Dr. Alpa N. Merchant, DDS - Tucson, Arizona

elizabeth findley

I've been a patient of Dr. Merchant and her wonderful staff since I moved to Tucson AZ in 2003. Ever since, she has provided me with braces as a teenager, filled all of my cavities with composite at a young age (very needed) and are still doing great (from age 14-36) and does business with a dental laboratory that made my beautiful gold crown which I love! I've had my gold crown for about 3 years now on a molar and I've never stopped loving it!
Dr. Merchant works with the best receptionist, hygienist, and assistants. They are a wonderful and extremely proffesional and friendly team. My mother and I always feel extremely welcome at her practice and we do not plan to seek another in town.
Special thanks to Dr. Merchant and her lovely team for the outstanding service you have all provided me and my family for so long.

Nancy Thorpe

Dr Merchant's Dental Office was friendly and very professional. After 20 years at another office, I dreaded starting over with a new dentist and hygienist but I was quite impressed. I felt at ease and had a thorough exam and cleaning. I highly recommend this practice! Nancy

Vickie Lucio

Dr. Merchant and her staff are friendly, professional and efficient. Kathi is very helpful and always makes me and my family's visits enjoyable. Stephanie has a gentle touch and is very helpful and informative. Great staff and environment that provide excellent care!

Christopher Apodaca

I am very happy with the service and care I receive at Dr. Merchants dentistry clinic. From Kathy at the front desk, to Stephanie, my oral hygienist to Dr. Merchant. I would recommend if you are looking for a new dental team, this is the place!

JAGSK

Update:

On further reflection on my experience here and the far better one at my new dentist, I realize I was overly restrained in my original review (attached) and should share what I think is the heart of the problem at this office: Alpa Merchant’s character. The following are my observations and impressions:

Alpa Merchant is a supremely arrogant and greedy individual. She may put on a mask of professionalism and compassion when you first visit her office, but I saw her attitude soon change completely. I was met with impatience, contempt, and enmity when I had concerns about an in-progress crown restoration. Why? Because I dared to hesitate about some of the other procedures - cavity fillings - that she had recommended earlier. While I was simply waiting to get a second opinion, all she saw was an insult to her dental knowledge, and all she thought was that she wouldn’t be able to extract any more money out of me(*). (See the attached notes labelled by (*), (), and (*).) For the “crime” not giving her absolute, unconditional trust(**) and a blank check, Merchant would throw professionalism out the window. Out of spite, she would actually (and this is inexcusable!) work against me in solving my problem with the crown. The worst part is I had no choice but to deal with her games and attitude: I couldn’t get up and leave with the work half-way done. And I also couldn’t afford to pay more to have another dentist to do it instead, especially after paying Merchant her significant (and, as I later learned, inflated) fees. I just wish I had seen through Merchant’s facade sooner, before I found my dental care held hostage.

Merchant apparently requires all patients to bow down to her “genius” … or else! No one is rightfully that full of themselves, but, if one is, at least they should be able to back it up with excellence in skill, diligence, and quality of work. (Hint: Merchant cannot - see my original review.) When my procedure was done and I finally could speak openly about her behavior, she says: “No one talks to me that way.” You see: her inflated ego can’t handle even a bit of criticism. She simply must see herself as the perfect practitioner and certainly as better and smarter than her patients. Don’t doubt for a moment that she will treat you the same as she did me, just so she can feel superior.

Don’t be fooled like I was: Merchant puts her ego and bottom-line profits first(***). She is no professional, and - given her attitude - she is not interested in being one. If you are looking for a dentist, I implore you to look elsewhere. There *are* better dentists available in Tucson, and you deserve professional service in exchange for your hard-earned money. You deserve better than Alpa Merchant.

<< TL;DR: Alpa Merchant’s arrogance and greed means she is not and will never be a professional. You deserve better in your dentist. >>

Christine Wagner

We were absolutely thrilled with our visit with Dr. Merchant! Her staff and office make you feel like walking into home. My 8 yo daughter had an evaluation for a tongue tie release and she wasted no time in starting her treatment, but not before providing us with thorough data and answers to every question to reassure us it was the best thing for her. She is an incredible wealth of knowledge in her field and we are blessed to have found her and her staff to treat our daughter. I would bring every member of my family to her in a heartbeat!

Molly Stanford

I've gone here my entire life, and staff are always very friendly and always make the effort to make sure I'm feeling calm and comfortable. They are highly capable and competent, and I always trust them to do the best!

Mike McCabe

Always a friendly, professional experience. Oral therapist Stephanie is the best if had in my 55 years of adult dental care. Happy gums, happy mouth. So glad I found y'all.