Say "C-YA" to terrible, agonizing trips to the dentist & Hello to Talega Dental Group! From your arrival & cleanings to payment, they're very professional. The dental assistants here make cleanings a breeze & billing w/ their front office was super-easy. Unlike many places, I know I'll always be able to rely on a friendly face and someone who actually cares about my well-being & oral health here. Dr. E(dwards) in particular. read more

I have to update my review. The review says seven years ago. I updated that review so this review is about an experience I had in May 2018 I haven't been to the dentist in three years. I went into Talega dental and said I thought my rear molar felt different. No pain, no sensitivity, just different maybe. X-rays are taken. Dentist then looks in my mouth for all of fifteen seconds and says "you're tooth is cracked and might split and if it does to will have to be pulled. So you need an onlay. And a four quadrant deep cleaning". He didn't check my pockets. This is $2000 dollars of dental work there. I decide to leave and think about my options. When I do this the assistant seems irritated and starts being almost mean to me. I texted my mom to see what she thought and the assistant is literally looking at my phone trying to read my texts. This seems strange to me. Why would she be mad at me? So it occurs to me a day later that maybe I don't need all this stuff (I floss every day now!). So I go to my moms dentist, also her neighbors dentist. Super nice place in Laguna Niguel. This dentist spends ten minutes looking at my teeth and says they are fine you just need a regular cleaning. He says my teeth look good. He checks the posters. He examines carefully the tooth in question. He says I have normal wear and tear and some stress enamel cracking (on multiple teeth) and that it's normal and maybe I should consider a night guard. I am so glad I picked up on the strange behavior of the assistant at Talega dental. So glad trusted my gut and got out of there. If you go here and get hit with an expensive dental to do list you might want to consider getting a second opinion. Also it occurred to me that I'm the past when I went every six months they always had me do a deep cleaning. Then I didn't care because I had insurance. Finally they told me they would give me their nice price for whatever reason which meant one hundred for the x-rays. Well when I decided to think about the work and leave they then said okay in that case we have to charge you 175 for your X-rays. I had to ask twice to get them to email them to me. Of course my asking for X-rays that I paid for caused further irritation with the lady assistant. Like how dare you ask for something you paid for. So I guess a customer who isn't loaded and has to think about spending 2000 no longer deserves respectful treatment. I'll never go back. Again the only reason it occurred to me that something might be wrong was the sudden change in the attitude of the assistant when she knew I'd be getting a second opinion. She tried every scare tactic on the book. Bone loss. Pulled teeth. All that. Makes me really angry. Maybe if they are going to gouge people for unnecessary dental work they should reserve that for the customers with insurance. I will say that they used to have a guy Dr Edwards. And he was great. I don't know if he's still there. He was not the dentist that did this to me. read more

Got my deep cleaning and check-up here with Dr. Mozafari. Very professional and super patient. I need 2 implants as well they offered me a good deal on with payment plan. I will definitely start in Mid August and will update my review. So far everything went super smooth, clean and nice. Very friendly team! read more

I went to this dental office for a first time appointment after recently moving here. I came in for a cleaning after they had done the X-rays the dentist came in and inspected my teeth and told me the woman who handles the billing would come and talk to me about billing. She told me I needed a deep cleaning and that my insurance wouldn't cover it and it would be $600 cash. I told her I could not afford that and wanted the cleaning that my insurance covered. She said they could not do that because the doctor recommended a deep cleaning and they could be held liable.I told them I would take my business elsewhere. I felt like this place was a total scam. A week later I went to San clemente family dentistry. There my guns were inspected and I was told I was no where near needing a deep clean so I got my regular cleaning. The overall vibe I got from talega family dental is that they will do whatever they can to suck any penny out of you and avoid using your insurance so that they can make more money. Please save your time and money and avoid this place read more

I apologize in advance for the length of this review. I promise you; it will be well worth your time if you have any intention of using this dental group. As busy as I am, I am taking the time to write this review of Talega Dental Group in order to prevent others from suffering the substantial monetary loss that I have. Both my husband and I have been clients of Talega Dental since approximately 2013 as patients of Dr. Edwards. Until recently, I hadn't yet had any major basis for complaint. My only gripe at that time was regarding a woman named Phyllis. Talk about a rude salesperson. Yes, you heard me correctly, I said salesperson because that all she really is... I mean WOW, these people act like they are late paying rent the way they keep calling trying to get you to in now now now! They seem to always have an opening in the schedule. It's a bit worrisome, really. But I kept it to myself. I recently had reason to investigate further into my dental claims and found that most of the time there weren't any. Or, if a claim was filed, Talega Dental used "unspecified dental procedure" codes with $0.00 amounts on the claims. Therefore, my insurance would process the claim as, well nothing. In this manner, it flew under the radar because I was told that the procedure, I need was either uncovered or partially covered at whatever cost I was told. Then, I saw that a claim was filed, so I assumed all was legit. But, after looking into it further, saw that this was all really just a smoke screen to cover the fact that the procedure I required was covered by insurance as long as I stayed within the parameters set by the insurance company. For instance, an onlay that could have easily been done using one of several different materials. Yet, Talega Dental Group never mentioned that option. I trusted their being honest and utilizing my insurance benefits to best of their knowledge, which they did not do. In fact, after I went through my 5-year history with them, I found that I had spent over $15,000 that most of which would have been covered by insurance. That being said, this place is a scam! If anyone out there has similar experiences, feel free to contact me. I am interested in your experience with this company so that we can hopefully help others from having the same fate as ourselves! read more

I have no idea why Talega Dental Group has such low ratings on Yelp. I went in for a dental procedure and Dr. Amir Mozafari was very nice and took great care of me and made sure I was not in any discomfort throughout the entire procedure. The staff were friendly and made the whole experience very pleasant. Highly recommend Dr. Mozafari. read more

Dr. Mozafari is a kind, funny dentist who will talk and embrace you with high end dentist quality. The environment of the office is very warm and modern, and I always feel so sheik when walking in and hearing a warm welcome to the people at the front desk. I never have to wait long for a dentist to start working on me, and I feel no pain whatsoever when going through a cavity process or having a filling. Dr. Edwards is also a very likable dentist, and he will surely make you laugh. Bathrooms? Very clean and um... nice. Dentist Chairs? Plush and relaxing. Here are my ratings. Service 4.5/5 Cleanliness 5/5 Dental Equipment 4/5 Waiting Room 4.5/5 (They have a little section for kids with a TV and magazines) Office Appearance 4/5 Overall 4.5/5 As a senior of SaddleBack College, I know lots of friends that don't have their dentist yet, so who do I recommend? Talega Dental Group. read more

After reading the other reviews, I thought that maybe I was at a different dental office. Nice service and they didn't up sell me. Dr. Edwards has a great way about teaching and correcting habits. I know dentists since my aunt has been one for 40 years in Chicago, so I can tell when you are being played. All the other reviews were in the past, so this office is worth going to. The dental business is tough to rate because there are so many unknowns but I would recommend. I have not been paid or given special treatment because of this review. read more

I'll start by saying I'm shocked by the negative reviews for Talega Dental. I've been their patient for 5 years as have my son and daughter, and we all like the work they do and the way they treat us. Dr. Steven Edwards has been my dentist during this time and not only is he an excellent practitioner, he is also a great guy who has a genuine interest in helping his patients via a preventative care first approach. Not only have I had fillings, crowns, and porcelain enlays done by Steve, but he recently completed front upper veneers for me which make my smile dazzling - not exaggerating I get tons of compliments on my teeth and smile, and I feel better having followed Steve's recommendations. The hygienists and the front office staff are polite, helpful and more importantly fun. Phyllis and Elise are a riot and they care about you as a person. No one enjoys going in for their dental visit but this team makes you feel good about it. They took my Dental HMO insurance with no problem. Go see them if you need dental care. read more

I'd been going to Talega Dental for a long time, but after a shift in management a few years ago things started going downhill (as you can see in the past reviews). Wait times started taking forever, their assistants were rude, annoying stuff like that. But I kept going back because the dentists did good work and they accepted my insurance. Anyways, they got a new office manager recently and things are so much better now. The girls working the front desk are nicer and more accommodating, and the office is warmer and cleaner. I wish they would've made the change a while ago when things started getting rocky, but they seem much better now. read more

I went for my first visit back in December 2012, and I gotta say I love it. My co-worker reffered me there, he's been a patient for 6 plus yrs. I gotta say im surprised at the negativity in the other reviews. I went in for my exam and cleaning, loved the staff and doctors, had a cavity that was filled, no problems. I had to go in last week for a broken tooth, they were able to fit me in right away and Dr Edwards and Dr M were both very gentle and thorough in explaining that I needed a crown, no more corn nuts for me!. You have to try for yourself. read more

I don't write many reviews but was so impressed with my experience here I felt compelled. The dentistry itself was above average, but their willingness to be flexible with all the different payment options was extremely helpful. I had some serious dental work I had to get done (large, painful chip in my tooth from an old filling that decayed) but didn't have the money to pay for it all at once and I hadn't been on my new dental plan six months so they wouldn't pay for it. Talega was super helpful. I'm super glad I found this place. read more

I would give them no stars if I could. I went here as a new patient for my 6month cleaning and was very displeased with how they handle their practice. At first they seemed really professional, after taking my x rays (which were poorly taken and overlapping in some spots) they said i needed a 3/4 cap on my back tooth a deep cleaning and a small cavity filled. It would be 1000$ out of pocket! So of course I was shocked because i take very good care of my teeth and none of them are bothering me. I told them that I needed to think about it and get a second opinion and that I just wanted to get my regular cleaning. They refused to give me a regular cleaning because the dr said I needed a deep cleaning, I was about to just leave and then they changed their mind and said they would do it. I should have just left but I was desperate because I finally had babysitters in town. MISTAKE! I got the worst cleaning I've ever had, I could have brushed my teeth better then the cleaning they gave me and left with my teeth still feeling grimy in some spots. The next day I was able to get a second opinion from a highly recommended dentist and I had nothing wrong with my teeth. I was told i have a small cavity that I need to take care of so it doesn't get any deeper and that is it. Do yourself a favor and don't go here, they are not honest at all and just out to make a buck. I'm not so angry at their assessment, it was more of the way I was treated after telling them I wanted a second opinion that made me write the review. read more

The staff at Talega Dental is like family almost. I discovered them here on Yelp and was super impressed with the communication from the front office, cleanliness inside, and technology they had available. Dr. Mozafari did my cleaning and filling and was very competent and put me at ease. The doctors and staff went above and beyond my expectations. And while I would never wish for dental problems or a reason to return, I can honestly say I enjoyed my visit here. read more

Was recently referred here by a coworker of mine in the area. Needed a cleaning (it had been a while) and a second opinion on tooth of mine that had chipped almost two years ago. Sadly they told me I would need a root canal and crown, but that's what the other place told me so I know they weren't trying to rip me off. The cleaning was as painless as any other place, and I'll be going back for the crown soon. read more

Went to try my new Dental Insurance here, got my x-Rays done and patiently waited for the hygienist to clean my teeth. Waited over an hour only to be told that I needed to continue to wait for the sales person to stop by and upsell me on how bad my teeth were and that a regular cleaning was not even an option and that I needed deep cleaning for god knows what they would even charge for that. Walked right out, they are used car sales people ready to rip you off and you're paying for all the nice furniture. Avoid this dental group like the plague, they haven't changed a bit. Total ripoff if you like wasting your money. read more

I recently had to get my wisdom teeth taken out and have been terrified. I actually thought I was going to have to go under full aenesthesia because the anxiety of it all was too much to handle. When I expressed my concerns the doctors were very sympathetic and explained my options. They put a huge emphasis on pain management and let me know I could stop the procedure at any time if it was too much to handle. Fortunately everything went smooth and I did not have to go under (which would have cost way extra). So glad to have found Talega! read more

How does this place stay in business? Probably because the couple people that actually buy into their bs pays for the year it costs them to run the place! First off, when i went in there this mother was waiting for her daughter to get done... the dental assistant pushed and pushed the mother to spend $150 more for a "special" cleaning that wasnt covered on her insurance even though it hadnt been 6 months since the last cleaning. really? THEN i go back and the same dental assistant comes to do my x-rays and she starts complaning to me about the mother! not only that! but proceeds to tell me about how horrible the daughters mouth was... im sorry but is this a gossip house, or a dental office? Then the very nice dentist comes in and talks about my cavities. it was my birthday (i know, who goes to the dentist on their bday but i needed stuff handled) and he was sooo sweet and offered to bring me some cake haha. thats my only good review for this place. but i had to leave the second he told me how much it was going to cost.... WITH insurance. Sorry but i have friends who work in the dental industry... i might be young but i aint stupid. i know a scam when i see one. read more

I'm looking for a new dentist. We tried Talega Dental several years ago and walked out with a projected bill of $2000. We found another dentist who took care of all our needs for $325 and did it beautifully. This place is a mill and will take out your wallet and remove anything that looks like money read more

Dr. edwards was cool, but this place takes advantage of EVERY patient that comes in. They quoted me $80.00 for my portion and then said they made a mistake and I now owed $165.00. Classic example of bait and switch. All the other fees on my bill were inflated by 200%. Do not go here unless you want to pay through the nose. ZERO STARS! read more

Word to the wise, These folks are not to be trusted #1 they are very difficult to locate in the complete rear of a Business Park which should have been my first clue. Something was up as another reviewer stated cold and sterile lobby, However does have the fireplace along with very modern furniture. The story is you come in and before you know it during the exam they set the stage for what they are intending to declare that you have every oral disease known to Man, especially if you learn about them from the "in house" insurance which is supposed to be affordable though they'll frighten you with you MUST get this work done that they are recommending "Soon" are you are going to be losing every tooth in your mouth. You will leave with all of these pamphlets for homework part of the scare you to death tactic they employ. Whatever they tell you at Talega Dental,My Yelp just keep em honest cohorts, Go get a second opinion and you will learn these folks at Talega Dental are scam artists of the highest order! read more

This was the worst experience at a dentist I ever experienced. I went in as a new patient after they set me up with an appointment and after an hour of getting in the system and x-rays I was ready for my cleaning. After hearing them annoyingly trying to shake me down for unnecessary work at ridiculous prices, I told them I just want the standard cleaning that is covered by my insurance. They REFUSED to clean my teeth unless I paid $300 extra for a "deep clean" that wouldn't be covered by insurance!!! I just moved here and I used to have a great dentist that kept my teeth healthy and never did unnecessary work, these con artists were trying to get me to pay thousands of dollars out of my pocket for phony issues. How this place can stay in business is beyond me?? Even if they are able to pull the wool over the eyes over a few wealthy clients I can't see how they survive just on the the dental business. The place was empty when I was there so either they are about to go out of business or there is something else going on here. read more

I am very dissappointed in my experience. I went in for a simple cleaning because my insurance changed and they are close to my office. I knew I had a problem with a tooth and it tuns out that my old filling broke. I was immediately sold on an inlay which everyone I have had fell out. They wanted $1,100 for my portion. Then they upsold me on a deep cleaning and said I need arestin in 4 teeth and that was an additonal $75 per tooth. The total bill was $1,750. I then asked for just my cleaning and was told no due to the fact that I needed a deep cleaning and that would leave them liable. I am happy this happened on the first visit so I don't have to go there again. This place is a typical Dentist where upselling unneccessary treatments is normal. It is a shame that it is so hard to find an honest dentist. I do not recommend this place. read more

Say goodbye to agonizing trips to the dentist! Both the doctors and the front desk exhibit professionalism throughout the process. Their DAs are always smiling and make the cleanings completely painless (both literally and figuratively). I always know I'll be greeted by warm faces and have a comforting experience with Dr. Mozafari. I would recommend Talega to anyone in South OC. I always see them when I'm in the area! read more

I went here for their special for New Patients for cleaning and xrays as I didn't feel like driving 20+ miles at the time to see my regular dentist. The cleaning was not great as I had to ask her to repeat part of it as my teeth didn't feel clean. Then the dentist comes in and says I need 2 crowns. I had been going regularly to another dentist faithfully every 6 months, so I went back to my regular dentist and he said that 1 of the molars they put on their quote wasn't in need of a crown, and the other one was a tooth he's been watching and would replace when I'm ready. It wasn't urgent. Also the dentist at Talega told me that the discoloration on my molar was decay and that I had needed a crown right away. My regular dentist said no that's not correct. I did have a crown and filling on a different tooth as it had a cavity, but not the one they said needed replacing. Strange. Also, my husband was looking for a different dentist and he went here. They told him he needed a deep cleaning and charged $$. Then the same dentist told him he needed 2 crowns! My husband just does what a doctor says and said OK. He was happy with the result, but give me a break. Did he really need 2 crowns? Funny it was the thing I was told - that I needed 2. I won't go back. read more

Dr. Mozafari was very kind and responded to my concerns in a recent post. He explained the situation better for me, in a way I could understand. He even said I am welcome to come back to his office at any time in the future. I think I will do that, when the time comes. read more

My first visit here was a nice one. Dr. Mozafari was very comprehensive as he went through all of my dental x rays to help me understand what needed fixing and what the costs would be. He made sure we didn't leave any stone unturned and put me at ease with the whole thing. His front office is great too; they are both very professional and were extremely accommodating for all the reschedules I had to do.  Their office was very clean and didn't quite smell as bad as all the other dentists I've been to, haha!  More important, we can joke around, making it feel like we have an actual relationship versus feeing like you are in a sterile medical facility. read more

Nice environment, everything is clean but I wont go there anymore, because I have the feeling they want only the money and would replace my fillings with crowns etc. Update to their comment: Yes, I was definitely a patient of this dental office and got one crown. They recommended to get two more on two other teeth. I got a second opinion from another dentist and did not needed any crowns.(I just dont show my full name here on yelp, that's the reason you wont find me in your database). I finally found my dentist who only does what needs to be done. read more

I was out eating at a restaurant when part of one my veneers chipped off! I crunched it while chewing and thought it was a piece of food. Luckily I spit it out and saw what had happened. I keep the broken piece and took it to my normal dentist, who said it would have to be replaced entirely (super expensive)! So I asked around and was recommended to Talega. Of course they couldn't tell me if it could be cemented until I came in for a visit, but wouldn't ya know it they had me in and out in no time (for a fraction of the cost of repairing it). So glad I gave them a shot. read more

I decided to check out Talega as I'd been having toothache from my wisdom teeth not being removed. My intention when going in was to get it fixed and get out of there as fast as possible, but I was so impressed I decided I'd better have them do a full check-up given I hadn't been to the dentist in three years. Within a few weeks I got all four wisdom teeth out in what was a virtually painless experience. Teeth cleaned and felt better that everyone was friendly. Would recommend Talega dental to anyone. read more

Pleasantly surprised after my visit to Talega. I was recently referred to Dr. Mozafari by a coworker who had some major dental work done. I liked the fact they offered flexible billing options, so decided to have my cleaning and X-rays done there. Lucky for me I didn't have any cavities or anything, so I escaped without any headaches or massive payments. So far so good, I'm happy with the referral I got and would go back. read more

Everyone that works at Talega gives off the vibe that they really enjoy their work. Been to many dentists and have never had one single negative experience here. Their office is in a great location given where I live, which is big for me as I don't have a lot of free time with work. The interior is clean and has a pleasant atmosphere, not sterile and smelly like many of the dentists I've been to in the past. Dr. Mozafari and the girl who works up front (Cindy maybe?) are great! read more

I've been coming to Dr. Edwards for over 10 years now. I consistently get the highest quality dental care and service (hence why I keep coming back). He is truly the most professional dentists I have ever been to. :-) read more

My visit with Dr. Edwards was AMAZING...I am terrified of dentists, but, since I want to keep my teeth in my mouth where they belong, I have to go at least twice a year. The staff was very polite and very understanding of my fear and really helped to put me at ease. I had no cavities or any other problems and was excited about that and the fact that no one was seeking any extra cash from me for stuff I didn't need. The best hygienists in South County, work here. They were beyond patient and extremely gentle. I would highly recommend this dental group to any of my friends if they are down in the area visiting with friends or family as I was. read more

Literally just left Talega and I wanted to write this review before I drive home - I haven't even left the parking lot yet!  I can't believe how easy it was.  Like many other people here, I was terrified of the dentist. Pain, needles, blah, blah.  But my cleaning here today was super easy.  I don't know if they had an extra slot on the schedule, but I even got a cavity filled the same day.  Will be coming back for sure! read more

I cannot tell you how amazing this place is! I was having a rough time as I needed some expensive dental work done but did not have insurance. They were one of the only places that offered their own financing solution, and helped me to get the work done without making it financially impossible. And Dr. Edwards and his staff were super nice, one of the only dentists I've dealt with that was gentle and made sure the shots didn't hurt (or hurt as little as possible!). For the first time I'm not scared to go back to the dentist, so that should give you an idea of how great this place is! read more

Recently had a root canal done with Dr. Mozafari, and while there is nothing fun about a root canal, I really can't complain. Some dentists can never get the Novicane right, but Dr. Mozafari had me nice and numb. In fact, I was so happy I may go back to speak with them about Invisalign! read more

Over the weekend I was experiencing great pain with my molar and since I was in San Clemente I decided to call the Talega Dental Group since they advertise they are open Saturdays. To get to the point I do not know if a child was playing with the phones because after calling 2 times and having them pickup and hang up I just decided to see another dentist.. read more

Earlier this week I came down with a HORRIBLE tooth-ache. I've never had any serious dental work done before so I didn't know what was wrong, but I was dying. After calling a few places that wanted me to wait up to four days! I spoke with Talega Dental and was able to get in the same day. Treatment was a little more elaborate (and expensive) than what I was hoping for, but I guess that's what you get after not going to the dentist for a few years!! read more

Upsell, upsell, upsell. The Dentists here are amazing, the assistants are great and the front desk gals are very friendly. Just watch out for Phyllis the office upseller. You go in for a routine cleaning and are made to feel like your teeth are going to fall out unless you buy into today's upsell special. It is all to common here and really weighs on you. After 7 years of being a loyal customer, I hit a breaking point with her bulldog upselling technique. read more