A friend recommended Dr. Ortega after a particularly negative experience with another dentist in the area. And we are so glad to have found Dr. Ortega. From the online system, to the communication, to the front office, and to Dr. Ortega and his thoroughness and thoughtfulness, our 1st visit went really well! Another dentist recommended that our son get a baby root canal but Dr. Ortega pointed to the X-ray to explain that the decay had reached the nerve to make the recommendation for a full extraction. He also outlined 2 options for us to complete the procedure and let me know that we should make the decision on which option to pursue since we know our child. There were a number of personal missteps that we made in terms of our son's oral health following our own blind spots and the advice of other dentists. But moving forward we feel confident to have Dr. Ortega as our son's dentist. read more

Loved the service here, miss joanne was the best ! I was welcomed in very kindly by the lovely front desk. Everything was phenomenal, would definitely come back! read more

My 4-year old daughter left her first dental check up saying, "I love the dentist!". The staff was all sweet and attentive to her needs. Dr. Mark Ortega and his staff explained each process of the appointment so my daughter could feel at ease. The office is so child friendly! The waiting room is well organized and filled with activities for little ones to enjoy while they wait. Definitely going back! read more

Aggressive treatment plan to my kids! My son is only 6 years old, has gravity. I visited Dor Worden to get a consultation, and we did X-ray before which is showing not hurt the nerve yet. Dr. Worden said he have to make 5 crowns, need hours surgery, and general anesthesia! I was scared, and find other dentiest for help, finally, we just fill it, only finished 1 hour without general anesthesia. The filling works great so far. Dr. Worden's solution is too aggressive and very costly, he only want the money, never care about the suffering of patient, even to a 6 years kid! so be very careful my friends! Worst management of billing! Not only, just for the 5 minutes conversition with doctor they charge $200 dollars, and I have already given them my insurance card, and to confirm it I give them many times over phone and email, however they never file claim correct, and finally I recieved collection! What a terriable experience, please be very careful with them! read more

My newly 12 year old daughter has been doing here since she was 6 years old following unfortunately adverse experiences with another well known pediatric dentist in Long Beach. The staff has always been extremely patient, kind, and very willing to help make my daughter's dental exams extremely positive. Dr Worden was always amazing and ensured encourage us to seek orthodontic care with amazing orthodontic recommendations which resulted in extremely positive outcomes. We are now seeking Dr Ortega in the office since Dr Worden is now working more limited hours. Dr Ortega noticed that my daughter was wearing crocs & asked her if she wanted additional accessories for them which was an enthusiastic yes!! He is extremely child friendly and makes a point of talking to the child as the patient and then looking to the parent for any needed clarification which as a mom of a 12 year old I appreciate!! My daughter had a tiny cavity that needed to be filled and he and one of his dental assistants stayed late to fill it. It was all laser / no numbing or drilling needed and I was able to stay in the room. Dr Ortega made conversation with my daughter and even asked her about the croc accessories she chose when we were done. I probably wouldn't have the dental aversion like I do if I had this type of dental experience!! read more

I would not recommend Dr Worden. After switching to another Peds Dentist I see the difference in Dr Worden's approach compared to a different Peds dentist's approach. It is night and day. Dr Worden is a good dentist, but I had a few issues with his approach and recommendations. First, he doesn't seem to know how to talk to kids. We had 2 appointments, and barely said anything to my daughter, instead opting to primarily talk to me the parent. I strongly believe a Peds dentist should be able to connect with your child on some basic level, even if it's being silly or playful. And it's the initial visits that are most important to get the child to trust you and like you. No such thing happened at this office with the guy who matters most, the dentist himself. Second, on first visit he recommended that we may need to wiggle some of my daughters baby teeth out under anesthesia to make room for teeth coming in. To his credit, he did refer us to an Orthodontist to get a recommendation on what to do. We went to the Orthodontist and the Orthodontist said to do nothing for now, wait 6 months. When we went back to Dr Worden, we told him what the Orthodontist said and Dr Worden recommended still to wiggle out some baby teeth. Why send us to the Ortho who says do nothing if he wanted to wiggle out some teeth anyways. I was also upset that Dr Worden didn't talk to the Orthodontist by getting records or anything, even with over 2 weeks notice before our appt. His office person said they would get the records before our appt. I got upset at Dr Worden during the appt because of what he hadn't done (get the records) and the confusing referral to the Ortho if he wasn't going to listen to the recommendation. I did say I'm sorry to the Dr at the end of the appt but I was very disappointed. Third, Dr Worden did not examine my daughters teeth himself with his own hands. I found that kind of odd. He seemed to rely only on films and scans. Growing up I remember the dentist always did a little tinkering in my mouth, did a little scraping and commented on it to me. About a week later I get a certified letter from him, dropping my daughter as a pt. In hindsight, I expected it a little. But remember parents, if something doesn't feel right, it most likely isn't right. So, maybe 2 weeks after the letter, we made an appt with another Peds dentist near us. What a difference! The office was great. They connected with my daughter on every level. Made her smile, made her laugh and got my daughter to comply with almost every treatment and option including getting the dreaded Xrays and scraping her teeth. The dentist made the same connection too, examined her teeth and did a little scraping herself. The new dentist had us talk to another orthodontist about the teeth coming in and guess what he said? Do nothing and wait a year! A year! He recommended to not wiggle any teeth out anytime soon, too traumatic when she just needs to grow a little more then we can see where she's at after a year. What is Dr Worden doing? Sends us to Ortho then ignores recommendations? Something is fishy. Find a dentist that is truly kid oriented and doesn't have some hidden agenda of his own. I thought of reporting him to the State for recommending unnecessary treatments and unnecessary trauma. When 2 Orthodontist say the same thing and he still recommends the opposite, something is not right. I hope this review helps you make an informed choice. read more

Dr. Worden genuinely cares about his patients and the profession in general. My daughter had an emergency on the playground that resulted in 3 of her front teeth getting pushed up into her gums. Because it was on a Saturday late in the afternoon, no dentist office was open. So I took her to urgent care and the doctor said that she would need to see a dentist first thing Monday (duh, you think?!). My kids had a regular dentist, but not a pediatric dentist. I had been looking to switch them over to a pediatric dentist. So I googled some and checked their reviews on yelp, and was impressed with Dr. Worden's reviews. So I called him and left a voice message the next day (Sunday). His wife ended up calling me back shortly just to say that her husband (Dr. Worden) was busy playing with their kids and would call me back. I thought that was very considerate. He called back and told me to bring my daughter in first thing Monday morning and he would see her. I took her Monday and we were seen immediately. He referred us to an oral surgeon and within the next couple of days, my daughter had the 3 teeth extracted. Dr. Worden is compassionate and caring (along with his staff). Extra kudo points- he learned (and knows) a lot about sickle cell disease during his residency in children's hospital. Always a major plus for doctors who provide care for my kids. read more

Today was our first time meeting Dr Ortega. Kids were a bit anxious about seeing a new dentist, which then made me anxious. Didn't take long for our anxieties to ease. Dr. Ortega was awesome! After the appointment, both my 16 yr old son and 11 yr old daughter commented on how much they liked the Dr. He was super personable and engaging as well as kind and gentle during his examination of their teeth. I'm very pleased and look forward to their 6 month checkup. read more

Dr. Worden is a highly informative and proactive pediatric dentist. He invites the parents into the examination room for either the whole procedure or the final instructions on what's been done and what needs to be done. His staff is friendly and easy to work with, and the office is clean, appealing, well organized, and stocked with plenty of play options for the little ones. read more

My 3 year old son was referred to Dr. Worden by Dr. Todd Emigh (who is great also!). Right off the bat, I knew my son had extensive dental work. Dr. Emigh, referred us out because of the amount of work/damage my son's baby teeth had. The waiting room has a table with markers and coloring pages along with a little play area on the side. At our first meeting, I was seen within 15 minutes of our appointment time, great! Dr. Worden was straight to the point, friendly, accommodating and friendly. He assured me that he wasn't going to judge how I took care of my son's teeth and that the important part was that I was at the office to move forward and take care of my son's teeth from here on out. I literally was in tears at the amount of work Dr. Worden said by son needed to get. Tears because I felt inadequate as a mother and I failed to take care of my son and protect him. Dr. Worden saw these expressions on my face and didn't pressure me into making an appointment to schedule the dental work. He informed me of the work that needed to be done and that anesthesia was $500 an hour. I ended up going to get a second opinion re: 4 caps and all the fillings my son needed. The second opinion stated that they agree with Dr. Worden's findings and treatment plan. I decided to go to Dr. Worden because he made me feel comfortable and genuinely cared for. The day of the procedure (Thursday, 7/25), Dr. Yun (anesthesiologist) was attentive and answered all my question. Dr. Worden met with us before the procedure and after. All in all it was a great experience. Dr. Worden even called later on in the evening. Everything was great, the staff even emailed post-op directions that I had forgotten. Fast forward to Saturday, 7/27, my son was experience bleeding. Dr. Worden said in his 20 years of experience has he ever had a problem such as bleeding at a site where a cap was inserted. He immediately asked me and my son to come in. At 8:30 PM Dr. Worden and 2 of his assistants were at the office. Dr. Worden assessed my son, and determined that he was okay. I'm glad that as a precaution Dr. Worden called us in (at this moment in time I also was in tears). I am truly grateful and in awe that Dr. Worden met my son and I (along with my 4 month old and sister) at the office on a Saturday night. Long story short, if you want a dentist/dental office that cares, Dr. Worden and Staff are the greatest. Thank you for your care, I appreciate it! read more

I have three children under the age of six and they love seeing the dentist. The office is quick and efficient. All the employees are kind and great with kids. My kids love the treasure box. But Dr. Worden is the best part. He educated parents well. I have always had terrible teeth and dreaded the dentist but this dentist actually educates on what is happened with the teeth. He goes over diet, mouth breathing and development. I trust him with my kids. We highly recommend him to other parents who want a more holistic dentist experience for their kids. read more

I agree with Tracy M. The entire staff is professional, educated, compassionate and friendly. Dr. Worden went to great lengths to make my son feel comfortable and to make both of us feel valued. The hygienist detailed her treatment and what we need to do at home. The front office researched my insurance to see if my son was due for xrays because I didn't have the information from our previous dentist. This has been the best experience I have had in a Dr/Dentist office! My son feels the same. He was excited to use all of the stuff in his "goodie bag" and even slept with the stuffed turtle that Dr. Worden gave to him. read more

This is a kids dentist and they always do a bang up job on my daughter. The waiting room is big and has two parts (one for really small kids and one that has a Nintendo Wii for the tweens). The dentist always explains everything to me and answers all my questions with patience. I really appreciate it. One 'minus' star for parking. The street outside is packed and the parking lot behind the place serves many businesses so it's always crowded and when you got a full size truck like me, you tend to notice this stuff. read more

I've been taking my 4 1/2 year old son to Dr. Worden since his first dental appointment after his first birthday. I feel it's important to mention that my son has autism, as particular sensory issues come with it that can make these types of experiences a little more difficult for our kids to handle. Dr. Worden himself does a great job of putting my son at ease and helping him to feel comfortable. He's kind and thorough, has wonderful information to help parents promote healthy teeth at home, and our appointments never feel rushed. I get the sense that he actually cares. His staff is amazing and I wish I knew all of their names. Irene does my son's cleanings and she's exceptionally patient and gentle. Today he had his first x-rays and the women who took them were so good with him. I mean, they got a 3 1/2 year old to sit still while he held something foreign in his mouth... multiple times! And he wasn't once upset about it! The front office staff is also great. We receive emails for reminders and they're always on time and friendly. The office is comfortable and clean, and they have a nice selection of toys to entertain little ones while they wait. I would highly recommend Dr. Worden and his staff/office to anyone looking for a Pediatric Dentist. read more

After receiving an initial consultation at another dentist for my 4 year old daughter that left me with more questions than answers and a feeling of uneasiness I sought out a 2nd consultation with Dr. Worden. The consultation went much better, answering all of my questions and fully explaining everything we needed to do, and not do. My daughter was very comfortable in the office and more importantly in the chair. When we left she quickly asked when we get to go back. The staff was also very friendly and thoroughly explained next step to us. Looking forward to our continued care with Dr. Worden. read more

Dr Worden took over a practice that his father in law, Dr Edson Beebe, had been running for some time. Dr. Worden is very friendly, the staff is great, and everyone is great with kids. My son has been going here since he was 2 yrs old (he is now 10) and they have never given us bad service. He doesn't seem to have a high turnover rate in his staff, either, which leads me to believe that he is a good person for which to work. read more

We have been searching for a great pediatric dentist who accepts our insurance plan and thought we'd found him in Dr. Worden. Our cleaning and xrays went well - my daughter loved the office! - until we found out our insurance did not actually cover the services. Rather than telling us "oh well, too bad for you", Dr. Worden's team worked out a more than fair (surprisingly so!) solution and even offered to answer any questions we had as we searched for a pediatric dentist within our plan. So nice to be pleasantly surprised by a business!! read more

We love Dr. Worden. He is an excellent pediatric dentist. My children like him and his staff. The waiting room has things for the children to do. Dr. Worden is empathetic and easy to understand when explaining things. We highly recommend Dr. Worden. read more

Reception is always friendly and professional. We needed to cancel an appt and reschedule and there wasn't any problems. The location is easy to find and accessible. Parking was full at the front but I'm not a good driver lol. The office was very spacious, neat and clean. The equipment both for children's entertainment and for dental services were adequate and up to date. Very impressive. Had all sorts materials for kids. The staff had very good bedside manners. Very patient and kid friendly. They are generous with praises when the child cooperates. The front people are pretty attentive and accommodating to my questions. Dr. Worden is very professional, kind, obviously highly educated. He took time to really explain what the case of my daughters teeth was and the needed treatment plan. Like his staff, he also praises the kids a lot and keeps us parents at ease. The flow of their operations in the clinic is systematic and smooth. My 4 year old daughter had to had two teeth cavities removed and filled. They were able to do everything in less than 30 mins. My daughter didn't feel the anesthesia at all. was also nervous about the gas but my daughter was awake 90% of the time.... To top it all, 6 hours after, I personally got a call from him checking up on how my daughter was doing...really felt the genuine care there! Really really excellent, first class service. I would highly recommend Dr. Worden and his team. read more

Dr. Worden cares about his patients & his community in a way that is so admirable! Dr. & staff are top notch! My kids have outgrown him now, but I wanted to share my experience for anyone with kids who's looking for a great children's dentist in Long Beach! read more

Dr. Worden has taken great care and time to get to know our family, and help our kids have the most positive experiences possible. He has offered his email address and always responds quickly. I am so happy to have found his office. read more

I love how Dr. Worden took the time to educate me and my daughter. He also used children language, like "whistle" versus "drill". I was a little nervous having her get laughing gas, but she was awake and calm the whole time she had her filling. They also place a lidocaine cream on prior to injecting lidocaine so my daughter wouldn't feel the pinch of the injection as much. The office is clean and they have kid activities in the waiting room. The only complaint I have is probably my own fault; I couldn't figure out where to park the first time I went because the appropriate lot had no parking signs except for tenants. Now that I know, no complaints. read more

Great dentist and knows how to talk with kids about what is happening. His staff are always really nice. My kids have only ever gone to him and so they actually like going to the dentist. Many people have a fear of the dentist, but not my kids. They get a toy out of the toy box every time they go. Even has a few toys my 12 year old will like. He is on time always...usually you are in the room within 5 minutes of your appointment time, which is really important to me since I want my kids to miss as little school as possible. read more

I've been taking my kids to Dr Worden for about 9 years. I don't have 1 complaint. He and his staff are awesome.

I've been taking my kids here for 3 1/2 years. Everything was fine. My 5 year old son starts Kindergarten this Fall and my kids are due back in September. Dr. Worden's office REFUSED to schedule my children for an afternoon appointment (although they're open til 5 M-Th) because that's "reserved for older kids." I asked twice and told them there were no school holidays for more than 2 months after their cleaning was due. I think it's ridiculous to insist I pull my children out of school twice a year to see a dentist because they're not "old enough" to have their teeth cleaned after school in this man's opinion. Not sure at what age he thinks school becomes important but we obviously disagree on this. I highly doubt he pulls HIS three elementary school kids out of school to get their teeth cleaned. Finding another dentist..... read more

I had to take my 2 year old in for his first visit this past week. Unfortunately he had bumped his tooth and it looked grey; and he also had a cavity starting in one of his molars. Javana (our dental tech/hygienist) was wonderful! She was able to clean his teeth AND get an x-ray of his front tooth! She was very patient and so positive...I'm sure the promise of getting to pick a prize out of the treasure chest was a good motivator, too :-) Then we went back to the play room to wait for Dr. Worden. He examined my son's teeth, explained possible treatments and also what he recommended we do right now. We ended up coming back the next day to have his cavity cleaned. Dr. W was able to get all the decay (it was just on the surface) and apply a filling...and it only took about 5 minutes (if that) and didn't require any shots. I highly recommend Dr. Worden to anyone looking for an awesome pediatric dentist. The entire staff is very professional, friendly, helpful...I could go on and on. We love this place! read more

Highly recommend Dr. Worden! The office is clean, updated, and friendly. The staff is NOT grumpy (who knew that was possible?) rather enthusiastic, professional, and pleasant. The hygienist took time to explain everything and show my 3 yr old what the cleaning would entail. She talked to her throughout. Dr. Worden himself then spent 20 mins talking to me...20 minutes! Again, who knew that Dr.'s actually still spend time with patients vs. treating us like cattle. Dr. Worden was personable, clearly educated, realistic, and an overall pleasure. Feels like we struck gold with a Dr. who has made a concerted effort to focus on customer service and relationships. read more

I wanted to have a great experience and was really looking forward to have my sons teeth examined and any problems corrected. First off they stated that I would receive paperwork in the mail prior to our visit. This did not happen, first strike. When I called to inquire about the paper work they told me to come in 15 minutes early to fill it out. At that time they should have suggested parking in the back lot, because there is a flight of stairs in front and not stroller friendly. I got there 15 minutes prior to my appointment and filled out the paper work. Then proceeded to wait an hour before seeing the dentist. Anyone with a 18 month old knows this is too long to wait and expect them to be happy having someone poke around in their mouth. By time we got into the office he was fussy. Note he doesn't get excited about stuffed turtles so your attempts were futile. After making a comment about the wait, the dentist stated he wouldn't charge my insurance for a ten minute visit gee thanks. I am super bummed because this place is clean and close to my house. read more

This review is way overdue. I have to applaude Dr. Warden and his staff for giving exceptional customer service. My daughter was 17 when she had an accident and broke one of her front teeth in half. Not having a regular dentist, I frantically called her Orthodontist, whom immediately referred us to Dr. Wardens office. After leaving a voice message, they returned my call within half an hour and asked us to come in immediately. We made the 30 minute drive with the broken tooth in a ziplock bag. We filled out the normal paperwork and were taken in. Dr. Warden was so compassionate and understanding. We didnt know he was a Pediatric Dentist and he didnt have to see my daughter, but he felt sympathy either for my daughters situation or for the crazy plea of a message I left on their voucemail. He mentioned he had an age limit, but he wanted to help. He successfully bonded my 17 year olds tooth back and asked us to return in a couple of weeks for a follow up. My daughter and I are eternally grateful to him for taking his time to see her and for being so compassionate. He made her feel beautiful again. May God bless him! read more

I found "Dr. Bill" through my insurance. He and his staff take the time to answer all questions and demonstrate the proper techniques for both kids and parents. He is the first dentist my son went to, and thanks to him and his friendly staff, my son looks forward to going to the dentist -- okay, so my son wants to play with the toys, but as long as he is happy to go, I'm a happy mom. My only complaint is the open bays where the doctor sees patients. I understand it's more efficient for the dentist, and it is very open and inviting; however, I prefer something a little more private for medical visits. read more

Having recently moved out of state, I am online searching for new dentists, reading reviews, and feeling inspired to comment on what a fantastic dentist Dr Worden has been to our girls! When we found Dr Worden it was because our kindergartener was studying teeth at school and his office had donated toothbrushes to the class. We decided to try him and have been thrilled! The staff is professional, friendly and I appreciate seeing the same faces routinely when we return for visits. While the waiting room is filled with child-friendly options for entertaining little ones, in our 5 years at the office we never had to wait for our appointments. Our girls have had routine cleanings, sealants, and fillings done by Dr Worden. His manner has always been calm, reassuring and professional. (For them and for me!) While I wouldn't say our girls love going to the dentist, I would say that I love having found a dentist who treats our kids, and their teeth, the way he would treat his own! Now I just need to find his twin here in our new town! read more

After being ripped off for years by another pediatric dentistry, and through the recommendation of my oh so fabulous orthodontist, I decided to give Dr. Worden a try. I went ahead and scheduled an appointment for my 4 children. The wait time was under 10 mins to see Dr. Worden and he was fabulous, took the time to explain everything to me and the staff was equally friendly and helpful. After the checkup, the kids all received goodie bags and a toy, a super bonus with my kids. Anyhow, as I walked out towards the checkout desk, I just kept thinking how much I would have to pay for these appointments. Mind you I was so used to walking out of appointments each time pay at least $300 for all the "recommendations" by my previous denist, so I made sure I took my checkbook with me. This is what I used to pay even though I had pretty good dental insurance! So, when I checked out and they advised that no additional money was due, I had to ask them twice! The receptionist said that no additional recommendations were needed and all I would need to do was to schedule thier next checkup. I've been with Dr. Worden for almost 2 years now and would not leave him for anything! Even now that he's no longer a Delta Dental provider, I am still willing to pay extra just to keep him as my kids' dentist. read more