Staff are very nice and welcoming. The dentist is wonderful with children. It is clean, organized and my kids love going there.

Parents beware! The negative reviews on here is eerily similar to what happened to my then 4-yr old son (now 13 yo). Thanks be to God that I trusted my gut and dodged having my young son be put under general anesthesia to get multiple cavities removed. As it turns out, he didn't have as many cavities as Suelene Chen had indicated and the minor cavity issues were treated using local anesthesia by his current Pediatric dentist. Parents, if you're being told that your child is "uncontrollable" and for his / her safety needs to be put under general anesthesia to get treated, and also you suddenly have a screaming crying mess of a child that you don't recognize, please get out of this dreaded office and get a second opinion. Also, I should've never let this office discourage me from going to the back room with my son when he got treated. That should've been my first red flag. read more

Parents should always be allowed to accompany their young children in the back room regardless if they're "just having X-rays" or getting their teeth clean. We were told several times that if a parent wanted to accompany their child in the back that they need to have morning appointments. Well, we scheduled morning appointments and I was given attitude by the hygienist and dentist at least 3 times when I insisted on being in the room with my child. The final straw was when I got up to accompany my child and the hygienist at the Beach Blvd location put her hand out to tell me to stay put. The dentist did let me go to the back after I spoke with her, but she also ignored me when I tried to discuss the matter with her. My child only did well during his visits because I was there to comfort him. The dentist and hygienist are essentially strangers to him so why do they think they can have a handle over a young kid!? Parents, when looking for a dentist, I advise you to contact the office and find out what their policy is on accompanying your child in the back room. I have since found a new pediatric dentist and was told I would have to pay $15 to send X-rays to another dentist. I've never heard of such a policy. read more

Dr. Chen and her staff are amazing. My kids have been seeing her since they were 3 years old (teenagers now).

We were long-time patients of the Brookhurst / Garfield location, where Dr. Bobby was hands-on and the service was personable. However, the clinic has changed over the years. Dental hygienists now do most of the work, and the male manager's tone has become increasingly rude. Patients are treated like numbers, and punitive fees are often imposed. Our breaking point came when we were told that parents would no longer be allowed in the room with young children during afternoon appointments. Knowing this, we specifically requested a call to reschedule a future appointment for the morning, but the call never came. Therefore, we assumed that the office was OK with the status quo. However, when we showed up for actual appointment, the manager threatened to charge us a $100 fee (or reschedule). We are taking our daughters and two other families to a different dental clinic. We are disappointed that Brookhurst / Garfield dental clinic has changed so much, and we would not recommend them to anyone. read more

We went here for two years. They wanted to take my young children (5 and 8) back behind door without me. Not appropriate ! That's when I left. That's just odd and I don't trust. read more

Dr Chen has been my 4 kids dentist for over 5 years. She's wonderful and her staff are amazing. Fun office environment and things to keep kids busy while waiting. Can't say enough positive stuff about Dr Chen. She's awesome. read more

Dr. Chen is AMAZING! The entire experience at A Tooth Doctor for Kids is outstanding. The staff is super friendly and great with kids. The office is clean and extremely beautiful due to the Hawaiian type beach murals that line the entire office. My son started seeing Dr. Bobby at the HB location when he turned 3-years-old because Dr. Chen was not taking any new patients (because everyone loves her!). No offense to Dr. Bobby, he was also amazing, but somehow we saw Dr. Chen and my son just fell in love with her. We now see her regularly and she is just the BEST! My son is now almost 6 and does not fear the dentist at all! It's awesome! I would recommend this office to anyone looking to start a very positive relationship between a wonderful dentist and their child. It melts my heart that he actually likes to go to the dentist! Thank you Dr. Chen and staff! read more

Suelene Chen, DDS - One happy kiddo! - Pediatric Dentists Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

Dr. Chen is amazing! I just had my first cleaning after almost two years (really bad, I know) and she made me feel so comfortable and relaxed during the appointment. She did a phenomenal job with the cleaning. The entire staff at the office is wonderful from the lovely and ensures their patients are comfortable and satisfied. The offices are immaculate, comfortable, high-tech, and welcoming. read more

Today was my 2 year old daughter's first visit to see Dr. Do. Everyone in the office made her feel incredibly comfortable and made the whole trip wonderful. This is a perfect place for little ones, whether they are first timers to the dentist of are regular patients. read more

If I could give negative stars, I would. Don't be fooled by the cute decor and friendly staff. This office UP SELLS you on procedures for your kids that are not necessary. After saying my apprehensive son had four cavities needed mild anesthetic and I'd need to bring him in 4 times, I double checked with my dentist. No CAVITIES!!!! I think she targeted the one of my three kids who was actually afraid of the dentist. That way he would come back multiple times. Playing on a parents desire to not create a traumatic dentist experience "that will stay with him for life" - which is exactly what she told me. How traumatic must it be for all he unnecessary cavities she is filling. She will show you films but teeth are different shades so any tooth could look like it has a cavity. read more

We go to the Fountain Valley location off of Brookhurst for my 3.5 year old. We have gone there 3 times now and each time is amazing. They have an extremely welcoming waiting room for kids with lots to do and two different TVs with Disney movies playing. They also have a fish tank that has a "Dory". From start to finish they make the experience a great one for my daughter. They give her her choice of balloon color and put on a movie above her chair to make it more comfortable. Then of course they are gentle and explanatory, and the patient gets a prize at the end of the visit. All in all, my daughter actually can't wait to go to the dentist and I couldn't be happier with the experience. read more

Fell short this time. We've had a great experience with Dr. Chen, making trips to the dentist for our kids (5 and 3) something they look forward to. Unfortunately this last time around wasn't such a great experience. After changing jobs last January our dental insurance wouldn't kick in until April 1. Our daughter needed a procedure done prior to this date and so with Dr. Chen's staff recommendation, I signed up and paid for a discount dental plan called New Dental Choice. This would have discounted the procedure quite a bit and saved us some money following our out-of-state move. After the procedure was finished this morning, my wife was informed that they are "phasing out" this discount plan and that the procedure would not be discounted. So let me remind you that it was Dr. Chen's staff that recommended I pay for this discount plan to save me money on the procedure in the first place. This was only 2 months ago and now they don't accept it?! I'm obviously upset about this and feel that an explanation is in order. Because of her practice, I am now paying more money that I should have for a simple in-office procedure (cost of the procedure, anesthesia, and now the monthly charges I've incurred for the discount plan they recommended). Aside from a good explanation and apology from Dr. Chen's practice, I would hope that she work with her staff to avoid these incidents in the future. It's not at all fun trying to settle into a new job, new community, and new home, and then have to juggle stuff like this. Every dollar counts for us right now, so financial mishaps like this hurt. Because we are in Huntington Beach so often we had hoped to stay with Dr. Chen as our kid's dentist. We'll see how things pan out as we reassess our decisions on pediatric healthcare. read more

I am so thankful we found this dentist. The customer service is top notch. Everyone is so friendly. This place is perfect for the kids to make them feel comfortable they think about every small touch to make their visits extra special for them. My daughter was so nervous from previous experience but now she loves the dentist. She has had to go back and the fear is gone. Thanks to the doctor and her staff. read more

Dr Chen is extremely professional and I never felt uncomfortable for one moment during my exam. I genuinely feel like she is a cut above many of the dentists I have previously visited. read more

My two kids have been going to this dentist for their whole life. The office is totally set up for kids. There are many toys to distract kids from toddler to teen. The staff are very good at working with the kids and my kids haven't ever complained about pain. They have had cavities too. The office has a cool beach theme. Another dentist that always talks to my wife at the pharmacy. read more

See all

Dr Chen tried to convince me to get expensive anesthesia treatment that is also risky for the child to treat many cavities at once. I opted for the gas and it worked fine. Also Dr. Chen took X-rays of my minor without asking for permission from the parent. Her policy is not to allow the parent to go back with the minor, therefore they rely on getting input from the minor to make treatment decisions. I've called other pediatric dentists and they don't follow a similar policy for obvious reasons. The office staff has been professional and attentive and I appreciate their efforts. However, Dr. Chen is not a good communicator nor is she trustworthy. Update - Approximately 1 year after Dr. Chen filled several cavities. One of the cavities needs to be redone and crowned. It seems likely that the cavity in need of a crown in such a short time period would be due to the workmanship. Unfortunately my 6 year old has to now endure more intrusive medical procedures and of course there is the very large out of pocket expense - approximately 550$. read more

I debated on writing this review because I don't really like writing negative reviews especially on a topic that I'm not an expert on but I thought my experience was too important not to share. Also, when I read of yet another parent who had the same experience as me on a HB forum I am on, it really pushed me to write this to warn other naive parents about this Dr. I have 2 children that have gone to Dr. Chen. They are both very cautious children who scare easily so I knew they were not going to like going to the dentist. I did my research and found Dr Chen who at the time was 5 stars with raving reviews, especially on the fact that she is good with children. Unfortunately, when I took my daughter she cried through the whole appt. From ages 2-4 my daughter has cried at every single appt here! I thought my kids were just more difficult than the avg kid so I figured this was how it would just be until they grew older. At age 3, the Dr found cavities and because of my daughter's behavior she suggested putting her under to fix them. I was nervous about that but she said there was no other option. So we did it. A positive about the experience was that it was successful with no complications. The anesthesiologist she works with seems very competent and honestly they have a very well oiled money making machine in this office. If you do have a situation that warrants a child going under, I would recommend this office! Btw this procedure is not covered by insurance so you are charged well over 1K for this. But according to the Dr this is necessary and has to be done. For the health of my daughter, of course money is not an issue! When I had my son, we took him to the dentist at age 2 and lo and behold he had cavities too and again the Dr recommended putting him under. I was super nervous about this because along with being young he is also severely underweight (think 1% on the chart). Again the Dr told us there was no other option. Despite the experience we had had with my daughter, I honestly had reservations about doing it with my son. It is a relatively safe procedure but with any kind of surgery there are risks and unknown effects on kids that scientists are still researching! It just seemed silly that we were spending over 1K and putting our child under for a simple cavity??? So I decided to do my research again. I am SO glad I did. I was able to find another pediatric Dr nearby who tries his hardest to not go the route of anesthesia. He also has awesome reviews about his handling of children. I decided to go there for a 2nd opinion. The first appt went so well. My son did not cry AT ALL. I was amazed considering the previous experiences I had had with Dr. Chen. In fact later that night he told me how much fun he had at the dentist and how much he liked him out of the blue!!! The Dr reviewed my sons teeth and said he could def do this without having to put my child under. I was overjoyed at having another option. I booked the appt right away. Yesterday was the appt and it was the easiest appt ever. My son did whimper a little bit but he literally walked out of the office with a big smile! The procedure was so successful and his teeth look great!!! My son was actually proud of himself at how brave he was! And I was so happy that we didn't have any risky anesthesia nor spend another 1K!!!!!! Parents I highly recommend you ask for 2nd opinions before doing any risky, costly procedures. There may be other options!! I had had another friend that we referred to Dr Chen that also had her daughter go under. And another friend who's dentist referred her here to have it done but she was too booked to take her. In other words, this office is known for putting kids under. I don't know if it is greed driving this office or what but I feel like putting children under should not be the first or only choice. I think she does it so often that she thinks it's no big deal now and just recommends it right away because it makes her job easier! With no thought to how much money it costs to the parents or the risks to the child. I'm upset that I didn't seek other options with my daughter but so thankful that we found another Dr who truly is good with kids and thinks of the patient first. I hope by writing this review, the Dr will take a second to rethink how she is running her business. I have no doubt she is highly skilled at what she does, but I think her telling patients that sedation is the only option for them is misleading. There are other doctors who might be a better fit for your kid. I'm sure Dr. Chen has done well with other kids....just not my kids for some reason (and some others from what I have now heard). In my experience, she was not very good at calming them down or making them like going to the dentist more. If they cry, instead she just tries to hurry through whatever she is doing and offers sedation rather than trying to calm or befriend the child. read more

I LOVE, LOVE this place! Dr. Suelene Chen is AMAZING with kids! Very gentle and patient. I can't rave enough! Both my kids go here, and its the most comfortable environment! Lots of toys and TV's on the ceiling are a plus, and a great distraction. So glad I chose the right office when we moved here 3 yrs ago. read more

At first everything was great with Dr. bobby until they switch me with Dr. Chen and they keep trying to convince me to put my son under Anesthesia which I strongly refuse to do so I just don't think is safe specially because is very unnecessary thing to do. I always go with the drinking sedation for him and they always tell me we took care of all the cavities but it just seems that every 6 months I get the same story about him having all this cavities all the time. And the Anesthesia subjects comes again. It just doesn't seem right to me. I also tried to schedule a emergency appointment for my other son and they refuse b cause Dr. Chen was not in that they want me to keep the same dentist I was not allowed to see someone else. BS read more

Dr. Chen is a fantastic doctor. She is magical with children. One of my daughters was screaming and crying I had no idea how we were going to get anything accomplished. Within seconds of her being in the chair, I was helping trying to keep her calm....Dr. Chen started her magic with a princess toothbrush, she immediately calmed down and got the through the remainder of the cleaning without a tear. She's so very sweet, professional and thorough with explaining her findings. We've moved from HB to Irvine but still make the drive to see her. Not to mention her office decor and kiddie friendly environment is awesome!!, read more

Terrible stay away! Dr. Chen wanted to give my daughter a "cocktail" to sedate her before she fixed her cavity! And charge $200 for it!! So scary! Luckily my husband went to wrong office so we never made appointment. If you read other reviews people have stated the same. We took our daughter to another dentist and they fixed cavity just fine!!! These people have a terrible computer system that doesn't link both office's so they can't see each other's appointments so frustrating. And their receptionist/appointment coordinator is terrible! Such a scam is you ask me! read more

We took our daughter for her first dental appointment. She loved the waiting room...lots of toys to play with and 2 TVs showing movies she likes. The dentist was so nice and comforting...he had our daughter talking and laughing. As he worked, our daughter leaned backed and watched the Little Mermaid on a TV on the ceiling. It was a great experience for our daughter and for us as parents...highly recommended. read more

Ace has seen this dentist 3x. Since he was 1. He cooperates for her. Her office is fun and inviting! We havent had any major issues with his teeth. We go in for his cleaning... read more

Dr. Chen is amazing! She cares about her patients and it shows. She takes the time to explain to my daughter what she's going to do rather than just doing it. My daughter is now 4 and has so much trust in Dr. Chen that she goes in the exam room alone. I couldn't ask for a better dentist! read more

Dr. Chen is by far the best childrens dentist ever! If she saw adults, she would be my dentist too :) We went to 3 dentists before someone highly recommended her to us. My 4 yr old son has a very difficult time at the dentist and dr's offices, but with Dr Chen, he does the entire appointment by himself! As long as my kiddos have teeth, they will continue to see Dr Chen. read more

We are visiting from out of town, and a permanent tooth came in behind a baby tooth of my daughter's that refused to let go. Based on Yelp reviews, we contacted Dr. Chen's office. They were super friendly and got us in for an appointment the same day. Dr. Chen was very sweet, calm, competent and caring, and the tooth extraction passed without even a tear! Best of all, since we don't have dental insurance, the whole procedure - exam, x-ray and extraction - was 50% of the cost quoted by several other local pediatric dentistry practices. Can't beat that! read more

Nice facility but they took my kids in while I was in the bathroom. At least ask and get my consent first before taking my kids in. Second, the gentleman there is rude. He was rude when I had to reschedule an appointment. He was rude telling me if I wanted to sit with my 5 year old, then I should have said something in the first place so that they would have scheduled my appointment in the morning. And lastly, I requested for my kids records and he had the nerve to call my husband on the phone after I just left to tell him I requested their records. I am the parent AND policy holder!!! Not coming back to see that S.O.B! read more

Today was my 18 month old son's first visit with Dr. Chen. Can I tell you that both of us LOVED her and her amazing staff?!! We were immediately greeted when we walked in by her staff. The atmosphere in that office was completely inviting and geared toward kids. My son immediately went to the train table to play. Within minutes Dr. Chen came out to the waiting area to greet us. She knelt down (9 months pregnant) to be down on my son's level to get to know him and establish trust. She asked him if he wanted a balloon. He followed right behind her (leaving the train table mind you). He picked a ballon and she blew it up with helium and he was sooo stoked! We went to the exam room where she really explained so much about his milestones and what to expect. He laid down flat on the table NO PROBLEM!! He fussed a minute when she did the fluoride treatment and that was it!! She gave him a goodie bag with a toothbrush, etc. Her sweet assistant gave him a lightning McQueen sticker (he was wearing the shirt and incessantly saying "car"). We went to check out and there was an area for him to play (genius!). As we were leaving, I saw a young boy about 5 walking back arm in arm with her to the exam room with his mom waiting in the waiting area! I cannot express how excited and grateful I am to have found Dr. Chen and her amazing staff!! If you need a great pediatric dentist. She is it!! Luckily my insurance covers our visits but even if it didn't, I would pay out of pocket to see her! We found our dentist!! read more

Dr. Chen is hands down the BEST pediatric dentist out there. My daughters first appointment was so smooth that at her second appointment she went back alone. That is not like my daughter. Dr. Chen is very personable and remembers you and picks up right where you left off after 6 months. My daughter loves going to the dentist and for Dr. Chen and her amazing staff I am thankful!!!!! read more

I have also been debating many months over whether or not to post ; but the recent similar reviews (and talking to other clients) compelled me to share . The very first time my daughter (then age 6) had a cavity, the Dr. pushed for nitrous gas. Given my daughter is very calm and liked visiting the dentist , my husband and I declined the gas, and the local alone ended up working great. Her subsequent cavities were also repaired with locals without incident. However, with her most recent cavity repair , I was informed after-the-fact that nitrous gas had been used. I later wrote an email asking why nitrous gas was needed on that occasion as I had not been forewarned nor given permission (we are not adverse to anesthesia, but feel it should only be used when necessary). The office manager's response was "nitrous is a rather common practice in pediatric dental practices.... it is up to the individual patient to explicitly refuse the use on each occasion". It is unfathomable that a minor is expected to make medical decisions, and as her parent, i could not decline on her behalf as I was not permitted in the procedure room. A call to the dental board confirmed that written consent by a parent of a minor for sedation/anesthesia is mandatory, given the inherent risks. My husband and I left several messages asking to speak with the doctor-we never received a call, but were sent an email that "we do leave notes/messages for the respective doctors, but it is not a guarantee that doctors will contact you back" We do not doubt that Dr. Chen is a competent dentist and seems good with kids. We appreciated the office being modern and clean, and the kindness of the receptionists and dental assistants (I posted a positive review a couple years ago). But the way in which the office handles and recommends anesthesia/sedation should be cause for concern. We have since found a wonderful dentist who my two young girls love, and who has performed successful cavity repairs on both (without gas anesthesia ever being suggested). read more

Dr Chen and her staff exceeded my expectations! Dr Chen is very knowledgeable and thoroughly explained each procedure. Since we are new to the area, the staff gave us a warm welcome and a tour of the office. Dr Chen is very personable and my son felt very comfortable with her. The office is very kid friendly and very clean. I'm so glad we chose this dentist for our son! read more

Best Pediatric dentist in the area! We tried another dentist who we thought was nice, but it is amazing how much better and more wonderful Dr.Chen is with our daughter (she just turned 3). She goes above and beyond to make it a fun and awesome experience for kids. She is super nice and puts our daughter at ease and our little one actually asks for us to take her for more check-ups because she enjoyed it so much! The waiting area is so much fun with lots of great toys to play with, but we don't spend much time there because they are really great about getting us in and out. Love this dentist! read more

Ok, well first impressions is that the waiting room is very small but my daughter enjoys it. And I had to give it 5 stars because my daughter absolutely loves going and didn't cry at all and asked a ton of questions. The dentist, not Chen not another partner, was in charge of my daughter and he was just great! My daughter gave him a big hug when we had to leave and even when we came back to get her cavities taken care of! No tears! Heaven! read more

Amazing Dr. Was referred here by a friend. Great bedside manners. Efficient front office staff, very sweet dental hygienist. Super kid friendly office, clean, and Dr. Chen herself is amazing. She meets with you after each patient visit for consultation, recommendations and care summery and review. Even the bathroom is kid friendly. Would definitely recommend her of your looking for a pediatric DDS. read more

She is the BEST children's dentist I've ever encountered. She does the visit in steps to help them get comfortable and acquainted with the office, her and the procedures. It really helps to reduce the anxiety in a child when they don't really get what's going on. Its a friendly and clean office. It's just such a nice unstressful atmosphere. They get us in fast and she doesn't do procedures right away unless its completely necessary. read more

We had to switch Dentists because old Dentist stopped accepting our insurance, so we asked other parents for recommendations. WOW, we got lucky best kids dentist EVER!!!!! Kudos on every aspect... read more

We had our very first dental visit for our 2.5yr old today. Our daughter was a micro-preemie born 3 months early at just over 1.5lb. We had struggles with her acclimating to new experiences due to her sensory problems and oral aversions developed early in her life. The waiting area, with a cute beach theme, is set up perfectly to keep children occupied while waiting. There are plenty of toys to accommodate. We did not have to wait long, however, because we were seen very promptly and timely. Dr. Chen was absolutely wonderful in her approach to our daughter and immediately helped to get our daughter feel more comfortable and trustworthy towards her. She was gentle, kind and very friendly. Dr. Chen was also very thorough in explaining to us what to expect in this appointment as well as future appointments and plans to help ensure our daughter has the best set of teeth. :) We are thoroughly impressed with Dr. Chen's approach and knowledge and look forward to having her take care of our daughter. read more

Never written a negative review, but I had to after the treatment I got from brian and her staff. I understand medical and dental insurance can be tricky but it is the job of the dental office, especially the clerical workers at the front desk, to take care of these issues and at least follow up.they bill months after and doesn't follow up to let you know if they run into billing issues then gets lazy and expects you to pay and deal with your insurance. lazy staff and TERRIBLE customer service. Don't waste your time. Worst part, th know nothing about billing. They taook almost a year to bill for service they performed last December on my kids. They billed the wrong insurance and when asked to bill the 2014 insurance. The clerk who is clueless tells you they can't do that, billing is the patients responsibly to pay there bills. They then threatens you with collection for billing difficiency. I had to call he insurance for them to call the dental office to settle a bill. Isn't that that lack of training. I inform them that their office is deficient in that area but the clueless manager ms.brian thinks she is right and doesn't listen keeps rattling in the phone. Secondly I paid a bill a few months ago for another service earlier this year and was billed again for the service already paid with a $50.00 late fee. I called the office who sent the bill and informed them that I had already paid and she said she sees no record. I called the billing manager Ms.brian to find out what the hell was going on. She said she was sorry their systems don't communicate but confirm that that bill was already paid in full. What a joke STAY AWAY folks it's not worth the harassment and hassle for their billing deficiencies. The customer service is toxic and they never give you a chance to speak and they always have an answer for everything and doesn't want to accept that they need to work in their processes.STAY AWAY there are too many options out there for our kids please don't burden yourself with these losers. A word for the wise read more

My daughters have been going to Dr. Chen for a year now. I took them for their cleaning yesterday and something extremely terrible went went wrong. My 11 year old came out from her cleaning with gauze hanging out of her mouth full of blood,. She told me Dr. Chen pulled 3 of her teeth! First of all, Dr. Chen did NOT ask me if she could pull these teeth. Second of all, she didn't even numb her mouth before she pulled the teeth! My daughter was full of pain. My next daughter came out from her cleaning and she told me Dr. Chen pulled one of her teeth. Once again, Dr. Chen didn't even ask me first. When I went back to discuss this with Dr. Chen she said this needed to be done because they have braces and she was making room. Dr. Chen should have asked me first and their mouths should have been numbed. I am extremely disappointed and angry with the way this was handled. As a parent, I have rights to my children and I should have been asked by Dr. Chen if these teeth could be pulled out. In conclusion, I will NOT be going back to this office. read more