Michael Lew, DDS

Nice person but total waste of time and money.
I initially came across Dr. Lew through Unilocal and based on the reviews posted, I decided to give him a shot. That’s why I feel like I owe everyone on Unilocal who’s looking for a dentist this review.
On one hand, I found Dr. Lew himself a very nice person, great personality and a wealth of scientific information (when he walks you through what needs to be done and why).
Also Melissa the dental hygienist who conducted the cleaning for me was really good.
On the other hand, sadly the rest of my experience wasn’t as good as the first part of this review.
As Dr. Lew recommended filling 3 of my teeth, I scheduled an appointment to get 2 done with the intention to do the 3^rd later.
For some reason, Dr. Lew wasn’t able to numb me correctly since the first shot of anesthesia, nor the second nor third. !!! Yes, It took 4 shots to get it right (which was the first time ever I see it happening at a dentist).
Long story short, I finally got those 2 fillings done. However, one of them was still painful after a full week, so I went back to get it checked (and he decided to file it down a little). A week later the pain still existed so I went back for the 3^rd time. And, as I’m writing this review, the pain is still there.
As it never took me 3 visits to get a regular filling done right –especially that it didn’t involve root canal nor crown or anything of that nature– I started questioning if I should have ever went there in first place.
Obviously, the appointment to get the 3^rd filling has been cancelled, also requested copies of all x-​rays done so far and I’m definitely planing to check with another dentist to see if I will be able to fix the issue with the first fillings.

I hate to share this secret, because Dr Lew is such a great dentist and is always booked out. But he is so worth it. He is an amazing, caring dentist and he doesn’t try and to cheat you into expensive procedures. He really is my fave dentist and have been coming here for the last 5 years. Amelia is the best hygienist I have ever seen and she will clean your teeth until they sparkle. This place although busy is worth it so make sure you schedule your appts in advance for your annual exams and cleanings. My only one gripe is that the two ladies at the front desk can be cranky and usually dont get the insurance billing done right. You usually have to call several times to fix it. I wished that they were a bit more automated like with an online booking site and way to email in forms and stuff. But Dr Lew and Amelia are totally worth it, no frills just good dentistry.

Dr. Lew is a really great dentist and he is very honest in regards to billing. The dental hygienist are all really good and friendly. They never pressure my family to do any procedure. My wife worked as a dentist and she trusts him to take of our family with our oral hygiene.

This is the best dentist ever. A couple of days ago I had four molars filled. It really went very well without feeling any pain.

I saw all the 5 star reviews and was a bit suspicious, but from the experiences I had here I am definitely a believer.
The office is a no frills place, but very comforting and warm. The hygienists are great, gentle and caring about your comfort. Dr. Lew met with me and went over each one of my teeth from the xrays. He didn’t try to up sell me on anything like the previous dentistry racket I visited. In fact, a supposed cavity that found by my previous dentist didn’t even exist on the x-​ray. And because Dr. Lew actually shows them to you proves he’s a reputable dentist.
I agree it is hard getting in an appointment but that proves how good the office is. I do not fear going to the dentist anymore.

As a new patient to the office I was immediately personally greeted by Dr. Michael Lew upon arrival. New x-​rays were part of the procedure and the doctor’s assistant, Patty, was careful to avoid any discomfort in the process. She padded the mouth piece which reduced any chance of irritating the gums. I generally have a problem free mouth. Dr. Lew took pictures of each tooth including measurements of the gum pockets as his assistant, Patty, recorded the numbers. My appointment also included teeth cleaning. The hygienist, Susan, was very thorough in taking her time covering every millimeter using the ultrasound cleaning tool.
Due to an overseas assignment, it had been over one year since my last exam and I felt relieved to finally get it done. I would highly recommend Dr. Lew and his staff as they are all courteous, thorough, and detailed in their examination and explanation of my current state of dental health and what I need to do to improve it.

Have been going to this location since I was a child when Dr. Vincent operated it. The quality of care did not skip a beat once Dr. Lew took the reigns. Professional, hardworking, and has an engaging personality. I’m sure it may be becoming the norm in the profession but seeing visually on his laptop via camera what he plans to do and what he’s done is pretty cool. Sandy and Debbie assist in holding down the fort and Melissa is my go-​to hygienist. Expect an approximate month wait when making an appointment however you can request that they call you if appointments open up due to cancellations. Even if I moved out of the area, I would still come here. A great dentist is hard to come by.

Dentist. Normally that word sends shivers down your spine because it evokes past fears brought on by flashbacks of enamel drilling and grinding. The sharp pain tingling down your sensitive nerves like nails across a chalkboard… reminds me of 127 hours where that guy has to cut off his own arm and drink his own urine… over exaggeration perhaps, the real reason why we probably don’t like seeing a dentist is because as patients you are typically left in the dark about everything. They don’t show you anything and don’t explain everything to you. You don’t have that connection to the professional. So far I’ve been to a senile dentist who bloodied my face up after a horrifying 45 minute gum cleaning ordeal. I’ve also been to a dentist who had hands like a grizzly bear tell me to constantly open my mouth wider and wider until my lips split because his filthy grizzly paws couldn’t reach my wisdom tooth; in fact one of them is still in my mouth. And then, I found Him the Savior. Dr. Lew really is awesome, he explains everything to you taking pics on a digital camera to show you instantly what he sees and what needs to be done. He is a machine, always busy but always catering to his patients like a herder to his sheep. Like everyone says, it’s hard to get appointments on short notice because he’s so busy but you won’t be disappointed!

Had an emergency — cracked my molar in two plus the filling at around 11pm. Called up Dr. Lew at 830am the next day. He was booked the entire Thursday, but told me to come in anyways.
Had my tooth extracted the same day thanks to Dr. Lew.
Seriously. Just go to Dr. Lew for your teeth problems. Won’t need to search for another dentist again.

I’ve had good luck with a few dentist… It was scary to try Dr. Lew but I decided to trust the Unilocal review.
I am so glad I found Dr. Lew! He’s super nice, very informative, and did excellent dental work on my teeth. It’ll probably depend on the ins but my filling was about $ 50 each… Good price for the quality work!
Staffs are also very nice. Office is clean. It’s a bit hard to make an appt but it’s worth it.

Fantastic dentist! Takes my insurance, knows his stuff, always on time, great sense of humor.

Summary: Great staff. Excellent care. Very thorough. Covered by insurance. Friendly and informative.
I had been going to the same family dentist for the last 20+ years when he retired unexpectedly. He and his staff set the bar extremely high for me and my family. They were always very friendly, very thorough, took great care of us, etc. Everything you’d expect from a dentist.
After his retirement, I turned to my go-​to source of quality businesses: Unilocal.So often I have found great things from this community. Keep it up Unilocalers! When I saw that Michael Lew, DDS had 19 5-​star reviews, I knew that there was a high probability that I would be very happy being his patient. It was just like when we bought our new bed from Good Night Mattress in Redondo Beach (36 5-​star reviews).
I first called the office well before my normal 6-​month checkup would be so that I could try to get a slot somewhere around that date. The friendly voice on the other end helped get me and my wife scheduled in. They also followed up as it got closer to confirm that I’d still be able to come in. I requested as late an appointment as possible (which I wasn’t really able to do with my old dentist because they were located in Mission Viejo) and was told that 4pm was the latest they could do since I was a new patient and they like to do a thorough introductory exam for the first visit. However, they do appointments as 5:15pm normally, I believe.
When I went in for my visit, I made my way upstairs and found the office, but when I walked in there was a desk to the right and one to the left. I had to inquire about which one was Dr. Lew’s since his name isn’t displayed like the other dentists in the office. It’s the left one, by the way. I checked in with the ladies behind the desk and they handed me the new patient forms to fill out. Those took about 10 minutes to complete, then they looked up my insurance, soon after I was good to go.
First, I was introduced to one of the hygienists that sat me down in a dental chair with a pillow, asked me some questions, made some conversation, and then brought Dr. Lew in once he was free. He introduced himself, asked some more questions (including how I heard about him, to which I explained that I am an avid Unilocaler and he then joked with me about being nervous and feeling pressure now), and explained what he was going to be doing.
In my life, I believe I had been to two different dentists before Dr. Lew. As a result, I really didn’t have a lot of exposure to tools, techniques, etc. until my old dentist started employing them. So when Dr. Lew busted out a small camera and took pictures of each of my teeth, I was surprised. When he charted the depth of my gums by reading three numbers for each tooth, I was surprised. When he then sat with me and showed me each picture that he took, pointed out things he observed, indicated the results of my charting, etc. I was surprised. He was super friendly, made it very clear that he got excited about what he does, and really likes explaining a lot about everything so as to truly educate his patients. It was a very positive experience, and one that he was greatly disadvantaged going into because I held my previous dentist in such high esteem.
After he checked me out himself, he handed me off to a very friendly, young hygienist (and fellow UCLA alum) who proceeded to conduct a very thorough, but efficient, cleaning. She checked to make sure that I was comfortable and doing alright throughout the session. Soon she was done and offering me the standard toothbrush and floss freebies while also providing a couple of tips for things to try when brushing at home. She then escorted me to the front desk to make my follow up appointment, and I was on my way.
The whole first visit took about an 1.5 hours from arrival to departure, but it was very reassuring throughout. Both Dr. Lew and his team seem very open, informative, friendly, professional, and confident. They were candid with me and I appreciated that immensely. I also really appreciated that there wasn’t a feeling of «get him in and get him out» at all. They spent the time to welcome me into their practice and I look forward to many wonderful visits to come.

Appointment is required for this doctor, his office is always fully booked way in advance, so if you can book your next appointment immediately after your visit, it’s totally recommended, even if the appointment is still like 6 months ahead or something.
I haven’t been to the dentist for awhile and the last time I went, there’s always a major issue. I actually came here after searching for a dentist either nearby my work or my office. I saw my friend’s review on Unilocal on Dr. Lew and I decided to make an appointment immediately to see what the damage that my teeth have endured so far.
Since this was my first visit, the doctor recommended all the x-​rays and pictures taken to see everything from cavities to gum/​teeth measurement. I’ve never had any dentist anywhere that did this. It was a great start and the doctor wouldn’t recommend anything that doesn’t need to be done. He explained the condition of each tooth in my mouth and what steps need to be done to clean it and make it better.
Apart from Dr Lew, there’s about 3 or 4 dental hygienists there, I’ve met 2 of them and they were really nice, they did a great job as well. My overall impression of this dentist, he is a great dentist, you didn’t have to wait long for your appointment and super friendly. I would totally recommend him to all my friends and coworkers.

DR. LEW IS AMAZING!!!
I hadn’t been to the dentist in a while and was kind of dreading it Dr. Lew and his staff made things so easy for me. He is such a good doctor, he sits down and takes the time to explain your teeth to you and tells you what he is doing as he is doing it so you know whats going on. When I went back for my cleaning, he stopped by to check on me and see how things were going. On my follow up he remembered that I had told him we were going out of town for the holidays and asked about my trip. You can tell he truly cares about his patients and it shows with the way he treats them. They are great about billing your insurance on time and are very up front about what insurance covers and how much you will owe for what you need before they do the procedure.
If you need a dentist in the south bay look no further!

Absolutely the best dentist, hygienist, and office staff I have been to in over 60 years! The most up-​to-​date equipment, the most thorough explanations, and the most professional treatments — bar none!
I went to Dr. Lew because of Unilocal recommendations, and once again, Unilocalers put me on the right track. Five years of rough dentists who did their own cleanings and less than professional fillings and crowns left me avoiding dental care for quite some time. Needless to say, I really needed a thorough examination and plan for future work. Dr. Lew showed me x-​rays and photographs, explaining what was happening with my teeth. We agreed on a plan forward, and he obtained approvals from my dental insurance company. Amelia was a gentle but thorough hygienist and like Dr. Lew was pleasant, funny and informative.
I would give Dr. Lew 10 stars if that were possible! OUTSTANDING!

Found Dr. Lew on Unilocal after a discouraging experience with a PV office — very happy that I did. Dr. Lew is very professional and ethical. Straight and to the point. No BS. He is very kind and quite funny — breaks the ice easily within the first minute of being seen. I definitely felt comfortable and at ease. The office staff is very pleasant, welcoming. You can come to this office with confidence that you and your needs will be taken care of completely without fail. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Was never a fan of the dentist until now.

Three years ago I had a bad experience with a PV dentist and never went back.
Today I had my 1^st Dentist appointment since that time and it was GREAT! I was scared since it had been so long. Dr Lew was kind and made me laugh as well as feel secure he would do whatever it took to make sure I didn’t feel pain. I didn’t. He was through and explained what he saw in my X-​rays and gave me a list of what I needed to have done and the cost. Thank you for that! Although not extensive, I have some work to do and I’ll need to budget it out. I can do that with there thoughtful business processes.
Melissa, my dental hygienist was also very kind, friendly and had a way of educating me without me feeling like a dunce.
I will be back and am sending my son too.

It was an experience which was a bit different from my previous dental visits. don’t get me wrong, I was still nervous but I wasn’t thinking bad thoughts as usual. The reason: I felt comfortable. one thing i like about the dr. lew experience is that i got to see pics of my teeth! i still don’t really remember exactly how he explained it, but he was super honest and he told me the good, the bad and the ugly.
dr. lew is pretty funny. it was kinda hard not to smile around him.
My other dentists were pretty good too, but i guess I like lew’s office a bit more because of the environment. FINALLY! a dental office without elevator music! (unless you think The Wave is elevator music)
one thing that is different from my other dentists is that i couldn’t just walk in and wait without an appointment. not the coolest how my appointment took a while to come, but i wasn’t in pain.
Overall i’d give the place a 4.7, but there is no option for that, so 5 it is!

Thanks Unilocalers for the reference!!! Dr. Lew was great! Oddly enough actually enjoyed my visit to the dentist! Who would have thought? Dr. Lew was very thorough and pleasant to be around and the entire staff was helpful as well. A truly genuine group of people. Would recommend. Thanks again Unilocal

I thought I loved my previous dentists… then, I met Dr. Lew. This guy is awesome. He takes the time to review each X-​Ray and photograph with the patient and explain the good, the bad and the neutral. His hygenist is a sweetheart — very efficient and gentle.
Dr. Lew is very honest, very kind and very knowledgable. He will talk to you about your options and make sure you understand. I will definitely be referring patients to this fabulous office.