Authentic Smiles

It’s been 3 years (maybe 4?) with authentic smiles and I’ve now decided I’m breaking up.
My very first visit was superb– they used to have Dr. Sam, the most gentle dentist alive, who melted away all my dentist-​fears. Unfortunately she left Austin to spread her goodness in the world volunteering or something incredible, I’m told (perhaps imagined).
The few visits following her departure were fine. Massive billing error when they confused me with another patient with the same last name. But hey, sh*t happens.
Then I noticed things were going downhill.
Specifically the roughness of the hygienists.
And the return of my dental anxiety.
I’ve decided to move on from Authentic Smiles because they scare me (but to be honest, I’m a huge chicken when it comes to dental care).
I’m going to find a gentle dental who won’t scare the living sh*t out of me with hasty roughness and slight imprecisions when poking at my teeth with their torture stakes.
Here’s my break down:
–1 star for being scary
–1 star for recommending a 2-​star ENT to fix my problems
+1 star for the cleanliness of the office
+1 star for the previous pleasantness of Dr. Sam
+1 star for entertaining me with the most epic responses to the 1-​star reviews here on Unilocal,I’ve never seen anything like it. So freaking hilarious, and a perfect example of what NOT to do.
Bye authentic smiles! It’s been real!

I was a patient here for a couple of years and had several bad experiences. First, I was told that I needed a night guard. I had to go back 3 different times to get molds made, because they kept not fitting properly. Secondly, I was told that my 2 front teeth were loose and that I needed Invisilign. This sounded suspicious to me, so I got a second opinion, and sure enough, neither of those things turned out to be true. I also didn’t need the $ 500 night guard. Finally, when I stopped going to them, they tried to double charge me for a visit a year and a half prior. This did not make sense because they charge at the time of the visit. My opinion of this practice is that they try to sell you things that you don’t need and are out to make as much money as possible. Also, my insurance, which covers annual cleanings, does not cover them at this practice.

I came to Dr. Matt because I had bite issues and, as a «friend» put it, I had «old man» teeth. Because of my bite issues (I was hitting end-​on-​end) my teeth were worn and chipped, plus they were discolored. Dr. Matt has completely reworked my bite and my smile — which has elicited many complements. I could not be happier with the results and on top of that, it has been a great experience. The staff — especially Fae and Laeni have been fantastic. They kept me informed on cost and kept me informed on the process throughout. They were also all over keeping me comfortable during and after the procedures. I highly recommend Dr. Matt and Authentic Smiles.

This was a terrible experience for me and my family.
I wouldn’t recommend Dr. Matt or his practice to anyone.

I would like to share a few things that made my experience with Authentic Smiles less than ideal.
1. I was told that my procedures would most likely be covered by my insurance. They were not. I have now paid full price on the deep cleaning and on my wisdom teeth extraction (~$ 1500). The dentist and dental staff continued to try to upsell me on things that were very clearly not covered by insurance when they knew I was trying to get basic procedures done.
2. although I emailed and called a day in advance, I was not given any overview of what the extraction procedure would be like until 2 minutes before the appointment. I was not told that I would be conscious for the procedure
3. So much anesthesia was used to numb my mouth that I have had trismus for 2.5 weeks now and cannot fully open my mouth
4. I was prescribed very mild medication after my teeth were removed and was in serious pain over the following three days.
5.-I was told that the dental hygienist would check in on me, she did not. I had to reach out to her
6. — I was not informed on the day of my procedure (Thursday) that the dentist would be leaving town the next day. This meant that when I was in extreme pain the following day, the hygienist could do nothing for me in terms of prescribing medication. I had to wait through an entire excruciating 3 days (Friday + weekend) to get back in and get the right prescription for my issues
Looking back on the experience, it was a series of unfortunate misses and I would have a hard time recommending this place to someone else.
I only gave this place 1 star because they did not warn me that my insurance did not cover Dr. Matt (the dentist they recommended to me). I paid $ 1500 out of pocket.
Since this place makes you pay full price and then get reimbursed by insurance later, I had no option but to pay. This place would be better if it warned patients of this in advance or offered a discount to patients with coverage that was not accepted.
One pro was that they got me in quickly.

I really liked the dentist, and got a great cleaning and good advice. However I only gave this place 2 stars because I’m mad they didn’t tell me my insurance did not cover Dr. Matt (the one they gave me), but rather the other dentist only, until after I got a cleaning and a filling ($ 1,000+). I had to pay a significant portion of the cost.
Since this place makes you pay full price and then get reimbursed by insurance later, I had no option but to pay. This place would be better if it warned patients of this in advance.

On 9÷16÷2012 I wrote a favorable review of Dr. Shane Matt at Authentic Smiles when he offered to repair for free a crown that he had put in my mouth that had fallen off. He was apologetic and did some extra work to make it up to me. Immediately, that replaced crown started causing me terrible pain and he made me a mouth guard and I went back to see him about it several times (driving 2.5 hours from my home to Austin each way, numerous times.) Finally, after many visits and much pain and many misdiagnoses Dr. Matt told me that I needed a root canal. I wondered why it took all those visits and two crowns before he noticed that. But I continued to drive to Austin and got additional dental work including another crown that immediately became sore and swollen. I went back with the terrible pain and infection (it was hot and swollen) and he said I should have had some work on my gum before I got the crown. He had put on the crown less than a week earlier. He acted surprised, and his assistant was in the room and confirmed that he had just done that work. He refunded the $ 850.00 partial charge for that crown. I went to another dentist and he was shocked at the shoddy work. I had to have both teeth pulled that Dr. Matt had crowned. I had financed it and told Care Credit that his work was bad and he had caused me to have to have those two teeth pulled. (I’m having implants.) Care Credit contacted Matt and informed him that I didn’t want to pay for his shoddy careless work and he wrote them the most horrible letter about me. Insulting me personally and telling all kind of lies and untruths about his work and my many visits. He lied and made up details that had not happened. He may have a groovy office and but he is a terrible dentist and a lier, besides being very unkind. Once I drove all the way to Austin, because my tooth was hurting so, and he did nothing… I was shocked that he was so unprofessional that he would crown a tooth that needed work on the gum before the crown– causing terrible inflammation, that he would put a crown on a tooth that needed a root canal– again causing terrible pain, and that he charged me for that botched work, and that he lied to the credit company. Do NOT go to Dr. Matt. He may have Rocky Erickson’s guitar on his wall but he is a pathetic dentist and not good at diagnosis and caused me to lose two teeth due to his thoughtless and careless dental work. And I have to pay for it! Be warned… do not go to Authentic Smiles, you will be taking your chances and probably will lose the crowns that he whips out that are almost like temporary crowns, both mine caused pain and the teeth had to be pulled because his work was not up to par. God bless you one and all…

Professionally speaking, Dr. Shane Matt loves nothing more than making a positive difference in people’s lives. The excellence of the work of Shane and his wonderful team is equaled only by their dedication to the well being of their clients. Whether it’s routine care or a major procedure you will get first class treatment at Authentic Smiles. I am proud to call Shane my friend and even more proud to know the genuine joy he has for helping others. He and his colleagues commitment to my family, friends, and our community is something I hold dear. You better hurry up and know it!

I have been a patient at Authentic Smiles for about 3 years and thought it was time to write a review for this really wonderful office. I had a complete bite reconstruction because of bone loss in my jaw. Before undergoing this incredibly costly and time-​consuming procedure, I did a lot a research and decided that Dr Matt’s specialized education and experience made him the right dentist for the job. The process took nearly a year to complete because every tooth was fitted with a crown or veneer, and I had several 6-​hour visits, as well as loads of shorter ones. I can’t say enough great things about how Dr Matt and his staff handled this complex procedure, and all of my regular cleanings and a couple of root planings. I have always felt extremely well taken care of here, and the front desk staff, the hygienists, and Dr Matt have been conscientious about following up with me and filing my insurance claims.
At the beginning of 2013 the office began requesting payments upon completion of services, but they always file the insurance claims immediately and I get a check from my insurance company within 2 – 3 weeks. This has been a smooth and transparent process for me – the front desk staff are very efficient and friendly. I can highly recommend this practice whether you need extensive work or just regular cleanings.

I moved around a lot growing up so I’ve never really had the same dentist for a long period of time. I moved to Austin and have managed to stay in one place for the last 17 years. I’ve been going to see Dr. Matt for over 10 years now and if I moved again I’d have to consider flying in to have him oversee my dental needs. He takes his time with his patients and gives them his full attention. His practice is enriched with great employees. I love the fact that they will customize how you prefer to be reminded when you have an appt. or when it’s time to get a routine cleaning. I request a text and email to help make sure I don’t miss anything. And I honestly can’t remember ever waiting in his office past the exact time of my appt. time.
He’s always approached my dental needs with great precision and he has the knowledge and skill to make anyone’s smile better. I also value his secondary passion for music. He supports programs that help musicians get the financial help they need to afford the important dental care we all need. Go see him. It will become very clear that he’s not only one of the best in his field, but he’s also a kind and carrying person who takes great pride in everything he does.

This is my second year to be a patient at Authentic Smiles. Last year they adopted a new procedure where they collect payment at time of service, file with your insurance company and the insurance company sends a check for the amount of services. I was told that most dentist have adopted this new procedure although of the three that I contacted after this incident — I couldn’t find one that implemented this. I followed up with three phone calls to inquire on the status. Not one call was returned. On the fourth attempt, Fae told me that she couldn’t get through to my insurance company and assured me that the claim had been filed the day of service. That was their procedure. On October 15^th I contacted Authentic Smiles again and I was told that they «always get blamed» for insurance bad practices. When I asked why my previous calls had not been returned — crickets. No reply other than they’re busy. I went on line and filled out an on line request for someone to contact me. Both on-​line inquires where ignored.
Yesterday, October 23^rd I again called and spoke to Fae on this occasion. She was dismissive and extremely condescending even though I maintained my patience. Again, I was told that it had been filed the day of service. I requested that we do a three way conference call and reach out to the insurance company. We went through the prompts and low and behold — Authentic Smiles HAD NOT filed my claim as they had told me UNTIL I spoke to them on October 15^th. Mistakes happen that was not the point. The rude and dismissive way I was spoken to was the issue.
The way my inquires and phone calls were ignored, that fact that I was lied to on multiple occasions, bullied and spoken to in such a condescending matter was the issue here. Not that the staff had made an error. Error’s happen — It was the lack of Customer Service and the treatment. I asked Fae if I could speak to Dr. Matt. After a long hold — Fae told me that Dr. Matt would NOT speak to me. If I wanted to speak to him, I was told to make an appointment.
I’m a two time cancer survivor and a vested member of this community. I’ve had my share of waiting rooms, dealing with insurance companies and staff of doctors. I have never, ever been treated, dismissed or spoken to so disrespectfully in the way this simple inquiry turned into such a disaster. This is not about an simple error it’s the way this was handled or lack of. I kept my composure, didn’t raise my voice or tone. Results are not resolved this way.
Shame on you Dr. Matt — Shame on you!
I’ve never written a review — ever and I hope this is the last one. My next step is filing a complaint with the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners which is already in the works. You simply cannot treat people like this. Doctors and their staff are suppose to be caring individuals. Perhaps you’re in the wrong business Dr. Matt? Perhaps.
Mary — In response to your comment on my review–
Your reckless veil of threat and the audacity to say that HIPPA prevents you from exposing me further proves the unstable reckless environment and the unlawful unethical instability of the staff at Authentic Smiles.
The above statement is the truth and I stand by it and my review. I never ever yelled or raised my voice when speaking with the staff.
The mere idea that HIPPA law prevents you from exposing me should be a red flag for anyone to consider when selecting a dentist. A very careless and unlawful statement to threaten someone with.
Should the public fear that a review would cause them to think that any negative feedback will be threaten by «exposure» if not for a HIPPA law in place? Do you threaten exposure to anyone who pens an unfavorable review?

I never thought I would say this, but I love my dentist.
Ok, not necessarily my DENTIST, but his assistant, Ginger. Awesooome. Everyone here is so nice, I never feel like I’m in unnecessary pain, they work with my insurance… what more could you ask for from a dentist?
It’s downtown, but they validate parking!
I have since recommended this place to all my friends, family, and coworkers. If you have to go to the dentist, you might as well come here.

Due to a change in insurance, I was forced to leave my last dentist, who I really enjoyed. I did a lot of research and decided to give Authentic Smiles a try. I am really glad I did!
Beth was my hygienist and took excellent care of me! Since I am over 7 mo. pregnant, I had a hard time laying back in the chair, due to the baby’s pressure on my upper abdomen. Twice we had to pause the cleaning to let me sit up so I wouldn’t pass out. Beth was so concerned that she even gave me apple slices out of her own lunch in an effort to help me feel better.
I was very happy with the amount of attention I received here and will definitely be returning!

Finding a dentist when I first moved here was rough, some only took specific insurances, others looked ghetto (this coming from someone who went to a place called Clinica Medica for four years). On top of that, I was in no rush cuz my teeth are rock stars and have been cavity free since I was the wee age of three (note the first couple years were baby teeth and also didn’t rhyme with «free»).
So after making some adjustments to my insurance and getting a nudge from Megan L. who rightfully found my lack of professional teeth cleaning to be disgusting, I found this place and it’s perfect.
I’ve only gone in for cleanings so I can’t really speak for some of the more intense operations so you’ll have to base your decision on other Unilocalers for those. As for the cleanings, the hygienists are all friendly, professional and easy to talk to (except, of course, when their hands and tools are in your mouth). The dentist I talked to was also friendly and didn’t waste my time. He just confirmed my teeth were indeed badass and sent me on my way.
What really differentiates this place though is that they use technology like all doctors and dentist offices should in this era. Texts and emails remind me of appointments, insurance forms were filled out online and when my company changed insurances and I neglected to tell them (my bad) they handled it over email quickly and professionally. No need for me to leave my cube to try to make a call in a huddle room or having to re-​figure out how a fax machine works.
So next time it’s 2:30 (too th-hurty…oh yes, I went there) be sure to head to this place, you won’t regret it!

Been a patient of Shane Matt for almost 2 years since my wife and I moved to Austin.
Just to give you an idea of what a fun/​nice guy Dr Matt is, when I went in to get Novocaine administered for all the dental work he was about to start I jokingly asked «do you guys have nitrous here?» to which he responded «No, but we have tequila!!». I’m big music fan of some of the same bands Shane loves and they have a lot of cool autographed framed concert posters and guitars that adorn the walls of the office. The music that pumps through the speakers is pretty good too. Overall, it’s a nice clean space.
I had to get all of my silver fillings replaced since they were pretty old. Dr Matt replaced all of them in one sitting with the newer tooth-​colored filling material. He did a great job with the whole procedure. It was not a fun experience getting all my fillings replaced but Shane was very professional in being thorough and making it as painless as possible. My nerves took a little time to heal so my teeth were pretty sensitive to hot and cold food/​drinks but Shane was always kind enough to speak with me when I would call in to ask any followup questions.
I had done a little damage to my teeth by not wearing my night guard (to prevent grinding) and their dental hygienist set me straight a couple years ago and they filled in the notches in some of my teeth. I haven’t missed a day wearing my night guard since and they can tell how good my teeth and enamel look!
Just went in for a 6 month cleaning on 4÷28÷11 –first, I had an original apt for 5÷3÷11 and they were able to take me in the very day after I called. –Super flexible. The dental hygienist was very efficient and gave me a really thorough cleaning. I hate that scraper tool that feels so abrasive but for some reason it didn’t bother me as much this time around. They took some quick x-​rays, rinsed my night guard in their ultrasonic cleaner, gave me a new holder for the night guard, and some free samples of sensodyne toothpaste. Unfortunately, Shane was on vacation so I couldn’t joke around with him or talk music but one of their dentists (Dr Owhadian) that checked my teeth and x-​rays was very friendly.
I also bought some more whitening bleach for $ 15 which is a very reasonable price considering the same tooth bleach costs double at my old dentist in New Jersey!
They are conveniently located right by my office downtown so I only have to walk a few blocks but if I do drive there is a garage right in the building and the parking in it is free with the validation stamp they provide!

I recently went to Authentic Smiles for the first time and had Dr. Owhadian. She was really friendly and down to earth… no ego or attitude. My hygienist (whose name is escaping me from that early morning) was very thorough and made everything as comfortable as possible. I had a teeth cleaning, and can’t say enough good things about their studio. They take most dental insurances. It’s a relief to have a new and very competent Dentist, and Dental staff.
Although I biked to them, I believe they also validate parking.

I was in town for SXSW 2011 when out of the blue, I chipped my front tooth on the Friday. This is what happened:
245pm — realised I’d chipped my tooth and looked on Unilocal to find a dentist
250pm — found Authentic Smiles based on awesome reviews and rang them pleading for an urgent booking. I was met with really friendly service and a no worries feel
255pm — excused myself from my friends and walked down to their surgery
3pm — met the wonderful staff and immediately felt welcomed, comfortable and that they would be able to have me smiling again. Not only were they aware of Unilocal,they had a funny but worthy promotion called Mouth X Mouth West which made me smile — these guys weren’t old fuddy duddies!
4pm — Only one hour later and at a very reasonable price — I was standing back in front of my friends drinking a beer who were incredulous at the speed and quality of the work.
So honestly? I’d give them 6 stars if I could. :) Thank you again!
Paul

Dr. Matt is my new dentist. I have now had two appointments at his office and both trips down there have been great. His staff is experienced and offer great customer service. I love that they send out an email reminder and also give you a courtesy phone call.
This office is clean and inviting … Kudos for the few pieces of art from Louisiana!
Parking is easy and they work with most dental insurances!

Seems like a nice guy — had a bad experience at his office with being over-​charged. Lots of confusion on what my appointment was actually for. I walked out of my last visit because the situation just didnt feel right. I felt like I was being ripped-​off. Matt just wanted to show me the «treatment plan» they had me sign on my first visit and didnt want to work with me. He at least wished me a Merry Christmas and a Hapy New Year as I walked out.
One other little complaint — no TVs any where in the place!

I can’t believe I forgot the most important part of my trip, and the real reason I decided to give Dr. Shane a 4-​Star review… Upon mentioning, during aforementioned filling re-​filling, that I was doing the Unilocal Elite fashion show, and I was nervous about possible swelling and such… Dr. Shane took it upon himself to scrape and polish my teeth so they would, «Look good for the show,» for free. Unasked. Complimentary. He just cared about what I was involved in and volunteered himself to help. That’s why I like my dentist.