Cortaro Smiles Dentistry and Orthodontics

Huge rip off! Their office is nice and they were right down the street so I gave them a shot, but will NOT go back again!
When they did my x-​ray I was told that the root on one of my front teeth is dead and it would have to be replaced. This was news to me (and I get regular cleanings every 6 months!)! The crazy, extreme thing though is that the dentist’s recommendation was for me to get not one, but SIX porcelain veneers so all the front teeth would match. When he left me for a bit I started goggling and NOTHING said ANYTHING about veneers! They all said I’d need a root canal and a cap. What the heck, we’re talking about a multi-​thousand dollar difference in price!
I thanked them for their time and went for a second opinion (at Aeris Family Dental, which I cannot recommend enough), and sure enough, no need at all for veneers! This dentist said we can take the «wait and see» approach. Although if a root dies (which is common in front teeth) a root canal is often needed, it’s not needed 100% of the time. There was no sign of decay or any issues, so as long as I continue seeing the dentist regularly he said he can just continue to monitor it. IF I end up needing a root canal down the road I can, indeed, simply fix it with a single cap (unless for whatever other reason I WANT to do a whole row of veneers).
I could not get over the difference in price! I really feel like Cortaro Smiles is just out to make a buck. They NEVER outlined the other options and made it sound like veneers was the only solution. They also made me wait forever in their office, which I don’t appreciate.
I pay out-​of-​pocket for dental (no insurance), so I want to feel like I got a good deal for my money. That includes a friendly office staff, not wasting my time making me wait forever, and letting me know about the different dental options I have. Cortaro Smiles did none of those things. They may be fine if you have insurance footing the bill but if you’re paying out-​of-​pocket then BEWARE!!! I’d suggest going elsewhere!!!

The staff was very polite and helpful when explaining different procedures I needed and the cost. Also, I got to watch a movie while having a teeth cleaning :)

What they should really call this place is Cortaro Frowns! While I agree with the first reviewer in his view that the dentist, hygienist and x-​ray staff are friendly and professional. However I found the front desk staff to be rude and condescending. In addition Cortaro Smiles is INCREDIBLY expensive if you do not have insurance. My exam for a tooth had been bothering me (not an emergency appointment) was literally 3 minutes long. I had nothing done and it cost $ 85. Absolutely ridiculous. They use their initial $ 39 special to rope you in and then you pay twice as much as you would at a regular dentist for anything after that. Additionally DO NOT give them you email address unless you want weekly email junk mail from them. I will never return to this office and I advise you to steer clear of it also.

Staff was very friendly and professional. Answered all my questions. No pressure to sale me extras services, unlike most dentists I’ve been to. X-​rays, check up and cleaning in 45 minutes!.. Great experience!

After recently moving to Tucson I need to establish a new dentist… I searched my provider website and found Cortaro Smiles, after deciding I should make an appointment it wasn’t long when the whole left side of my face swelled up… One of my wisdom teeth came in and it HURT bad… They were able to get me in fast, and set me up for oral surgery, the staff was great, attentive and gave detailed information about what my treatment would consist of. I will be returning!

I’m your first reviewer, and I don’t want to be mean, but I do want to be honest…
First, the good points: Friendly hygienists and dentists and a clean, professional office.
Unfortunately, you have many of the same problems as Catalina Smiles… unskilled reception staff and poor logistics — let me explain.
First, my wife and I had made appointments for 7a and 8a on a Friday. When I called to cancel her appointment, the day before, the receptionist informed me that their hygienist «no longer works on Fridays, so you won’t be able to have a cleaning done» — oh, that’s nice, uh, were you going to let me know that or just tell me when I got there??? So, we rescheduled for the following Wednesday, both of us at the same time, so we could be in and out in a hurry.
We arrive on Wednesday and see a waiting area with 5 people sitting, and probably a total staff of fewer than five. Uh oh. We check in and proceed to wait until at least 9:20, when my cleaning begins. After another hour and a half (I wasn’t out until 10:55a), I’ve seen the dentist for his requisite 5 min look-​over, had about 10 minutes of cleaning, and 10 minutes of polishing. 95 minutes to do 25 minutes of work. At least Home Alone 2 was playing on the TV so I had something to do!
As it turned out, they had not scheduled my wife and I for the same time, but back to back at 9a and 10a, yet, she was done by 10:50a, before I was (after beginning at 10a).
Before leaving, I spoke with the Operations Manager about our experience, and he pledged to do better next time and wanted a second chance, but would not give any discount or promotion or anything related to the experience we had just had. I told him I might not come back at all. He replied that we could work something out for our next visit.
On the drive home, we received an email confirmation from their scheduling software that we were scheduled not at the same time, but back-​to-​back (again!) in six months. Lovely…
All I’m looking for is a competent dentist, friendly environment and professional staff who can clean my teeth in under an hour. Neither Cortaro Smiles nor Catalina Smiles has yet to fit the bill. There are a lot of dentists out there who will clean your teeth for $ 39, so I guess I’ll keep looking…