Oley, Shaia, & Associates

My sons 9 and 6 had never been to a dentist (I know, you’re thinking we’re bad parents). The last time my husband and I saw one was almost 10 years ago. We are sticklers for following good brush/​floss habits at home, but for peace of mind and general wellness checks, especially for our kids, we finally signed up dental insurance and designated this practice as our DMO/​PCD.
Aetna’s selection of primary care dentists were limited, unlike their PPO plan. Unsure of the quality of staff and dentists, I picked this practice purely based on distance closest to our home. I called early morning to schedule appointments expecting 3 – 6 months out, but luckily, they had one family cancel and squeezed us in that afternoon. The scheduler (Susan) was helpful and gave clear instructions for Aetna to fax proof of coverage so they could see us the same day, saving us from potential hassles and claim issues.
Plenty of parking, huge facility, and I would agree with Jessica S. that one felt like a rat in a maze with the open exam rooms a bit awkward as I also met eyes from patient to patient as we navigated to the back. However, those feelings quickly dissipated with every warm greeting and friendly interaction with the staff.
Starting with registration/​reception, they were very polite and always smiling, not the cold, aloof attitude you sometimes get from walking into doctor’s offices. Then the dental assistant (Katie) got us and escorted us to our room/​alcove. I explained our situation (truly the boys’ first time seeing a dentist; her mouth dropped open), and she immediately tried to make us all feel comfortable, dissuading me from feeling guilty for not bringing them in sooner, talking to the boys and explaining every step and task she was up to, and being genuine and kind while working in a relaxed yet efficient manner.
Next came our dental hygienist (Pallavi Desai) to greet us and seamlessly took over from Katie while she went to work on my younger son. Ms. Desai was exceptional, to say the least. She had such a calming effect – asking my older son questions about his school, brushing routine, showing his teeth x-​rays on the computer screens and explaining what he saw, having him pick out a polishing paste out of 6 different flavors, making the whole experience fun and stress-​free. As she worked his teeth, she gave him tips on how to better clean/​brush a small area that needed more attention and how else he can improve his routine. She took out a small «gift» bag with toothbrush, paste, and floss for him when they were done, and praised him for a job well done and encouraged him to keep up good habits. Ms. Desai proceeded to work with my younger son, who was extremely anxious about this visit. Unlike his big brother, he does not always practice good brush/​floss habits, so we warned him about his smelly breath and potential cavities before going. However, both Katie and Ms. Desai won him over and also made him feel very comfortable throughout the process, including fluoride treatment and gently reminding him of what he needs to do going forward. I asked Ms. Desai to show him the drill for cavities to scare him a bit, but she was soft-​spoken yet firm assuring he can avoid it by brushing twice a day and flossing nightly. Neither kid had cavities or problems. A job well done indeed!
Dr. Kennealy stopped by to check on them and to confirm everything was performed up to standards by her staff. Very brief interaction, but expected, as the heavy-​lifting was done by Katie and Ms. Desai. As added bonus, the boys got to pick out two small toys from a big box of goodies for doing so well and for their first time at a dentist. They were super excited and left completely happy and looking forward to their next visit. I ended our trip by scheduling appointments with Ms. Desai for my husband and me (Susan the scheduler helped again with such a nice demeanor, this time in person).
I am truly grateful and fortunate to have found this practice by chance, limited to the small pool of providers offered by Aetna. Sometimes you get lucky when choices are few, if they are all quality providers; other times you may feel restricted due to less qualified places. Dentist visits draw such personal experiences that reviewers will always give negative feedback (happy experiences don’t always get to be heard because complainers tend to voice their discontent). I want to make sure the good gets heard! From our first time with this practice, I highly recommend it simply due to the positive interaction, genuinely helpful staff, and solid expertise we experienced today. Kudos to Ms. Pallavi Desai and Katie for welcoming us as new patients, and hopefully, loyal ones to provide lots of referrals from here on out.

Dr. Patel is AMAZING. I have always had a terrible fear of the dentist due to severe problems with my jaw and insensitivity from other dentists in the past. She, however, was incredibly patient and helpful. I ended up having to get cavities filled, and I could not have asked for a better doctor to do it. She made sure I was as comfortable as possible the entire time, and she did everything she could to keep me from straining my jaw too much during the process. I strongly recommend her! The office, however, can be difficult to deal with at times (forgetting to send referrals to insurance, etc), but Dr. Patel makes up for it all!

Still waiting to get called in 45 minutes after my scheduled appointment. Unacceptable.

Yesterday, I had the worst experience at Dr. Oley & Shaia DDS.
I have a terrible gag reflex when it comes to x-​rays & getting impressions done and I need a crown done. I was told they would be patient with me. Ha!
First, the assistant in charge of x-​rays was apparently irritated that I’m a girl with a boys name. When I mentioned that it should have been noted in my chart about trouble with xrays, she rolled her eyes and said the people you talk to on the phone don’t know anything. She then sprinted down the hall, expecting me to keep up. She paused to stick her head in another room to say, we have a gagger.
She then tries to stuff a iPhone sized xray in a plastic bag in my mouth. She gives up after two tries and leaves.
The hygienist cleans my teeth, no issues.
The dentist comes in, barely looks at me and begins to make fun of my issue. He starts dabbing my eyes with the paper bib, only to turn and shove it into my face. He says he can’t help me with my crown, another dentist will have to do it and leaves. The hygienist tells me I don’t need it, my tooth will just break apart and I’ll have a lot of problems.
Finally, I’m ushered up front to make my appointment for the crown. There are several women in the front office. One keeps snickering, rolling her eyes, pointing to the waiting area and making comments to the other women. At this point, I’m at my limit and I call her out. Is there a problem? She shocked and starts stammering, what? I asked her if there was an issue that my mom was in the waiting room humming and singing to get my 8 month old to sleep while waiting for me. I’ve obviously caught her and she starts muttering about the radio.
They ended my visit by the office manager trying to cover for everyone apologizing, that I should give them another chance. There wasn’t a single good thing about this practice and I will never go back.
They don’t even deserve a star but you have to give at least one to make a review.

I’ve been going here for over 10yrs and you would think that would mean something but not to these people. I had been going here for cleanings and when my daughter needed braces they were quick to get it started. What they failed to tell me was my insurance approves them for dentistry but not Ortho so I had to pay for it all out of pocket. Here I am again replacing a retainer that no longer fits and told my insurance now covers the retainer by half. I just got a bill for the full amount! I’m now being told they never said insurance covered it that it’s just an estimate but they don’t know if it’s covered until the claim is filed. If that were the case I never would have gone ahead until I knew. The girl basically told me it’s my responsibility and told me since we were getting nowhere and just repeating herself she was hanging up on me! I’m told a supervisor won’t be in until next week. Hate this place!

Let me start off by saying I LOVE going to the dentist. Well, I did before going to THIS dentist. My complaint is 4 fold.
1) The office is huge and I felt like a rat in a maize. I didn’t like how open the exam rooms were. As I wondered down one hall turning into another hall I kept bumping eyes with patients in dental bibs with there mouths open. At a time when you are pretty venerable I found it uncomfortable.
2) Although my dental hygienist was polite I felt like she took the ‘I’ll scare you into flossing’ approach. I found my self thinking ‘I floss, twice a day… I swear!‘
3) The dentist I saw must have left her bedside manner at med-​school. Because my mouth actually felt violated. It was as if she forgot a human was attached to the teeth she was discussing. She offered no clarification as to what she was doing prior to cramming what seemed like her entire hand in my mouth.
4) Lastly, it appears I’ve had a $ 19 credit at this office for over a year and no one, NO ONE thought to mention that to me. With my insurance dental visits are covered and have no copay so it seems like they would have kept my $ 19 forever. That makes me question how much money they are holding as ‘credits’ from other people.
I can’t stress how much I loved going to the dentist before going to this dentist. I can’t imagine how someone who didn’t like the dentist would handle this place. Not only did they forget my mouth was attached to a person but it really felt like I was at one if those places that does oil changes in 15 minutes. This office has no human approach. You’ll be treated like a jaw with teeth when you visit, not a human.

I’ve only been here once, but so far, so good.
After a few scarring visits at my previous dentist, I was a bit anxious about getting my mouth worked on. So anxious, in fact, that I waited way longer than I should have between visits. But it was all good because, much to my surprise, I had no cavities when I finally visited this practice a few weeks ago!
On a recommendation from a trusted friend, I decided to go with Oley, Shaia, & Associates for my much-​needed teeth cleaning. The dental hygienist I saw was Pallavi Desai and I really liked her. When I made my appointment over the phone, I told the receptionist that I was a little nervous and she passed this info along to Pallavi (without me asking). I appreciated this, because it showed me that they really care about the comfort of their patients. Pallavi ensured that I was at ease throughout my visit, and asked me multiple times during the teeth cleaning if I was doing ok. My teeth are extremely susceptible to cavities, despite all of my brushing and flossing, so I warned her that I would probably need multiple fillings. As I already revealed above, I was happy to learn that I had zero cavities, and Pallavi assured me that my teeth looked great. Needless to say, I left feeling very happy with my mouth.
I also love, love, loved Pallavi’s assistant who took my xrays and prepped me for the visit. Of course, her name is escaping me at the moment, but she was awesome.
As for the dentist himself, I saw Dr. Kopelove. As is usually the case when you’re just having a standard cleaning, he only came in at the end to shake hands and check out my xrays before sending me on my merry way. But during the brief time I spent with him, I got a great vibe and will definitely be requesting him again on my next visit.
If you’re looking for a comfortable vibe, ample parking, and friendly staff who know what they’re doing, then I certainly recommend giving this dentist office a shot.