Visalia Pediatric Dentistry's Online Review Report Card

Please avoid this place at all cost. In general everything was so unprofessional. Staff and all. I wish I took my kids elsewhere.

My daughter was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. This lovely dentist is the only place that was confident enough to take her. The whole staff is amazing and my now 3 year old loves going to the dentist.

Concerned for his well being from the beginning. We've been to the office twice this week. They squeezed us in for a consult and extraction in the same week and they were so warm about it all. They have signs posted to ask for consent before taking photos which I respect and appreciate both as parent and provider myself. They had my child's name written on the towel that goes across his chest. He loved it and it made us feel welcome. The dental assistants seemed to enjoy their work environment and they worked well as a team. They were well informed with their reports to one another. They changed the tv at least 3x per my baby's request and remained patient and kind. The dentist was also well informed and made me feel the same. He told me to take photos of the xrays and to call back if I had any questions. The office was extremely clean, front desk ladies were so professional and personable. They had balloons, stickers and books for him at the end of the visit. This was all day one. Today, whew, was extraction day. My child is 3. They were superb again. The ladies that helped us were genuinely concerned about his well being and experience at the dentist. We first opted not to remove it today due to his reaction and to preserve his experience with going to the dentist. However, through team work, another provider came and completed the extraction. I believe both providers were concerned about his well being but I'm glad the tooth was removed today. They checked on us as we waited to check out. We left with a new toy plushy, a fist full of balloons and stickers. I also requested stickers for myself lolz. It was quite an experience to know that a regular day at school on Monday would mean extracting a tooth by Friday but this office was absolutely amazing through it all. I also scheduled my other two children for their annual appointments after the positive experience. I cannot say enough good about this office and the wonderful people that work there.

There is this particular assistant, I won't call out her name, for a couple of times she's been rude to me and my boys. Instead of encouraging my boys to brush their teeth properly, she criticized them and put them down. She said it so loud that everyone there could hear her criticizing them. I will not go there again. I prefer a more friendly staff members that enjoy working with children.

First, the front staff is friendly, helpful, and welcoming- they’re the reason this review isn’t at zero stars. Unfortunately, when it came time for dental work to be done, beyond the front desk was a different experience. I worked as a dental assistant for four years, so while I’m no dentist, I do notice little things happening behind the scenes that others might not. What I noticed here raised some red flags—particularly around the heavy push for the hall crown method. For those unfamiliar, the hall crown is a way to crown a baby tooth that has a cavity with no drilling and no numbing shots. In theory, sounds great. But in practice, I felt like the office pushed this method more for convenience than for my child’s benefit. It requires far less work from the dentist than a filling and, from what I saw, was presented as the only realistic option after they made a simple filling seem impossible. -We came in for what should have been a routine filling. -They numbed my child slowly and uncomfortably, with no friendly or comforting dialogue to help talk my child through it- honestly the opposite of what a pediatric dentist should be aiming for. -When my child was finally almost all the way numb but understandably anxious, the dentist told us they couldn’t continue and suggested coming back another day. -Suddenly, the hall crown became the hero option-no shots, no stress!-and the whole tone shifted to “this is what most parents end up choosing anyway”. When I asked if they could at least try the filling since we were already this far in, the dentist became defensive and condescending. But the moment I asked about doing the crown, he was all smiles and charm. I get it. Less work, same money, happier dentist. I can see how parents get talked into it. But I left feeling manipulated, with a child who was in pain and anxious about the dentist. Some families might love the hall crown method. I just wish it had been presented honestly, not as the result of a setup that left me feeling like my child’s comfort was secondary to convenience.

Great with the kids.

I have never been treated so poorly by a pediatric dentist. Yesterday, I was told my son's tooth could be filled instead of getting a crown. Today, after he was already numbed and on laughing gas, the dentist suddenly announced they were pulling the tooth. I refused--he starts school tomorrow--and the dentist then refused to fill another tooth we had discussed, telling me to "find a different dentist." My child was left confused, scared, and half-numb for no reason. This is not how families should be treated.

The day before my son’s appointment, the dentist assured us his tooth could be filled instead of getting a crown. But at the visit—after my son was already numbed and on laughing gas—the dentist suddenly said they would pull the tooth instead. When I refused because he starts his new school year the next day, he said he wouldn’t fill the other tooth either and told me to “find a different dentist.” Completely unprofessional and dismissive—parents deserve honesty and respect, not last-minute surprises.

Yesterday, I spoke directly with the pediatric dentist about my son's treatment for 2 teeth. The dentist said there was a possibility he might need a baby crown for one tooth, but after I explained that I didn't want that, he told me it would most likely be possible to be left the tooth alone instead and that a crown wouldn't be necessary. But the another tooth need the filling. I repeated to him that it's going to be just the filling and no crown. The dentist confirmed. Today, when I brought my son in for the scheduled filling, the dental assistants said it's going to be extraction and filling, so I explained to her. She said she will let the dentist know. RDH had already numbed his mouth and given him laughing gas before the dentist came in. Only then did the dentist tell me that they were going to pull the tooth. I told him I did not want the tooth pulled the day before my son's first day of school and he didn't mention about the extraction in our conversation yesterday. So I ask if he could fill on another tooth since my son was already medicated. The dentist then said he would not be able to fill the second tooth we had discussed and told me to "find a different dentist and get a second opinion." I left feeling upset and frustrated by the lack of communication, the abrupt change in treatment after my son was already numbed, and the way my concerns were dismissed. Parents deserve honesty, respect, and clear information about their child's dental care.

Poor Communication and Last-Minute Treatment Changes Yesterday, I spoke directly with the pediatric dentist about my son's treatment for 2 teeth. The dentist said there was a possibility he might need a baby crown for one tooth, but after I explained that I didn't want that, he told me it would most likely be possible to be left the tooth alone instead and that a crown wouldn't be necessary. But the another tooth need the filling. I repeated to him that it's going to be just the filling and no crown. The dentist confirmed. Today, when I brought my son in for the scheduled filling, the dental assistants said it's going to be extraction and filling, so I explained to her. She said she will let the dentist know. RDH had already numbed his mouth and given him laughing gas before the dentist came in. Only then did the dentist tell me that they were going to pull the tooth. I told him I did not want the tooth pulled the day before my son's first day of school and he didn't mention about the extraction in our conversation yesterday. The dentist then said he would not be able to fill the second tooth we had discussed and told me to "find a different dentist and get a second opinion." I left feeling upset and frustrated by the lack of communication, the abrupt change in treatment after my son was already numbed, and the way my concerns were dismissed. Parents deserve honesty, respect, and clear information about their child's dental care.