This review has been a LONG time coming, believe me. I saw Dr. Cortez legitimately 26 years ago in the year 2000. (check the receipts added to this review.) I'm not surprised Dr. Cortez is still crushing it in LB. I remember my first visit! He had a custom book made for me to help me understand teeth + why brushing/flossing was so important. It had my name written throughout the book as well. That kind of patient care has never happened to me since and I don't see it happening again! I remember thinking how cool that was when I was 8 years old. I found the book this past week when I was cleaning my mom's house. It even has a Polaroid of me in there as well. Such a cool touch and it's still remembered all these years later. Even my mom had great things to say about what she remembers from the experience! Hope all is well at the office! And glad to see you're still doing well :) If you are looking for a pediatric dentist for your child -- look no further! You're in good hands. read more

Pediatric Dental Specialists - My customer made first visit book - Pediatric Dentists Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Upon entering the office, it was very warm and child friendly! We are previous patients of Fantastic Dental. We absolutely loved Fantastic Dental. We only left bc they no longer have a contract with our dental insurance. We did not wait. When we walked in, we were seen right away. I took my two sons and they were happy. Painless and easy. My sons came in for their 6 month cleaning with X-rays. read more

My daughter had her six month follow up. she has had the best experience coming to Pediatric Dental Specialist. Dr. Cortez. and Assistant Chuy are very attentive. She is very comfortable. The staff at Pediatric Dental Specialist are very nice and helpful. The healthful tips she gets about brushing and flossing is great. Her visit went well. read more

Pediatric Dental Specialists - 1st Dentist visit - Pediatric Dentists Near Me - Long Beach, California

Dr. Gloria is amazing. Friendly staff and warm environment! We have been coming here for 6 years with my little one and they are fantastic! 10/10 would recommend !!! read more

Dr. Cortez is the best and absolutely wonderful with both children and their parents/caregivers!

We came here for a second opinion and I am so glad we did. I called and spoke with the woman at the front desk for a good while and she answered all of my questions. I had just gotten home from a terrible visit at another dentist that quoted us a ton of money for a prodecure that we didn't even need- She calmed me down and talked me through other options and we made an appointment for my son to be seen that same week with Dr. Cortez. He is by far the best dentist we have seen. I am so happy we found this place and I feel much better taking my boys here for their dental needs. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! read more

My child has been visiting this dental office the last few years and I have had nothing but great experiences. The office is very clean and tidy. In the front waiting area they have an impressive aquarium with a cute puffer named Scooter. The dentists and staff are all very friendly. They take their time and are always willing to answer any question, concerns, or simply explain the visit. I have had to reach the dentist on call after hours and the doctor was very responsive and helpful. I absolutely recommend anyone in the area to this pediatric dentist - your kiddos will be well taken care of. read more

I've been taking my three kids here since 2020, and I am so happy I found Pediatric Dental Specialists and Dr. Cortez. They are great with kids, helpful and efficient. Chuy the dental assistant, is especially great at working with children. He helped my son who was so nervous about a filling/crown feel comfortable. My son appreciated that he didn't rush or push him when he was feeling scared, and he talked my son through the procedure and even let him hold the different tools. I am so grateful to Chuy for making the process better today. Thank you Chuy! read more

My son fell at school and sustained oral trauma. I immediately called Pediatric Dental specialists and they allowed me to bring my son in to evaluate his teeth. Everything was ok, but I really appreciate them for making time for an urgent matter. read more

They take amazing care of my special needs son. They have seen him since his first teeth erupted. They take their time and make adjustments to accommodate him and his needs and never pressure us into anything. They are patient and kind. I highly recommend. read more

This is the best dentistry for kids! Three of my children have been coming here since birth. You would be so fortunate to be a patient if theirs... read more

Pediatric Dental Specialists - Staff picture wall... - Pediatric Dentists Near Me - Long Beach, California

The staff was great. Very welcoming and friendly. Dr. Cortez was very nice and informative. He provided excellent service to me and my daughter. Julie is amazing and so sweet and kind. The office is run very smoothly and efficiently. Definitely recommended. read more

Called and scheduled an ortho consult here, very nice reception and ortho doc however, they do charge $93 for the consult which was never explained on the phone, in person at check in or the website. I am extremely disappointed in that lack of transparency and will not bring my daughter back for braces now, they say it will go towards her treatment, but to rope patients in this way is a major turn off. read more

Great service during each and every visit. We have been going here for about 20 years. They really care and have patience with their patients. I highly recommend them. read more

Please do yourself a favor and never take your children here!! The trauma my kids experienced over several visits was not only unnecessary and avoidable, it is purely negligent care on the part of Dr. Cortez and his team. I have been taking my kids here for several years. At first I thought it was just unavoidable that my toddlers were scared and not the most cooperative, so they didn't get much out of it and the visits were frankly, traumatic. Now that my oldest is 5 and can understand more of what's going on, we worked hard at home to just prepare him on what was going to happen, practiced, watched a few videos, etc. and he was really well prepared for his appointment. My brave little 5 year old walked into that appointment and said "I'm a little nervous - please go slowly and explain each step to me and I'll be okay." They. Didn't. Listen. To him. To me. To anyone. They again just held him down while he screamed and begged them to stop. I told them to stop. They didn't listen. He was gagging and coughing and fighting against them (obviously) because, despite us practicing at home, they weren't gentle, they didn't explain anything, didn't do even the bare minimum to help him through it. They never bothered to try to go slowly, be gentle, show him the tools, practice on his hand, anything that are obvious approaches for a place that advertises itself to be good with kids. Their only solution was that they wanted to sedate my kids for the next visit. Of course it would be easier to just sedate them. Everyone is easier to work with when they're sedated! Too bad it's profoundly unsafe for my kids and is not an acceptable solution as standard business practice. Just regularly sedate them every 6 months for a dental cleaning? Absolutely not. Just got back from their first trip to a new dentist who did all the things Dr. Cortez and his team didn't. Explained to them what was going to happen, practiced on their hand, used child friendly language and both my 3 and 5 year old participated beautifully. We got the whole thing done, cleanings, x-rays, everything that Dr. Cortez said was "impossible without sedation." Turns out the problem wasn't that they were scared of the procedures. They were just (appropriately) afraid of Dr. Cortez and his hygienist holding them down, forcing their mouths open, and gagging them repeatedly while being shouted at "you're fine." So grateful to have found a true pediatric dentist who knows and understands how to actually work with children. It's so much more than just a nice fish tank in the waiting room. read more

I've been bring my children here for 17 years. The staff is always super helpful. The doctors are amazing.

Beware of this office they are deceiving. They "prescribe" and want you to purchase a toothpaste in their office that is double the price. I did not know until after I purchased the toothpaste that they were ripping me off. They want you to pay for expensive Silver Diamine procedures out of pocket that do not work. The quotes that they give you are inaccurate, they do not contact your insurance to get an accurate quote and so you will be charged a lot more than what they will quote you. According to Nancy who is the "Financial Coordinator" it is not their job to contact the dental insurance to give you an accurate quote. Nancy is very rude and dismissive. Dr. Gloria appear to be nice and perky but she is not. They are not gentle when doing procedures. read more

Warning: this is a premium pediatric dentistry!!! Honestly I went in for a consultation and I had no idea they were going to charge me because when I went to go see other dentist for a consultation it was always free. I was surprised after the consultation was not free and they said it would be ducted from my $1,500 allotment for the year. The reason why I even walked in here was to find a dentist that had hospital privileges bc I heard that if your dentist and pediatrician was associated with the same hospital, insurance would pay for the anesthesia cost. Oh boy from the moment I walked in and the consult, it was up-selling you left and right. To even start the process with my insurance, it would be a non refundable $500 and other dental places was $350. They kept pushing me that moSt likely it couldn't be done and the dental work would need to be done here. The cost for anesthesia would be at least $1200-$1400. I'm sure these dentists are knowledge but I'm not a fan of their business side of doing things. Come here if you have money to burn bc I don't. You would think for all these premium services you are paying, equipment and settings should be top notch and super modern but it isn't. read more

Pediatric Dental Specialists - Pediatric Dentists Near Me - Long Beach, California

I absolutely love the staff and doctors here! My kids are always happy and looking forward to each visit. They are actually the ones always asking when their next dental visit is going to be. I highly recommend coming here. read more

Best attention and care I have ever experienced with a Dental office. Dr. Cortez is great!

I highly recommend Dr. Cortez my son who was born with a cleft/palate they took so good care of him with lots of care. My toddler who is 4 now also loves it here. The RDA Chewy is very patient and walks my toddler thru the cleanings and she is very calm. This office has alot of care for there kids. read more

Pediatric Dental Specialists - Thank you to RDA Chewy walking my toddler thru her cleaning with patience. - Pediatric Dentists Near Me - Long Beach, California

If I could give the experience that we had today a million stars, I would. Let me provide some background information. My daughter just turned 6 late last month. She is terrified of the dentist office. We have been to a few offices several times and each time was full of tears and no progress. The dentists and technicians were frustrated with her fear and I was full of anxiety and felt like a failure as a parent. I brought her back to Dr. Cortez today for a second time hoping for a miracle and a miracle is what we found! Chuey! He greeted us at the front door and was a breath of fresh air for the remainder of the visit. He addressed my daughter with such personalized care & the perfect touch of authority. My daughter sat & did everything he asked her to do from X-rays to a cleaning & he prepped her every step of the way. He showed her every instrument and engaged with her wonderfully. He showed her exactly what to expect when Dr. Cortez would come in and the rest of the appointment was a breeze. This may seem pretty routine to you, but I am almost in tears. Chuey lifted the weight of the world off of my shoulders and the shoulders of my 6 year old and I feel like he has set the tone for a great new relationship with the dentists office. I will forever be grateful! Dr. Cortez is great and I trust him completely. The billing, back office gal is amazing too. Honestly, such an profound experience from start to finish. A million stars, for sure. read more

I came in today for my 6-month checkup and as always received great service. I have been coming here since I was 1 and have never had a negative experience. Dr.Cortez is the best. His assistant, Jesus 'Chewie', is great and always makes me feel at ease. Personnel at the front desk is friendly and very helpful. All around great dental office. Thank you read more

They were amazing it was a great experience, highly recommended. The whole staff helped my son feel comfortable and at ease

I like how organized this dental office is. With their appointments and text check ins. Super punctual when it comes to our appointment times. At the end of the appointment, the office ladies are very nice and helpful. They also make it fun for the kids with a little toy at the end of the visit and an aquarium in the waiting area. They also don't pressure me on any decisions that I make for my kids. I appreciate that! read more

The best pediatric dentists in Long Beach! Family orientated and very professional. Lots of experience and love have come from Dr. Cortez and Dr. Sanchez in the years I have been cared for by them all the way until I was an adult. I think it's time I get to give them the proper praise they deserve as a practice for any future patients or parents looking for A+ Dental care. read more

My son and I had a great first experience at this dental office. Everyone who we came into contact with was nice and professional. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who has a youngster and is looking for a dental location. read more

Dr Gloria is amazing! Great bedside manners. Love how she interacted with my son. Made him so comfortable since he has anxiety with any dental procedures. We miss Dr Sanchez but congratulations on her retirement. Love our hygienist Candace, my 11 year old is been seeing her for 6 years now. Finally, Julie and Nancy in the check out makes everything fly smoothly. read more

Such an amazing experience!! My daughter had a sugar and Dr. Gloria came to the rescue. She made my daughter feel calm and comfortable and her assistant Candice talked to my princess and made her feel calm. If you have kids I definitely recommend coming to Pediatric Dental Specialist your kids will love it!! read more

I really don't like to write poor reviews but I just realized I had originally written a five star review for this office, and in this case I think I need to warn other parents to get a second opinion. Our first visits with this office were great but when I took my then five year old son there about a year ago after they reopened I was shocked at what happened. After my son had x-rays Dr. Cortez took both of us into another office with a female dental assistant. He looked stressed and exasperated. He told us in a very serious tone that my son had several bad cavities and one of them would require a crown. My son who has been afraid of getting "holes in his teeth" started crying because he felt like he had done something wrong. It was very intense. Then they sent me to the billing department and I was told that not only did my insurance not cover the over 1k fee for an anesthesiologist, but it also didn't cover a white crown only silver, and she pushed a very ugly picture of a child's teeth with silver crowns at me to demonstrate how bad it would look. We were also told that they were very busy after reopening, and we needed to get on the schedule right away. Both my son and I left shaken and upset. I had to reassure him it wasn't his fault this was happening. When I went over everything with my husband, we decided to take him to my dentist Emigh Dental Care for a second opinion. Dr. Reel was wonderful with my son and said she could fill the tooth and she did not think he needed a crown because the tooth was a baby tooth and would just fall out eventually anyway. She didn't see any other cavities that needed filling. She was very calm and gentle with my son and talked to him like a buddy instead of like a child, like a cool aunt. He loved her. A few weeks after she filled the tooth, which was ALL covered by our insurance, the tooth got wiggly because the adult tooth started pushing it out. She pulled it at no charge because we had just filled it. Their office at Emigh may be set up for adults, but having a fun office is not worth unnecessary work. Be sure to always get a second opinion. read more

Great experience every time! Dr. Cortez, Dr. Sanchez and Dr. Planells are all so amazing! The staff is always very professional and courteous. I travel over 50 miles once a month for my daughters ortho and dental needs and it's so worth it. Thank you Pediatrics Dental for taking care of my entire family! read more

By far one of my favorite Dr. Cortez is so patient, friendly and knowledgeable. I came from Dr. Stella and this is sooooo much better and more affordable . Julie is so friendly and trustworthy. You are more then just a number here. read more

My kids have been coming to this dentist since there were very young (7 years now). This is the only dentist they know. Chewy and Dr. Cortez make everything simple to understand and my kids love them!! read more

Before my son became a patient, I was already referring many of my patients (I am a pediatrician in Long Beach) to Dr. Cortez. Having received great dental care from the office, my patients have wonderful feedback. When it was time to pick a dentist for my 12-month-old son, it was a no brainer. The office is very efficient, and the workflow is flawless. It's easy to schedule an appointment, and there are plenty of reminders for the scheduled time. The receptionist is always friendly, and the hygienists are all comfortable working with children. We never needed any dental intervention for my son, because he does not have any dental caries at age ten. All the routine dental cleanings have been very pleasant, and the decor of the office makes going to the dentist a relaxing experience (how often can you say that?). Having Xbox and PS consoles in the back helps the kids relax too. read more

Had a horrible experience here with Dr. Sanchez. After giving my daughter her first filling, through tears and obvious discomfort, I tried to speak with her afterwards about possible solutions for next time. She was not open to any ideas (a little more gas, maybe let the novocaine sit a little longer to take better effect), she wouldn't hear any of it. She even tried to tell me that my daughter didn't cry, when I heard her tell my daughter not to cry, saw my daughter crying, and saw the salty stains from dry tears in her cheek. After that, she insisted she knew my child better than me and her mom, was totally dismissive, and after all that, she didn't even have any Tylenol for us. The worst. We will never go back. read more

We started at the office for orthodontics for one of our kids after visiting several offices for consultations and immediately loved them. From the office staff to medical staff and everyone along the way, the vibe is positive and friendly. We have our second kid undergoing ortho with them and our third just started too. Our third kid also needed a baby tooth extraction done and he was beyond scared. We went to the pediatric dentist in the office where they carefully administered nitrous and took such good care of him that he literally didn't know they had extracted the tooth. The group is amazing and I would recommend them to anyone. read more

Our first dental experience here was amazing. The staff in the office is so welcoming and professional. They made my 7 year old so comfortable, they explained everything they were going to do before they did it. Also the was so friendly and her bed side manners were great. The atmosphere was super kid friendly from video games in the office to Netflix and amazing toys after your visit. I loved the office so much at I completely changed my children dental office for good. read more

It was my child's first ever dental visit and it went smoothly. I had called several offices for inquiry and good thing I still have the list I got from his pediatrician for dental recommendations. So I called and made an appt and I love it! Heading out to the clinic my son said "I like it here mommy with a huge smile!"..and that's all it matters. Thank you so much! read more

My kids started out seeing PDS young (18 months) and enjoy getting their check-ups. We always see Dr. Cortez and His assistant, Chuy. They have always been awesome. My 2 year old recently had a bad fall, with major tooth trauma, and of course at 8pm. I called the office, which went to the on-call line, and Dr. Cortez called me back promptly. And not just once, but the four times I called him as I continued to assess the situation throughout the night. He was very calm, gave us a plan, and helped us stabilize for the next agonizing 11 hours. He had us meet him as early as possible the next morning with his team. Quickly prepped us for sedation and extraction of my poor little guy's two teeth. My mama heart was breaking while I waited, but they were so quick while also giving me all the info I needed and being so sweet and kind to my dude. Truly felt like they were as caring and concerned for him as they would be to their own family. Let me preface by saying I am a nurse in a pediatric setting and understand the patience, empathy, and heart it takes to comfort worried parents and take all their calls. In these days all my nurse logic has gone out the window as I turned into those exact parents and they have checked all those boxes. I appreciate in a way I cannot express: the check-ins and (many) call backs from Dr. Cortez, Chuy's exceptional kid-friendly chair-side manner, and seeing his other assistant, Jessica, cuddling my upset kiddo post-procedure. Excellent rapport established. Thank you!! read more

I've been coming to this office since I was a kid and have always gotten the best care from everyone here. Even thought it's a pediatric dental office I will literally never leave!! Dr. Cortez and Dr. Planells are amazing at what they do as well as making me feel comfortable while there. Every time I meet someone new on staff there they have been very kind and patient with me no matter how many questions I have. They (along with Julie) are the reasons I actually love coming to the dentist! Today I had the pleasure of meeting Jessica and she was amazing. I couldn't recommend them enough!! read more