Black Mountain Family Dentistry

I have been going to Black Mountain Family Dentistry for a couple years and I am very satisfied with their service. Dr. Kastenholz is a great dentist and a kind person. She always goes out of her way to make sure that I am comfortable. The staff is friendly and it makes getting dental work done not so bad!

Phenomenal crew. Never had a bad experience and I rather enjoy them putting their hands in my mouth. Been coming here for over 5 years and I feel like I know them. For a dentist they have the loving touch, every now and then do I feel any pain. I think 4 crowns, multiple cleanings, a mouth guard and probably things I am blocking from memory have been done here. Absolutely. LOVE. This. Place.

I reviewed Dr. K in 2014 and have decided to update my prior review. Last year I had the «Six Month Smile» braces done to correct my crooked bottom front teeth. Dr. K is an authorized provider of the Six Month Smile program. The entire process took only six months and I couldn’t be more pleased with how much better my bottom teeth now look. Dr. K and Christina were so kind to me during this sometimes difficult process. I highly recommend Dr. K to anyone needing a new dentist.

Dr. Kastenholz is the fourth dentist in the Mira Mesa area I’ve been to since moving here in 1999. By FAR, my husband and I have been happiest with her treatment! In fact, she has repaired several poorly crowned or filled teeth that the previous dentists had done, some not terribly long before.
At first, I was skeptical. Did she need a new car? Is she gouging me? Actually, she was patient with me and never pushed. As I got to know her as a person and not just another dentist out to make a buck, I started to trust her. She would show me the x-​rays, the cavities where the previous crowns were allowing in decay… Sinus pressure and toothaches are NOT supposed to be a normal way of life. Whodathunkit?
She explained the damage what flat surfaced teeth (poorly made crowns!) could do to my bite and other teeth, and would simply tell me what SHE would do in my place. She always leaves it to me and my wallet what I could do, and when, and staff helps me figure out what insurance will cover.
I’ve been slowly but surely getting this mess of a mouth in order, old amalgam out and replaced with non-​toxic substances and every crown I have gotten feels like a perfectly formed tooth. Finally! A dentist who knows her stuff and truly cares about her patients! My husband, who has better genetics, apparently, has had a few fillings and a mouth guard (or two, thanks to the puppy!) made and has been content. Oh, and he’s an engineer, so that’s saying something. ;)
I have NO reason to look elsewhere for care. I would tell others to go see her (and the awesome Christina, the hygienist!) with no qualms at all, and I have passed along the word to my local friends.
In fact, the reason I’m finally Unilocaling is because I want to make sure she continues to have a fabulous practice, stays here in town and I never have to go dentist shopping again!

From the moment I met Dr. K she was very warm and inviting. She made us feel so welcomed in her office. She took good care of my daughter. Sat told me the truth on the work my daughter needs. She is a great dentist and honest. I think I have made the perfect choice for our family dentist.

Excellent dentist. Very thorough, meticulous and conscientious. Did a great job with crowns on my front teeth.

Dr K is always so good to my wife and kids when they come here. She takes time to explain everything and makes sure we know what needs to be done during every visit and for future visits. We always leave with paperwork explaining what to expect for the next treatment, procedurally and financially.
Her entire staff always greets everyone by name and it’s very comforting, especially since most people do not enjoy going to the dentist. They go the extra mile to make sure my kids are relaxed and comfortable, and I don’t think I’ll ever take them to any other dentist as long as we’re living in San Diego.

In the past I have always hated going to dentist because I have periodontal disease due to genetics. I was always told I needed this surgery that surgery. So I would have it done, spend hundreds of dollars and come to find out the procedure didn’t work or take and my gums were still in horrible condition. After finding Black Mountain Dentistry, I am happy to say my teeth and gums have never looked or felt better. Not only do they keep you informed on the process, but they explain it to you in a way you can understand and work with you if needed with payment plans (I’m sure case by case.) I cannot say how happy I am to find a dentist who not only has a friendly staff with excellent customer service but cares about my teeth and gums as much as I do. She is so personable and will answer any question you have. I refer her to all of my friends and military families I know. So I encourage any and everyone who is looking for a great dentist to go see her… She is the best… thank you and Christina for everything you do.

I just left the office after getting some fillings on my teeth, my mouth is still numb as I type. I hadn’t been to the dentist in a ridiculously long time, I was embarrassed about it. I was recommended this office by a fellow military wife and made an appointment for a full set of x-​rays and a cleaning. I was pretty sure I had some cavities, like I said, It had been many years since getting my teeth checked out. Dr. K & the hygienist Christina were both very welcoming and sweet. I had my x-​rays and cleaning, and they told me I had a few cavities. I made an appointment for the next Monday (today) and went in. Everything went great, Dr. K was very communicative as she was working and the dental assistant was polite and attentive as well. My teeth look great, and I’m very happy with the service I received.

Went here for years until change of ownership occurred. This resulted in poor consultation and service. Went in for cleaning came out with numerous cavities and an unimaginable bill. Felt pressured and uncomfortable. I will not be returning nor recommending this place. Good luck to all you would be patients and please do your due diligence when selecting a proper dentistry.

I have been coming to Dr. kastenholz since the beginning of the practice. This review is for my recent treatments .I had to take care of 2 root canals (really unfortunate for me).luckily the practice was pretty great and made thing a lot easier that I thought .They also offer great financing for the portion not covered by insurance (can’t complain there :)
Also the hygienist (Christina) is great .I love getting my reminders in text messages and confirming back as well .
Overall really good practice

Very professional. I trust Dr. Kastenholz with the care of my teeth. She really knows what she is doing, and so do her assistants.

Today was my first visit to the office. I loved it. The office is clean and decorated very nice. Everything is up to date. I saw Christina first for my cleaning. She was very professional and explained to me the hygiene process and different ways to make sure I’m taking care of my teeth correctly. Very educational. Dr. K was awesome too. Very caring and professional. She only wants the best for her clients.

What a pleasure. Dr. Shadi K is the super gentle and caring. I’ve been back for my second visit and the whole team are really pleasant. They actually care. Mr. T, Christina, everyone just make you feel safe. The prices are very reasonable, it’s immaculate in there, and they never make you feel like you’re just another paycheck. This is a dentist we’re talking about here. Dr. Shadi is a real person. A caring gentle lady first, sympathetic doctor second, then a businesswoman. What more can I say? I actually don’t mind going to the dentist anymore.

Dr. Schlesinger was awesome and he sold his practice to Dr. Kastenholz, which is not worth going to. I was told I needed a new crown and was promised that my retainer would still fit. It did not! As she trying to fix it, she is telling me I should get a new one, which prior to the new crown was told I wouldn’t need one. Then, I had a billing issue. My insurance said I should not have to pay as much. I felt I paid more than I needed to. They promised to look it over and call me. They never did! They are aggressive, constantly calling you to make appointments like they are desperate for business. The front office lady is annoying as well! Definitely money hungry and not worth going to.

Note: The previous reviews, those with high ratings, are dated before 2013.
Dr. Schlesinger was a spectacular, easily approachable, professional, easy-​going dentist and i appreciate the great work he did. Unfortunately, in late 2012-​early 2013, he sold his practice to Dr. Kastenholz.
Dr. Kastenholz is the reason I dropped my five star rating down to a single star. She is just another dentist; one who seems to be money-​hungry, stren, and aggressive. I understand she probably loss a sizable amount of clientele since taking over the practice and has suffered a huge financial loss.
On 11/​2013, I was mailed a bill, which I was advised, stemmed from an unpaid deductible from Nov 2012. I have since been to the dentist half a dozen times since then and was NEVER advised of a balance forwarded. I have always paid my bill in full after each appointment. Apparently, the office is so hard up for cash that they are going through accounts and attempting to recover additional fees/​deductibles from up to a year ago. This is absurd to me. If your business is going under, and 80% of your clientele has abandoned ship, the reason is the dentist!
I have been a patient of Black Mountain Family Dentistry since 2004, but no more. I have changed my insurance and will be seeking a new dentist.

I LOVE GOING TO THE DENTIST!
After being referred to BMFD by a friend/​fellow military wife, I was really excited for my first appointment! The receptionist at the desk seemed nice and the physician was very optimistic with my treatment. Unfortunately, it had been a couple years since I had been seen and after reviewing my x-​rays, found out I needed a couple fillings fixed and a few cavities filled. After not only 2 but 3 visits, I will say I am pretty displeased with Dr. Kastenholz’s work and time management as well as the way business was conducted in her office! SPECIFICALLY, I feel PENNY is a VERY UNPROFESSIONAL receptionist!
I returned later that week for MY FIRST VISIT and was greeted by Penny (receptionist). Now, I am a very friendly person myself and there is nothing wrong with getting to know your clients but as I waited patiently in the waiting area I was very put off by the way she conducted herself while taking/​making client phone calls. With her nose in the air and a condescending tone, Penny made faces and snide remarks under her breath about the callers multiple times even at one point commenting TO ME about their insurance and payment issues! She discussed her home life and religious beliefs as well as her personal opinion about the ethnic minorities in the local area. The assistant who walked me to the back cubicle didnt speak much but was nice and friendly and the office it’s self was very clean. As I took my place in the patient chair I was left with a «the dr. will be right with you» and the assistant quickly disappeared. After waiting for quite a few minutes, which I usually dont mind at all, I sought entertainment from my electronic device. 20 mins later, stuck on the latest level of candy crush, I found myself defeated and bored. Finally after waiting almost 30mins Dr. K emerged, reintroduced herself, and quickly got to work. Although it did take a little extra, I was glad to be numbed and making progress but grew quickly annoyed when the dr kept stopping every few seconds to say goodbye & wish her coworkers a good weekend. At this point I was handed a tool and asked to hold it in place while the dr continued to work. Remember when I said I was glad to be numbed, yeah well I forgot. I was quickly reminded of the numbness after gagging myself with the tool several times and discovering unfortunately I dont have eyes on top of my forehead! After a short time I was informed that my treatment plan was being changed and that I needed to schedule another appt for the following week to finish the work that still needed to be done. This was after only one quadrant of my mouth had been numbed and briefly worked on. Although I would’ve liked to have as much of the work done in one sitting as possible, I paid for my visits IN FULL and went through with making the 2^nd appt for early the next week. I also purchased the $ 25 bottle of «SUPER SPECIAL» mouth rinse after I got the «Here are your directions the doc wants you to follow over the weekend talk» which lead me to believe it was being prescribed and was ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
(later that weekend I realized that the «super special mouth rinse» was nothing more than glorified mouth wash when my husband recognized the bottle and informed me that he received the exact same product from the military dentist AT NO COST! Needless to say, I was pretty upset! I made sure to call a close friend, whom I referred to BMFD, immediately and shared the information just as she was receiving the same story I was given! I could hear thru the phone, Penny wasn’t very happy to learn that I advised her against making the purchase, and even offered to gladly give her my bottle!)
I arrived at the office for MY 2^nd APPT early and was again greeted by the receptionist whom seemed rather irritated and a bit more up tight. She wasn’t near as talkative nor was she friendly. I was quickly escorted to the back and found my way to the patient chair once more. Dr. K began numbing me right away and worked pretty quickly. She seemed a bit impatient when I expressed my discomfort due to not being completely numb. I received 5 shots on one side of my mouth alone. I soon began to hear loud talking in the next cubicle and figured out her next appointment had arrived when she began floating back and forth between the two. «Uncooperative kids» After being disrupted numerous times, she returned to my side and after a brief moment of apology informed me that I was to return for a 3^rd appt asap. Considering the work was half done, I made the appointment and left VERY DISSATISFIED! My 3^rd appt was a couple days later and was just as disappointing. My bite was off. I found the dr unresponsive and quick to grind. Later I discovered my insurance was billed for each tooth she had to fix, which were her mistakes. I could go on & on but only get 5001 characters. Basically, the 1 star is simply for the convenient location close to base and the cleanliness of the office. so sad! :(

My experience at Dr. Kastenholz’s office is definitely a 5 stars from the beginning to the end. Note: the office ownership has changed since Mike C, the last reviewer in 2010 below. The new owner is this wonderful and caring woman in her 40s, Dr. Kastenholz. Anyway, here is my review of the 5 stars I gave.
It started with the friendly receptionist, Penny, whom eased my transition from a pretty sketchy dentist practice in Mission Valley. She was very proactive in helping me pulled the x-​rays and history from the old dentist, and ensured my actual visit to be very comfortable.
The assistant I encountered was friendly and non intrusive, and handled my mouth with care.
Dr. Kastenholz was inquisitive so she could get a better understanding of my teeth/​mouth, she analyzed the x-​ray carefully (continuously asking to switch between the digital x-​ray images), personally gave me the full debridement (similar to deep cleaning), after gave me her full analysis and recommendation and the reasoning behind her advice. She must have spent ¾ –1hr with me – no dentist would ever do this! I feel that her advise were sincere and were to benefit me, the patient. I find it pretty hard to find service practitioners with this high of an integrity that’s still existing.
That being said, if you want a second opinion or thinking about changing dentist, I highly suggest you give Dr. Kastenholz a try.
Ps. Not that this was high on my importance list, but the environment of the office is quite calming and classy, despite the dull façade on the outside, making the visit even more comfortable.

Again another review I’m posting from my last experience with a business. Years ago I went there for a cleaning because they were conveniently near me.
Without telling me what he was about to do and ASKING ME IF IT WAS OK, the dipshit dentist (a male) started using some sort of grinding wheel on my lower 2 front teeth.
I guess there was plaque or something he was trying to get out but what he essentially did was grind away a layer of teeth so that I had a gap between the lower 2 teeth that had NEVER been there before! He RUINED my smile.
Hey idiot, my parents paid for BRACES when I was a teenager for a reason… to straighten my teeth and bring them together. And then you go and drill a flipping GAP in my teeth. Thanks buddy…
also their receptionist kept harassing me every few months for years to come back in. Even though I told her I had no insurance (I lied, would you want to go back to a place that BUTCHERED your smile?) and told her to stop calling me she kept calling like clockwork. It was ticking me off.
Only go there if you want your smile to be MAIMED and you want to be plagued by calls to go back…

Going to the dentist is cool… but getting your teeth pulled out… not so fun.
When you are trying to find this place for the first time, all you see is the word «Dentist» on what appears to be an abandoned building on Black Mountain Road. The parking lot seemed to be empty and the windows looked dark, like one of those see-​through-​only-​one-​side kind of deals… but guess what… this is the place.
Inside, it looks like your standard dentist office. Clean, hygenic, plenty of waiting room space, etc.
Tip: If this is your first visit here, make sure to come in a little bit earlier to fill out those first time patient paperwork.
I love going to the dentist to get my cleaning, but deathly scared of getting a couple of teeth pulled out in anticipation of getting my braces next week.
So on a last minute request, I asked for the nitrous as well as the standard novacane that they used. They were accomadating to my request and got me as high as the clouds could reach… wowzahhh!!! But honestly I could have gone with just the novacane. The nitrous was just bonus that I could have gone without.
It definitely made me relaxed when the dentist extracted my two teeth. The dentist reassured me that everything will be ok, and it was ok. When I asked… I meant signaled for more novacane, he did just that.
Also, the front desk lady called my pharmacist ahead of time to order in my meds. Good thinking since I couldn’t really talk for awhile.
The staff here were very professional. I was scheduled from 330−430pm, and with the x-​rays, examination, teeth extraction and post-​op recovery, I was out the door at 424pm. So it appears on my visit here, that they run a tight ship.
It also looks like I have found my regular dentist.