Pico Dental Group

Wow. My insurance picked this place out as a place with «great bedside manner.» Seriously? How is it possible to have a carbon copy experience as other one star reviewers?! You’d think (or at least I thought, which is why I went in despite the poor ratings) that those experiences would be one time anomalies. But…
1. Long waits? Check. I was there ten minutes before my appointment and still waited 40 minutes in the waiting room and another 40 minutes in the chair. Took over two hours to get out of there for a simple cleaning.
2. Screaming kid? Check. This is a regular thing? Bloody murder! It sounded like a torture chamber in there. And it went on forever. I recorded it and sent an audio to my girlfriend and she asked who was getting killed.
3. Upsell? Check. A lot of upsell. First day in they were talking $ 300+ out of pocket and a tube of $ 20 magic toothpaste as a last ditch kick in the junk as you leave. And I have insurance! I shouldn’t be paying that much out of pocket for a typical office visit with no major issues. It was all scare tactics and unneeded treatments. You know we have little computers in our pockets these days. We can quickly look up and find out that most dentists say these things are ineffective and overpriced. When I declined all but the basic cleaning, I was openly mocked by staff shouting to each other in the hall outside my room. «He doesn’t want it??» «No, he THINKS he doesn’t need it!» «These people don’t know what they need.»
Bedside manner? Where was it?! Once she got in my mouth it was just grind and go. Of all things, that’s what they spent the least time and effort on. The dentist was having conversations with people outside the room while poking into my gums with sharp whirring tools! I sensed a little ‘tude for not buying into the additional products.
On top of that I’m sent out after the cleaning, dazed and confused and full of Novocain, with a cup of rinse, through the waiting room to the public restroom to «clean up.» Don’t most dentist offices have those little metal spitter drains to do that kind of thing in? Or at the very least a sink in the room you’re in? Kind of weird to be parading out with a bib around my neck and everyone staring at me fumbling with bathroom keys to rinse my mouth and complete my visit. Definitely a first, and not a good first.
Oh, and parking is absolutely atrocious in that plaza. At first I had to park at a street meter because the lot was full. But I sat in the waiting room so long my hour ran out and I had to swoop in and grab a spot that opened up in front of the clinic.
To be fair, I had no problem with the receptionist/​dental assistant. She was nice, friendly and seemed eager to do her best. She’s just a homegirl doing her job and trying to learn. But that’s about where it starts and ends for me at this place.
Follow up appointment? Nope. As a matter of fact, I’m done trying to find a decent dentist on this dental plan. This place was sheisty, and I don’t have time to go through more upsetting dental auditions trying to find the one. Been there, done that.
I had a good place before in Redondo Beach. It’s a little far from where I live now, and they don’t take my current insurance. But all told, it’s still cheaper out of pocket, a nicer facility, more professional doctors, no nonsense, you’re in and you’re out, no children of the damned screamers, and the upsell only comes if you personally inquire about additional services – and it’s zero pressure at that. Yeah, time to quit dicking around and get back to what I know is good. Worth the drive and expense for my own peace of mind.

I’ve been taking my daughter here for 2 years now and they are amazingly patient with her, she’s 3 and is not doctor friendly. They assist me with everything she needs.

Run! Do not step into this office. I recently got Work done here and 3 of my fills came out 2 weeks later. The Girl in the front is rude and will make you think she’s nice by trying to scam you into applying for care credit. Dr’s work it’s not good she is not patient and snaps if you move, overall i would think twice about this office looking into your mouth. save the headache and look else where, Carpet in the front smell and bathroom was very dirty .I’ts true about screaming kids in here. Take ear plugs if you go there. I was scared from all the screaming just sitting there.

I made an appointment at this dentist and I still ended up waiting over an hour to get my x rays done. Then I had to wait another hour to see the dentist. I was sitting in the dental chair for about 45 minutes listening to a child scream at the top of his lungs the whole time I was there. Once the dentist finally came in, she looked at my teeth for about 5 minutes, told the dental hygienist some dental terminology I didn’t understand and left. She asked me two questions: How old are you and Do you have any pain anywhere. Then she was out the door.
I waited another 25 minutes before the dental assistant came in to break down the prices for what I needed done. She spent 15 minutes trying to sell me procedures I didn’t need. I had no cavities I just needed a deep clean which she quoted at $ 1400. In what world does a deep clean cost that much when I have insurance. Sure enough, I went home and compared the price break down with what my insurance covered and it covered about 60% of the cost. The dental hygienist told me my insurance didn’t cover any of the procedures including the cleaning and that I would have to pay all of it out of pocket.
Then, she kept pushing me to apply to their dental care credit card to pay for the procedures. I told her I had a flexible spending plan account that I would use to cover all the expenses and she asked me if that’s the kind of account that asks for receipts. I told her yes, my insurance requires me to submit receipts for everything I get done. She said oh and said she needed to speak with the dentist. She came back and all of a sudden the dentist was not available to do the procedure that day and that I would have to reschedule. I was rushed out and given another appointment for another date. I canceled that second appointment and found another dentist.
Beware of this greedy dental group, they just want to sell you things and make you pay for things out of pocket when you have dental insurance that covers a portion of the cost.