You Break Through

I had my teeth cleaning appointment here on Monday 7/27 at 4PM, their last time slot of the day. I had rushed here straight from work, but there was apparently no need to do that because I wasn't called until 4:37 PM. The first assistant I met was Ansh. I noticed Ansh was clenching the fingers of his sterile gloves with his bare hands before he put them on. I pointed this out to him, and he didn't get what he was doing wrong at first, even though it should have been very obvious to someone in his position. After repeating myself at least twice, he did change his gloves, but then he led me to the X-ray room where he handled lead apron worn by every patient and 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 touched the mouth pieces used for the X-rays. I didn't want to make a fuss and I already had to wait half an hour longer than I should have, but... this is a dentistry office. This is not how things are done. I've seen more basic hygiene awareness from Chipotle workers (who are great). That apron is not something the staff is thoroughly wiping down between every use to make touching it before handling sterile mouth pieces OK. That would be impractical. Ansh also kept placing the bulky sensor holder at positions that were obviously not going to work for my jaw anatomy. He's supposed to be the expert here. Good thing Naomi took over, because she was much more adept at placing the holder and got the remaining scans done fast. Once that was over... I had to wait another 𝟱𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 before I was seen by the dentist. I had made it clear to the front desk that I had just wanted a basic teeth cleaning for my initial visit. Why was I made to wait an hour and a half unattended if you knew there were patients ahead of me with lengthy procedures? This was utterly ridiculous and totally avoidable. I get that hiccups happen in scheduling, but... come on. It was 6 o'clock before I saw Dr. Santamaria, but thankfully, he was very good. All smiles and took time to explain my dental situation when asked. Teeth cleaning was also done quickly and done well. He was assisted by Naomi, who was again great. I just ask that the staff consider extending the latest reservations to 4:30-4:45 if not 5PM for clients who are coming in for routine teeth cleanings or other simple reasons to avoid absurd wait times. Because Dr. Santamaria was great and I cautiously trust that I won't run into the same glaring issues again, I will leave a 4☆ rating. Still keeping an eye on the assistants and where their hands go before they handle any sterile equipment.

I had such a wonderful experience with my dental hygienist. She was incredibly kind, patient, and professional throughout my entire appointment. She made me feel comfortable from the moment I sat down and explained everything she was doing, which really helped ease my nerves. She was gentle, caring, and took her time to make sure I was comfortable the whole time. Thanks to her, what I thought would be a stressful appointment turned into a great experience. I’m truly grateful for the excellent care she provided and highly recommend her to anyone looking for a compassionate and skilled dental hygienist. Thank you for making such a positive difference! Thank you Lisa Luna, RDH

Lisa, is the Best. Great job, very gentle. Highly recommended.