Long Beach Kids' Dentistry and Orthodontics - Long Beach, California

Leigh

I was referred by one of their sister offices, Candlewood Smiles. I loved the service there and took their referral for my son here. The front office staff was very attentive and friendly. The dental assistant, Aumunique, was so sweet and caring that my son who was very hesitant (and had come in crying) to his appointment (due to previous pediatric offices) actually had a great experience, Dr. Melissa was very patient, and he didn’t want to leave. I work a busy schedule and it’s usually really hard for me to schedule an appointment, but Sasha helped me find an appointment that fit my schedule. Highly recommend this office.

Brandi89

Sasha the office manager was extremely rude. I asked to speak to Alan or someone higher than her. She refused to let me speak to someone above her. Brushing me off every chance she got instead of trying to accommodate the mistake her office made with my appointment.

linda O.

My Grandson loves it here! Dr. Desai and staff are amazing! Aldo is so patient with him!

S M.

We loved the doctor and front office assistant, but the front office manager is terrible. He doesn't listen and is so rude and unkind. He is the reason we will never go back here. I have tried to talk with them about it, but it doesn't get very far. I believe emails are being confiscated so the right people are not seeing them.

Robert Z.

Aumunique and Sasla were very caring gentle and supportive of my daughter as she had a number of cavities.

Tyler O.

Avoid this office if you care about your child's experience.

The front staff initially seemed friendly, but things took a turn when I inquired about potentially canceling my treatment plan. Allen at the front desk rolled his eyes at me multiple times and responded to my questions with blatant attitude. When I sought clarification on his unclear answers, he condescendingly repeated himself verbatim.

I was simply uncomfortable with being informed my Orthodontist was changing at the last minute and had question I wasn't given the opportunity to ask. I have an extremely difficult orthodontist case due to an accident I was in and did a lot of research into an Orthodontist that had experience in cases like mine. When I was informed my Orthodontist was changing I was worried as I had no information on the new one. I was trying to find out the experience of the new Orthodontist and if they weren't comfortable with my difficult case the process of transferring my treatment plan to a new Orthodontist. Instead of being given any answers I was ridiculed and made to feel stupid for being worried about my own treatment plan. They would not give me any information about the financial aspect of my plan and they would not give me my next set of aligners that were in the office and I had already paid for. Allen stated if I did want to switch offices then the new office could call and get them for me. I couldn't even get my Dental records to take to a new Orthodontist. They literally made me cancel the treatment plan I already paid $5,000 for and told me I would find out the answer in a week or two.

It's no surprise that their priorities are skewed - this office is owned by Pacific Dental Services, a massive dental corporation. Their focus lies with their investors, not patient care or comfort. Don't make the same mistake I did.

Guadalupe G.

For parents considering orthodontic treatment, do your research beforehand. I suggest asking for a written estimate of the treatment duration, a detailed explanation of the process, and avoid paying the full amount upfront. This might be a common practice but I was not aware that four patients are seen at once.
In 2022, I met with Dr. Christine Stepanek, who provided me a verbal detailed explanation of my son's treatment plan, which included starting with a bottom palate expander followed by an upper palate expander. When I inquired about the treatment duration, I was told it would take about a year, which seemed manageable due to my work schedule. What really led me to proceed with the treatment for my son was the open-door policy that allowed parents to be present in the treatment room with their children. I agreed and paid the full amount.
My son's treatment began, but the plan started in reverse order. When I asked Dr. Stepanek about this, she explained that he wasn't ready for the bottom expander yet. Trusting her expertise, I decided to go along with the adjusted treatment plan. It wasn’t until my son’s expander fell off for the third time that I began questioning why it kept coming off. Dr. Stepanek became defensive; although I don’t recall her exact words, she did ask me who the professional was. I replied that I understood they’re the professionals and that’s why each visit I step back and allow each of them the space to treat my son. Yes, I also became defensive because in the past I had observed Dr. Stepanek's interaction and patience with a mother of a different ethnicity who was literally a “helicopter mother” and closely monitored every aspect of her son’s treatment as if she was the doctor. I pointed this out to Dr. Stepanek as well and that didn’t go well. After my son's treatment that day, I noticed a tense atmosphere with one of her assistants, I believe her name is Lily and the front desk employees Allan and Olivia. Later that evening, Dr. Stepanek and I exchanged messages and both apologized, which led me to believe the issue was resolved. However, that was not the case! Every time I walked into the office, I felt unwelcome especially by Allan and Dr. Stepanek assistant. I read another review that mentioned Allan, and the description of him was spot on.
Now in the second year of my son's treatment, his bottom expander has still not been placed. Despite my repeated requests for updates, I’m consistently informed that Dr. Stepanek is either in consultation or with another patient. In my opinion, she might have more patients than she can manage effectively. I believe my requests were disregarded as a result of the incident that took place between Dr. Christine Stepanek and me in 2022. I have now stopped treatment for my son and reached out to Dr. Wu for assistance.

tia C.

Very friendly. Fast and professional. My son really enjoyed his visit here.