I should have written this review the first time I had this problem about 2-3 years ago but some other interactions with other staff members of this facility prevented me otherwise. Also, this particular office used to be under a long-time (20+ years) family dentist, until he retired, but my family and I remained patrons of this unit because of how close it is to us.
But 2 days ago I call at 10:20am looking to set an appointment for the next day for a regular CLEANING & CHECK UP. The person who answers the phone (who I assume is Noemi but can't confirm with this phone call exchange but has been the only front desk receptionist I've dealt with in this small office to set up appointments) answers with just a "Hello." Doesn't state the usual "Hello, Panorama City Dental!" to let me know if the number I had dialed was in fact correct, so I had to verify that it indeed was the dental office. Though she confirmed, she said that the office isn't open right now to set up appointments and that I should call a half hour from now. I was like.. okay sure whatever and hung up. I come check the Yelp hours as I write this review and this office opens at 9:00am??? Why did the person on the phone tell me to call back pretty much at 11:00am? I didn't think much of it at the time but now I'm like... that's so odd.
Anyway, she ended up calling me back about 20-30 min later to help set up an appointment for me. I ask "What times are available?" First suggestion she gave was "11:00 tomorrow." I'm like, cool, sounds good, see you at 11 tomorrow. I ask for a half day at work and clear out my schedule because in addition to working full-time, I go to night school right after. 11:00am was the only time I could make work. I arrive right on time because I live minutes away and find there is no usual check-in sheet. Strange... but okay, COVID-related, idk. Anyway. I DON'T GET INTO THE CHAIR UNTIL 12:15PM!!! I waited over an hour before getting my x-rays taken and still waited another 15 min to get my check-up and cleaning! I had stayed quiet the whole time without complaining until I realized that this is actually ridiculous. Like, the treatment only lasts 15-20 minutes. IF A PATIENT GETS SCHEDULED FOR 11:00AM AND WON'T GET SEATED FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF, SCHEDULE THE PATIENT AT 12:30!!!!! Why didn't I say anything until then you ask? Welll here's a little backstory of my experience a few years ago when this dental office switched managements/owners....
Setting up my appointment with Noemi was a nightmare that I'll never forget. In the summer, I scheduled a dental appointment again and asked for a time in the afternoon. Noemi said 2:00pm for that day we decided. I remembered vividly and put it on my calendar immediately. I don't usually do so, but I 100% did so for this day. And scheduled a workout session prior to that 2:00pm appointment to finish up at 1:30pm to arrive at the dental office at 1:45pmish. Checked-in with the sign-in sheet and everything. To my dismay, I found that the dentist wasn't ready for me yet at 2:00, 2:15, 2:30, as 3:00 started to draw near, I go up to Noemi at the front desk and ask how much longer I'll have to wait. She tells me, "Oh, your appointment is at 3:00pm" HUHHHHHH??!!!?!? NO. I WAS GIVEN THE TIME OF 2:00pm. Without question. Period. Even after seeing me sign in super early, there was no decency to check and see that a patient was unusually early to an appointment and let her know, "Ma'am, you're rather early to the appointment"?!? Nope, nothing. Maybe because I really was scheduled at 2:00pm and despite having several patients come and go from the office, the receptionist still remains uninformed how long dental procedures actually between patients so said my appointment was a later time. We'll never know the truth. ANYWAY, every minute that I waited past 3:00pm, which about 15-20min until the dentist was ready to see me, I literally could not take it anymore and had a public mental breakdown at that office and could not get treated in the state I was in and had to go home.
The thought of reliving the trauma of that day was why I chose to refrain from voicing my dissatisfaction until I saw the doctor and her assistant. Although those two were very apologetic and asked how my family was doing to placate the situation, it was only a reminder that, this check-up that was supposed to be finished within the hour I set up my appointment, wasted so much of my time and prevented me from staying home to look after my family that they kept asking me about. I hate to disregard a good dentist's work but my terrible experiences with dealing with Noemi and/or whoever else I dealt with in making my appointments on 10/19/2021 has prompted me to seek another dental office with receptionists who know how to estimate how long procedures take and schedule patients appropriately. Or dental facility that keeps all the staff informed of setbacks so as to prevent patrons from wasting so much of their time waiting read more