Sandra A Merrill, DMD

One star only because you can’t do zero stars. Worst dentist I have ever been to. She doesn’t care if you are in pain, and is rude to everyone. While she was filling my tooth, she kept slapping her assistant’s hands out of the way. You could not pay me to go back!

WOW! I had 2 occasions to visit Dr. Merrill, DMD, several years apart. I found her to be knowledgable in her profession of General Dentistry. She is what I’d call gruff in her personality toward patients, myself included. I had an abscessed tooth both times, as my dentist fears go back to the 50s/​60s when DDS could/​did restrain kids to do routine dental work. Back then they also drilled out the whole tooth & replaced with amalgam, so now ALL my teeth have micro fissures in them and no way to know til I have an abscess brewing. SO… I got referred to her and was in excruciating pain. One of her 1^st comments was, «I only give ONE pain pill script, so get it fixed or get it pulled.» I was shocked… the woman never met me before, but I let it pass because of my pain and knowing Charlotte has a BIG problem with people seeking drugs, like other cities. I thought it odd that she brings her little Shitzu dog to the office and it wanders room to room with her (not a dog hater, but as a RN I didn’t think that was HIPPA/​infection control allowed). Dr. Merrill did remove my molar, and I had insurance that covered the procedure… NOT a root canal. I ONLY returned, a year later because the same insurance required me to… for another molar with a micro-​fissure and she yanked that one out, too. I just thought she must be UNhappy in her life… hence her rude comments and gruff demeanor. I have seen the office looking dissheveled recently (the Dental World sign gone, too) and Googled her name… found out I’M NOT the only one she’s treated this way! Now, she’s got a new office… down in the Indianland/​Ballantyne area! I can only share what I know, but it IS the absolute truth. I’d NEVER allow my 22 yr old son near her… good dental knowledge or not.

I found Dr. Merrill to be kind, patient, and understanding. If I ever have to recommend a dentist, it would be her. Yes, she can seem abrasive (only to her staff, not to the patients that I have seen), but she is just very business-​like. If you are looking for good care and don’t mind not being coddled, this is the place to go.