Louis K Rafetto, DMD

3 members of my family, including myself, have been patients of Dr Rafetto over the past 13 years. I had a few extractions and two dental implants placed, my husband had extractions and our son had a frenectomy due to breastfeeding difficulty.
I can’t say enough about how warm and welcoming his staff are as well as Dr Rafetto’s expertise and bedside manner is top-​notch. Maureen, his assistant, even offered me the banana from her lunch when she found out I hadn’t eaten and was a bit nauseous.
Admittedly, it’s not good news when you need an oral surgeon but they make the experience pleasant. I highly recommend this practice!

Went in today to have my wisdom tooth extracted (simple extraction; wasn’t impacted or anything), and it hurt. And I mean *hurt*. Wasn’t just «some pressure,» as he claimed. IT HURT!
He seemed extremely rushed from the beginning. He entered the room, we chatted for a few seconds, he got a swab and quickly swabbed my cheek, then grabbed a syringe and shot me up with an anesthetic. Badda bing, badda boom. Those two things literally took like 15 seconds. He then quickly walked out of the room and said he’d be back shortly.
At that point I was getting really nervous because of how he was racing around. I asked the nurse /​dental tech if he’s normally like that because his racing around was making me nervous. She reassured me that he’s «very good» and that he’s just a «very active» man. Um… OK.
Anyway, he returned, pushed on my tooth and asked if I could feel it. I could, but barely. He then got some tool and started going to town. I don’t know if he was using that screwdriver looking thing (I think it’s called an elevator), but the prying began! QUICKLY. RUSHED. Nothing gentle about it! PAIN! NOT PLEASANT by any stretch. Then I saw that pliers looking thing (I think it’s called a cowhorn) that caused even more discomfort and PAIN! Again, RUSHED. And it hurt like hell!!! I couldn’t take anymore, so he gave me more anesthetic and left the room for several minutes only to return and start again. It wasn’t as bad that time, but I just needed it to be over with!
I’m not one to be a nervous wreck by any stretch, but I was a mess after leaving his office. I’ve NEVER had such a bad visit dental procedure. He’s obviously old school considering he graduated in or around 1977 from Temple Dental School (his picture on Christiana Hospital’s website and his website makes him look younger, so they must be old), which means he should have a better grasp at this since he’s been practicing as long as I’ve been alive! I’ve had other dental work done, including gum surgery and another wisdom tooth extraction, and they were cake compared to this. Sure, the actual extraction lasted all of 5 minutes or so, but they were very difficult minutes. Who knows, maybe a lower wisdom tooth extraction is much worse than an upper wisdom tooth extraction. But my upper wisdom tooth took about the same amount of time and there was little discomfort with that procedure — done by another dentist, of course.
And we’re also in 2011, not 1940! No one should be forced to deal with major discomfort and feel as tho they’re being thrust back in time to the mid-​1900s where the dentist would stand over you ripping out your tooth with no anesthetic and sending you on your way. It obviously wasn’t THAT bad, but close enough. Having such an experience while awake, I wouldn’t dare want to experience how rough or without care or concern for a patient he might have while under!
I won’t be going back to see this guy again, that’s for sure.