I am giving them 3 stars instead of 2 because they were very nice and polite. The dentist was very quick both times. I took my oldest in the first time and they were very nice with her. What I don't like is the open treatment area with 8 or so stations like an assembly line. One that's gross. Aersolized bacteria for however many different kids getting teeth cleaned at the same time. Two they are discussing my child's dental health and personal health info in front of anyone else sitting there waiting on their kids.
Now I scheduled my 3 yr old for a visit and specifically requested he be scheduled for an individual exam room because he does not enjoy the dentist at all. He tends to scream and cry. He doesn't like being touched by anyone he doesn't know. We showed up 10min early to our appt, check in was quick and easy. When the assistant came to get us we were not in an individual room as I requested when I made the appt. She led us to the corral area instead. I informed her immediately that we would not be doing his exam in the corral area we were supposed to be in a room. She seemed annoyed and led us back up front and said we would have to go back and wait in the waiting room. We waited for 30mins. My son is already stressed and hungry then we have to wait an additional 30 min before being seen. I was basically peeling him off the ceiling. We finally get back to the exam room and they requested that I lay him on his back and hold his arms down. That sends my son into absolute fight or flight mode. He is extremely sensitive to being held down for any reason. At his previous dentist he was allowed to sit up and lean back against me while they brushed his teeth and applied the fluoride. Well here they refused to do that so my son is thrashing screaming and turning purple because he is fighting so hard. During the process of him flailing, crying and screaming his hygienist jabs him right in his gums with the toothbrush so now his mouth is bleeding. I point it out and ask again can he just sit up instead. They insist on this holding him down technique and tell me that his gums are just inflamed. Well yeah they are inflamed you just scraped them with the hard edge of the toothbrush and cut them. The dentist was a very nice man and very understanding but still insisted in the barbaric holding technique of holding him down. I know I am not laying flat on my back at the dentist when I go. Needless to say I will be doing research on a different dentist office. One that can be a little more accommodating to a terrified child like our previous dentist was in Colorado. I purposefully declined the restraints when I signed all the new patient paperwork. If my son wasn't traumatized and terrified of the dentist before he is now. I am not looking forward to his next dental appointment. I have never experienced the cattle call style treatment area until moving here. Which still grosses me out to no end. Not to mention I don't want my kids personal info announced essentially to the waiting room. I'm a vet tech and have more patience with accommodate my patients utilizing fear free techniques I can't believe they aren't using something similar in human medicine.