Stephen M Sherwood DDS PLLC

Everyone here is fantastic. Our daughter’s first dental visit coil not have gone better. Everyone here is so kind and gentle.

My two kids go here and we couldn’t be happier. They are super organized: when you walk in they hand you a printed school letter and immediately schedule your next appointment. You get text and email notifications. Staff is super warm and friendly. Our son used to fear the dentist but now that we are here, he loves it.

My kids have been going here since they were 3 and 4 (they are now 11 and 12). They have never had one cavity and they LOVE going to the dentist. When I tell them we have a dental appt, they say «Awesome!!» What an incredible experience to have kiddos that are excited to go to the dentist! The office is immaculate and is an excellent environment for children — three’s a ride on horse, a train table, videos, a fist tank — -the WORKS. The staff could not be better. They are professional and know how to interact with children (off all ages). They have always been clear about any charges whether out of pocket or covered by insurance. We have never had to wait past our appointment time. I had planned to never review them because I really didn’t’ want to the word to get out, but now they no longer take our insurance. I am heartbroken. I hope we can find a good dentist for our kids. Take your children here with no hesitation. Dr. Sherwood is the absolute kindest, most gentle, professional doctor. His staff is the best. They do excellent patient teaching that is age appropriate. They explain everything to my children so that they can be accountable for caring for their own teeth and they always speak with me to make sure if I have any needs or questions, that I have the opportunity to have them addressed. I am going to miss this office and the staff so much. Any praise I can give just can’t reflect how great an experience we’ve had with Dr. Sherwood’s practice.

On the positive side, Dr. Sherwood has a great demeanor with children and we had a positive experience in that regard. However, this practice has some of the most totalitarian policies of any medical service provider I have ever experienced. My two children we patients until we were fired for violating their on-​time policies. Over the course of 2 ½ years, my children were «late» for 4 appointments and we missed two appointments. But to clarify, the 4 «late» arrivals were each under 5 minutes late and in the case of at least one of those late arrivals, I had arrived on time and my wife and children arrived withint 5 minutes of the appointment. After these 4 «late» arrivals, we accidentally missed one appointment and received a certified letter notifying us that we would be «fired» from the practice if we violated the policy one more time. We made absolutely sure to arrive on time for the next appointment, but unfortunately failed to show for the next and now we have been fired.
A couple of points: I understand that is disrupts a practice when people are late or miss appointments. However, being less than 5 minutes late to anything should not be considered «late.» Particularly when your client base is children who have competing obligations, i.e., school, and parents who work and must juggle multiple responsibilities. Also, as anyone that lives in Austin knows, traffic can be unpredictable.
In any event, I am frustrated that we’ve been «fired» from Dr. Sherwood, but am certain we will find a suitable replacement. In my experience, dentists are practically on every corner, and while Dr. Sherwood has a good demeanor, he’s certainly not the only one in Austin.
So a cautious note to parents considering Dr. Sherwood: Make sure you are never late, even 5 minutes.

I was actually surprised at how pleasant our son’s first dental experience was. We have been talking up his dentist visit for about a month now to get him excited about it. He is not a fan of doctor visits right now, so we thought talking it up would be helpful. Dr. Sherwood and everyone we interacted with in his office were wonderful! I don’t think it hurt to talk up the visit but it probably wasn’t necessary. They were all incredibly gentle and sweet with our son. They have different techniques to make children feel comfortable because it is clearly important to them that they respect children and their feelings. They want the early dental experiences to be good ones and I think that Jack’s was the best possible experience he could have had at this age. I heard about Dr. Sherwood from a friend that was really happy with him and I have already recommended him to another friend. We don’t have dental insurance for our son and we got a discount for paying out of pocket, I believe it was 10% off. The bill was much lower than I was expecting.

We have been regular clients of Dr. Sherwood and his staff for several years. We were referred to him by our orthodontist after I expressed concern that I was having trouble finding a pediatric dentist that I trusted to discuss concerns thoroughly and fully compare any reasonable options. I have found that in Dr. Sherwood. My most recent experience is just one of many positive experiences with them. I called on Thursday afternoon, concerned that my son had an abscessed tooth. Megan, their receptionist and scheduling coordinator, asked several questions to try to ensure that this was not something that could be managed at home like something caught under the gum that we could remove with floss. When I explained that I didn’t see anything, she agreed that Dr. Sherwood should see my son. They didn’t have any available appointments on Friday, but asked that we just come in at 9:30 and we would be seen as soon as possible. That next morning, we were seen, had x-​rays taken which confirmed an abscessed tooth, had a consultation with Dr. Sherwood about options, the tooth was extracted and we were on our way — by 10:30!

I was very impressed with Dr. Sherwood, his staff, and the facilities at this pediatric dental practice. Everything seemed state of the art. I didn’t have to wait long to see the doctor, and I received a lot of education from both the doctor and his staff to help me as a parent who wants to keep my daughter’s teeth in good shape.
TIP: If you’re a cash client and don’t use insurance, you get a 15% discount.

Dr. Sherwood runs a great practice. We have four children, two of whom are on the autism spectrum, including one severely autistic child. Dr. Sherwood and his staff have always been very understanding of the kids’ limits on dental work, and the work they have performed has been exceptional. I believe that Dr. Sherwood has special needs kids himself.
I have not encountered the problems other reviewers report about the front desk, as they have always been courteous. They have even made corrections to errors, such as the time the doctor put non-​amalgam fillings into one of the girls’ baby teeth rather than the cheaper amalgam fillings. We had not been consulted about that particular decision and protested the bill. Dr. Sherwood adjusted the bill to the lower amount with an apology.
Also we do make appointments 6 months out, but I can’t remember one that hasn’t changed. I consider the appointment more of a reminder than a firm commitment, so I don’t have any problem changing them. This practice is not cheap, but if you want things done right and/​or have special needs kids, it’s worth the price.

Aahh I can’t believe I came across Dr. Sherwood on Unilocal!He was my pediatric dentist! Yup, and I’m totally writing this review now as a 24 year old.
I went to Dr. Sherwood as a kid until I was 18 when his office was closer to downtown. Mmm… I think it was on 35^th St. Anyhoo, they kicked me out around the time I turned 18, and my parents had to find me a regular, boring, non-​pediatric dentist. It’s a shame– I miss the toys in the waiting room and tapping on the colorful fish tank. Looking back, I’m sure that was super annoying, but the ladies at the front desk just let me happily tap away and never said anything.
Now, I can’t speak from a parent’s perspective about paying/​handling bills and making appointments, but I can tell you that I sure liked the place as a kid. I remember that everyone was really nice– especially Dr. Sherwood. As he looked at my teeth, he would ask about school and my hobbies. Although I hate talking at the dentist’s office now (what’s the point while your mouth is wide open?), I didn’t mind attempting to formulate and (unsuccessfully) enunciate some coherent words at the time.
I don’t remember who the hygenist was that usually cleaned my teeth, but I do remember that I didn’t mind whatever it was that they were doing in there. Nothing ever really hurt or was uncomfortable, which is really important when you’re a kid. Plus, when I got done, they always told me what a good job I did. Good job? For sitting still? Man, wish I could put that one on a resume.
Any special skills? Oh umm… well…I’ve been told that I’m an excellent sitter???
Aaaand there was the treasure box! I could always pick out one thing when I did a «good job.» Between you and me, I may or may not have snuck two toys once when no one was looking.

Our family loves this pediatric dentistry practice. The entire experience from the waiting room, to the cleaning, the exam, and the consultation are as pleasant as possible. The friendly staff know how to skillfully approach children in a way that builds trust and makes the whole visit a fun adventure.
I should mention that my expectations may be different than some other parents because I have worked in the pediatric oral health field and I have met most of the dentists in the Austin area, even observing their chair-​side manner. There are many competent dentists around town that will get the job done but won’t make your child eager to return for the next dental exam. Not so at Dr. Sherwood’s office, where the staff take great effort to make the experience entertaining, personal, and educational.
My child loves the variety of diversions in the uncrowded waiting area like the ride-​on pony, the assortment of toys, and the multiple video game systems. When his cleaning and exam are over, he wants to stay for a while longer in the waiting room just to continue to explore all of the fun activities there.
Speaking of waiting, I really appreciate that our hygienist comes to fetch us right on time and the dentist performs the exam very shortly afterward. I feel like there is much less waiting around than I experience with my own dentist, and that’s really helpful when dealing with a fidgety child and a busy school/​work schedule.
We haven’t had to deal with any cavities or dental emergencies yet, but if and when we do, I feel at ease knowing that we’ll be going for treatment to an office my child already loves.
The other reviewers are right when they talk about the financial arrangements. This modern practice, like most others in dentistry (which operates on a different business model from most of the rest of healthcare), makes it very clear about the expectation for payment and the penalties for no-​shows. Unless you go to one of those strip mall chain places or a well-​established practice (by an older dentist with no debt, low overhead, and very few amenities or new equipment), dental care is simply expensive. Our family is fortunate to have very good dental coverage, but even then, we pay some out of pocket expenses for our visits here. That’s okay by me now, but if I were on a limited budget, I might not choose this office.
Tip: Before you go, check out the website and download the new patient forms.

My 3 and 5-​year-​old girls and my husband have always been pleased with the service from Dr. Sherwood. I have struggled with the cost and some of the hard sell for services and scheduling but as long as the girls were happy, I was happy.
However, when I got new insurance and called to cancel their appointments a month out I was transferred to David in patient accounting/​insurance. I explained that to get the most out of my new insurance plan that I need to go see dentists in a certain group — which Dr. Sherwood is not in. David was VERY aggressive about trying to keep my kids at the practice — but not in a polite, customer-​service, we really appreciate your business kind of way. Instead I was advised that I «obviously did not understand my insurance plan and my benefits» and that I should «go back and reread them» before I cancel. I was so stunned by the nasty, condescending tone that I was unable to respond. I was gob smacked! I think David hoped that this approach would assure/​sell me that I would get the same benefits as I would at an in-​network dentist and that I would drop the idea of taking my children to another dentist. I hung up, called my dental plan to confirm indeed that I was correct and then called David back and firmly canceled. An awkward breakup with this practice that could have gone without incident but instead left me feeling insulted and that my kids were merely dollar signs.

Dr Sherwood’s dental office is worth every penny. For my autistic son, it was like going to an amusement park. He let them look in his mouth and clean a bit, no problem. Something I’d been putting off for two years, is now done! MY son has a dentist! Yes!!!

Both of my son’s are seen here twice a year and the older one has had two «procedures» that have been top notch! We do have insurance and its only average but our quotes have actually been lower when we pay after our appointments. We have never pre-​paid or have had a problem with the billing. I throughly enojy the office staff, medical professionals and Dr. Sherwood. My kids love the office and NEVER want to leave.
Thanks for a great pediatric dental experiance everytime.

Love everything about this office but the billing. If you have insurance with a cheap co-​pay — GO HERE and my review is a 5 start! If you are not insured as I am there keep reading I was very disappointed. I was misquoted for our visit — I called to ask how much the initial visit would be — I was told $ 90 and then for cash I would get a 15% discount on top of that. When we went to pay our charge was $ 154 — WFT? I inquired about it politely and I was told oh yes, the consultation was $ 90 and the cleaning was $ 87 — Thats about DOUBLE! They brushed it off with a slight laugh — haha — oh thats silly, its $ 154!
We were also quote $ 2500 worth of dental work for my daughters 1 «bad» cavity and 1 small one, they said that wanted to put her under anesthesia because they want to go in and fill and seal 6 other molars «just in case» they get back. There was no concern for finances or given other options that might work. He also pushed fluoride on us — saying that we would need to come in every 2 months for treatments. It felt as though they wanted to get us on a reoccurring payment system. By the way — the quoted $ 2500 was just for the office there were still fees for Hospital and Anesthesiologist — i was ONLY told — it would be «a lot more». Gee — thanks alot for all the info doc!
I am sorry if this review is sounding bitter and angry — not my intention but I do feel like I was bamboozled. They were super nice even when saying my rate was double, they were SUPER fabulous with my daughter and ensure that she does not have a traumatic experience there and they have super fabulous toys!
So cash patients beware — these guys are not concerned with how much money they are taking from you. We are going to Dr. Babot — she is way far south for this Cedar Park Mom but her reviews from multiple friends tell me that she is worth a try for a second opinion — which is a WAY better option then putting my 3 ½ year old under ANESTHESIA!

My special needs son has been a patient for 4 years, but I think I’ve had it with this office. Dr. Sherwood is very nice and considerate of my son, but I’m tired of being overcharged and made to pay for a procedure waaaaay in advance in order to hold an appointment. I can understand treating new patients this way, but established patients ?? The people who run the office are a bit disorganized and they have to run things by Dr. Sherwood before they will change the treatment plan (Really? I thought I was the parent?) So, I’m off to find another dentist.

It’s been bugging me that I left this review out there, which was based solely on the outrageous experience I had, and didn’t give air to the good points of the practice. My kids were happy there for their appointments, and Dr. Sherwood had a very kid-​friendly bedside manner. However, there is also apparently a policy of locking in the next 6-​month appointment while you’re there for the current one, which didn’t work for me because my schedule is very up in the air. During my son’s second visit, the office assistant came out into the waiting room where I was sitting (twice — and in front of all of the other parents) to tell me I had to schedule my son’s next 6-​month appointment now because that was their policy. I had to repeat «no, thank you» several times before the assistant finally said, «Well, I’ll have to check with Dr. Sherwood to see if that’s okay.» Really? So I’m changing the review from 1 star to 3 stars, because although the way that the practice is run I found to be inflexible, difficult and actually somewhat disrespectful to the parents, it would have been remiss of me not to also acknowledge what this office does well, which seems to be to provide excellent pediatric dental care. But we have found another excellent pediatric dental practice that meets all of our criteria, so we still don’t plan to go back.

My kids have been going to Dr. Sherwood for about 10 years now and I can tell you that he is marvelous. Taking my kids to the dentist used to be a scary thought but not anymore. The best thing about Dr. Sherwood is he never does any unnecessary procedures. For example, several times my kids have needed work done on a tooth that is about to come out on it’s own soon so he would recommend just leaving it alone. He doesn’t go after the bucks, he does what is in the best interest of the child. The whole staff is amazing.

I just got off the phone with a woman in this office who was so unhelpful and frankly, rude. My son fell and nearly knocked his tooth out and our pediatrician referred us to this office but I will not be going there based on the terse and unhelpful nature of the employees. As a mom with a kid whose tooth is bent backward into his mouth, it would be nice to talk to someone kind and reassuring on the phone– a simple «Ok, well we can get the Dr. to take a look at that» instead of interrupting me during my explanation of what happened and how he’s reacting to ask me if I want to make an appt and then telling me they can’t fit me in anytime this week.

Dr. Sherwood and his entire staff are AMAZING. If you need a dentist for your child, please visit Dr. Sherwood and his team. They are patient, kind, professional, and exceedingly great with the kids. And in case you haven’t been to a pediatric dentist in a while, this is not like you remember going to the dentist when you were a kid. They have movies on the ceiling! They have a drugstore pony ride in their waiting room, that they will give you a token to ride. There is a Lego Star Wars videogame in the waiting room, too, which is the only motivation my oldest son needs to go to the dentist.
Everyone in Dr. Sherwood’s office is pleasant, friendly, smart and a delight to work with. I highly, highly recommend Dr. Sherwood to every parent I know. We love it here.