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Caring Dentistry of San Rafael
Categories: Health and Medical Dentists General Dentistry Health and Medical Dentists Periodontists General Dentistry, Periodontists [Edit]
1526 5th AveSan Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 453-6409
Announcement
Come in for a FREE implant consultation including a Low Dose 3-D X-Ray. Note: Credit Card Needed to hold appointment. $50 if no show
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 9 am - 6 pm
10 reviews for Caring Dentistry of San Rafael
10 reviews in English
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Review from Claire N.
Mill Valley, CA
10/5/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I've been going to Dr. Miller for three years, and the name of the business really says it all. Not only is Dr. Miller experienced and knowledgeable (a must for dentists), but he is compassionate, understanding, patient, and has a pretty silly sense of humor.
My teeth are super sensitive and it always takes a little more novocaine to numb my gums. When Dr. Miller gives me a shot, he gently shakes my cheek so I won't feel it as much. He's always patient with me, and won't continue until I am comfortable enough for him to do so. He informs me the entire time what he's doing, so there are no surprises.
I feel like I should dedicate another review for his assistant, Ampon. She is so friendly and she seems to be always smiling. At a recent visit, during a particularly lengthy drilling, knowing how nervous I get around drilling, she held my hand the entire time.
I would recommend Caring Dentistry to anyone, especially people who get a little antsy about dental work :) -
Review from Susanne C.
Fairfax, CA
1/2/2008
I admit it I am a real chicken when it comes to going to the dentist.
I finally found one that truly puts me at ease. I used to call the dentist
with the flimsiest excuses to get out of going. You would not believe the sleepless nights I had before the dentist. This dentist is wonderful.
I also like the fact that they have Pandora on the computer and tailor the music to the patient. Go Manu Chao and all my other faves like the
Thievery Corporation. I am actually looking forward to my next appt
which is this Friday but my husband says we will probably lose power and have a power outage. Perhaps I will actually have to postpone my appointment till next week.
Imagine that. Canceling for a real reason. -
Review from Clair C.
San Rafael, CA
2/27/2009
I just moved to this area a couple of weeks ago but I knew I was in need of a cleaning, and soon. I got online and searched for dentists that were close and the Caring Dentistry website came up. It seemed very professional and I loved how they had pictures of everyone on the website!
I made an appointment and spoke with April. She was one of the most polite, professional people I have spoken with over the phone! Very sweet.
I arrived at my appointment and immediately could tell that everyone in this office seems to have a great relationship with each other. It just seemed like a happy, caring place!
My cleaning (which in the past at other dentists have sometimes been a bit painful) was one of the most pleasant ones I have ever had. I was surprised! They kept asking me if I was "ok" and "comfortable." I definitely was.
Dr. Miller was more than attentive when doing his check-up of my teeth afterwards. He seemed genuinely interested in any problems I said I had been having, and offered a few different options, instead of trying to steer me one way or another. He explained everything in detail, any questions I asked thoroughly!
I am going back in 2 weeks and I am not dreading it at all, unlike places I have been in the past. Thanks guys! -
Review from Atomicron C.
San Rafael, CA
4/18/2009
New to San Rafael and found Dr. Miller from these referrals. One of the best dentists I've seen. The receptionist, hygenist and two dentists there are the most customer-service, friendly, caring crew I've encountered, even down to simply thanking you repeatedly for doing simple things like putting the cleaning bib around your neck. The cleaning was done by a dentist and was one of the most thorough I've experienced.
Dr. Miller is a very positive, upbeat and thoughtful dentist. He was helpful in providing relief for persistent jaw tension stemming from a dental appliance and thoroughly explained his observations and what was going on in my mouth.
I've been twice and this will be my regular dentist. -
Review from Jessie H.
San Rafael, CA
6/30/2010
So glad I read Yelp reviews to find Dr. Miller and his wonderful staff. I had just moved to the area and was trying to find a good dentist... Well, Dr. Miller isn't good, he's EXCELLENT. The work speaks for itself and the cleanings are fantastic. Thank you Caring Dentistry!
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Review from Marc V.
Fairfax, CA
12/7/2009
My 82 yo mom had a missing tooth from one of her partials and hadn't been to a dentist in a couple of years, nor did she like the last one she went to. I had just returned to Marin so I found Dr. Tim on Yelp. The staff was super friendly and they got her in right away the morning I called and by the next afternoon she had her smile back. It was a very good experience and I thought the price was reasonable all things considered. Mom's happy and what more could you ask for?
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Review from Robert B.
Petaluma, CA
9/22/2009
My daughter went to this dentist 2 weeks before she was to move to LA in order to get her teeth cleaned. She was told the the cost would be in the $125 range. She told the staff and the dentist she was moving to LA but they insisted on a full mouth XRay series with Bite Wings, a full examination by the dentist (she JUST wanted her teeth cleaned) and then had to come back for "stereo views".
She walked out with a bill for $750!!!
When I called and complained he did reduce the bill to $350, and made a stand that he needed to rule out a silent assymptomatic abcess. NONSENSE.
This is one guy who in my view was selling services and as many as he could, not working for the benefit of the patient and within her needs nor within her budget.
I have spoken on the phone with him, and negotiated a compromise on this bill, which i accepted, but I would not recommend him to anyone.
RZBComment from Timothy M. of Caring Dentistry of San Rafael 7/15/2010
I feel terrible about this. We generally communicate quite… More » -
Review from Laura G.
San Rafael, CA
7/29/2009
I was already a patient when Dr. Miller bought the business from my old dentist. I have been very pleased with him and happy with all the upgrades that he has done with the business. Everyone is friendly and makes you feel relaxed. I even fall asleep in the chair while getting a cleaning if that tells you anything.
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Review from River G.
Fairfax, CA
7/30/2010
I have teeth that grew up before they started putting fluorine in the water, which means I've experienced intensive dentistry for my entire life. I found out about Dr. Miller through these yelp reviews, and I agree with most in that Dr. Miller is very nice and very gentle. However, so are most dentists these days, so the other stuff really counts. I went in with a tooth that had been root canaled several times, but one root end was blocked and ultimately the treatment failed (all of this was done long before I went to Dr. Miller so no reflection on him). By the time I went to Dr. Miller, the tooth just wasn't worth saving, so we agreed on an extraction, and he explained that he'd do a bone graft and wait 4 months before putting in an implant. The day of the extraction, things went ok - no pain but lots of pressure, pushing, prodding etc., at the end of which Dr. Miller decided to do the implant then and there. I was there for well over 3 hours, and my head felt like I'd spent 15 rounds with a pro boxer, but at least I felt good that it was done. I went back the next week however, for a 15 minute procedure to remove the sutures, and Dr. Miller decided he didn't like the way things looked, and decided to take the implant out! I had a big presentation on the other side of the bay that same afternoon, and showed up sore and numb. I was on antibiotics throughout, but I felt like I was fighting an infection for the next two months, and this whole episode alone would have made me wonder about Dr. Miller's competency. But there's more. He decided to put a crown on the tooth behind the extraction and attach a fake tooth to the crown to fill in the space left behind the extraction...two days later, while eating cheese, the whole gizmo came out. I went back in, and wasted another hour (at least) getting it glued back on with tighter bond. Then I drove to Santa Barbara for my kid's graduation and a big birthday celebration, and while eating at one of SBs fanciest, my tooth came out AGAIN! I spent the next couple of weeks gluing it in with Fixadent on a daily basis, and then it broke in half. Back for another long appointment, which resulted in this week getting a "retainer" that's a big plastic insert that fits in the top of my mouth and has a little fake tooth attached. For aesthetics, not eating (the tooth is in a molar and not visible....).
So, just in terms of my satisfaction with the treatment I received, I'm not happy, even though Dr. Miller is nice, and his assistant is WONDERFUL.
But there's more. The two women who run the desk and do the books. They were nice enough the first couple of times I went in, but then they found out that my insurance isn't great, and they started to freak out. I got freaked out myself when they asked me to pay over $7000 - they wanted me to pay for the implant that had been put in and then TAKEN OUT, they wanted me to pay the amount the they had "estimated" my insurance to cover, etc. And when approached about all of this, they were standing up looking down on me as I lay tilted backwards on the dental chair - very threatening and intimidating. At one point, I tried to negotiate holding off ONE DAY so that we'd be into a new fiscal year and my new Flex benefits would kick in, but the woman I was speaking with had no clue what the difference between a FLEX account and regular dental insurance is, and threw an application for dental credit at me.
At this point, I owe them a whole bunch of money (they want $1500 now, sans implant, on top of the $800+ my insurance did pay them), when functionally, all I've gotten out of the deal is an extracted tooth, which I could have done anywhere, with a lot less trouble, time, and pain, for about $350. Oh yea - I do have the "retainer" - it is horribly uncomfortable and I can't talk with it in. My daughter had an implant a couple of years ago, and her retainer with the dummy tooth was a wire band...much better solution.
I won't go back here. I just hope they will send the $350 "dental CAT scan" (NOT covered by insurance) to my next dentist. If you are terrified of dentists, don't have major stuff to be done (I was never even offered a cleaning), and are easily impressed by gimmicks like Netflix and Pandora, you might like it. Otherwise, keep looking. -
Review from Mary W.
San Rafael, CA
11/20/2009
I had a broken tooth and Dr. Miller and his warm staff helped me! Tough work, two hours in the chair, a temporary and have to get a veneer. They were low cost, thoughtful, painless and really cared about my comfort. Lovely place...
