Pablo Liciaga, DDS

If you need a crown go here, seriously so much better than the regular way. He has a machine that builds the crown on site. And then he installs it that very day. No three-​week process, no fake tooth and more office visits. Also he doesn’t use that silver crap that you can see above teeth when you get a crown, it’s all porcelain. He also stands behind his work and if there’s ever an issue with the crown he will fix it. He said there shouldn’t be any pain when you get it done but it can be a little tender for 2 to 3 days but that should subside. Also the computer system is so advanced that the tooth is pretty much perfectly made when it comes out there’s very little adjustment. Also Fabiola at front is really nice and helpful. Go here !!

There is a reason Dr. Pablo has a perfect rating on Unilocal,it’s because he’s the best dentist i’ve ever been to. I got out the Navy in 2011 and hadn’t been to a dentist since, don’t judge me. He took x-​rays and told me what areas were good, and what areas we could work on. He never was condescending or trying to upsell me on a higher bill. He told me what he think we needed to do, and even showed me what the bill would look like. They accept all PPO forms of insurance, which I am now looking into, since I paid for the first visit and cleaning out of pocket. Dr. Pablo will now be having my business as long as I’m in San Diego.

Great dentist. First visit was great… The staff is nice and friendly. Dr. Pablo is friendly and helpful. He answered all my questions and alleviated my concerns.

Best experience at the dentist I’ve ever had!
When I arrived for my first appointment, I was greeted by the very friendly staff, who helped me through all of the new patient paperwork. The office has a warm feeling to it and helped ease my nerves a bit.
I had arrived quite early, and they were fortunately able to start early. They began by taking x-​rays, which were digitally sent to the computer in the room. Dr. Liciaga went over the x-​rays with me, explaining what he was looking for, what looked good, and what was less ideal. (I was concerned about being admonished for not keeping up with my dental health as well as I should, but Dr. Liciaga was never negative towards me, even when pointing out areas for improvement.) For new patients, Dr. Liciaga actually does the cleaning/​check-​up himself, which I really appreciated and have never seen another dentist do.
Overall, I had a great experience at the dentist. Dr. Liciaga and his entire staff are very kind and made sure that I felt at ease during my appointment. When it’s time for my next appointment, I will definitely go back to Dr. Liciaga’s office.

BEST, BEST, BEST dentist and hygienist in town. Caring, friendly staff. They all always go that extra mile. I have had a lot of dental work in the past and am so lucky to have found Dr. Liciaga who gives great care to his work and really knows his stuff. «Simply the best.»

Dr. Liciaga and his staff are completely awesome. They are kind, professional and actually really care about their patients. They do not try to upsell you anything and give you a deep cleaning treatment for no extra cost. It is simply apart of their cleaning routine because its good for your oral hygiene. Also, they only use the porcelain fillings and not those toxic metal mercury containing ones.
He replaced and filled ten cavities yesterday and walked me through every step of it. I felt very safe and secure with him. I have already recommended him to my coworker and will continue to recommend him and his awesome staff.

Not only is he a great dentist, he is great with braces! I am 35yrs old and making the decision to get braces was not easy. But I could not floss 24/​7, so it was the right thing to do. Dr. Liciaga, did an amazing job with my teeth! They are now straight and I could see and feel the difference right away!

I’ve tried many dentists and have not been completely happy. Thankfully now I can say I am very happy that I have found Dr. Pablo. He gave me a beautiful new crown and a composite filling last week. I was in and out in an hour with my new perfect teeth. The technology they use is amazing and I feel like they really care about your health. Thank you for taking care of me especially as I am a bit of a baby when it comes to dental work. I will recommend you to all my family and friends!

I recommend Dr. Liciaga to everyone I know. He is the BEST dentist I have ever been to.

Can anyone say they like their dentist? I can! Dr Liciaga rarely makes you wait and does it ALL in-​house. Need a porcelain crown, an inlay, a root canal? It could all be done in one appointment! Technology has come a long way and he’s got it all. I don”t even feel the needle when he numbs me and my lip isn’t even fat and I could talk normal after my appointment. Honestly if you are looking for a new dentist in San Diego look no further. Best dentist I have ever had… oh he is somewhat of a protectionist as well, which make he like him even more.

Professional as can be. It was frustrating searching for a dentist that I could trust, but found one in Dr. Liciaga.

How did I get so lucky? 2 weekends ago I got into a horrible bike accident where I lost 2 teeth, chipped a molar, and suffered some serious mouth trauma. The hospital could not salvage the teeth and also provided me no follow up care. I was in a terrible state of mind not knowing what I was going to do with a broken face.
I somehow got lucky enough to have reached Dr. Liciaga through a list of providers my insurance company provided me. He took my appointment the morning I called even though he was already booked up after hearing my story. When I arrived at his office, he took X-​rays and made sure I did not suffer from a broken jaw or had a root that had to be taken out immediately. 2 days later, he booked me for an early appointment to get impressions so I could be set up with something temporary so that I could actually go out in public. Throughout the whole experience, he was nothing but caring, professional, and honest. I can’t believe how lucky I got. On top of all this, he knew insurance would not cover for the temporary ‘cosmetic’ work so he only charged me the lab fee for the set of flipper teeth. His staff reassured me that Dr. Liciaga was just super nice and wanted the best for his patients.
Some highlights of my visits:
— clean and comfortable office
— modern equipment (ie. digital xrays)
— helpful staff
— respectful of patients’ time (extremely short waits)
— professional
— experienced and knowledgeable
— great quality of work provided (flipper teeth matched sizing and color with the rest of my teeth)
Most importantly, in my opinion, Dr. Liciaga exemplified honesty throughout the care he provided me. I have had my share of bad dentists, mechanics, various other service professionals who have leveraged their knowledge and expertise to get you to pay for extra unnecessary add-​ons. When I told Dr. Liciaga I wanted to fly down to get the rest of my case resolved by him, he told me honestly that with the amount of visits and follow up I was going to require, I should find myself a good provider in SF instead of accepting what I’m sure he knew was a money-​maker case. I want to thank him for literally turning my horrendous toothless frown upside down.
He’s a great dentist, you won’t regret switching… I promise!

Dr. Liciaga is a lifesaver!
I was visiting friends in SD for a few days. On the first night, we had an accident with some rough injuries and an ER trip. Hours later, I call the office at 9am on a Saturday. He is fully booked but stays late just to accommodate us for a noon appointment. Right away there is an assessment and a follow up trip booked for Monday at 8am. This was a drastic change from all the other offices I called that only told me what they WOULDN’T do (ie — take insurance/​credit/​provide an appointment time).
On the follow up visit a retainer is made and sent off. It was ready by 2pm. Due to the costs, Dr. Liciaga even waived his fees and we had to beg just to pitch in for the lab fees because he wouldn’t take the money. I was surprised at the quick turnaround time to have major work done on a busy weekend.
Dr. Liciaga also genuinely cares about his work. He stayed after our visit was over and gave a passionate consultation and future advice. If it were up to me, I would fly down from SF just to have him take care of things — HE IS THAT GOOD!
The front office staff is also very accommodating and helpful. They provide knowledgeable advice instead of merely cranking you out of the office.

Dr Liciaga and his office staff are wonderful. I can’t rave about them enough. My first experience was a dental check and cleaning for my 5 year old daughter. Dr Liciaga is wonderful with children. He made what could have been a scary experience for a little girl a very positive first visit.
There is a lovely welcoming feeling to this office. The entire staff is friendly and puts you at ease immediately. They remember little details that make you feel important to them. It is very evident that Dr Liciaga truly cares about his patients. For example, I recently had an implant placed. The very next day the office manager Faviola called me to see how I was feeling. I have witnessed this happing with other patients while in the office as well.
The latest technology is used throughout this practice. My favorite is the «CEREC Chairside Solutions. For one visit dentistry». It is just amazing. I was in and out in about an hour with a brand new crown. First Dr Liciaga prepped my tooth, then he did a 3D rendering of my jaw (upper and lower to make sure I ended up with the perfect bite). After that, he designed the crown right in front of me on the monitor next to the dental chair. Once he had completed customizing the tooth on screen, it was sent to a milling machine behind his desk. Eight minutes later a perfectly rendered crown was complete. Shortly after that I walked out of the office with a beautiful new tooth. Incredible! No gooey molds, no two week wait. Just in and out!
On top of all the positives I have already mentioned, Dr Liciaga is a pro at gentle dentistry. I have had quite a few shots over the years and have never had any real complaints, they always felt like the «bee sting» they were described as. Not something you would look forward to, but not horrible.
Well the days of «bee stings» are over! Dr Liciaga knows exactly what he is doing to avoid the pain of injections. He has a great technique and if you are interested he is happy to explain it to you. End result, pain free shots!
In my personal opinion Dr Liciaga is a fantastic dentist and the hygienists and support staff are wonderful. All in all a great group of professionals that care about you and your teeth.

I called this dentist after mine retired and a friend referred me to him. I had what I thought was a toothache and he fit me in withing 18 hours. I got to the office and he was just opening. He made me feel very comfortable and reminded me to move my car so that I did not get a paring ticket for street sweeper! That was the first time I realized I made a good decision. I was seated in the chair about 7 minutes later. He looked at my tooth, told me it was a canker sore and he thought nothing was wrong. I actually thought there was and I know from experience, some dentists (namely the ones at Ocean Beach Dental) would have tried to talk a patient into un– needed work. Dr. Luciaga was very honest and told me things were OK with my teeth and the only reason to change them would be to have them look better. Since they are not ever shown, it is was necessary! He took X-​rays and looked at everything with me and explained everything to me in normal terms. We did find a small cavity that needed filling and I decided to do it right then and there. This is where it gets really good! He got ready and I saw the needle b ut never felt any kind of shot and was just talking to him and became NUMB! He has the gentlest hand of any dentist ever! He finished my filling and I was ready to go. OK now the best part of all this is that I got to the office at 8:05 AM, filled out paperwork, got x-​rays, talked to the doctor about my teeth and about both our families, got a filling and went over anything else I could do If I wanted, and I was back in my car at 8:45 AM.
This experience has 100% changed my mind about going to the dentist! PLEASE go to him if you need a new dentist or even if you are not happy with the one you have!

I started coming to Dr. Liciaga a year and a half ago and I’m glad I switched! I got the feeling my old dentist was shady, so I checked out his Unilocal reviews. I was going to 1.5 star dentist. My teeth are worth more than 1.5 stars! So…
I asked my friend Julia, who is the hygienist for Dr. Liciaga, if they had room for me. Luckily, they did. Both Julia and Dr. Liciaga are kind, personable people who are very gentle. They speak clearly and openly about what they’re doing (or need to do) when they’re doing it. I don’t have the dread of going to the dentist because they were so rough anymore. (Of course, now I realize it was because he was worth 1.5 stars)
The building is a cool, old house right down the street from the beach and Newport Ave. The couch in the waiting room is super comfy. Seriously, it’s like a cloud.

Normally I hate going to the dentist (who doesn’t). But Dr. Liciaga is the best. I can’t say you won’t hurt as everyone has a different opinion of pain but I have always walked away from his office feeling good. Not only is he a good dentist, he is very friendly. Also, in many past experiences with other dentist, I have always felt pressured to have certain procedures performed and got the impression that my teeth were in terrible condition and about to fall out! Dr. Liciaga does not make me feel this way but explains what is going on with my mouth, what is really important, and what is an optional procedure.

Shame on me for not writing a review of this kind and wonderful dentist sooner.
He was chosen by default, as I had an emergency and he was right at the end of the block where I live and still do.
It was a couple of years ago and he could not have been warmer and I must say, he truly cares about your needs
And when it comes to dentistry, it is not always a painless thing, but with him, it seems to be. He has always made it painfree for me.
Highly recommended!

Hands down, BEST dental experience EVER!
Before today, I had not been to the dentist in 10 years. Why? Because dentists are usually scary and their assistants are snobby. I always leave the dentist feeling ashamed of myself and like a naughty child for not flossing. Hate it.
I was a bit nervous before I went today but from the moment I entered the door I felt at ease.
The lady at the front desk was warm and friendly and Dr. Liciaga came out right away and I was taken back to an exam room. No waiting!
He was very friendly and didn’t make me feel guilty for not having an appointment for ten years.
I came to him to get a discolored filling fixed and he assured me it would be possible to do that day! I got X-​rays and an exam, both of which were painless.
While showing me my 7 (!!!) cavities on the X-​rays, he had a neutral tone of voice, not judgmental. He complimented my overall dental hygiene and let me know which cavities were the most important to fill first. Most dentists would pressure you into getting all filled the same day but he just gave me a workup sheet with prices and let me make my own choice for future appointments.
He took my yellowed filling and made it look like a normal tooth (without any pain meds so that previous reviewer is smoking crack)!
I couldn’t be happier. I grinned all the way home!
I will definitely be going back and recommending him to EVERYONE!
Thank you, Dr. Liciaga and staff!!!

All I have to say is this dentist was so amazing, I felt driven to write a review for him.
I want to start off with HOW DEATHLY I am AFRAID of the Dentist. I haven’t gone to a dentist for years because I hate how they never explain anything and just start doing crazy painful stuff to your teeth and gums. I get so anxious, I always feel like I am going to pass out.
Ok! So when I arrived at the office, I felt my stomach churning and a huge lump in my throat. I was so scared that he would embarrass me with a lecture on how my dental hygiene was horrific.
INSTEAD, I was greeted with a friendly smile and handshake. I was seated and he started to ask me questions. He then proceeded to explain what he was going to do and what he needed for me to do. At this point, I was calmer.
Then he told me he had to handle a cavity. My heart about stopped. That meant drill and NEEDLES!!! OH MY GOSH… what I am going to do? I was thinking about leaving. «Is it too late?», I thought to myself.
Before I got the chance to escape, he lowered the chair and told me, «You will feel a bit of pressure.» Then I felt some tapping. You won’t believe it. He gave me a shot and I didn’t even feel it, AT ALL.
He made sure the dental assistant kept me from drowning in my saliva and kept on checking on me to make sure I was ok. Finally I felt at peace. Before you know it. The ordeal was over. He sat me up and explained what I needed to do to keep my teeth and gums healthy. I scheduled an appointment with his amazing dental hygienist Julia, but that’s another story.
So my word of advice to those who are petrified of dentist. DON’T BE. Doctor Liciaga is not just a dentist, he is a friendly, considerate and kind one. Go see for yourself.
Thanks Doctor Liciaga and Julia if you are reading this, for my healthier, cleaner and whiter smile!