Western Dental & Orthodontics

Reviews 4

DE

Denny Lor

I cannot make this up if I wanted to. Horrible experience. Left Western Dental for good. Being one of the only places in Chico that takes Medical, students are not left with much of a choice. Are you ready? Called to make an appointment to clean my teeth and get my wisdom teeth taken out. I was told the only opening was a month away but this is just a screening appointment too. Went that day and had an hour delay. Got called in and had a great Hmong gentlemen x-ray my teeth and answer all my questions. Then the torture began. They took me to the seat where they would exam my teeth. I sat down and waited patiently. After 5-10 mins an older, Indian dentist comes in. Does not greet me or anything. Goes straight to my teeth while talking to the assistant. Then he pauses to talk to the patient in the other seat! The patient did not ask a question, he just asked the patient how they were doing. And then continued a conversation for 5-10 mins about having screws installed into the gum and why its so expensive (Yes I listened because I was still waiting to finish my examination! FYI its expensive because the supplier prices the parts so high apparently). After that conversation he came back to me. Looked at my teeth for another 5 mins and said some stuff to his assistant and left. The assistant then explained to me what was going on with my teeth. I asked her some questions and she said she was not the dentist so she didnt know the answer, and at this point apparently the dentist had finished and left without letting me know. Now the other big part that got me really frustrated. I went in to get my wisdom tooth taken out. After my appointment they said they needed to send my information to DentalCal to approve my request. I was told it would take 3-4 weeks to hear back. I waited a month. Called and was told that DentalCal had not approved my information. I called DentalCal and they said they did not receive anything (And that wisdom teeth extractions did not need approval by them). Called Western on a Friday and was told they would resend it on Monday and to wait 3-4 weeks again. This time I waited a week and called DentalCal. THEY STILL DID NOT RECEIVE MY FORMS! At this point I called Western Dental and I had had it with them. A Hmong receptionist picked up and I told her my problem with them not sending my forms. She then told me that they had not send it but she would personally make sure they were sent out. Fast-forward a month later, I finally got my appointment to remove my wisdom tooth. I go in and they tell me that the oral dentist in would not be able to remove my wisdom tooth, and that the only specialist comes in once a month. Now this specialist will not remove wisdom teeth without installing some sort of metal plate in my gum. They quoted me $2,000 out of pocket. Needless to say, I left. I called a relative who was a dentist and told him my story and before I could finish he told me they were just making me run in circles. That since MediCal pays so little they try as much as they can to avoid patients with it. This process took 3 months and I got nothing out of it except a horrible experience. These dentists should be ashamed of themselves. The only helpful ones were the Hmong examiner and receptionist that actually cared to listen and answer my questions. If you are a student with MediCal, try a different office or city. This place is horribly unprofessional.

---

CH

Christine Williams

So you may be able to find a better place but Im pretty sure your limited on your options if you are here. With that said, Western Dental is an alright place to have work done. However, I have not needed anything other than a cleaning or fillings. I will admit that after 4 visits, I see a potential pattern of over booking which probably is adding to the long wait times. Occasionally techs are a bit (haha) "rough" with X-ray bites, I did have a filling redone and half way through during a break I checked my molar and at least 2/3 rds of my tooth was gone! I, obviously in distress asked the dentist what the heck was happing? He explained that the previous dentist had not completely removed the cavity and it had more decay (which he showed me, whew, thank you for finding that)! Ok, that was great, but he was kinda snippy that I would question his judgement. I explained that I came in for a filling and finding my tooth virtually gone was not what I had expected. I feel the work was fine however he should have stopped when it became clear that more work needed to be done so I knew what was happening as we proceeded. In the end my tooth was corrected. In my experience the staff I have worked with is very friendly. Top tips 1. Book early in the day, 2. Bring a book, 3. Be patient, they are doing the best they can.

---

JU

Julie Corum

This place is extremely unprofessional. Its no wonder they have a 1.8/5 star rating. I drove from Live Oak to this location for the sake of convenience after moving from Magalia, instead of transferring elsewhere. On several occasions, I would be scheduled for an orthodontist appointment, drive all the way there, and find out that their ortho office wasnt even open. When I specifically request an appointment for the orthodontist, why would they schedule me for one when the ortho office is closed? Thats a waste of time, gas, and energy. Rescheduling would only get me an appointment three or more weeks later. My braces have gone months without being tightened because of this garbage and I still dont have my bottom braces on, which should have been put on a month ago. I had spacers in my mouth for a month and a half, and they were all broken when I finally had them removed, when I was initially supposed to have them on for only a week. It was super uncomfortable and painful, not to mention the foul smell they had upon removal, due to the food that had been stuck underneath and couldnt be washed out. Im paying for a crappy treatment and crappy service. Not worth it. Im taking my business elsewhere; Id rather pay a higher price and receive better treatment.

---

TO

Toua Yang

All the dentist wanted to do was pull my teeth out. No conversations of other possibilities at all until I brought it up that I already have a second opinion. My second visit was a bad experience. I asked the Doctor, "Are you a Doctor?," and the Doctor irritably over reacted . He started to ask me why I asked him that question and with a rude face. He then intensely asked me if I wanted a different doctor. I told him that wasnt the case. I didnt know because I didnt see his name tag. I just wanted to make sure if he was so I can have him be my dentist for next times appointment. I went home and realized that he doesnt have the right to react and talk to me in the way that he did towards me. Long story short, I cancelled all my treatment plans with them. I dont recommend this place to anyone. For everyone who has had a bad service and or experience here, I feel for all of you. For those who havent been to this place, dont come. Not worth your time.

---

---