Essex Family Dental

Reviews 6

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Chelsea Barry

As a health care provider, I hate having to write negative reviews about fellow providers. However, sometimes something happens that simply cannot be overlooked. I was seen at EFD for a regular check-up in February 2012. It turned out that I had a couple of cavities that needed to be filled, so I made a follow-up appointment. No problem. On the follow-up, the dentist drilled the necessary holes, and then his dental hygienist filled them (some states have an extended scope of practice for hygienists, apparently). Everyone was very personable and seemed reasonably competent, though I was a little surprised that the dentist never came back in to check the work that had been done. Other than my numb mouth, I left a relatively happy camper. When I arrived back at work that day, I received a follow-up call from the EFD office. They were calling me back in because things had not been communicated properly to the hygienist that was filling my teeth, and THEY DID NOT FILL ONE OF MY TEETH. Thats right - they drilled the hole, and then never filled it. Sure enough, when the numbness wore off, I could feel a hole in my tooth with my tongue. I had to make another appointment the next day to have them fill the hole. No apologies, no offers to discount the service, just a $10 gift card to Chilis. And when I requested that the dentist come in to physically look at the filling, I got a nasty look from the hygienist. {For the record, I dont really blame the hygienist - the dentist should have come in to check out the work before I left the first time around}. 2 years later, I moved up my regular visit time with another dentist when I started to feel food getting stuck in that same tooth. Apparently, the filling that EFD placed either disintegrated or fell out, and now I have to pay to have another dentist re-fill that tooth. Im not saying that everything they do is shoddy. This might well be the exception to an otherwise outstanding practice. However, my husband and I both switched out of the EFD practice after they forgot to fill the hole the first time, and neither of us feel comfortable recommending the place.

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Suzanne Dunbar

We switched to this practice due to some dissatisfaction with our previous dentist and because of the Saturday hours. I have to take my kids out of school for so many appointments, its nice that dental visits are no longer one of them! I have always been happy with the treatment weve gotten at EFD, and their newly remodeled building is really quite beautiful. The only complaints that I had were that my daughter and I had to wait around in the exam room for quite a while after the exam while the hygienist did things in the computer, then would disappear for a minute or two and then come back and type things in the computer again. Im not sure why we needed to stay there, as we didnt need to schedule any other appointments. Also, my other daughter waited in the waiting room for us and wanted something to drink but wasnt in the mood for water. She went to the Keurig machine but her only options were tea or coffee. It would have been nice if there was a hot chocolate or hot cider option, especially on such a cold day. Otherwise, we were very happy with our visit! We saw a different dentist than we usually do and he was just as nice as Dr. Makay! He was very kind, helpful and clear in his explanations.

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Michael Murphy

I went to Essex family dental after relocating to this area and having a dental emergency. They were recommended by a colleague.They took me in quickly - my immediate impression is that they were they were a bit of factory and overly preoccupied with maximizing charges and getting patients in and out quickly. Unfortunately my concerns were accurate; in an effort to make more money, Essex has dental hygienists performing procedures that, in my extensive personal experience, were always carried out by the dentist him or herself. Sure enough, over the course of a few appointments I saw the dentist only once. The hygienist seemed irritable and not very skilled. I ended up with a cap that is the wrong size and an infection in the underlying tooth. This of course creates complications and now will require a root canal and recapping of the tooth and may leave some degree of ongoing discomfort. I will have these done by another dentist. My opinion is that these practitioners have lost their way with regard to ethical practice. My advice, based on a very bad experience there, is to suggest that you stay away.

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A Private User

I started going to this office almost seven years ago after a roughly ten year hiatus from seeing dentists (bad idea!!!). I met with Dr. Mackay and several of the other great staff there, and was given a very thorough examination. They worked with me on an action plan to get my mouth back in good shape, prioritizing the work in such a way to maximize insurance coverage and keep out-of-pocket as low as possible. Theyve done (and continue to do) a great job of taking care of me. Ive come to expect great service from this place and Im never let down. Some of my friends will tell me dentist "horror stories" about making them wait a few days before diagnosing their toothache or something along those lines, and I cant believe other offices would treat their patients that way! These folks will always see you immediately if you have a serious problem or are in any pain, and always welcome you back if you need to have your bite adjusted just a tiny bit after getting work, even if its weeks (or months) later! Highly recommended.

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Kate Flynn

Before switching to Essex Family Dental, I would cry at every dental appointment and dread it for weeks. Im happy to report that Essex Family Dental has completely changed my outlook on dentistry; I no longer dread the appointments. Today I had my 3rd treatment at Essex Family Dental and I had no fear or crying what so ever. Its a new era. Their staff have been incredibly gentle, understanding, and comforting. They offer multiple anesthetic and anti-anxiety options including Nitric Oxide gas, Triazolam pill, Novocaine injection, and Lidocaine local gel. Its a relatively large practice, but they work in close teams that makes the experience feel intimate. The facility is newly renovated, welcoming, and beautiful. The space is clean, bright, and open; very comfortable. I was referred by a friend, and Ill be sure to continue referring others. Essex Family Dental is an absolute God send.

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Tim Stetson

Experience was smooth and very quick with my daughter today. However, I was disappointed with the period of time it took to be checked out. This was new for me. The DA had to instant message the front to let them know we were ready to check out. We then stood around waiting in our cube for nearly 10 minutes! Our appointment was done why were we waiting? It would seem that although they have many cubes there is only one person to funnel through for verifying payment and check out. This is not acceptable to me. This was more annoying than the constant beeps the computers made the last time I was there when the staff was being notified there was something needing attention. Even though it was not for the staff person in my cube.

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