Neighborcare Health at Georgetown

The best dental experience I’ve ever had! Dr. Banks was professional and proficient. She performed an extraction so expertly and carefully that I have almost no pain! I’m, seriously, impressed!

So thrilled to have found such great dental staff and receptionists! If you are not a patient for Neighborcare all you have to do is set up 2 doc appointments at any of their locations and you are in! They were able to get me appointments back to back and I was in the dentist chair in less than a week. (If you have an emergency and are not a patient you do have to hope there will be cancellations for that day so you can take their place-​but from what I’ve seen they try to get you in if they can). I am just in love with how pleasant my experiences have been. Easiest and quickest dental work I’ve ever had — and I have many dental experiences under my belt! Can’t recommend highly enough! (I do have Applecare so not sure how their payments work for other insurances but for me it’s been a breeze)

I woke up to tooth pain and since I haven’t established myself at any dental clinics, I had to resort to the emergency walk-​in. I really wasn’t looking forward to waiting all day. I was seriously going to self medicate myself before I waited! Anyhow, I was seen 20 minutes max after checking in! They did X-​rays were I felt the pain and removed my wisdom tooth in less than 2 hours!
The only down fall is becoming a regular patient. I forgot exactly what the receptionist told me but it seemed like a hassle. I honestly was skeptical about the care but I was pleasantly surprised!

This the dentist you go to if you have to pay out of pocket or have low coverage dental insurance. I don’t mind at all
At first i was upset at the bed side manner the dentists and dental hygienists have, but after i actually thought about it I cooled off. They are there to serve the community, not make you feel better.
Overall, the services have been excellent, although one time some numbing agent was dripped into my throat by accident and I was gagging for a few minutes (really scary not knowing why your body is freaking out when someone is about to drop your teeth!).

You have to be a patients at one of their medical clinics to be seen unless you have an emergency.

I am so grateful for this place, have been coming here for 10 or 15 years, at least. Dr. Manson is fantastic; kind, patient and friendly. Candida is so nice to deal with (cleaning my teeth 3 or 4 times a year, which I could never afford if not for the sliding scale). I now need 2 crowns, those would be ¹⁄₃ of my annual income at a pricey dentist, so we badly need to keep this service for Seattleites. Write the governor and our representatives, this is another area there’s budget slashing that we can ill afford.
And the only time I did have to come in with an ‘emergency’, I was thrilled to get in both times. Yes, it was a few hours, but they did slip me in to a cancelled slot, & it saved HUNDREDS by not going elsewhere.

Well I went in for a root canal today and my doc. Manson was very good at his job, but at the end I felt as if my jaw was broken. I left with no pain medicine and I could have really used some. The price was very good, the dentist staff was genuinely kind, and the front office personal is great with knowing you’r name and they are sweet. All and all it was a good visit, but I think they could work on the fact when someone is leaving in tears they should consider at least tylonol and he did even want to give me that.

I’ve gone here about a 5 times. I’ve been to a lot of dentists, mostly those who excepted medical coupons and this Dr. Manson was by far the most gentle. I absolutely hat getting shots and every time it’s torture. But for some reasoon this guy just know how to do it, so it’s really quick and doesn’t hurt much at all. The assistants are all pretty unprofessional, but it’s kind of charming. I wouldn’t want them to do my fillings, but since it’s Dr. Manson it’s fine with me.

I hate ever being negative about well-​intended businesses, but here are some things to be aware of about this clinic… And advice on what to do –instead–
*Got an emergency/​in extreme pain but don’t have an established dentist or don’t have insurance etc? They will let you come in… But only take you if someone doesn’t show for an appointment (as they were clearly overbooked). «You got lucky!» I was told, crying in pain. Show up 20minutes before the door opens, and 4:20 is about when you may see someone. They will tell you go to Harborview, but guess what? They STOPPED doing dental work apart from insured SURGERIES/​endodontist procedures like extractions and other ick…
*Want a cleaning? That’ll be 3 months. And old technology.
*Allergic to silver/​copper/​other metals in amalgam like me? Oh, they don’t have the composite kind AT ALL – this MAY be related to WA state saying F-​you all for those, for root canals, for caps, for bridges when they yank out teeth (can’t say if they are good/​bad/​terrifying at that, thankfully)… But really? Not even if I pay?
So for emergency «crap what is that? Agh, that 18 Rabbits bar had rabbit BONE in it, and took my tooth with it!» (serious pain, but I PROBABLY asked for it to be on the extreme side what with a major trauma hurting my teeth and not getting right on that replacement of the awful «braces’ odd metal clamp is too big for your molar» filled cavity nightmare that was high school…
*I have lived many places and seen many dentists. The one I had was rough, verrry rough… When injecting novocaine, he hit that special nerve that shoots straight up to the brain, and yeah, tough sustain a 40 foot fall me starts sobbing out of pure fuuuuuuu — –boohooohoooo reflex. It was like an electric jolt, and yeah, I don’t like them not honoring my anatomy. Granted, I know more about anatomy overall – neurology especially – than a flippin dentist but they should KNOW about mouths already!
So another detail: latex allergies, there are masses of gloves around, and they will try (no matter how huge you wrote it/​how many times you said it) to grab latex. Even when told, not listening Dr – not the pretty curly haired guy, one of the Asian men – grabbed them and went at my face til we had to undo the work done and clean me off, agh! All
after they said «so you break our or just don’t like it?» so I said «stop breathing face explodes» as this is an ESL staff – which would be fine if they wouldn’t screw around about the 5c difference in using vinyl!
*Doing bitewings, ah, another thing I did twice a year for most my life… They stink! Seriously, there is a jaw there; you can’t push it any harder lady… Bone is harder (I hope) than a X-​Ray torture device.
Oh and in trying to communicate about what he was doing, 1) after being told amalgam allergy, he tried anyway and thankfully, I repeated and… Oh he said «we don’t do that here; you have to stick with temporary.» Well, «temporary» means many things. He didn’t – we found out later – chart what he DID use, including some random undisclosed chemical to help heal the nerve (?)… So no telling but now with a different clinic… We are concerned about how to proceed with 18 Rabbits’ awful crime to my molar! Could it GET worse?
Well, I am NOT finding out if it can get worse, but as Dan Savage and thousands have said recently, «It Gets Better.» As he often says, too, you just need to LEAVE THE GOD AWFUL PLACE AND MOVE SOMEWHERE BETTER AND MORE ACCEPTING.
With that, I fearfully confess where the jackpot really is: Community Health… Of SNOHOMISH COUNTY. Ok, it wasn’t perfect; I got the appointment thinking I would be having this odd temporary thing permanent-​ized. Ummm no they did a wicked amount of more smitewings… Oh and she BENT THEM and worked WITH my small mouth to get images that work… Instead of rep air, the Dr went through the usual «1, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 3» deal with the amount your gums are loose… And going through each segment of each tooth and giving blues and reds etc to say where bad stuff is, like oddball temporary thing. My Dr was – and for repairs will continue to be – Dr Liu, and she is Wonderful. Capital W Wonderful. I got SUPER lucky and got a cancellation cleaning same-​dau, good as I had to have THAT before getting repairs to this week… They acknowledged why my teeth have an uphill climb in some respects but praised my hygiene for what it is, thorough and exactly what all SHOULD do. The other place just said you gotta take care of teeth in this dreary speech voice like I was an idiot (even blabbed don’t smoke or drink… I checked that I don’t, dude, chill!).
So yeah. The time to hop a bus to Lynnwood is still less than waiting and AT SNOHIMISH IF YOU SHOW UP WITH AN URGENT NEED BY 4:30(be safe, come early), YOU WILL WILL WILL BE SEEN THAT DAY. I thought that was you know… Expected. Should be. Go there. You can thank me later. Or not, I don’t care. Just don’t risk Georgetown except to free space for me!

They were kind, polite, friendly and helpful. The dentist was not a huge personality– but she got right to the point. (Her assistant was much more chatty) They got me in on an emergency basis, and I was probably only there for a couple hours total– for a low income dental patient, I couldn’t have asked for better care.

This place is part of a small network of city-​funded, sliding-​scale dental and medical clinics in Seattle. There are others around the city, each totally worth looking into. If you’re like me, with no insurance and little no paper trail income, your options are always slim. I’m just another U.S. citizen who puts my health at risk simply because I can’t afford any care. As walk-​in customer to a government-​subsidized dental clinic, my expectations were low. I was utterly shocked at how clean, professional, and helpful the entire facility and staff were. In a historic site just recently restored and renovated, the building itself is wonderful and the clinic does it great respect.
Without any pay-​stubs, employer info, proof of insurance, or tax records, I filled out a «self-​declaration» form, and they put me in a pay «bracket». The pay scale varies, but I paid $ 45 flat fee for an entire work-​up, including x-​rays, some drilling and some filling. They’d charge much more for «major work» like a crown or root canal (still about ¹⁄₃ of what I’d pay at a regular dentist), but any other minor work all falls under the same category and my reduced-​price $ 45 office-​visit flat fee covered all of it.
Luckily I was the first to arrive as a walk-​in, promptly at 7:10am. People were already lining up before the door opened at 7:15. They saw me by about 8 or 9 in the morning, did x-​rays, and the decay I thought might need a crown or root canal was caught early. They drilled & filled right then and there. I’ll have to go back for a check up, but there’s also a process to start using them as a regular dentist and make real appointments.
On any given day you can try your luck as a walk-​in (mine was good). Making an appointment isn’t easy. From what I understand, it works as follows: about every 2 weeks they take appointments to see «new patients». BUT: on this day, you still have to make the appointment on a first-​come first-​serve basis. In other words, you have to get there early and hope for a good spot in line. Apparently, they only take about 15 «new patients» for each 2-​week cycle. Right now, as May 11, 2009, their new-​appointment days are May 13, May 27, etc. Once you’re a «new patient» you can make up to 15 appointments, after which you’re a walk-​in again or start the cycle again. A real added bonus, though, is that the desk staff is super patient, knowledgeable, and constantly willing to walk you through the process, either on the phone or in person.
It’s an idiosyncratic process and wait-​times can rack up, but I’ve waited excruciatingly long hours on-​end with well-​scheduled appointments at private clinics in the past. Anyone with standard health insurance can also tell you that just maintaining their coverage can be a trying process. My biases obviously ran deep before this visit. I’ve always been disappointed with health care, never feel properly treated, they’ve made awful mistakes risking my health, I’d lost almost all trust, and most of all HATE the sales pitches of «pre-​emptive» and recurring care that run rampant in the money-​making business of the health industry.
Here at Georgetown Family Dental, they move efficiently without any sloppiness, they were all more careful and attentive than I’ve ever had with a «normal» health care «professional». To make it all the more relaxing, there wasn’t the awkward pressure of condescending lectures and sales pitches clouding my past health care experiences.
«Etta W“‘s poor review may be valid. It could also be overly biased based on expectations set too high for the out-​of-​pocket expenses of a service like this. If this were a normal clinic charging normal rates, it’s the kind of on-​par service you’d expect. We all know it’s tragically rare to be satisfied by a normal dentist or doctor. Considering the sliding-​scale rates of this place, the service rendered is the absolute best in the business. Yes the clerical process is tedious and time-​consuming, but it is the only drawback. If your dental care options are exhausted and you don’t have much money, you can’t afford to be in a hurry. This place is a rare example of a government organization doing it absolutely right.

hmmm It’s weird that the other people here thought it was great.
I was referred here from the medical and dental low cost at high point, as they did not have any room in the dentistry. I was told to fill out some forms and that it would make sure it only cost me $ 30 each time. I went in and i had a pretty good first time. the lady who took my x-​rays was pretty friendly, and i was scheduled to come back in to fix and old filling. When i came back i had my teeth cleaned by a nice man and was charged $ 30. and then i talked to a nice dentist lady. Great. It was agreed she would work on my teeth although i told her i was really frightened and it was a problem and could she prescribe something for anxiety and needles which i am so scared of! she said no. Well okay, i need this done so maybe I’ll be alright. I came back in trying to be calm. She told me to breath during my tooth excavation. She told me to wiggle my toes. i wiggled. i breathed. the shot was working on the pain mostly and it dident hurt. she hardly lost her patience at all. I pay $ 30 on the way out. Next time, we are doing the other side. the student is the one to put the dam in, and she cant. we spent 15 minutes with me staying still trying not to freak out, and with the student messing it up, asking me if it’s okay. i keep saying yes but of course i’m losing it. the dentist fixes it. she’s pissed, but by this point my teeth hurt and i’m in a bit of shock. I feel so bad for being trouble. I look a little freeked. the dentist tell me to breath and to wiggle. i do so. she gives me that long needle. it hurts. more then last time. she starts. it hurts still. i tell her. she thinks i’m over reacting. Tells me to breath I do but i cry. she stops and gives me some more pain kileer. and then some more. by this time i’m high, in pain, freaked out and trying to not cry. When she’s finished, she decideds it will be easier for me to floss if my teeth are further apart so she uses some wire to file then on the sides and then files some down on the side she was working on. she barely asks, and i’m in no mood to try to do anything. I was to make another appointment but never will. i need to find a dentist that will listen and not freak out. Oh, and my uninsured thing wasn’t explained to me well enough so thay are charging me hundreds. NEVER go here. i promise there are dentists who are cheaper and better. just becuase they don’t do «low cost» does not mean they are not. last words… dentists are allowed to have bad days, but they are not allowed to take it out on YOUR Teeth. these are the only ones i have!

Thank Gawd for Georgetown Dental Clinic.
I am one of the millions of uninsured people in America. Dental is one of the harder things to get help with. This place can really help-​but you must be patient (no pun intended).
They have a specific system and you have to follow everything just right… but once you get in you will recieve the finest dental care EVERYONE who work there is Wonderful-​Receptionists, Dentists and Assistants all treat you wonderfully well. I was figured into the system w/​pay-​stubs and work info and I go to the dentist now for $ 25.00 a visit! AND they have sliding scale rates for things like Root Canals and its like, ¼ of what you would spend at a regular dentist w/​no insurance. I got a partial for $ 200.00 and I was quoted around $ 2000.00 by a WHITE CENTER dental clinic.
If you have an emergency you can just walk in-​but you may be there all day.
I cant say enough great things about this place… I only wish I heard about them sooner.

It took six months of calling once a week to finally get an appointment as a new patient but it was worth it. They take all patients on a sliding fee scale according to your income. I have been to many low income clinics over the years. This one is by far the cleanest and most friendly of them all. The staff is kind and intelligent. They have a system that flows beautifully. I never wait long to be seen. My Dentist and his assistant were friendly and pleasant people. When it hurt they stopped immediately and gave me more Novocaine. I have had two teeth fixed and am now ready for my deep cleaning. I am actually looking forward to it. This is the first Dentist I do not dread going to see.
If you’re like me, without dental insurance, this is the place to call. It will take awhile to get in as a new patient, but once you’re in you will be so glad you kept calling. I am.
Two Thumbs Way Up!!!