Animal Dental Clinic

Very positive experience with Dr. Hall and with his staff at the Animal Dental Clinic. My dog was kicked in the face by a horse during a walk when we had a surprise encounter with a spooked horse. Needless to say, it was horrifying and traumatic. She had a number of fractured teeth, split her upper lip severely, and had numerous lacerations on the face. After rushing her to the emergency vet on a Sunday night and spending six hours there without getting any help for the poor dog (btw, DO NOT EVER go to the SouthPaws Emergency Vet in Fairfax — but that’s a different review yet to be written…), I called around early Monday morning to several places, and Animal Dental Clinic squeezed me in on an emergency basis. The staff were very friendly, kind, and thorough. Dr. Hall was completely wonderful, professional, and reassuring. He removed the damaged teeth, stitched up the lacerations, and advised me thoroughly on recovery. The staff were amazingly comprehensive with checking out and recovery instructions. The next morning as well as later that week, Dr. Hall called to check in on the dog and me. A very positive experience.

My recently adopted Boston Terrier fractured two teeth in one week. Our new regular vet recommended Dr. Hall, and I was quick to agree given that my last experience with a fractured tooth treated by another local veterinary practice (NOT A SPECIALIST) ended in a fractured jaw. I read all of the reviews on Unilocal and Google before the appointment, and my gut reaction was that some people lack experience with the cost of specialist veterinary care and the inability for any veterinarian to guarantee an outcome.
I went to the appointment, and my experience pre and post operative has been very positive. He spent time with us during the consultation and I didn’t have any reservations leaving my Boston with him for radiographs. Dr. Hall called me and we discussed the options, pros/​cons, and cost. The cost was in line with what I expected given my experience. (I have owned 3 rescue Boston Terriers and all had medical issues). I never felt pressured. Once we settled on the specifics of the operation, Dr. Hall proceeded with surgery. My Boston has done very well and Dr. Hall the morning after the procedure to check on us.
Was the treatment expensive? It depends on your perspective. It was in line with what I’ve experienced with other specialists — including another board certified veterinary dentist — and what I expected based on my research. All specialty vet care is costly! I will pay more to get it right the first time. A broken jaw is a risk with lower jaw dental work — and you reduce that risk by allowing a specialist do the work. I would not trust a general vet to perform dental surgery. We are lucky to have a board certified dentist for our pets in this area. Do your research. There are only about 100 in the world.
In short, I highly recommend Dr. Hall and will return — although I’m hoping we have no more doggie dental issues in the near future!

we took our pug mix to dr hall in march. Like a lot of pugs he had some serious dental issues which dr hall did fix during a marathon operation. But it cost a LOT
More than we thought it would, and we wonder if a shorter, less aggressive procedure, or two /​three shorter operations, would have worked as well and been easier on the dog. Would have been more comfortable with what some other vets do, namely giving an estimate or having you pay up front. Bottom line: reco that you read the fine print and ask a lot of questions to be sure you get what you want.

Having just returned from a post operative visit to the Animal Dental Clinic, I decided to write a Unilocal review regarding my very good experience with this clinic and Dr. Hall. I have had nine dogs over the past twenty years and have used specialty veterinary practices for many of them. When I noticed some change in behavior with my blind and deaf 8 year old Australian Shepherd and his noticeably bad breath (although he teeth had been very recently cleaned at his regular vet), I took him to the Animal Dental Clinic. I was familiar with this practice when I last visited there about fifteen years ago with another special needs dog who had major dental problems.
After having full mouth xrays showing many problems, Joey had all of his upper teeth removed except his canines and some of his lower teeth. I was naturally surprised to hear the xray results, but I had suspected that something was wrong and that he might be in pain. Now it’s just two weeks since surgery and Joey looks great, has sweet breath, and his energy and sweet nature have returned. He had obviously been suffering in silence for some time.
Yes, it was an anxiety-​producing experience and yes, it’s expensive – just like any specialty medicine. However, the result was worth it. Dr. Hall was very kind to Joey when he first met him – sitting on the floor to examine him rather than the frightening experience of being lifted up on a cold metal table. He took his time explaining things, called me the day after surgery to check on Joey’s condition, and his office staff also called and were very pleasant and helpful. At today’s follow up visit, Joey seemed happy to see Dr. Hall who once again got down on the floor first to play with him before he looked in his mouth. Joey was not at all frightened – which tells me that he was also treated kindly when I wasn’t there which is always a concern especially given his handicaps.
Hopefully Joey’s dental problems are over, but I would return to Dr. Hall if future problems arise and would recommend him to others.

I have mixed feelings about my rating, because the rating is for the whole experience. Up front, my dog did not have a procedure performed on him by Dr. Hall; he only had a consult. Dr. Hall obviously cares about the animals, because he interacted with my dog rather than just start right iin on checking my dog’s teeth. I give him high marks for this. I give him low marks for not really providing any recommendation one way or the other, only saying which the procedural options were. I knew what the options would be, but would have liked some preference one way or the other. I did not discuss price for a reason, and frankly did not even research the prices of the various options before going to see Dr. Hall, because I wanted to get an unbiased view that wasn’t cost based. I did ask for cost after the fact, and was puzzled as to why extraction would cost nearly the same as a root canal. Extraction was definitely double or triple the cost of every other vet out there, which just gave me the impression that things were set up to build on further procedures down the road. Root canals are not completely effective, makes the tooth more brittle, and in all likelihood the tooth would then have to be extracted anyway. So, I couldn’t help feel that the pricing structure wasn’t the best; however, again, I will pay whatever is in my dog’s best interest, even if it cost more than people would feel was worth it.
Because I did not get «advice» on what procedure would be better, I simply had to think about it more and discuss it with my wife, so therefore, cancelled the surgical appointment. When I did so, I was immediately asked to pay for the consult, which was previously waved (probably because of the planned surgical). I could have sworn I was told a different consult fee less than what was then asked. Second, I was put off by the fact that when I called to cancel, it was a quick rush to get money when they said I didn’t have to pay. I was also further put off when I asked for the 20% military discount, which I was then told after the fact only applied to procedures. This wasn’t the understanding before. If they felt I was taking my business elsewhere and this was the reason for asking for money after they waved the fee and then not giving me the discount when they told me I would get the discount, they sure ensured I would do so now by the curtness and coldness of their response to wanting to think on the options more. My wife and I think it is a major decision, and absence of real advice we wanted more time to think about and research the options.
I paid the consult fee with no discount and am not looking for anything in this review. Again, the money cloud is the exact reason I did not talk about prices with Dr. Hall during the consult (although I felt when he was asking if I had any other questions, he was expecting money questions). What I want others to know and for this Veterinary office to know, is that I would more than likely have called back to get a procedure done (either root canal or extraction) with Dr. Hall, if it had not been for the final impression. I think folks also need to know, the consult did not provide any meaningful advice, which I expected. Absent of that, I needed more time to research and talk it over with my wife. Some folks may feel this is fine or consider it a neutral opinion of choices, but I expect to at least get a ranking of options. Contrary to others, I did feel after the fact, there were add on recommendations, which weren’t fully explained why they were necessary. Because of this, I wanted more time to research those procedures as well.

We found our dog Phoenix hiding in a corner scraped up pretty bad with his front teeth smashed in. We think he was hit by a car, but we’re not quite sure. The emergency animal clinic we took him to recommended Dr. Hall who we gave a call and left a message. Dr. Hall normally does not work on Sundays, and he also had an early flight the next morning, but he called us back right away and agreed to perform an emergency surgery on a Sunday night. When we met Dr. Hall he was very polite and patiently answered all of our questions. When we left we felt like we were leaving Phoenix in good hands, and he did not let us down. For the next week Dr. Hall called us every day to check on Phoenix. We couldn’t be happier with Dr. Hall and his level of service. Phoenix had to have his top row of teeth removed, but otherwise has made a full recovery and is back to doing all the things he loves — eating, playing tug-​a-​war, and chewing his bones. We feel extremely blessed to have Dr. Hall as our animal dentist and we will continue taking our dogs to him for regular teeth cleaning.

I see that the Animal Dental Clinic has replied to this review. and for CLARIFICATION… YES I DID ask for the Military discount in my first phone call. and was told to request it from the doctor. Yes, my original bill was estimated at 2000 $ and without ANY warning ended up being 4500 $. The «Extortion Part is a LIE!!» plain and simple!!! I never offered to change my review to an A or B… in exchange for a discount! I wouldn’t chance it to an A or B for all the money in the WORLD! I will actually POST that part of the email between myself and Angies list to show what a LIAR this man is!!! I offered to REMOVE THIS REVIEW at HIS request, if he would give me a discount because I stated that some active duty members had been in 3 weeks, 3 months.etc.and my husband served 25 years, and still serves… I asked him to extent the discount to help defray the cost since the price was SO MUCH HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED!!! As to the «local vet» I never said which local vet I was speaking of. I did not mention names because of EXACTLY what happened.Dr. Hall called and was very hostile to the vey kind man who had actually not even seen Cricket, just made suggestions as to how I could get her to eat. Dr Hall used his way of manipulation to try to intimidate this man, but it was a vet that LUCKILY I did not even NAME here that said my dog did not need to have all of her teeth removed! I guess Dr. Hall can call all of the vets in the area and now yell at them the way he yelled at this local vet! On to the Sanction. Yes it was from the mid 90’s, but there is no need for Dr. Hall to lie about it, as I took pictures of it with my iphone :-} It states that he is to ONLY DO DENTAL surgery. NOTHING ELSE… no over night stays… etc…

I was very impressed by Dr. Hall’s professionalism. He took a long time to explain to me and my husband the options to resolve our dog’s broken tooth. He did not try to sell us on the more expensive option and instead gave us a very clear, neutral opinion of our choices giving us the freedom to make a decision based on our feelings and our budget.
Our dog is indispensable, and a spoiled only child, so this decision was very important to us.
I also was impressed by the cleanliness and organization of the place… (I’m adding photos to prove it!) This was a part of the decision process as we had other –few– options in the greater DC area for an Animal Dental Specialist. Snacks in the wait room made the pick up a bit sweeter too.
Service was grand. Dr. Hall and his staff were courteous and knowledgeable. The bill was a bit steep, but it was the exact same price charged by the other dental specialists in Baltimore and Rockville… I called all of them before choosing, and I think I made the right selection.

It is my pleasure to write this review in support of Dr. Hall. Animal Dental Clinic has been a part of our pets’ lives for over six years. Dr. Hall has been caring for my pets, since Dr. Williams’s retirement, and I am 100% pleased with the results. Dr. Hall works very hard for our pets and has their best interest in mind. My second encounter with Dr. Hall involved our second eldest cat that needed full extractions due to severe gum disease (not my fault — bad genes/​bad gums). I was a nervous wreck and making it all about me. After Dr. Hall explained the pain our cat was in and her inability to eat, I knew the answer: full extraction. I put my trust in Dr. Hall’s skills, talent and education, and thankfully it paid off; the results were nearly instantaneous resulting in increased appetite and playtime. Our general veterinarian was very pleased with the improvements in our cat’s weight and attitude. It is now 2012 and the little girl will be celebrating her 18^th Birthday… oh yes, PLAYTIME it’s on!!! Surgery, such as extractions, is tough on animals (heck, humans too) and all we can do is to put ourselves in their «shoes» and have their best interest at heart. I do know Dr. Hall considers our animal’s interests and what is best for them. In my opinion he is dedicated to his profession, and trade. While it is a business, it is one he takes great pride and care in. I would be hard pressed to go to another animal dentist, despite the fact that they are few and far between. Animal Dentistry is a highly skilled profession.

I brought my 2 kitties in to see Dr. Hall on Feb. 2^nd, 2012. Sabastian, my Russian Blue mix kitty was there for his 1 year follow up from his 3 teeth extracted. Thank goodness only a cleaning this time for my «boy». My other kitty, Charity, DSH, was at the clinic for her first dental visit. I was only expecting a cleaning for her as well, but was shocked to hear that Charity would need 9 teeth extracted. I couldn’t believe that this kitty of about 3 – 4 yrs of age, not exactly sure because she was a rescue, would need that many teeth removed. I saw the x-​rays, but still couldn’t believe it. The surgery went well and the staff would periodically give me updates on Charity’s status. I knew that both kitty visits would be expensive, but I wasn’t expecting the amount that I was told. The doctor and his staff were wonderful and I knew that my kitties were in good hands. Like anything in life, you get what you pay for. Surgery is expensive and I didn’t have pet insurance (something to think about for the future). I wasn’t about to let my kitties go under anesthesia with someone who said that they could do the surgery for cheap. I knew that I was paying for this veterinarian’s expertise, knowledge and experience. And that gave me comfort in knowing that my kitties were going to be ok.

After all the money we spent taking our dog to different vets — stating that she is not eating and has extremely bad breath — we finally got referred to Dr. Hall. He extracted 13 teeth and gave our Ashley a new life!
She is happy and energized and no smelly breath! The staff was fantastic and the care Dr. Hall provided was excellent! They called every day after the surgery and I am very pleased with the professional and caring attitude the doctor and staff provided!

We have been taking our cats to Dr. Hall for around 4 years. Dr. Hall has always provided all three of our cats excellent care. He has a great bed-​side manner with our cats, even Zoe, who has always been a Tasmanian devil with other vets.
His office goes above and beyond to make sure that our cats are properly treated for their dental problems. In fact, the first time I took them there, they were able to correct problems created by past sub-​standard dental care. All three of our cats are elderly and have various health problems, so Dr. Hall does a physical exam and blood work before beginning any dental work. He is extremely caring and provides pain medicine after extractions, always does a follow-​up call, and schedules a follow-​up office visit to make sure they are recovering well.
The office also provides detailed instructions for post-​extraction care, including clear guidance about when to call in problems. I would say our pets are healthier and happier because of the dental work they have received from this group, and I believe they will be with us longer because of this care. I would recommend Dr. Hall and his office very highly!

Our experience with the «Animal Dental Clinic» is the definitive WORST, out of a lifetime of interactions with veterinary, medical and other professionals, „ deeply painful and bitter.
Referred by our vet (who had known the previous Dr. Williams), I brought in our 17 year old cat for a consultation — with expressed concerns about her age and temperament. In the end, Dr. Hall ran some tests, evaluated her as fit for surgery and ended up removing all the teeth in her mouth.
At day’s end, I returned to pick her up, listened to some complaints about her being «difficult,» paid a $ 2,651 bill, and went home with 2 cans of soft food, some pain medication, and advice. I kept her beside me, and closely monitored her behavior.
The next afternoon, I discussed her status with Dr. Hall – saying that I worried she was becoming dehydrated. «That should not be a concern,» he responded. «We gave her lots of fluids during the procedure. .. she should be all right until [another few days].» My concern turned to alarm, but calling back (on a Saturday morning), I reached only an «office is closed» recording.
I blame myself for not heeding my misgivings during the consultation and leaving. .. for then giving any credence to Dr. Hall’s advice and not immediately seeking urgent care from someone else. The emergency vet noted in their records that our pet indeed died of «dehydration» and «internal bleeding,» perhaps owing to traumatic pain.
From the Clinic’s response – callous and on the offensive – I doubt they reviewed their practices to try to avert similar outcomes. Remarks from Dr. Hall and the office manager included:
«You could’ve called us Friday night, when we were working late.»
«We followed our standard procedures. .. sometimes these things happen for no known reason… there’s just a certain percentage. .. «
“We can’t provide you with any kind of credit. .. we rendered a service. «
Had we not encountered these people, or acquiesced in their advisements, the animal would undoubtedly be alive today, with some options – where even direct euthanasia, among them, would have been far more humane. She died a tortured death.

Upon recommendation from our vet, we took our cat here to get her teeth removed. Our cat has a mouth disease called stomatitis and the only real way to fix it is to have all of their teeth removed. Getting all teeth removed is a pretty involved procedure, so Animal Dental Clinic seemed like a good place to go since they do nothing but dental work on animals.
The procedure went nearly perfectly, we were very happy with it! The doctor was very nice and helpful. He did an excellent job, our cat recovered very quickly and is noticeably happier since we got her teeth removed. The surgery went so well that when we let her out of the carrier after bringing her home, she went straight for the bowl of wet food that we let out and started eating. We had a bit of a complication about a week after surgery. She managed to pull out some of the stitches inside of her mouth, which caused her mouth to get inflammed and her to stop eating. We called up Animal Dental Clinic, and the next day they were able to see her and perform surgery again to fix the side where she pulled the stitches from.
So for the knowledge of the doctors, quality of work, and care for the animals, I would definitely give them 5 stars. However, I’ve got to take them down a star for the prices. They’re not cheap! But, I guess you get what you pay for. With a complicated procedure like removing all teeth you probably don’t want to take your pet to the cheapest place.
Oh, and for anyone who has a cat with stomatitis, I would definitely recommend getting their teeth removed. Don’t wait a few years like we did. Your cat will be much happier without the teeth, indoor cats don’t need their teeth for anything. After a few months on wet food, our cat is back to eating small dry food.