Keno's review says, she suggests care above & beyond the superfluous cleanings most dentists would call good enough, & always tries to intercept problems before they become annoying or painful. I really appreciate the preventative care element, because I'd much rather have a small procedure than a major one. I also like that Dr. Sonin always offers me options, & explains everything in detail, & that she actually listens to my concerns, & lays out a plan for how to address them. & she is extra gentle & careful whenever I need her to be ~ which is hardly ever anymore, because my teeth are now in great shape, & no longer super-sensitive. It's sad that Keno had such a horrible experience, but I definitely recommend Dr. Sonin; especially if you understand the value of preventative care, she can't be beat! read more

I've been coming here for about 5 years now, and Dr. Sonin has always been fantastic. She is very thorough and consistent. She breaks things down simply and always does a great job when I need a cavity filled, or need my teeth cleaned. read more

Dr. Sonin is friendly, knowledgeable, honest, hardworking, and her charges have always been reasonable. She is a solo practitioner, rather than a member of a big corporate unit, which I like. I have been seeing her for at least ten years and I've always been happy with everything she's done. I live in Santa Monica and drive all the way out to see Dr. Sonin because she's much better than any dentist I've found on the Westside. read more

Dr. Sonin is the second worst dentist I've ever visited. If your think you're going in for a routine cleaning, think again. She told me I needed to come in for a "deep cleaning" every 6 months on top of regular cleanings in between. So cleanings every 3 months! Of course, my insurance will not cover this. She also recommended a filling that wasn't covered because the cavity wasn't deep enough; yet she insisted that the filling needed to be done soon! Sorry that makes no sense. It seemed to me she was pushing to charge me directly for as much as possible while avoiding the insurance company. In the end I got a clear sense that she specializes in things that insurance won't cover. This is probably because she can charge me anything she wants while the insurance company strictly limits procedure charges. I wish that were the end of the story. While she suggested a "special deep cleaning," when I turned her down and decided to go with the insurance-covered regular cleaning, her assistant Irma wouldn't give me an appointment unless it was for the procedures "suggested" by Dr. $onin. The only other review I found on her was terrible, titled "Dishonest dentist in La Crescenta." --- The review is right on. http://www.thefoothillsforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3196&view=previous If you want honest advice and a dentist you can trust, then stay away. You've been warned. read more

I read another review of Dr. Sonin in which the reviewer also expressed surprise at the wide range of reviews for her. I have been a patient of hers for over five years and it's been good dentistry and smooth sailing the entire time. She's friendly, professional, on time and competent. Unlike other dentists I've had, her breath does not smell like she had just returned from some local garlic & pepper festival. I have referred friends and family members to her and they have been pleased as well. So, I'm giving her five stars. read more

I had a similar experience to the 2 previous reviewers. I recently moved to La Crescenta and wanted to find a dentist close to home. The selection of primary care providers within my dental HMO is thin, so I based my choice of Dr Sonin based on location alone. I wish I had done a little more research. I arrived at my scheduled semi-annual exam & cleaning and after getting my xrays, was told that I had symptoms of the early stages of gum disease, and that this required multiple procedures (deep cleaning, and a medication) that were not covered by my insurance. Dr Sonin also recommended quarterly cleanings (4x/year). My insurance only covers 2 per year, so the additional 2 would be out of pocket. I found all of this to be a little strange, since my previous dentist told me that my teeth & gums were in good health. I asked for a printout of the estimate, told her I needed time to review and consider the recommendations, and asked to proceed with my scheduled cleaning. She refused to give me a cleaning unless I completed her recommended procedures first. I have since switched to a new provider with whom I've been much happier with. Like the previous reviewer, I also requested my x-rays so that I could take them to my new provider and avoid another x-ray. She told me it would cost $35, and that she would call me in 2 days when they were ready. I said that this was fine, but never heard back. read more

Tried to upsell me and told me I needed services I did not need, I am so sick of dentists like that!! read more

Best dentist I have ever had. Engaging and interested, I never have to wait, technically proficient, and always explains the work. I first visited her to have a crown re-fixed, she told me that was the least of my problems (!) But she carefully explained to me all of the issues my own negligence had imposed upon me, followed by the work necessary to save my teeth. She even offered up a finance plan and split the work over the calendar year to make maximum use of my insurance deductible. I have since take much better care of my teeth. I would recommend her to anyone in a heartbeat. I've been visiting her for years now. read more

Dr Sonin is a classic, classy Dentist! I have been going to her for awhile now, and she SAVED a few bad teeth and is very concerned with every detail of what is bothering you or any concerns you have. Thank you for taking care if our community Dr Sonin! read more

Dr. Sonin is an outstanding member of our community and a great dentist. She is knowledgeable and cares about her clients.

Starts on time! Really! Very thorough and takes great care of our families dental care. From the baby boomers to the six year old, we have been coming here for years now. Highly recommend to all. read more

I was apprehensive when heading there for my first appointment, as I couldn't find any reviews except for one mention of dishonest billing on an online forum (which is actually mentioned in the other review). However, I decided not to wait another month to switch providers (my HMO requires a month's notice) and drove over there for my appointment. First, the building is an eyesore. However, I don't judge my dentist by the outside of the building. The inside is not much better, but at least seemed clean. The receptionist (Irma? Elma?) was kind of rude. It took her at least five tries before she was able to get an accurate x-ray of a tooth in question. Hello, radiation. A couple of minutes later, I was out of there. Had to schedule a second appointment for a cleaning and a procedure, as they only do an exam on the first visit. However, the quote that I got was so incredibly high that I postponed it. In the meantime, I called my former dentist (amazing, yet very expensive dentist), whose non-insurance price was less than two thirds what Sonin's office quoted. When this is in the hundreds/thousand + dollars, these things matter. Keep in mind that he has perfect, 5 star reviews on Yelp and other sites, and his prices reflect his quality. Dr. Nina Sonin, on the other hand, has little electronic trail and what little I did find is negative. After that, I called a number of providers and their prices for the exact same procedure were all lower. Additionally, they wanted to charge $35 for a copy of my x-rays. They charge $35 to give you a copy or even to SEND YOU THE IMAGES BY EMAIL. Their x-ray machine is hooked up to a monitor, so they're already electronic images and not actual print-outs. Thus it seems as if there would be no cost to them to simply email them. As stated in a previous post by Claire C, the ADA considers it unethical to 'double' charge for x-rays, as the insurance company has already paid for them. For the record, my previous dentists have all given me copies for free so I can have my own complete and updated dental records. Very disappointed with the overall experience. Most certainly NOT going back. ***For some reason there is a filtered review below. Check it out (right below the reviews, in tiny print on the left. I wish I had seen it before going. read more

In my opinion, Dr. Sonin is a dishonest dentist. Her actual dental skills are good, but her ethics are not. Like another poster said, she recommended procedures to me that weren't covered by insurance. I told her I had some sporadic tooth sensitivity, and she said I needed a crown for a cracked tooth. I told her I had to think about it. Six months later I'm back for a regular cleaning. I had NO tooth sensitivity in those six months, but she told me again that my tooth was cracked and I really needed to get a crown. She felt it was fairly urgent that I get it fixed, but the $1,000+ cost would not be covered by my insurance, due to some explanation that made no sense to me. I told her I couldn't afford it, and she suggested I apply for a medical credit card (which I could do right there in her office!) and charge the procedure on the card. Thankfully I didn't fall for her sales pitch, and I haven't had any problems with my teeth since. I never went back to her after that visit, but I did end up getting a surprise bill from her for two teeth cleanings that year. I already paid my co-pays, so why was I getting a bill? Turns out she billed my insurance company for some procedures she claimed to have performed during my regular teeth cleanings. Insurance wouldn't pay it, so she passed the charges onto me. I didn't even know what these procedures were that she claimed were done. All I knew was that I had my teeth cleaned and that was it. I refused to pay the bill until I could discuss the charges with her. I tried to contact her - left messages with the receptionist, left voicemails, and even sent letters. She NEVER responded back to me. She just kept sending me a bill. She finally contacted me with a somewhat threatening letter saying that she'd been "patient long enough, and she expects payment from me immediately." Well, that led me straight into filing a complaint with my insurance company. They reviewed my complaint, and ruled in MY FAVOR. They weren't allowed to disclose the details of their review, but said that Dr. Sonin had to adjust my account for the amount I was being overcharged. I did not owe her any money. My insurance company AGREED with my complaint that Dr. Sonin overcharged me. I hope my review serves as a warning to people considering Dr. Sonin as a new dentist. I wasn't going to write a review on Dr. Sonin until I saw that other people had similar complaints as me. Obviously my situation wasn't an isolated incident. It seems to be the way that Dr. Sonin conducts business. By the way, I am happy with my new dentist in La Canada. Not only is he a great dentist, but he's an HONEST dentist! read more

My previous review was removed due to a lack of description of first-hand experience (it mostly said to look at all the bad reviews on other sites- and that you should use Yelp rather than 1800dentist, which is true, but I understand that doesn't really have anything to do with this dentist, so now I will post my first-hand experience here). I made an appointment with this dentist, and then later (on the day of the appointment) discovered a couple of terrible reviews of her and started to feel uncomfortable about the prospect of being treated by this dentist. When I arrived at the office (and was lost for about 15-20 minutes because the building is very confusing and her office very difficult to find) I actually called my mother and asked for her advice, because the building was dirty and run-down, and I told her about the bad review I had read, and that I was thinking of just leaving and finding another dentist. She told me that as long as I was there (it was a fairly long drive) I should go ahead and have my teeth cleaned because it's hard for even a bad dental office to mess that up, so I decided to go ahead and go in once I found the office. They did x-rays and an exam, which I thought was pretty typical, but then quoted me a price on my filling and did not clean my teeth (even though that's what I made the appointment for), saying that they never do that until a 2nd appointment because they need to determine whether a "deep cleaning" is necessary (thus forcing you to return to her office later on, even if you don't need any work done). Also I've had my teeth cleaned every 6 months my whole life, and I've never heard of a "deep cleaning." When I left I told them to wait on scheduling me another appointment. I then decided to find another dentist, and called her office to request my x-rays so that I could have the work done by someone I felt more comfortable with. The receptionist said they would send me the x-rays, but only if I would pay them $35 to get them away from her. I was quoted only $38 to have the x-rays re-done that I would need to fill my cavity, so I thought this price was excessive, but decided I was going to have to pay it anyway because I didn't want to be exposed to any more radiation. When I told my mother about the fee they were charging me, she called my uncle who's a dentist and asked him if he'd heard of anyone charging such a fee (my family has been going to the same dentist for years, and whenever we need x-rays sent to anyone, he doesn't even charge us for the cost of mailing). My uncle said not only had he not heard of this kind of fee being charged, but that the ADA doesn't consider it to be an ethical practice to double-charge for x-rays. I called Dr. Sonin's receptionist and explained to her that the fee was awfully high, and that one of the reasons I had chosen their practice was because their description on 1800dentist.com said that they are understanding with people who have fallen on hard times in this bad economy (and I fall into this category). The receptionist was extremely rude, and kept insisting that all she needed from me was a check for $35 and that she would not release the x-rays without it. As the conversation went forward, I actually told her that my uncle told me it was considered unethical by the ADA and asked her how she would respond to that, and she said, "that's fine" as though she acknowledged that it was unethical and was perfectly fine with that. Since then, she has sent me a threatening letter stating that she will sue me if I do not remove my reviews of my experience with her. This has truly been one of the worst business transactions I've ever experienced and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, which is why I feel it is important to re-post my review in a manner that doesn't violate Yelp's TOS, so that it will not be removed this time. read more

Apparently my insurance covered one "deep" cleaning, which is just a regular cleaning at any other dentist. When I went in for my regular 6 month cleaning she refused to clean my teeth unless I paid the $199 for another "deep" cleaning. And she chipped the back of my crown off and just sanded it smooth. read more

Dr Sonin is the best dentist I have ever had. I have never had any pain including during a root canal.

I have been going to Dr. Sonin for many years, mainly for semiannual teeth cleanings. Recently I had her remove all of my mercury fillings (8 total). It was done in 2 visits. Everything went really well. I keep going to her for these reasons: 1) whenever I make an appointment I am never kept waiting for more than a few minutes 2) she's very close by 3) she does a good job. 4) She and her staff are always friendly and professional. read more

If you are looking for the worst possible dentist in the United States, by all means, give this dentist a try! I can't seem to find the words that would accurately describe how terrible this lady is!!! But there is some good news in all this. First, when you call for an appointment, you will get one the same day! Why? Because they have no patients! And second, when you arrive at the office for your appointment, you will be the only one there, which means no waiting! Isn't that great? And again, it's because they have no patients! Finally, when she is working on your teeth, you will be getting her undivided attention.....because there is no one else there!!! Aren't these reasons to give her a try wonderful??? Plus you will get to experience the worst dentist in the country! read more

Mrs. Dr. Sonin became an expensive nightmare to me, who talked me in to an "expensive,deep cleaning",- an expensive rootcanal with post and temperary crown,-witch broke shortly after in the root, a second cleaning, three month later I refused, than she talked me in to extracting my upper thees and promised me a premium denture. She called it my investment and "this investment" cost me for a period of totaly a little over five month over $ 7,000.- , that's when the denture broke and she indirectly refused to do something about it. Now I am totaly out, since I went to see a nother Dentist in La Canada. Her secretary, Irma, of course, may just be holding on to her job, - helped to make my " Excaveted " metal disappear. I am just as mad about my self, that I felt for that " scam" , because no other dentist saw my teeth that bad and there seemes to be no help in this matter. I am sick about it, - I am still sore and out a lot of money and that will not even do anything for our economy , - Klaus Schneider read more

I chose Dr. Sonin because I live in La Crescenta and her office is very close to my home. The only thing Dr. Sonin is interested is deep cleaning which is very expensive and is not being covered by HMO insurance. I made an appointment for semi-annual cleaning. After taking numerous x-rays she informed me that I need deep cleaning and recommended quarterly cleaning thereafter. My insurance pays for cleaning twice a year and not 4x/yr. I did not have enough money in my flex account to cover the deep cleaning. I later called her office and told her assistant to postpone the deep cleaning and do routine cleaning instead, but to my surprise and after talking to Dr. Sonin she said no, the Dr. recommended deep cleaning for now. I mentioned that I don't have money and I just need routine cleaning, but the answer was no. Dr. Sonin is very greedy and unethical. She charged me for co-payment and did not give me the x-rays so I can go to another dentist. read more