Jesse Halbleib, DDS

I am wishing I would have looked at the comments before I went to Dr. Halbleib.
I came after years of not going to the dentist, knowing I had some cavities (first off that is how they get you, never say that you haven’t been to a dentist a long time.) I went in to get the cavities looked at and he had me come back for a filling but «I guess» my cavity went into another tooth he drilled huge holes in two of my teeth and now I needed two root canals! Not to mention he said I needed 3 more root canals on the top teeth by just looking at my x rays, so we chose the two cheaper teeth and that was it. He drilled holes in my teeth and did a temporary fill until I could see the root canal specialist who comes. I paid over ($ 300 out of pocket and my insurance paid over $ 1000) just for the hole drilling and filling. Even with my insurance the root canals were going to be over $ 2,800 out of pocket with only a 3 or 4 month payment plan! I couldn’t pay that! The finance lady even asked if I had family I could ask to help! How rude, embarrassing and unprofessional!
I couldn’t get it done right away and over 4 months I ended up getting 4 horrible infections for over a week each, missing work, stuck in bed, needing antibiotics and pain pills. I still couldn’t afford the root canals so I looked around to other dentists and got a quote of ½ price and I’m not even using my insurance and the new dentist is accepting small payments! My new dentist re did my temp fillings and looked at my xrays from Dr. Halbleib and said that I didn’t need 2 root canals, I may have never needed 1! Not to mention the 3 top teeth he was telling I needed root canals that I don’t! Also he drilled too far and that’s why I kept getting infections!!! Thank goodness I didn’t get all of that work done for no reason and at that jacked up price! I used up most of my insurance for the year and spent over $ 300 for holes in my teeth and infections that have taken over my life.
If I could give negative 5 starts I would. I don’t know how Dr Halbleib sleeps at night.

Modern professional dentistry.
My dentist knows his stuff and he actually cares.
I could not be in better hands as a 66 year old with dental issues.
I feel humbled and blessed by the treatment I have received.
Other reviews seem less favorable.
Consider that modern exhaustive dental practice is bound by insurance laws.
Vote intelligently. Keep a great dentist.

UPDATE. My husband and I have had a couple of appointments with another dentists. We both had cleanings and my husband has some dental work. Same insurance and surprise surprise we have had to pay NOTHING out of pocket. Still wish I had made the decision to leave much sooner.

Horrible experience. Unprofessional and rude staff. I would not recommend there are better dentists in town.

Do not trust this dental office. I can’t say I had bad dentistry there but I can say I probably got work that was unnecessary and I was definitely overcharged. My husband and I went to this dentist several years ago for the same reason as most people. They seem to take every insurance policy and it’s obvious why. It’s a scam so they can bill outrageous prices for work that does not need to be done. Each and every time we had to go there we were quoted ridiculous prices which I had to negotiate with them. They usually «knocked off some of the charges» in the consultation but inevitably when the bills arrived they overcharged each and every time and I would have to call to dispute the charges. The office manager would always claim it was an error. This office is not to be trusted.

I’ve been going to Seabreeze since 2013. Each visit has been great the front desk is friendly. Ginee the hygienist there is great. I had held off on a cleaning for a year and she still remembered everything we had talked about and was checking in on how it all was going. Which in my opinion is amazing customer service and memory. My insurance plan isn’t the greatest so it is expensive, but what dentist isn’t? So I can’t complain. I am completely happy with the work that’s been done. From extractions for wisdoms, root canals, crowns, and fillings. They have been great with working out payment plans for me. I haven’t experienced any out of the ordinary pain that I have read on some of the past Unilocalers. Some complained about extreme pain and I thought how ridiculous are you what did you expect a stroll through the park? Lol. No dental work is ever comfortable. Plus the doctors are kind enough to provide prescriptions to ease the pain for a couple days which is more than enough unless you’re abusing substances. Overall great office and amazing staff.

Our family has been with Dr. Halbleib for more than a decade and we are very happy with our care. The front office staff is always friendly and very professional. The hygienists do a great job and make you feel at ease. The equipment is modern and the office is clean and attractive. Dr. Halbleib always takes time to explain things and offers payment alternatives, including no-​interest payment plans. When I’ve at times opted to postpone treatment (due to lack of funds or other concerns), I have never felt overly pressured to proceed on their timeline versus mine. Dental care isn’t cheap, but we have never felt nickled-​and-​dimed by Dr. Halbleib — in fact, he has thrown things at no cost for our family over the years. Overall, very happy with Seabreeze Dental!

Like many of the other reviewers of Dr. Halblieb, I too chose to come to his office because it was covered by my insurance. I have to admit I did not look on Unilocal to see his rating, so I didn’t go in with any preconseptions.
I have had several routine cleanings and have recently had caps placed on my four front teeth, which were thining, chipped and ugly looking. My over all rating for Dr. Halbliebs office is mainly good but mixed. My experience with his office staff has been positive. They are friendly and helpful. His office is clean, organized and appears to operate effectively. As for routine cleanings, the Hygenist there is wonderful and my gums have never been more healthy. But, I have realistic expectations. Although its more expensive, I nearly always opt to have topical anesthesia because teeth scraping hurts — that’s a given. I was always given the choice to get anesthesia or not. The caps came out great! I’m happy with their realistic appearance and feel the procedure was done right and with care. Dr. Halblieb and I were both on the same page, we wanted to make my smile look good and stay good. I appreciated the thought that went in to the long term care for my new and existing teeth.
Now for my reasons for not giving Dr. Halblieb the full 5 stars. There does seem to be a lot of up-​selling. My caps were around $ 6K; expensive, but what’s not expensive in Santa Cruz? Again, I have realistic expectations. For example, I opt to get anesthesia. I don’t like pain and dental work comes with pain — that’s a reality. So I pay for my comfort. As for my caps, yes they were expensive, but in my career, I’m in front of people all day long and I would like to have a bright smile. I am willing to pay for that. Because it’s expensive (unlike other reviewers) I appreciated having multiple consultations prior to the procedure. It gave me time to ask lots of questions about the procedure, the costs, and options. I felt I had the control to go as expensive or inexpensive as I wanted to at any time throughout the consultation process. In the end, I got exactly what Dr. Halblieb and I discussed and agreed to — no more, no less.
I can see where some reviewers have had bad expereinces with the billing process at Dr. Halblieb’s office. They do push to get as much reimbursement as possible for their work. For example, I was asked to give my credit card number so I could pay for my caps in full, in advance. That doesn’t come across so good. But, then again, I was in control. I kindly let the office person know that I would pay on the day of and after the procedure; they didn’t argue with that. Additionally, even though they wanted their payment in full, I still asked if they would accept an installment plan. They did. I was able to spread my charges over 3 months. So, they are not completely inflexible. But, again they’re a business and they have to pay their bills too. I don’t blame them for trying to get better reimbursement or more perform more procedures. They are all trying to make a living in a high cost-​of-​living area just like the rest of us.
My family and I will continue to seek dental care at Dr. Halblieb’s office. — Thank you.

Dr. Halbleib is one of the worst Dentists I have ever been to. In my consultation he quoted me over $ 30,000 of work that needed to be done which included gum surgery. Thankfully, I got a second opinion and went to see another Dentist (who rocks by the way) and I didn’t need gum surgery or most of the other work that Dr. Halbleib said that I would need. I got bad vibes from Dr. Halbleib, and from the woman in his office that goes over what your costs will be. When you come to him in pain for a potential root canal, he charges you for a temporary root canal, so that he can get his cut, and then refers to you his Endodontist who still charges you full price even though the root canal was started by Dr. Halbleib! DON’T GO HERE! RUN away as fast as you can!

Ginee is the lead dental hygienist and is extremely patient, flexible, knowledgable, and gentle! I wouldn’t have survived my appointment with anyone else. She is a total sweetheart and very passionate about her job. She will totally ease your mind and make you feel 100% comfortable. I hope you can all get a appointment. The entire staff (especially ginee who cleaned my teeth instead of taking a lunch break) is amazing and actually care about your health and wellbeing. I felt like more than just the next patient.

This dental office makes you sign an arbitration agreement. Without you signing the arbitration agreement, they will not have you as their patient. I think this, combined with the many negative reviews that are all voicing similar issues, is very telling.
My personal opinion: stay away.
Ok dentist as far as the actual treatment is concerned (at least as far as I could tell), but he and his office will overtreat, overcharge, and overbill. I always received ok dental care at this office, but it was care that my new dentist says was unnecessary and incorrectly billed in more ways than one. He also makes it a point to perform dental procedures that are not covered by insurance, then will claim that he has no control over the insurance companies’ coverage and policies.
Speaking from my own experience, I can tell you that you can receive quality dental treatment at other dental offices for a very small fraction of the costs that Dr. Halbleib’s office charges.

Doctor Halbleib & his team have been nothing short of a miracle. They were the only office that took my insurance & after reading their reviews, i didn’t have high hopes but i gave them a shot anyway. I’m so glad i came to his office despite these reviews… i am soooo impressed. I have very bad teeth & have been working 2 jobs & saving my money for a few years so i could get a afford reconstruction. On the first appointment he inspected my teeth, xrays, etc. The 2^nd appointment we met in his office & discussed the reality of my situation (which i was already prepared for the bad news). The 3^rd visit was to let them know im ready to move forward & the rest is history. I wasnt expecting him to say that the foundation of my teeth are strong… which meant i was able to go with bidges & crowns opposed to implants or dentures (awesome!!). He answered my questions, broke it down tooth by tooth & showed a real interest in my long term health. Now i am halfway through the treatment plan & im sooooo happy i put my trust into this team. He takes great pride in doing his job well, using top of the line equipment, labs and materials… for that i am willing to pay for his service because at 38 years old my teeth/​smile mean as much to me as a strong & kind heart (which Doctor Halbleib & his team have).

i rarely write reviews, but sure wish I’d read the Unilocal reviews before I went here. Same story; they were the only local office that took my insurance. My mom was a dental hygenist and I have always taken very good care of my teeth. Gavin McClure has been my dentist forever.
I went to this office, had the same scam of three appointments thrust on me, and was told I was going to need $ 15,000 worth of work. And I needed a nightguard right away too.
I went back to Dr. McClure yesterday and showed him the quotes for each tooth and cost associated with each. I think he was shocked. There is nothing that needs to be done right away. I’m taking those quotes, my films, my dental history and everything else I can get my hands on and am submitting it to the CA State Licensing Board and the BBB.
Do NOT go here!!! Wish I could give this place ZERO stars.

Despite the bad reviews, we tried this office because it was the only dentist in town that works with our insurance. I thought it would be worth the effort to do a trial run before dealing with changing insurance, again. Should have just changed insurance.
The first issue I had with them was that their office sets up a separate appointment for a consultation after your initial check. So if you have dental work that needs to be done, it will take 3 appointments before it is worked on; 1. check up, 2. consultation, and then finally 3. the procedure appointment.
The worst part is the billing. My daughter needed a few fillings and we were told at the consultation that they were minor and the total cost would be $ 450. The bill came in at over $ 1,200. When I spoke with our insurance they told me that the dentist had added billing codes that should only be applied for root canals and dentures. I asked Dr. Halbleib’s office about the codes but they assured me that they were the codes they always use and that we were quoted the wrong rates at the consultation. They also mentioned that the person that gave us the quote had be fired for other false quotes. After much back-​and-​forth we ended up getting the bill reduced to half. I have requested the receipt showing the new amount as paid, but am yet to receive it. I will be furious, but not surprised, if this ends up showing as a medical collection.

I did not have a good experience at this office. I went in for a teeth cleaning in March 2013 and spent 1.5 hours there getting x-​rays and having them examine my teeth. Then the dentist sat down with me and discussed the photos they took of my teeth. He wouldn’t give me a direct answer when I asked him whether or not I had any cavities… he said I had some decay and told me to come back for my follow-​up appointment and cleaning, at which time he would make treatment recommendations.
When I went back a few days later, I had my teeth cleaned… the hygienist was skilled and did a great job. Then the dentist sat with me again and told me that I had five recommended fillings and told me why. He also said that we would keep an eye on two additional teeth. Then I met with one of the other office people in a different room, who informed me that the total cost for their treatment recommendations was around $ 2000 and that my share after insurance would be $ 600. I have never had a cavity before, at age 30, and have only had two sealants where my molars have deep grooves. So I was suspicious when they said I needed five fillings. Plus the cost seemed very high, especially since I have dental insurance!
I went and got a second opinion at a local dentist recommended by one of my co-​workers. After examining my teeth, this dentist said I needed one filling where I had some decay and recommended sealants in the rest of my molars where I have deep grooves. I told him about my experience at Dr. Halbleib’s office and he said he had heard the same thing from other patients. In the end, I only had one filling, as well as four sealants, and I had to pay nothing. I will never go back to Dr. Halbleib’s office and I don’t appreciate dentists recommending expensive treatment that is not necessary.

I had a similar experience to the previous reviews and now unfortunately my family and I are definitely feeling the financial and physical burden of dental malpractice. I also went to Dr. Hableib because it was the only office that was covered under my insurance. I initially was impressed by how nice the office was and the staff, but I am frustrated and in pain after not one procedure but two. I had a filling & veneers taken care of back in October of 2011 for my two front teeth, which was quick and at first seemed painless.
However, two weeks following the procedure I began feeling extreme sensitivity to hot and cold food and/​or liquid which only worsened. I finally went back to Dr. Hableib and he surprisingly offered to redo the procedure for free because he obviously had done something wrong. I was still experiencing some sensitivity to hot and cold, but thought it would go away. This whole procedure cost me almost $ 600 and I was not about to spend another who knows how much to get it fixed by someone who did it wrong the first time. Luckily, I was moving and looked forward to switching to a better dentist.
Two weeks later I started experiencing pain throughout my whole mouth and jaw, particularly where the procedure had been done. Within a few days the pain worsened to the point where I could barely open my mouth and I woke up one morning with my whole upper lip and gum swollen. I called Dr. Hableib asking what I should do and he said I needed to see a dentist right away because I needed a root canal, but prescribed me medication to pick up at a local pharmacy. Instead, I made an emergency visit to another dentist back in my hometown as my face swelled up more.
My new dentist knew what was wrong right away and based on the X-​Rays he said that Dr. Hableib had hit my nerve during the second redo procedure which then got infected and spread. I just got a root canal done and I am on antibiotics and pain medication and now had to thrown down another $ 900 to get this problem fixed so the infection wouldn’t get any worse.
Based on other reviews, it seems Dr. Hableib likes to make up problems or literally create them just to make more money, possibly to fund his giant office fish tank and fancy dental equipment that he obviously doesn’t know how to use. I am frustrated and I feel ignorant for not having gone to another dentist for a second opinion before having two procedures, but I think as patients with very particular dental insurance companies and policies we’d like to trust our doctors and dentists and not have to run around town looking for someone who is honest and cares about their patients health.
I wish I would have read all of the reviews prior to going to Dr. Hableib’s office. It saddens and angers me that so many people have had so many troubles with this dentist. I am considering contacting an attorney if he won’t refund me for the procedure he did wrong. If anyone here on Unilocal is interested in contacting me with your experience I’d really appreciate it. I don’t think any more people need to go through the expensive and physical pain of an unqualified dentist.

Jesse halblieb permanently screwed my mouth up good. He made dentures for me that were horrible. The bite was off which caused massive gum and bone reduction down the line. When I finally got enough money together to get new ones my mouth was beyond repair. Now I need bone grafting among other procedures that I could never afford. I wish I didn’t have to write this because he is a nice guy, but I don’t want anyone else to have to go through what I have because of his horrible work. My new dentist looked at his work and grimaced saying «he must do his own lab work» My face is sunken in dramatically now. I look 10 maybe 15 years older than I should. This has led to immobilizing depression for me. He ruined my life!
Don’t go to him or you will be very very sorry. Arrrrrg!
(I don’t think he deserves even one star).

Same story — only dentist my insurance would take. Office is never open just call the office and get the recorder it’s hilarious. They are never there. They never call you back or call to set your appointment for cleaning. They recommended unnecessary treatments to both myself and my wife. This attitude of business owner is giving Santa Cruz a bad name and stereo type. Please boycott him to improve our town.

Unfortunately I had a similar experience with Dr. Halbleib. I went to him because he was the only dentist covered under my insurance. Before seeing him, I had not been to see any dentist in over three years and knew I has some issues in my mouth and was prepared for it to be on the expensive side. I did the new patient exam, paid up and made another appointment to get the first 2 of many cavities filled. When I went back for the cavities he did one, then said I would probably need a root canal for the other so he left it alone until I could make an appointment with an endodontic. The bill for the one filling was over $ 300, but when I went over the hill for the root canal it was only $ 90!!! This was the first warning something was off, but I was still just grateful to have any kind of coverage that I didnt really question it. When I went to get a quote on the crown, Halbleib’s office tild me it was going to be over $ 2000. This didnt seem right to me, so I called my insurance (blue shield of California) and they said my copay for a crown should be only $ 125!
So where did this extra $ 2000 dollars come from?, I asked, and the insurance lady told me that sometimes it can be a bit more depending on the type of mental/​materials they use, but it shouldn’t be as much as $ 2000. So I went back to talk to Halbleibs office and was told that the office manager is the one that does the price quotes and deals with insurance claims so I would have to bring it up with her. I did, she said she would look in to it. After several attempts to get her on the phone, I finally received a letter in the mail. All the letter contained was the same treatment plan that I was originally given, no reduction of price and no explanations, just a bunch of dental codes and abbreviations (like I know what they all mean). There’s definitely something fishy going on in that office, because after calling my insurance back to check codes/​prices I found out that Halbleib’s office had never turned in any claims to my insurance. I was in his office multiple times, got xrays, fillings, even got my teeth clean, and not a single $ of it was with my insurance, he charged me everything out of pocket and lead me to believe that it was just my insurance copay. I’m pretty sure thats the definition of thievery. So for over a year now I’ve just had the same temporary crown that I got with the root canal, luckily that guy (Lawrence Puccinelli) knew what he was doing! Bottom line, Weather he knows it or not, Dr Halbleibs office will rip you off.

I have been to this dentist four or five times now. The office is very clean and the staff is nice. The doctor himself is nice and the technology in the office is impressive. I went every six months for a few years and there were always no problems, no problems, no problems. Now all of a sudden I need six fillings and a crown at the tune of $ 4000. I just don’t think so… wouldn’t we have seen these things coming? Its not like I spent the last six months eating candy. I went ahead with one filling and my tooth has not felt the same since. That was a month ago. I won’t be going back and I’m skeptical as to this dentist’s honesty and ability.
Update 10÷13÷10: I have seen another dentist. Not only did my new dentist not find 4 of the 7 problems Dr. Halbleib found, but it was also uncovered by looking at Dr. Halbleib’s treatment plan that he was basically billing an extra and irrelevant $ 100 charge per tooth. Oh and, perhaps the best… while I was told by Dr. Halbleib’s office that my insurance «wouldn’t cover anything» it turns out they never billed the insurance, perhaps because of the phantom/​fraudulent $ 100 charge per tooth???
DON’T GO HERE!