[Badger]

I am in need of a Dentist in the West Seattle/Seattle area. I would be willing to drive a bit farther if the Dentist is that good. I have a toothache and need to get it looked at asap. Though to be honest part of me is thinking to just let rot and fall out. I have a great fear/dislike of Dentists. In my entire life I have yet to have any kind of positive/good experience with a Dentist. The last one I went to two years ago shredded my gums so bad during a routine cleaning that if I heard one more 'oops' I probably would have decked her. I had to live on soup for a week. Basically when I hear the word Dentist I think sadistic bastard. Whatever- I am willing to try one again.

[treeswarper]

We have a good one in Randle. He has lessened my dentist phobia and will also sit down and explain things. like why he recommended I go to a specialist for a root canal because mine looked like it had lots of rootlets and he might not be able to do it properly--he was correct. I did go to a specialist right off. He's also a backpacker and a backcountry skier...

[cascadeclimber]

Having spent thousands of otherwise perfectly good dollars receiving overdue torture...er, care, in a dentist chair last year, I personally encourage you to not wait. If decay gets into your jaw you will be very unhappy and looking to sell a kidney to get it fixed. There are few things in my life that terrify me at a deep, unconscious level like the dentist. A childhood in the 'care' of one who was miserly with Novocain but not brutality will do that, I suppose. Mostly I've either not seen them or seen bad ones over the years. I had a good one in Portland for the year I was there and even drove down there to see him after we moved...until he retired a couple years later. Up here I saw one who was expensive, talked about his kid's $1000 tennis rackets and buying them BMWs while he was working on me and, I found out last year, did shoddy (I use this term generously) work. So I feel your pain. Literally and figuratively. Fortunately, I've found a new dentist who seems to be competent and accountable (he is re-doing a crown for me at no cost because he's not happy with it), and perhaps most importantly, knows how to make thoroughly numb; the work they've done for me has been 99% painless (a long, long overdue cleaning resulted in some discomfort that I consider a penance). So if you are willing to drive out to Issaquah, I recommend Drs. Sherman and Keever at First Impressions Dental Care. (425) 391-4964 Good luck!

[Randito]

Mark DiRe in Factoria (Bellevue)

[rhughes]

Several years ago I had a horrible experience with a root canal and then a similar horrible experience with an inept hygienist. I discovered the University of Washington Dental Fears Research Clinic and went there. It has been a great experience. My dentist teaches in the UW dental school and is excellent. Check it out: https://dental.washington.edu/patient/uw-dentists-faculty-practice/dental-fears-clinic/

[Badger]

All- Thank you all very much for your feedback. Sounds like I am not the only one with this fear and experience. All your recommendations sound good. Decided to give the Dentist Cascadeclimber recommended in Issaquah. If anything else I am halfway to the mountains. Grin. Making the call before the chill running up my spine makes me chicken out. Thanks again! Bob

[Badger]

Made the call but they are closed until Monday. So will have to suck it up until then. They did have a number to call the Dr if it is an emergency but that is only for existing patients. So left a message with details. My spine is already cringing at the thought but with CC recommendation and the reviews I read he sounds great.

[Badger]

[Olympic Hiker]

If you're willing to drive to Gig Harbor I highly recommend Dr. Paul Kadzik. Very professional and great hygienists. I had to get a root canal and crown done a few years ago after a different dentist told me it was "God's will" that my tooth hurt and that he didn't need to do anything. Dr. Kadzik was blown away that this dentist let my tooth get so bad. Dr. Kadzik refered me to a dental specialist and since I've heard horror stories I thought I was going be in pain, but no it went great and it felt like I was getting afilling done. Also, there was one time I was between jobs and didn't have dental insurance and Dr. Kadzik let me make a make a few payments.

[LizzyRN]

I'm in the same historical boat as CC. Love Hans Gruener in Sedro Wooley for regular dentist, Diane Brighton in Burlington for Endodontics and Peter Kim for oral surgery in Mount Vernon. Pain management is much more in the forefront these days. Share your fears with them. If they balk, walk out. Good luck. You will be happy you took care of it. In the mean time, try some of the essential oils for dental pain at your local co-op, combined with NSAIDs.

[tmatlack]

Braschich and Lum in Lake Stevens. Good humans, great dentists. I too am a graduate of old school dentistry back in Indiana. Mine still had the black plastic x-ray equipment, spittoon, no Novacaine. Sadist. Tom

[Navy salad]

WARNING: I tried soliciting recommendations for a "particularly good" dentist at my office several years ago by sending an email to the entire office. I'd say about 80% of the people there thought their dentist was "particularly good" (sort of like Lake Wobegon, where all of the children are above average). It seems that most people think highly of their dentist (whether deserved or not), otherwise they wouldn't be going to him/her.

[Tom]

Important thing is to get it done sooner rather than later. You don't want it to turn into an abscess which can be deadly. As far as recommendations, if you don't have dental insurance I would recommend brite now dental. They do a good job without charging an arm and a leg. Only had good experiences with them and saved a fortune vs. my prior dentist.

[cascadeclimber]

[Bloated Chipmunk]

When I lived in the area, I went to Dr. Virginia Lee in Issaquah & thought she was really good. Very careful & attentive, as well as all her staff. Not sure if she's still around but if so, I highly recommend her. I'm one of those people who's gone through a lot of bad dentists (due to lots of dental issues despite twice yearly visits) & I never had a problem w/her. I used to be more fearful (due to a sub-par dentist in childhood who had a dark, creepy office that reeked of cigarette smoke & whose fingers tasted like smoke -- he did not wear gloves -- among other questionable things), but since I've been through the ringer so many times I've pretty much got used to it. Here in SD I'm on my 3rd dentist in 5 yrs.; the current one seems to be decent enough but time will tell, lol.