South Oceanside Dental Group and Orthodontics

Absolutely bizarre experience… and, I hate to admit it I went back.
These people want your money and will do anything to find something wrong with your mouth.
Here’s my favorite… they decided I needed ‘deep cleaning’ so the advertised price as well as what my insurance would pay was a non-​issue. Out the window with that benefit… they had another idea.
They charged my insurance company (Medicare, yep, we all pay for that) over one thousand dollars and my share was over $ 400.00
It took 45 minutes, the gal admitted she was tired and boom, I was out the door.
Went back a second time (yep I probably should have gone to a shrink instead, why or why would I go back?)…same thing… lots of fast talk about ALL I need to do, actually told me that some of the problems I have could lead to death!
Watch out and hold on tight to your wallet!
Barbara C

I just enjoyed another wonderful visit to SODG, Dr. Judge has assembled a All Star team, and I look forward to each visit as I know they have my good health in their interest, and they are
technically proficient at helping me achieve that health. And their office is «the happiest place on Earth»! j You would be foolish not to take advantage of their outstanding service!

I would give them zero stars if possible. I went in for a routine cleaning and it turned into me having to pay way too much out of pocket. I have great insurance that will usually cover my cleaning but with all of their stupid add ons I ended up paying a couple hundred dollars for a cleaning and x-​rays. The cleaning they did wasn’t covered because they did a «special» treatment. Scammers and they just want your money!

They’ve owed my husband a refund of over $ 500 for some time now. When I first went to the office, they advised a check would be mailed within 10 days. When no check arrived, and I visited the office again, I was told that their accountant would send a check to the clinic for me to pick up. And again, that it would be 10 days. Thinking about small clams court

Dr. Judge is very personable; she remembers me and my son and we always pick up where we left off. She presents my options and will advise practically, which I appreciate. I started having an anxious reaction to the numbing injections and shared that with her, and she told me what causes that and was able to give me a different cocktail of the medication and it worked great. Highly recommend!

We really love the professionalism and courtesy here. Dr LaLuz was very nice and Amber Steljies was phenomenal! She was very accommodating and understanding and worked hard to ensure we had a good experience. Dr Redford the orthodontist rocks! He’s great with the kids and super easy to work with as he is honest and straight forward. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a dentist or orthodontist.

Dr. Joe LaLuz is my general dentist and Ashley is my dental hygienist. Honestly this is by far the best Dental experience I have had. I can not tell you how important it is to have a staff that respects you and can relate to you or your dental issues. I have yet to have a bad experience here! My concerns and questions have been met with respect & great explanation. Growing up I really never cared to going to the dentists due to past experiences where I felt their interest was not in my favor. However this location has changed my mind and takes a lot of stress out of going to the dentist.

Great staff but horrible wait times if I could I would give no stars

I went here for the very first time last Wednesday. I was super nervous & scared of what I was going to be told after not visiting the dentist in over 15 years. Luckily I completed all of the paperwork online so when I arrived they took me back right away. I was seen by Dr. Laluz. He was very friendly & concerned as far as getting me feeling better & out of so much pain. Next the dental assistant took me in to take some exrays. She was very careful due to the amount of pain I was in & very patient with me. After X-​rays Dr. Laluz reconnected with me to go over everything. He prioritized first and then went down the line. I was feeling a bit of relief knowing at that point I would be able to get the tooth out that was bothering me. But thereafter the front desk lady came in to talk about finances with me. She was semi bullying me into doing all of my procedures that day… over 5000 $ worth of work. My insurance only covers 1000 $ so there was no way. By the time I was done talkin to her I was in tears & didn’t come to any sort of conclusion whatsoever so I was incredibly frustrated. Today I called because I was in extreme pain once again. I spoke with Dr. Laluz & he referred me to an oral surgeon so I could be seen as soon as possible. He also wrote me a prescription for my pain & was very understanding. I really like the dentist. He is a wonderful man. Just wish the girl wasn’t so pushy. I would go back if I didn’t have to deal with her.

Had my 1^st experience with this dentist office today. 6 month Check-​Up. Cleaning, X-​Ray & Fluoride for my 7 year old daughter…
— Front Desk staff 5 Star (don’t know her name) she helped when I made the appointment a couple weeks ago when I walked in unexpected for my daughter then again when my daughter and I arrived this morning. She is Very accommodating, Very friendly and Very thorough.
— Overall experience for my daughter is a 4 Star based on what she shared with me.
About 15 minutes after arriving at 8:00am they called my daughter back for X-​rays. Upon my daughter walking towards the door the hygienist said «I’ll come get you after her X-​rays» (normal procedure) I said ok…
About 35 minutes after that took place. Out walked my daughter with same hygienist to give a GREAT report of «No Cavities» I was very Happy for my daughter and my wallet, but at the same time confused because no one came and got me like what was told to me.
My daughter and I went to the desk, attempted to make another appointment for 6 months and it just wasn’t working out because of a busy calendar I already seem to have for June 2016, So the same person at the Front Desk I gave a 5 Star to, said she would note my account and follow up with me closer to June for her 6 month checkup.
Sounded great, and we left. (Dentist wanted to set up a orthodontic consult for my daughter who is 7. I told him I saw no need this early and that was that)
Upon leaving my daughter and I talked about her experience and the FIRST thing she said to me was. «daddy I asked the lady to come get you after my X-​rays and she said, your a big girl you can see him after» … NOT OK for one second with me. I was told you were going to come get me after the X-​rays and then my daughter held you accountable to what she heard you say to me and she was told «your a big girl you can see him after».
I’d like to get an explanation from whoever reads this from the office, why that was said and why that was told to my 7 year old daughter.
— a 3 Star is Average and NOTHING I do for my children is just average. So something needs to come forward for me to continue with «Average» Health care for my daughter. Thanks… Frank

The staff is nice and provide good service when present, but the wait is long, not only to be initially called back but for everything in between before you leave. It is also impossible to get them to give an accurate receipt worthy of the insurance health benefits department for your flex spending account. I always have to go in person which is always inconvenient when it is so easy to fax, mail, or email the requested documents they should readily have and expect to provide. Sadly, we prefer to drive further for better service.

I had a wonderful experience with South Oceanside Dental Groups Periodontist Dr. Jackie Chi. I found her to be very reassuring and felt that I was in capable hands throughout my appointment. Dr. Chi was extremely gentle in what I imagined to be a painful procedure. I felt safe and comfortable with her fantastic and friendly assistant Juan, a great team! They did a fantastic job and I would highly recommend Dr. Chi and services of South Oceanside Dental Group.

Loved the Tech, but always felt sleezy with the way they talked down to me. I still feel like they signed me and my wife up for dental work we didn’t need.
I just needed a cleaning and didn’t even get that.
Asked for nitros and no shots and all I got was complaints from their doctors and refusals to do it my way. Ended up with way too many shots.

I have never been a fan of the dentist but when one breaks their wisdom tooth it needs to be tackled sooner rather then later. One of my coworkers suggested this office and I am happy I did. All of the staff from the receptionist (Lauren) to the technicians and doctor were wonderful. I was not stuck waiting in the lobby forever, everyone was friendly, they were down to earth and easy to talk to. I felt very comfortable. I also appreciated having treatment plans provided for me for upcoming and potential future appointments. They also gave me payment options which (again) was nice.

This review is long overdue — I actually just visited my new (fantastic) dentist and it reminded me how awful my experience was at South Oceanside Dental group. Beware of this place!
I went in for a cleaning and was informed that I needed two root canals and had several cavities. The first red flag should have been when they asked me to pay up front for the root canals I hadn’t even received! After talking to some family members, they suggested I get a second opinion, which I did. My new dentist informed me that I did NOT need ANY root canals. He said that when my temporary fillings came out, he’d fill the teeth and they would be fine.
I called South Oceanside Dental Group to cancel all my upcoming services and to request a refund. The refund took OVER A MONTH. It was ridiculous.
Fast forward to when my temporary fillings were set to be replaced…
My new dentist was horrified that the dentist at South Oceanside Dental group hadn’t even drilled out the decay under the temporary fillings!
The whole experience was a big fat nightmare.

No one ever likes going to the dentist and this one is no different. Although the staff are very nice and friendly, the wait time is extremely long which makes your appt. even longer.
I went in for a routine cleaning which didn’t even happen. They took me back for the Xrays which thankfully were quick, after that it was completely down hill. They had me waiting in another room for 30 minutes for the doctor, when she finally came in she just came to tell me that I needed to get 3 root canals and 3 crowns, which i already knew about from my previous appointment with them. Then instead of doing the cleaning she gets the Insurance person who helps finance your dental work there. Right away they wanted payment and to do the work on me ASAP. I informed the insurance lady that i wanted to take a look at the numbers and come back at a different time. From there that’s when they told me i could leave now. after being there for almost 2 ½ 3 hours. At one point i thought they had forgotten about me and i had to debate if i should walk out and ask for someone or not.
I was totally confused as to why my cleaning never happened, considering i paid self pay for $ 70.00. After a few days have passed by their office calls me and begins to inform me that my insurance kicked in and they will use the $ 70.00 towards my future appointments with them for my root canal and crowns. Unfortunately i did not like the way they dealt with things at their office, from the long waits, to getting the exact treatment you pay for (which i didn’t get) so I decided it was best to decline their service and I asked them to refund me my money. Thankfully they did.

I am new to the area and have been going to this dentist office for the last 3 months to get a crown and root canal. They have always been upfront about what I need and have shown me costs before initiating any procedure. My dentist is professional and I appreciate that. They are also sensitive to my time and I have never waited more than 15 minutes. I feel my dental health has greatly improved since I’ve been a client. Payment can also be broken up in months so you don’t have to pay all upfront.

All these guys are interested in is upselling everything. As another reviewer said they told me I have deep pockets in my gums and would need to use laser and insert antibiotic packets into the pockets. There was no discussion of options or alternatives.
I don’t see the dentist I saw on their website, a 40ish Hispanic guy. He took about five minutes to check out my teeth. I found it quite annoying that he felt he could keep touching my face, contact that was not related to the exam.
Miguel the office manager was very pushy.

I have been going to this practice for about a year now. I had not been to a dentist in a (very) long time, and the first visit they did a lot of work. Now I feel like my teeth are the healthiest they have ever been.
I’ve always been impressed with the technology and professionalism of the practice. The best part to me is that I am constantly asking questions and the staff has always been able to answer all of them, and a lot of information is give. Before I even ask!
Today I went in for an overlay for a cracked tooth. I was done in under 2 hours. This procedure used to take 2 weeks the old way it was done. Dr. LaLuz and all the assistants did an outstanding job and I had no discomfort the whole time.

I went in for a simple teeth cleaning that would be covered by my insurance. They explained that I had deep pockets in my gums and would need a higher level of care than was covered by my insurance. I decided to go for a second opinion somewhere because I had never been told this before. When I went to another dentist that read the pockets at differently than South Oceanside dental. In fact they could not believe that South Oceanside dental recommended periodontal treatments for me This was four years ago and I do not have any problems with my gums or teeth. This place is worse than a bad mechanic. They are highly trained to take your money! Watch out because they seem nice at the counter. I highly recommend second opinions when they recommend work. Also read the 47 reviews that are not recommended at the bottom of this page!