Nikos M Menicou, DDS

Having been in Davis for about a year, it was time to finally get a teeth cleaning and check up. I do not like getting my teeth cleaned (who does?), but not all things in life can be as enjoyable as eating pizza and ice cream. I wish though!
We have Delta Dental, and I called to make an appointment for two new patients, and the earliest appointment was 6 weeks from then. Not bad. I didn’t know the appointment was just for X-​rays and a doctor examination though. You have to then schedule cleanings and fillings for future appointments. Oh well. We arrived shortly after 10 for a 10:15 appointment for the two of us. Unfortunately they couldn’t take us at the same time so it took twice as long for us to be finished. I wish we knew that in advance, because we had things scheduled for later that morning. Those were the only two qualms I had about the place.
But everyone was so nice! Angie, the X-​ray tech and doctor’s assistant, was very friendly and talkative. She understood about having a strong gag reflex while you’re getting those things stuck in your mouth for X-​rays. She explained everything very patiently. There’s nothing like being informed about what’s happening to your mouth.
Then Dr. Nik came in afterwards to explain the X-​rays and examine my teeth. He was very personable, easy to talk to, and didn’t seem rushed to go off to the next patient. As far as teaching goes, he is fabulous at explaining cavities, tooth layers, etc. His analogies were pretty hilarious (driveways, scarves, fortresses). He also said they emphasize informed consent, and he won’t do work without a patient clearly knowing how much it would cost. He encouraged questions! Love it.
Their waiting room is pretty small with two worn couches and two chairs underneath an elegantly painted ceiling. There’s a magazine rack but no TV. The music was just loud enough to muffle the front desk conversations and the sound of the drill from the back. Their exam rooms are so cute! There’s a wine theme, sports, and Disney room! Apparently the Dr. is a duck hunter and there’s a duck in one of the rooms.
Other tips:
–The front desk ladies speak Spanish. Always helpful to have multiple languages spoken when you’re in the healthcare field!
–Cavities have seemed to be about $ 100 each with our insurance.
–Some of the rooms must not get the central air to cool them because there are window AC units in some rooms.
UPDATE: there are two dentists here, and I’ve had cavities filled by both. As time has gone on, Dr. Nik’s strong personality has really come out. He talks a lot, quickly shares his opinions, and is a bit boisterous; sometimes it’s hard for me to get a word in. The other dentist is younger and his personality is pretty even-​keeled.
Barbara is such a nice dental hygienist! I love having her clean my teeth. She remembered me from the first cleaning and is good at making conversation. Four stars for her!
I’ve gotten the Disney room twice for my teeth cleaning! :D

Dr. Nick did a huge solid for a young, poor college student about 10 years ago.
Both my wife and I needed dental work. My wife’s work was somewhat major and not something you want to just put off like a minor cavity. Our insurance wouldn’t cover all of it, and we couldn’t afford the difference. I was a full-​time law student with student loans studying nearly every moment of the day and night, and my wife worked at a local nonprofit for not much money.
I don’t remember how it came up – I probably just said we’d have to hold off on some of the work. I know I didn’t ask for special treatment. But even without being asked, and without stopping to think about it, Dr. Nick said he would do the work anyway and told me we should just pay the remainder over time at whatever pace I could. Which we did, slowly, over the course of at least a few months.
Just a stand up guy. I’m not in the area anymore, but I’ve never forgotten the favor. Thanks.

Dr. Nik is the best! He’s so suave, James Bond ain’t got nothin’ on him. He is knowledgeable, funny, and very personable. He gives helpful advice, and doesn’t try to push heavy sales tactics on patients. He gives it to you straight to help you make the right decision. The rooms are artfully painted with different themes such as Disney characters, sports and vino varieties. Jose usually cleans my teeth and he is very patient and is attentive to his work. Overall, this is a great dental office to go to and recommend it to people of all ages.

I have been coming to this dentist since I have been a student starting in 2003. Dr. Nick and his staff are extremely friendly and very receptive to their patients needs. I am a difficult client and have a high gag reflex so taking x-​rays and such is a difficult task. I always feel safe and in capable hands when I come here. I enjoy the fact that they also work with individuals who do not have dental insurance and also offer a cash discount. I have had a series of deep cleanings and Barbara is great. I enjoy the atmosphere here with each room being themed .The disney room is by far my favorite. His staff is excellent and on top of appointments and reminders. I’m very happy to have found a dentist I can trust and enjoy my visits to the office. Highly endorse this dentist and his staff !!

Best Dentist Ever!
Dr Nick is a happy friendly guy that has restored my faith in dentists. He is quick with his work, does a beautiful job and explains what he is doing (and shows you with a mirror). His staff is also excellent. It’s like a big family that welcomes you into their home.
Oh and I can’t forget to tell you how pretty the rooms are! Each room is a mural for a different theme.

Are x-​rays before every cleaning appointment truly necessary? Especially if you’ve never had a cavity.
Seems like they are just trying to collect money for procedures that are unnecessary.
During one visit I was told that I maybe had a cavity that was forming and should have ‘preventative’ work done. After a third visit, I finally caved in to ‘the peer pressure’ to have the work done.
Once I appeared for my visit, the technician couldn’t find the tooth that ‘needed’ the work done. That’s pretty ridiculous.
First I felt ‘feared’ into having the work done. Then they couldn’t even detect it.
The staff, however, were very pleasant. Too bad Dr. Menicou, on the other hand, was not.

Wow, this dentist office is STILL open? What a surprise! I had extremely baaad experience here nearly five years ago… and had never wanted to check it out again after that… the only memory I had with it was rude language from the Dentist and dirty environment of the clinic… I wish there is a zero star I can choose on Unilocal … I will never ever recommend this place if it’s still run by the same dentist, what’s his name? Dr. Menicou? … Walk, oh, no, run away from it!

Came here to get a check up and cleaning. Everyone here is super nice. Dr menicou makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. And good news no cavities!

As a UCD student and I chose Nikos Menicou because I didn’t want to have to deal with co-​pays and complicated insurance paperwork with UC SHIP and wow, did I make the wrong decision! The staff there are unwelcoming and argumentative (and on a good day they’re indifferent at best).
The last straw for me was when I had rescheduled an appointment for a week later due to school and work getting in the way. I came that Friday and tried to enter in to the office, but found the door was locked. One of the front desk ladies opened the door a few minutes after I knocked with an attitude asking me «What do you want!?» I mentioned that I had a cleaning appointment scheduled at this time and she responded with cheeky «No, we’re closed.» and promptly began to close the door on my face. I stopped the door and asked if she could check the appointment on the computer because I was 100% sure I had the right time and date and she promptly retorted with a resounding «No, we’re closed» and closed the door on my face.
Cutting the story short, I later found out they had left a message on my voice mail the day before less than 16 hours before the scheduled time and said they’d be closing that Friday and to call to reschedule the appointment. So I accept the fault that I was mistaken, but the way I was treated by the office staff was so horrendous I immediately switched to a much better dentist in Davis. Later on, I found out that the X-​rays they had taken were so bad that the new dentist had to take new x-​rays.
TL;DR Nikos Menicou is a okay dentist but his office staff are absolutely horrid.

Although this provider contracts with Delta Dental, they do not abide by their Delta contract. I tried to make an exam apt for my daughter for a toothache check. Mariam the receptionist told me that although they participate with Delta, I would have to pay an additional $ 50 out of pocket beyond what my insurance allows as a «convenience fee.» When I informed her that the insurance does not allow additional charges beyond what is contracted, she told me that I could schedule a new patient exam four months from now and would not have to pay additional fees. This office is really taking advantage of UCD students who don’t know much about insurance and are limited in where they can go. I called and complained to my insurance company. If you choose to go here, be aware that you will be shaken down for extra money.

I have had nothing but good experiences from this location. Im surprised at the extent of the bad reviews. I started coming here last year because an old filling had cracked and my tooth was giving me pain, so went in to see what they could do. I had a crown put on within 2 weeks, and everything was fine. Unfortunately, when I went back for a routine visit 8 months later, my tooth was still sensitive so they referred me to an endodontist for a root canal. Had to get it done, but it wasnt bad, and I am currently going back to Dr. Randawa at Twin Pines to replace the crown on that tooth. Nothing to complain of here! And the staff is super friendly and helpful!

As a UCD student on Delta Dental, I don’t have a whole lot to choose from here in Davis. Thankfully for me, there’s Nikos Menicou. This guy is pretty great.
I’m unfortunately prone to cavities, even though I floss daily (I’m not lying — my father had full dentures by his early 40s). This makes going to the dentist a frequently unpleasant activity. It wasn’t so bad with Dr. Menicou. He takes the time to really explain every procedure he recommends, and he won’t drill a minor cavity just for the heck of it. He’s very sensitive to a student’s budget and will never pressure you to get a procedure unless he thinks it’s really necessary. He is also very true to his word: when I got a filling done, he guaranteed its quality for two years. I noticed later that the filling created somewhat of a food pocket, so I came back about a year later and Dr. Menicou refilled it completely free of charge.
There are some reviews here that say that the people at Twin Pines are unprofessional, and while I disagree, I think I know why they say this. Dr. Menicou acts in a very casual way that may be off-​putting for some. He’ll talk to you about his lunch break, he’ll sing songs, he’ll shake your shoulders if you look nervous — he’ll even crack jokes and laugh while he’s drilling your teeth. He’s a friendly guy who loves his job. No fault there. His staff and dental hygienists are also exceptionally friendly. I recommend Twin Pines to everyone on Delta Dental.

They missed THREE cavities!!! One may be forgivable, but Three?!?
Just say no!
In addition, they neglected to identify the gingivitis or the mild periodontal disease AND that I needed most of my tooth fillings replaced because they were either worn down or had gaps that allowed bacteria into my teeth. This should be Malpractice!
Back story:
I have been seeing Twin Pines for one year. I went in last week for a routine teeth cleaning. Every thing went well but I was told I had night grinding and it is recommended that I purchase a nightguard ($ 400). My insurance does not pay for nightguards at Twin Pines Dental because they are not part of my PPO. So okay, I’ll go to another dental clinic that would accept my insurance for the nightguards.
I went to the new clinic, told them I already had my teeth cleaned last week so it was unnecessary for them to clean them again. All I wanted was to be fitted for a nightguard. The staff said «okay», but let’s just take some radiographs and have the doctor look into your mouth so we have you down on our records. I opened my mouth and the first thing they said was «Are you sure you got your teeth cleaned last week?» They said that because they found plenty of plaque still left on my teeth. And I guarantee you this was not plaque that has only been there for a week. This stuff has been there for months. I can’t believe the amount of mineral and tartar buildup they were able to scrape off my teeth.
And believe me, it was not me. I consider myself a good hygienist. I am an avid brusher, I use an electric Sonicare toothbrush. I floss and use mouth wash on a regular basis. The doctor and the technician simply either did not care about providing a thorough cleaning or they simply neglected cleaning altogether.
Anyways, if I did not consult a different dentist (for something unrelated to teeth cleaning in the first place), my dental problems would have continued for who knows how long before they identify it. In the end, this is what my former dentist at Twin Pines missed:
1) 3 cavities that were very obvious because the new dentist actually took pictures of it and showed them to me
2) gingivitis that should have been brought to my attention and could have been prevented with proper cleansing of dental plaques
3) multiple teeth fillings that were worn down and warped that needed replacement
If the dentist and technicians at Twin Pines were more vigilant and would provide actual quality care, I would not have to deal with changing dental clinics and having so much corrective work done on me right now. All of my current problems could have been detected early and could have been easily prevented had it been brought to my attention. Instead, now I find myself paying over $ 1000 at a different clinic trying to correct the mistakes Twin Pines were unable to identify in the first place.
Twin Pines, you have lost a customer FOREVER. I will NEVER refer anyone to you. In fact, I will deter EVERYONE I know from visiting you. NEVER AGAIN!!!

I haven’t seen a dentist in a few years. I figured my teeth were straight, clean and I had no pain. I finally decided to see a dentist because my insurance kicked in. I went to a dentist who insisted on a root canal, crown and a couple fillings, which I later found out was a dental chain. I know I haven’t been in a few years, but my hygiene is good so I asked a few friends and they recommended I see Dr. Nik and his staff. The hygienist was great. She took some X-​rays and did a cleaning. She gave me a break every so often to relax my jaw. She even made a couple jokes to make the time pass… then Dr. Nik looked at my X-​rays and recommended we clean out the 1 big cavity asap and fill it to avoid a future root canal. He said it was close to the nerve, but that we should be okay. I also had one small other one. The Dr spent time explaining and showing me everything and at no point pushed anything upon me like the dental chain was doing. The staff was very polite and fun so I will be back every 6 months. I would def recommend this office to others. It has been 3 months since my appointment and the big cavity he fixed feels perfect. Saved me a ton of money.

Wow. Where to begin? Came here because they take Delta Dental (My insurance as a UC Davis student) and have had bad experience after bad experience. Zero empathy for patients with dental anxiety, poor numbing techniques, don’t return phone calls, frequently reschedule (or cancel!) appointments last minute.
While having work done here I was in considerable pain and the (younger, with plucked eyebrows) dentist told me I needed to «compose myself» and that other dentists «wouldn’t put up with this.» Hard to believe there are dentists who talk to their clients this way. I was in pain for the bulk of the procedure and enduring a lot of his eye rolling. Near the end, he offered to numb me some more, and voila— pain is gone. So for the whole procedure I hadn’t been properly numbed but was taking flack from this guy about how I needed to get it together.
2 ½ months ago I called to schedule a cleaning before I moved. Two weeks ago someone called to reschedule– okay, that happens. Today someone called (a week before the appointment) to cancel the whole thing, saying the dentist refuses to let the hygienist do the cleaning without, get this, IV sedation. Consider this possibility: maybe patients who complain about being in pain are actually in pain. Maybe it’s easier to just knock people out than to numb them properly?
Avoid this place at all costs. Zero bedside manner, zero empathy. UC Davis students— please avoid at all costs.

Avoid this dentist (twin pines dental). These people are unprofessional to say the least. I’m switching due to several consecutive bad experiences.

Dr. Menicou is wonderful. We’ve been seeing him for the past three years. Dr. Menicou is excellent at diagnosing and treating, and is much less painful (and also less expensive — a perk!) than our previous dentist. Plus, he and his staff are caring and considerate. He’s a doll with children, too. (My daughter is happy to go to her visits.) Even our orthodontist said Dr. Menicou is great.

Dr. Nick is absolutely THE. BEST. I moved to Roseville two years ago and still drive almost an hour back for my (extensive) dental appointments. He’s skillful, genuinely funny, and cares about getting the best work done. And I really mean skillful — he pulled out two wisdom teeth in less than five minutes apiece, negating a trip to the endodontist and getting anesthesia. The whole office is great and super-​friendly (they all know me by name by now, haha), and focuses on getting your teeth fixed the best way that works for you. I wouldn’t be comfortable going anywhere else.

I went to Dr. Menicou for a checkup and cleaning. I had three cavities (not abnormal for me and I hadn’t been to a dentist in over a year). He even showed me the x-​rays so I knew he wasn’t ripping me off or anything (I have read about this happening elsewhere in Davis). He was great at making sure the filling was perfect and also made sure I had plenty of local anesthetic. Painless! The whole office is very friendly and accommodating. I’ve been there three times and will definitely be going back at my next 6 month checkup!

Do you like to listen to Journey while getting some dental work done? Well, do I have the dentist for you. Dr. Menicou has a tv and dvd player in each of the operating rooms. He also has a list of movies you can choose from — so don’t be alarmed when you hear drilling and bloodcurdling screams from the adjacent rooms. I’m sure someone decided to pick a horror movie. But if you don’t care for a movie, he’ll throw on the Journey and fix your teeth «Any Way You Want It.» Since he is a dentist, which ultimately limits the enjoyment of your visit, he only get 3 stars.