La Jolla Village Smiles Dentistry and Implants

Dr. Alvarado was amazing with my wisdom tooth removal. So comforting and zero pain. Plus it was over in five seconds. Definitely recommend him for any procedure!

I have to recommend seeing Dr. Alvarado. I hate going to the dentist and after much needed intervention, ended up there because of my insurance, I am so glad. Dr. Alvarado was very helpful explaining, putting things in to perspective allowing us to work on a plan.
Now because of his attention to my needs I will listen and act on his advice.
He is wonderful never had any pain, so that is big plus for me :):)

I’m always surprised when I see a poor review for a doctor because they gave a patient bad news. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but to rate somebody because you can’t take responsibility for a diagnosis a DOCTOR gives you is surprising.
This review is specifically for Dr. Steven Alvarado. He is beyond competent in his skills, and explained everything I needed. While it was hard to hear that another dentist put in a poor filling that needed to be replaced, I’m much happier knowing I won’t need a root canal on that tooth now. My previous dentist (I won’t mention names) was very nice, but it speaks volumes when her work didn’t hold up. I’m so glad I found Dr. Alvarado! Thanks for saving my teeth!

I used to see Dr. Shirin Dorin at this practice and was very pleased with her and her work. I am giving one star in this update since she no longer works at this practice and last time I came I was assigned to Dr. Steven Alvarado without my prior knowledge.
Simply put, Dr. Alvarado is a scam artist. He told me I needed ~$ 2000 worth of dental work including inlays to replace «old and leaky» fillings and laser treatment for my gums and was very pushy to get me to sign for them. Getting a second opinion from my parents’ neighborhood dentist revealed that my teeth are just fine.
I won’t be returning to this practice because of Dr. Alvarado. There is a good chance that the other doctors in this practice are more honest than he is. Kristan Pennington, the hygienist who did my cleaning, was extremely helpful and informative about keeping my teeth and gums in good working order.

This review is specifically for Dr. Steven Alvarado. DO NOT TRUST HIM. At my most recent visit, he told me that I needed to have $ 2400 worth of dental work done due to periodontal disease. I went to get a second opinion, and the new dentist confirmed that I did not have periodontal disease, and in fact have healthy teeth. He said all I needed was a good teeth cleaning, and was shocked that I had supposedly had my teeth cleaned a week earlier by Dr. Alvarado, who apparently did a horrible job.
Here is the fully story:
I was taken about 40 minutes late for my appointment. The dentist finally sat down with me and proceeded to poke my gums with an extremely sharp instrument, which made my gums bleed– of course, he was essentially shoving a pin into them purposefully to make them bleed and to hurt me so that he could use that as evidence to scare me into thinking I had periodontal disease. He then told me I would need to have several special procedures done to clean below the gum. He went to talk to the front desk staff so that they could give me an estimate of the cost. When he came back, I was very confused because it was then an hour and 20 minutes after my initial appointment time and no one had cleaned my teeth– which is what I thought was what the appointment was for. The dentist said something like «that’s really not necessary for you since your problem is below the surface but we can do that if you want.» I said «I always thought dental prophylaxis is important. Can you please clean my teeth?» He proceeded to scrape my teeth for about 45 seconds and then had a dental hygienist polish for about a minute. I proceeded to ask him if it was unusual for periodontal disease to come on so quickly, as I had had an appointment under a year ago and was told I had healthy teeth. He brushed off my question and said something about how my teeth must have been unhealthy then but nobody mentioned it. He encouraged me to come back later for the periodontal procedures. When I walked out, the front desk staff gave me an estimate of $ 2400 for the cost without insurance. After confirming with another dentist that every procedure he recommended was unnecessary, I am debating whether to file a complaint with the Dental Board of California.

Everyone at this office so great. Fantastic environment and Dr. Kim is top notch.
Roxanne, Nicole and Laurie could not be nicer. Oliver and Jillian will make you feel at home and are great hygienists.
You can’t go wrong!

I got my four wisdom teeth extracted all at once yesterday using laughing gas with local anesthesia. Although most would schedule an appointment with the oral surgeon I did not have time to spend another day for wisdom teeth extraction I decided to go with Dr. Alvarado (DDS). After the extraction I had almost no swelling. Pain was minimal, I had no trouble sleeping. I will never understand how painful it was for other people to have wisdom teeth removed. Of course I have some discomfort eating as the extraction site is still fresh but I’m very satisfied. Also the equipment and service they provide is very high tech which is a plus. Went to Ralph’s pharmacy to get the prescribed medication right after (they are open ²⁴⁄₇).

I love the staff at this place! My boyfriend and myself haven’t had insurance for many years and after finally being to get insurance, it was a breath of fresh air knowing I picked a great office to use.
All of the staff are very very polite in professional, from the front desk, to the dental assistants, the hygienist and the Dr. Himself. I was actually shocked at how immediately comfortable I felt as I walked in. I haven’t had a phobia of going to the dentist but my boyfriend did, AND needed a great about of work to be done… and he hasn’t had the best experiences dentists in the past. Dr. Alvarado, however was the first and only dentist to not make my boyfriend feel bad/​uncomfortable about the state of his teeth and oral health. Dr. certainly addresses the issues, but he does so in a very nonjudgmental way which has encouraged my boyfriend to return here already after putting off his dental work and not seeing a dentist for many years.
I myself, haven’t spent as much time with
I have have seen the hygienist, Kristan. She is such a comfort to be around and makes the tedious experience of having your teeth scraped at (for the cleaning) an absolute delight. She is very genuine and you can tell she has a passion for her profession and loves to educate her patients. I’m always curious to learn so it works out very well.
Overall, if you are seeking a great, welcoming office give Smiles a try! I have really enjoyed my experience here and will continue to return.

Went in for a discounted X-​ray, Exam, and cleaning as a new client special. I really only wanted a cleaning, as it’s been a little while. I know a sales pitch when I see one. It was quite obvious the moment the dental hygienist started talking. She was trying to be overly nice, which came off as fake. For example, she asked where I was from 2 times within 1 minute, not remembering that she asked me already. Anyways, she takes x-​ray and pictures of my teeth, which I really don’t want, but I understand that it’s part of the deal on a first visit. Now it’s time for the cleaning, right?! Wrong. The hygienist tells me I have 3 cavities from the pictures and points to a little plaque buildup in the X-​rays and says that I probably need a deep cleaning, but we’ll see what the dentist says. In walks dentist, who, as expected, tells me I have 3 cavities and need not just a regular cleaning, but a deep cleaning. Out walks dentist, in walks front desk lady who shows me that it will cost $ 1,700 for the deep cleaning. I say no thanks I just want the regular cleaning. She sends hygienist back in and I tell her I just want the regular cleaning. She tells me that she can’t do that because I NEED a deep cleaning and it won’t do any good just to clean them… I say, again, I just want the regular cleaning because I’m not paying $ 1,700 for a teeth cleaning. She refused and said they can’t do that. By this point, it’s been 45 minutes of pure sales routine and I’m just fed up. Without saying another word to her, I stood up, leaving the exam room. The hygienist followed me to the front, and tried to get me to stop at the front desk to pick up my paperwork, but I never slowed down until I got out the door of the office. There was another victim in the waiting room that I should’ve warned, but held my tongue, instead.

I was in terrible pain and went to Dr. Dorin, She told me I needed 2 rout canals and sent me to a specialist. The specialist told I didn’t need rout canals. Dr. Dorin charge $ 59,00 and endodonest $ 140.00. I spent $ 200.00 for absolutely nothing. I was still in terrible pain after the 2 visits.
Went to another dentist found out that I have TMJ. She gave me some exercises to do and after a week or two, totally pain free

I can’t say enough good things about this office.
First off, let me tell you I’ve had a phobia of dentists since I was a child. I always tell the assistants and the dentists this before they start anything so they aren’t surprised when they see my discomfort.
All of the ladies in the front are so friendly and seem to be happy to be there and happy to help you!
It started with my cleaning appointment with the hygienist Kristan. She is so sweet and kind and ALWAYS explains everything in detail and tell me what she’s going to do before she does it, which really helps me get through the appointment. She always takes the time to say «Are you ok? Cuz you’re doing great!» which I know to most people wouldn’t phase them, but the positive reinforcement helps ease my anxiety. She genuinely cares about my teeth and gum health.
I had to have a tooth extracted by the oral surgeon Dr. Karimi. I understand that when all was done and I was still coming out of the anesthesia, I was saying goofy things, but him and his assistance were still wonderful and kind. I had no problems during the healing process! I didn’t even experience any pain afterwards.
Dr. Dorin is wonderful as well — she’s so nice and HILARIOUS. When it comes to your teeth, she’s straight forward and tells you how it is! She doesn’t try to trick you into getting a bunch of work done to get money out of you. She goes through your ex-​rays with you and explains in great detail why this, this, and this NEED to be done.
And when I say NEED to be done, I feel that most people don’t understand the important of dental health. I have crohn’s disease so my immune system sucks. I can easily get gum infections if I’m not careful. Also because of my anxiety medication, I get dry mouth. I also have acid reflex. All of these things effect the quality of my mouth. So I really need to stay on top of all this if I don’t want to end up with dentures at a young age!
For the first time in over 10 years, I am able to smile with my teeth again WITH CONFIDENCE!!!

I had not been to the dentist in awhile, and had a tooth chip. So I stopped by, and they were able to see me the next day. The office is very clean and filled with the most modern technology.
I had to have a crown, and it was done the same day. Dr. Luu was excellent. He told me what he was doing. Was concerned if it hurt. He was very efficient and professional, but pleasant. I think it was the best dental service I’ve ever had.
They have a discount program which brought the prices down to affordable. Going to the dentist is never fun, but it was pleasant. I felt cared for. I would recommend this dentist.

I highly recommend Dr. Dorin.
I recently moved from the east coast to San Diego and needed to find a dentist. I go every six months for cleanings. I was referred to Dr. Dorin, but went to a place closer to my work/​home. When I was told I had Periodontal disease at that first office, I went for a second opinion. My experience with Dr. Dorin’s office was great. From the moment I walked in the office the atmosphere was very welcoming and friendly. The X-​ray technician was friendly and efficient as well. When I met with the doctor I didn’t tell her about my previous experience because I wanted to see what she thought. She explained my X-​rays with me and was super nice and professional. I had zero cavities and no gum disease. They rebooked my appointment six months out. This office is everything I want in a dentist. Honesty and efficiency.

No prelims b/​c not a food review.
I haven’t had dental work in 2 years (yay for no insurance). So imagine my surprise when I stepped into this place and saw the advancement in technology.
Excellent waiting room, great staff that was well-​trained, and a very enjoyable experience. I got my x-​rays and photos taken while I waited for what would turn out to be an interminable time of cleaning, which was excellent. Anytime a business is trying to be efficient, it often comes with a sense of being in a factory. The dental assistant was patient and helpful but a bit rough. Firm but rough.
TVs. TVs everywhere. Very convenient. The wait was a bit longer than I had anticipated (ended up being 2.5 hours to get all my stuff done) but necessary as I had a LOT of crap in my teeth.
Now, there are a lot of reviews on here bashing Dr. Dorin and the staff about the costs of dentistry. First, if you have a huge amount of co-​pay, blame your insurance. The costs are the costs and they show you straight upfront. The front desk assistant showed me exactly how much each procedure, filling, etc. costs and broke it down. She showed me how much my insurance was paying, how much I was paying, and what the final bill was. So I knew exactly what I was paying for. Second, they take freaking pictures of everything and they SHOW YOU THE PICTURES. So if you disagree, look at the goddam pictures and explain why. I had plague and tartar and cavities everywhere. Hell yes $ 600 was expensive. But to fix it all? Totally worth it. And they have an excellent payment plan that was in house.
Love Dr. Dorin — straight forward, does good stuff, and she stayed late to make sure that I finished everything instead of having me come back because I needed such extensive work. Great work and class practice. Will be coming back for a long time.
TL; DR blame your insurance first. Awesome dentist and great staff. TVs everywhere.

So yeah been waiting awhile to write a review this place I wouldn’t recommend it with the way the practice is set up. They have made it to maximize the out of pocket cost to the patients. I’m not new to the racket of dentistry and how expensive it can be. I only ever started coming here after my old dentist sold her practice. Well my first visit I needed a cleaning and two crowns looked at that were causing pain. Right away she said they both needed to be taken off and redone the crowns were not even 2 years old. I am also pregnant so dental issues gum swelling and such are a common issue. Well I told her no that my insurance wouldn’t cover a crown to be replaced that was only 2 years old she continued to try to get me to schedule to pull them off. Well I went to the dentist that the practice had been sold to and was told the crowns were absolutely fine and that it was due to my gums swelling and being irritated they gave me some conservative treatment ideas that I could purchase over the counter and what do you know absolutely fine. Saved about 3k right there.
Second issue… I has a filling fall out it wasn’t painful at first but is became painful I returned to see what needed to be done. Root canal and crown… which I was fine with but here is where they get you… the regular dentist in the office refuse to do root canals stating that all root canals should be done by specialist. Well this is not true. She’s just incapable of performing a root canal. I was like okay let’s see how much it was going to cost 1200 for a root canal because of all the special tools a specialist is trained to use but might not need at all. And than there was the cost of the crown way expensive for how it turned out. So I told them I would not do the root canal at their office I went back to the other dentist and had it done for 100 bucks after insurance.
Now the cerric crowns or whatever they are called… HORRIBLE for their cost. The crown is big and bulky and no way looks natural. It sticks color wise and physically… the crown in rounded and feels nothing like what my natural tooth felt like. My cheek rubs up against it. I will definitely be pulling this crown off in 5 years and replacing it. I will wait 2 weeks for something more natural.
Unneeded work… while the crown was being placed the doctor decided because it was bulky and not sitting right that she would start to drill away natural tooth surface of my bottom teeth… wth don’t my teeth need that surface to protect them…
Office staff… really nice the only thing I didn’t like was I was in the office and there was a billing issue of like 40 bucks that my insurance wouldn’t cover nothing big but I was in there and they said nothing and just sent me a bill with a pathetic discription. You would think it would be more professional to talk to your clients face to face regarding billing that is off. Never have encountered a practice that didn’t ask if you would like to take care of your balance.
Oh and back to the cleaning that I originally needed she never did it stating I had cavities. And then I was scheduled for it but then it was a more expensive procedure that needed to be done… again I’m pregnant my gums are irritated due to the pregnancy cleaning is something that needs to be done.
Digital x-​rays… the good thing about digital x-​rays is that you upload them as a Jpeg file and send them to the next dentist the office refused to do this and would only send a PDF and then told me I couldn’t access my original filed well PDF form doesn’t interface with other programs… I call bullshit and they knew I would have to pay for another x-​ray for the root canal but after u explained to my other dentist their reason she was like that’s bullshit we won’t charge you. So if you get x-​rays here don’t expect another dentist to be able to use them.
They did cut me a little bit of a deal on the cerric crown but after it was placed it didn’t make up for the rest of the issues with this practice…

This is why I do not trust dental «groups» practices. I came in and was assigned to Dr. Shirin Dorin. She is a delight — she really is. The whole staff has exceptional patient service.
However, I was extremely caught by surprised when I learned that I had a number of fillings and crowns to have work done on. This was odd as I was just checked by another practice not to long ago. Moving forward with the work — I learn later from my previous dentist that I did not need the work I received from Dr. Dorin.
Once your natural tooth (teeth are) is drilled away — there is no going back. I’m not sure if these treatments were «proactive measures» or what, however, I am very dissatisfied. Sales should be done at the mall not at your trusted Dr’s office.

Seeing a dentist isn’t usually like going to a new restaurant with friends, taking in your surroundings and judging the minute aesthetics etc. For that reason, the dentist is key to your experience beyond measure.
Dr Dorin did an incredible job. Yesterday was by far my best experience with a dentist. From the meeting to the procedure, all 5 stars. The location can’t be beat, and the office is clean and new.

my rating is not based on this actual office itself, yet the dentist who works there: Dr. Dorin.
a little background information. Dr. Dorin had her own office in Santee called Riverview Medical Spa. She did a crown for me which i am not happy with and have issues with. i had to do some research to find her and where she was working out of now. There is nothing linked to her old office nor is her office number have forwarding information. the contact number says «the phone number is no longer in business»
situation: i went to visit her about my crown issue at this office. she needed to get back to me with records. For whatever reason, it was going to take her a whole week (7 days) to get back to me. Well I never received my follow-​up call as she said she would. when i called her, she was with a patient. The front desk did call me back and said she wanted to talk to me so she would call me the following day… well once again, no call back!!! so i had to call them again… once again, conveniently she had left the office early and was not there. They told me she would get back to me and still have not received a call. I am not happy with how this situation has been handled, but more importantly, my crown is messed up!!! and needs to be fixed!

Actually my rating is 2.5 stars.
This place is pretty new. Equipment and furnishing look advanced and hygienic.
But the staff and doctors are really weird. They’re so EAGERLY to push me get everything done almost within one single visit. Also they wanted to overcharge me until I checked my dental plan and asked them to double check. They simply said «oh I don’t know why, yeah, the price was wrong…» which definitely has lost my trust.

I loved everyone here. From the receptionist, the dentist, X-​ray technician, hygienist. All of them were friendly, professional and when I voiced my concerns about past experiences, I felt they really listened and were empathetic. Periodontal maintenance us not usually a pleasant experience. However, the team here did everything to make it as comfortable as possible. No detail was overlooked… right down to asking me if I’d like a blanket (the use of anesthetic — even a local — sometimes makes me feel cold).
I have found my dental office… and it is in the same vicinity as Trader Joe’s so I appreciate their early Saturday hours :-)