Steve H Pai, DDS

1. Called gave them my info and they said they will have everything ready. All they had ready was my appointment.
2 Got there and had to wait because she didn’t even call in and get any info. I don’t want to call anyone «lazy» but some people will get that idea.
3 They didn’t even have a straight answer if my cleaning and ex Ray was gonna come out of my pocket or not. I never been to a dentist office that’s so unprofessional.
4.I tell her my insurance always pays and I don’t want to end up paying and find out later that I’m not gonna get reimbursed for it.
5. I ask is my insurance gonna cover or I’m gonna pay. She replies”. Why don’t u pay now and if it’s covered they will pay u back“
Right there and then I was like «does this lady think I’m stupid»…
Anyways they finally get an answered then I signed.
Mr pai comes in checks up and blah blah blah. Nothing but bad news. This dude is really rough he really hurt me when he did the filling. I noticed Asian guy dentist are really rough and painful.
These are the reasons I will not return. Even if it’s for free. Sorry peace out.
Bad EXPERIENCE!!!

This office is a joke! I was a patient of Dr. Pai for over 4 years he did a crown and over 7 fillings. My crown never felt right, I asked him about my floss catching and he had his assistant who was super sweet and funny (Marybelle) to take an x ray and as he had said before «everything is perfect» he said he would just smooth out the tooth in front a little. After multiple times of telling him my crown didn’t feel right and him telling me in his sweet, put you at ease voice that everything is wonderful and noticing how often his staff began to change after his assistant Marybelle and hygienist Dao left him I just didn’t feel comfortable anymore. So I went for a full exam with a dentist a close friend of mine referred me to. They right away told me my crown had open margins with a cavity! I guess my crown was not placed properly! And not only that! All the fillings he had done were large had some kind of overhang and leakage/​decay after he said they were very small cavities (the bigger the filling the more he can charge your insurance) ! I trusted Dr. Pai for so many years because of his way of «explaining» everything and his soft comforting voice. Mel T. was right!!! Dr. Pai is one Shady dentist!!!

Lorena is amazingly helpful and she sincerely cares for her patients. Do not be afraid to ask questions for she is very knowledgable and is professional with excellent communication skills. Same with Dr. Pai, he is such a GREAT Doctor! I will continue to go to him for future dental procedures. I enjoyed hearing and learning all the information he had gave me during my exam. I have never felt so informed with my own teeth and overall hygiene from any other dentist! Very thorough, does not rush, and he did refer me to a fabulous oral surgeon to have my extractions done. Looking forward to more visits and will most definitely refer this clinic.

I was very shocked and surprised to read one reviewer called Dr. Pai «shady». I have been seeing Dr. Pai since 2008, and he is far from being shady. As a matter of fact, Dr. Pai is by far the most honest dentist I know. He genuinely cares about his patients, and the work done by Dr. Pai is top notch. I had a couple of crown done by Dr. Pai, and they are perfect fit. Dr. Pai is an artist when it comes to dental work. He has great hands. My entire family goes to him and he is great with kids. He talks to them at their level and makes them feel comfortable. My kids actually likes to get the teeth clean! Go figure.
I used to have this fear of the dentist, but Dr. Pai put me at ease and erased my fears. He will tell you exactly what he is doing before he does it. There is no surprise with Dr. Pai. Dr. Pai is my go to guy for any needed dental work. After a procedure, Dr. Pai called me after hours to see how I was doing. On the same day! What dentist does that?! That just show how much he cares about his patients. I highly recommend Dr. Pai! I referred all my friends and family members to Dr. Pai and they all thank me for it. Dr. Pai at Horizon Dental is your best bet if you need a good dentist in San Diego.

Dr. Pai performed a crown on me. He made sure I was not in pain as he would ask me if I was and gave me more medicine when needed. This is something I really appreciate about him. He is honestly concerned about his patients and ensure that they feel comfortable. I can tell you from experience that this is hard to find. Dr. Pai also informed me what he was doing as he was performing the procedure. This helped me to reduce my anxiety as he demystified what was going on through his narration. After the procedure was done, I came home and experience minimal pain. I highly recommend Dr. Pai if you are looking for a good dentist who does a good job.

I have been going to Dr. Pai for many years, and he is by far the best dentist I have ever had. In fact, my entire family goes to see Dr Pai. In addition to being friendly, warm, and considerate, Dr. Pai is very technically skilled at his profession. He is dedicated to his craft and to his each of his patients, always providing high-​quality dental care.
Each experience is very comfortable, and the whole team at Horizon Dental Care is dedicated to serving the patient. They even have blankets, pillows and good music to make the experience enjoyable. Furthermore, the office is equipped with the latest technology and products. Dr. Pai also provides me with informative information every time I visit such as how to prevent cavities in the future. I am very thankful to have found such a wonderful dentist in the San Diego area and will continue to be a patient of Dr. Pai.
I highly recommend Dr. Pai to everyone!!!

I didn’t go to the dentist for a long time because of some horrible experiences with previous dentists. Dr. Pai has restored my faith in dentists. He is kind, gentle and patient. He explains everything that will happen, and makes me feel comfortable throughout the entire process. His staff is equally amazing, and works with you in every way. I highly recommend Dr. Pai and his staff and am so glad I found them!

Dr. Pai and his staff are top notch and provide you with the best quality service. Not only are they very professional but they also provide truly genuine suggestions for all your dental needs. Everything about Dr. Pai and his practice are right on point.
The second I walked in to Horizon Dental Care I was warmly greeted my the receptionist and was told to sit in the very comfortable waiting room. Then as I saw the hygienist she very kindly brought me to the area for my teeth cleaning. Everything went perfect along with the teeth cleaning. Usually I hate getting my teeth cleaned but this place has the best dental hygienists working alongside Dr. Pai. He is truly an amazing dentist! I never feel any pain or discomfort when I come to this place.
If I could, I would rate this place 10 stars! It is the best dental care I have ever received. I never dread getting my teeth cleaned anymore due to their professionalism. I recommend this place to everyone!
And they also have really cool free pens for everyone when you check out :)

I have been going to Dr. Pai for over 5 years. Best Dentist ever.
Update on 9÷25÷15… 10 years now and still best dentist ever!

Dr. Steve H. Pai is a shady dentist!!!
I usually go back home (NorCal) to have my trustworthy dentist do my dental work, but unfortunately, my cleaning was due and my insurance was expiring soon and I wasn’t able to go home anytime soon, so I thought I would seek a new dentist here in SD. I found Dr. Steve H. Pai on Unilocal and saw that he had 11 reviews with 5 stars ratings, so I thought I would seek his help and have him check my teeth. Unfortunately, this was a BIG mistake!
During my first appointment, Victoria (the receptionist/​assistant), took me in to have my x-​rays done. After she was done, the dental hygienist took me to another room to have my teeth cleaned. The hygienist was really nice and thorough when cleaning my teeth. She told me I had a few pockets, but can be easily treated by flossing more often. Deep cleaning is not necessary. After she finished cleaning my teeth, I waited for Dr. Pai to examine my teeth. At first, he seemed very genuine and trustworthy because he was explaining everything he was doing, and telling me what he saw and what he thinks needs to be fixed. When he was done examining my teeth, I asked him «So I heard you say I had some tooth decays, how many did I have?» He replied, «You have 6 cavities.» He also told me that I needed deep cleaning to get rid of the pockets. I was like, «But I just had my full cleaning done and the hygienist told me that I didn’t need to do deep cleaning?» But he insisted that I should do it. I told him that I’ll think about it.
Anyways, I was shocked and super surprised. I wasn’t really convince by what he just told me because I always have my cleaning/​teeth checked every 6 months and I haven’t had any cavities for 3 years straight. So, how is it possible to have that many cavities in just 6 months? But since he is the dentist, I took his word for it. So, they scheduled me for a second appointment to have me come back to have some of my cavities fixed.
Prior to my appointment, Victoria called me to remind me of my appointment, which is the next day. Before I hung up, I asked her «So how many cavities do I have, again?» She replied, «You have 7 cavities.» I was like «What, 7? I thought the dentist said I only have 6, why is it 7 now?» She said, «The dentist must have told you the wrong number, he just checked your x-​rays again and saw 7.»
When I came in for my appointment, Victoria handed me the treatment plan to sign and I saw 8 cavities/​procedures on the paper. I asked, «How come on the treatment plan it shows that I have 8 cavities now? You told me I had 7 cavities when I asked you on the phone yesterday.» She replied worriedly, «Yeah, it was a mistake, the dentist just took a look at your x-​rays again and saw a total of 8.» In my head, I was like OMG! She then, took me into the room so the dentist could fix my first 4 cavities on the right side of my mouth.
After the procedure was done, they scheduled me another appointment to have the last 4 cavities on the left side fixed. I took the appointment, but decided to ask my brother, who is also a dentist. He told me to have them send him the x-​rays electronically. So, I called Dr. Pai’s office and requested them to email an electronic copy to my brother in Hawaii, and that I would also like a copy for myself. When I dropped by the next day to pick up my x-​rays, Victoria handed me a printout of my x-​rays and treatment plan. The x-​ray was on cheap paper! The image was so small, can barely see anything! I asked, «So, did you send my brother the x-​rays?» She said, «You can just send him the one I just printed out for you.» I replied, «But isn’t this my copy? You can’t send an electronic copy to him?» She replied, «It’s $ 30 extra if you want me to send him one.» I was annoyed and said, «Alright, I’ll just send this printout to him and see if he could see it.» He told me that the images were too tiny and was on cheap paper, so it was hard to see.
I decided to go see another dentist that my landlord recommended for a second opinion. I went to see Marissa Tayag. She’s awesome! Although she wasn’t able to schedule me for an appointment since she was all booked for July, she was still willing to accommodate me and didn’t charge me for a second opinion. She told me to request a copy of my x-​rays from Dr. Pai, so I requested another one and insisted that they must send an electronic copy. Victoria called me to let me know that she had sent it, so I called Dr. Tayag, and they told me there was no x-​rays, just a welcome letter! I was so pissed! I immediately went to their office and had them email the x-​rays to me instead. I emailed the x-​rays to Dr. Tayag, but the images were poor quality so she took some new x-​rays of my teeth. She told me I only had 2 cavities on the left side and none on right side where they drilled! WTF were the drilling?!? So effing shady and just trying to milk my insurance!
Dr. Tayag did a great and painless job fixing my 2 cavities. I recommend Dr. Tayag!

Called at 5:30 pm Thursday to try set up an appt for Monday. No answer, recording said they’re closed. Really… Already closed before the stated closing time. I guess somebody is starting their weekend early.

I signed on with Dr. Pai a couple weeks ago after switching from an extremely shady dentist and have been blown away by the excellent service provided by Dr. Pai and his associates — and this is coming from a dental skeptic!
Dr. Pai will treat you with civility, kindness and care that I’ve never experienced at any other dentist. He’s always very friendly & informative and welcomes questions/​concerns regarding your dental health, which is a big plus. I highly recommend his services!

I’ve only had one visit to Dr. Pai, but so far, I am really impressed by his office and will be making him my go-​to dentist in San Diego.
I found Dr. Pai based on the Unilocal reviews and confirmed that his office accepts my insurance, Principal. I called their office and they were able to make an appointment for me about two weeks from when I called. I’ll admit that I was a little bit nervous coming in because I haven’t been to the dentist for a cleaning in about a year. (Shame on me, I know.)
The office is located in the back of the same lot as Carl’s Jr. There’s plenty of (free) parking, which is a plus because my last office charged for parking. They are located on the second floor of the building. I arrived about 15 minutes before my appointment and was greeted by the receptionist who had me fill out some paperwork as I was a new patient to the office. The waiting area is small and the building itself is somewhat older.
Within five minutes of turning in the paperwork, I was greeted by my hygienist (I think her name was Ahn?). She was very friendly and seated me right away to take my x-​rays. I usually have the hardest time with the x-​rays because the films are extremely large and uncomfortable. The hygienist was very nice and quick about the x-​rays, running back and forth between each to ensure that I wasn’t too uncomfortable. Following that, she sat me down and began my dental cleaning. She was gentle, very thorough, and would check to ensure that I was doing fine. After that, she polished my teeth. They have piña colada (what!?) and raspberry flavored polish, but I went with the mint.
After my cleaning was complete, I waited a bit for Dr. Pai to examine my teeth and x-​rays. Dr. Pai was extremely nice and thorough with my examination. He examined my x-​rays and did a full inspection of my gums and teeth for my chart. Afterwards, he explained everything he did and noticed to me so that I could understand what needed to be done. Dr. Pai recommended that I have two fillings done and explained that the other spots would be monitored since he prefers being more conservative in treatment and only does what is necessary first.
Overall, I really liked my first experience at Dr. Pai and highly recommend his office.

A portion of my back tooth cracked off while eating a soft tuna fish sandwich. Unbelievable! Last year that tooth was filled but this year it was «crown» time.
I searched the Unilocal ads for the best Dentist I could find in Mira Mesa. My primary dentist was in La Jolla was booked. So, to Dr. Pai’s office I went. Dr. Pai and his staff were very reassuring, calm and confident with me. His assistants were upbeat and confident as well. A good team over there. The receptionist is at the top of her game when it came to scheduling and discussing payment and insurance options. Dr. Pai’s total bill was over $ 400 less expensive than my La Jolla Dentist quote.
Nobody likes the Novocaine injections but Dr Pai had a wonderful technique prior to the injection and only a small pinch was felt. He and his staff listened to all my concerns and all my wishes were respected.
Dr. Pai is a very calm and confident dentist who is able to put you at ease quickly, even a worrier like me. All facets of the procedure were discussed and all my questions answered.
Today, I went back for my permanent crown and it is perfect, even the bite was perfect after the initial attempt to place the crown on.
I will always seek out Dr. Pai for the majority of my future dental work.
Thank you so much for your professional blending of science and art and making me feel so special!

Finding a new dentist was nerve-​wrecking since I freakin love my dentist back in the Bay Area. I’ve been with them ever since I was a youngin. I would regularly fly home during my college years for a scheduled cleaning or filling. But alas, it was time to find one in San Diego now that I’m working here.
Sorting through my insurance’s list of dentists, I stumbled upon Dr. Pai. And thanks to all the positive reviews from Unilocalers, I decided to give this guy a shot. Getting an appointment was fast and easy. My first visit went pleasantly well. Got my x-​rays and got an assessment of my teeth/​gums and got my cleaning done.
Dr. Pai explained everything he was doing really well, and made extra care to be thorough and gentle. He and Maribel, his hip red-​haired dental assistant, would banter away, keeping things light and fun. Dora, his receptionist, is kinda cute, right? haha I didn’t catch the name of the other receptionist, but she’s an older Korean lady — she’s cool too.
No free giveaways like toothbrushes or floss like my old dentist would give LOL. But regardless, thanks to Dr. Pai and his entire staff for a great visit!

WONDERFUL Dentist. The office staff is very nice, and the dentist seems to really care. I feel very comfortable with them and really appreciate having a dentist I can trust.

Dr. Pai is by far one of the best dentists I have ever gone to. Him and his staff are always so welcoming and warm and him and his dental assistant are also really, really funny. I had to get 5 cavities filled and one crown because of a chipped tooth. I don’t have any dental insurance so I paid out of pocket and they honestly gave me a great deal and were able to schedule me based on my crazy schedule! Anyway, I would definitely recommend Dr. Pai, you won’t regret it! This guy is awesome, friendly, nice and very gentle during procedures. And he is really not the type to sell you more stuff or tell you that you need to get more than you really need to get done for his own benefit. Dr. Pai is awesome!

I’ve never been to a dentist who is as nice or gentle as dr. Pai. He explains everything clearly and gives you the knowledge to take care of your teeth. His staff does a great job of making you feel at home.

I had to find a new dentist when I got my first full-​time job in a new city. I asked friends for advice and most didn’t remember their dentist’s full names or the area they were in, except for one. A few of my friends started going to Dr. Pai when they moved to SD for college. They loved the his location in Mira Mesa and his great staff. They make you feel comfortable and at ease. So I looked him up, and thankfully he was covered by my plan. I’ve been going there for almost 4 years now and even though I’ve moved away from San Diego, I still continue to come back here to get my teeth cleaned — that should show you how awesome he is!

I have to say… finding my first dentist after college was pretty random.
Anyways, the office is definitely older and everyone was nice and professional at best. It’s definitely not a very modern office but everything was neat and tidy. I’d probably give 3 stars here.
The reason why I’m giving Dr. Pai 5 stars is purely because of all the work he’d has done on my teeth. After 3 years of college and one year of procrastination, my teeth had went back to the usual sorrowful state it was back when I was in high school.
Among many cavities and fillings, my gum lines were also bleeding/​receding. I had major pockets and the general health of my teeth was pretty poor. (Of course, he didn’t tell me how bad my teeth were but you kinda knew.)
Dr. Pai was able to fix all that… My teeth are no longer sensitive. They no longer bleed. I no longer have deep pockets. And upon comparison, the price is more so affordable than other places.
I have been to a lot of different dentists (and I mean a lot) and I dare say, hands down, he does one of the best jobs. Bye bye sensitive teeth. Believe me, I used to had teeth that burn at the touch of ice (get horrible migraines… I used to pop one or two or three advil when it get really bad) and today, I’m crunching them away. I never brushed my teeth with the «sensitive toothpaste»… the sensitivity just went away. It’s amazing. He is definitely the one dentist that turned my whole dental health around. I’ve since, relocated but if he’s up in the Bay Area, I’ll definitely go find him too. Reliable. Honest. Friendly.