6 answers

Dentist - Torrance, CA

So I switched Dental insurances within the Healthy Family program, and my children are now with SafeGuard.
I switched since the office they belonged to was horrible - Dental Assoc. of Torrance.
More or less like an assembly line, with too many people caring for my children - with lots of wait in between services (X-ray, polish, etc.) My children are not the patient kind when it comes to anticipating someone poking around in their mouth.
I switched, and are now with "All Smiles" in Torrance, but I haven't even gone there yet - and these people are the most rude I have ever encountered when it comes to any medical field. I wonder if it is the "Healthy Family" thing that makes it so?
It has now been 2 months, and they will not allow me to make an appointment- since THEY cannot find my children on any of their lists????? Even though I have the cards in my hand.
So, I want to switch to a dental office - any in the South Bay - where they will be pleasant, and also my children will be offered great care. Once they are called into the room - I want the doctor/nurse only to care for them and not walk around to 10 other patients.
Is there such a thing nowadays? Am I asking for too much?
Please tell me who your kids see, and if you like them - I'll check and see if I can get my children to go there. (If you already know they take Safeguard- then great!)
Thanks!

What can I do next?

So What Happened?™

Thanks for all your suggestions.
However it seems that Healthy Families only goes so far.
None of the doctors suggested are part of either plan that they offer. Not thru Health Net, Access, Western Dental nor Safeguard.
It really sucks. 2 of you suggested Dr. Holden, but I called and they charge $250 just for the initial visit, which would end up being $500 for me since I have 2 kids. Yikes!
So as I am researching further, does anyone have the above mentioned insurances (I can switch if I want to up until May 31st.) and know of a great dentist - please continue to write in!
Thanks again.

More Answers

You might've got some great suggestions already,b ut I recommend my dentist - Dr. Annie Goh in Lomita (on Western). It is a very small office and she is very good and personable.

E.,
OUr family had the exact same experience with Torrance Dental Assoc./Magicland Dental for me and my daughter (husband is militarty). I even went so far as to send in a "suspected fraud" request on some services they had me pay for that I am positive I didn't get.
Anyway, we were told about Dr. Janelle Holden in Manhattan Beach and she and her staff are INCREDIBLE! Our daughter (adopted from China at 1 year) has terrible teeth and Dr. Holden just did 3 hours worth of work on her and my daughter still loves the dentist and loves to floss! Our insurance does not cover everything Dr. Holden charges - we pay $12.00 out of pocket for a regular visit/cleaning which we think is completely worth it after the experience we had Torrance Dental Assoc. The 3 hours worth of work we had to save up for (thank you tax return!!) but it would have been very expensive anywhere and at least my daughter had a good experience with a very good dentist!
I can't reccomend her highly enough! Plus, her office is the coolest children's dentist office ever - it's decorated like a huge jungle:)
I just started seeing a new dentist, also in Manhattan Beach, Dr. Shultz and like her pretty well, too. Again, almost anything is better than Torrance Dental Assoc.!!! But again, we're paying a little out of pocket.
Hope this helps:)

Hello E.!
I am so sorry you are having such horrible experiences with dentists here in the south bay. I, too, live in the south bay, but my family (me, my husband, and our four year old twins) goes to Dental Oasis of Orange County in Huntington Beach. They are WONDERFUL and always run on time. They are very gentle and everything is high tech. For the kids, they have TV's in all of the rooms and the kids can watch any movie/channel that they choose. They are very family friendly, and the hygenists and dentists all have great personalities and it is an overall pleasant environment. My kids actually love to go the dentist and have not been scared since day one. The owner of the dental office, Dr. Toorani, has a four year old and a two year old, so he knows how to make children feel at ease - and his wonderful, caring personality pleases the adults as well. They are right off of the 405 freeway at Beach Blvd. located in the Huntington Beach Mall. I hope that this information helps. I know it is a little bit of a drive, but it is well worth it. I have been seeing them since I was a little kid and I would never imagine changing to a different dental office. I have no idea if they take the insurance that you have, but you could definitely call them and find out. Their phone number is ###-###-#### and their website is www.drbriantoorani.com if you would like to check it out. Hope this is helpful!

Sincerely,
T.

I take my son so Janell Holden in Manhattan Beach. She is great - he loves going to the dentist!

If you are in the South Bay area (I am in Redondo) contact the South Bay Childrens Health Center:

South Bay Children's Health Center 410 S. Camino Real, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 | Telephone ###-###-#### | Fax ###-###-####.
sbchc.com

I do not know what I would have done without them. I would probably be a couple grand in debt. I started @ Dental Ass. of Torrance too! They got me good.

Good Luck :)
-M.

Our kids go to Dr. Shitabata. She is great! Very friendly staff. We don't ever have to wait. In fact, when we walk in, it's like the whole office has been waiting for us with charts and files in hand. Nobody leaves us to go anywhere until we say good bye. The kids get toys galore, so they're always excited to go to the dentist. It's off of Skypark and Madison (Near Hawthorne Blvd) We have Delta Dental. I don't know what other insurance they take.
Check out her site: http://www.firstsmiles.com/
You could also check with Dr. Timothy Quon. My husband and I go to him. He works with kids also. Really nice guy. I haven't met a hygenist I didn't like at his office. All very professional people, excellent cleaners, very friendly personalities. He's in the Torrance Memorial block of buildings. ###-###-####. 3440 Lomita Blvd, Ste 340.
Good luck finding a good dentist!

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