Terence B Pegel, DDS

Have been coming here for 2 years. Always had Cherry as my hygienist who is thorough, gentle and overall excellent. I don’t have many problems with my teeth so I interact with Dr. Pegel for about 30 sec for each visit which is fine. Today I had Donna. She was horrible. Wasn’t paying attention while taking X-​rays and the tube moves away from my face. I screamed and she turned it on anyway. Irradiated my whole head probably. Didn’t apologize. Muttered something about the machine being broken. I told her I didn’t want anymore X-​rays and I was done. Proceeded with a cursory cleaning which was short and the opposite of thorough. Donna is awful. And the fact that no one even addressed or apologized for the incident was ridiculous. I really like Cherry so I will go back for her but shame on this office for treating patients this way.

The unplanned root canal was spot on. Pegel knows that I require more numbing and he had it in the right spots. Fine to chew on the tooth the next day — whew.
Front desk staff is still amazing; i wimped out and let my wife call at 11:30 am and i was in the chair by 2:30 — on the Friday before Memorial Day!

The office is clean, the people are friendly, and from the majority of my experiences – the dentists are very good.
My complaint – they take on way too many patients. I’ve had long wait times, trouble scheduling appointments, and getting in touch with them when I need to.
The worst parts – on two occasions they were responsible for increased pain and suffering on my part, and a $ 1,100 out of pocket cost to me as well. Double whammy.
Long stories short (the first of two) on one occasion I had a tooth with a root canal in it that got infected. The pain was incredible, I couldn’t work. I called them on a Wednesday and told them my situation. «Well, the first day we can see you is Thursday of next week.» Totally. That’s why I have a relationship with a dentist. So I can wait eight days while it feels like my tooth is stabbing my mouth. Stay an extra 30 minutes at the office, push a cleaning to next week – something. Work with me guys! I’m in pain here!
Second occasion. Before a big project that I had to go to the east coast for, for a longer period of time, I made an appointment to check out a nagging pain I’d been having for a couple of weeks. I was worried the pain would get worse, and didn’t want to be away from my dentist if it did get worse.
I came in. «You probably chewed something hard, and sort of ‘sprained’ your tooth. It should be okay in a couple of weeks.»
«Can you x-​ray it please? I’m nervous it’s something else.»
*45 minutes until their office closes*
«I don’t think that’s necessary.»
3 weeks later I had my wisdom teeth removed in an emergency extraction on the east coast. Turns out my pain was caused by a severely infected wisdom tooth. Since I was out of state, my insurance didn’t cover it – thanks Blue Cross, Blue Shield. $ 1,100 dollars later, my east coast dentist told me about Dr. Pegel’s decision to not x-​ray me, «That’s strange, he would have seen it immediately.»
Strange indeed.
Too many patients dude, too many patients.

Dr. Pegel is an extremely skilled, pragmatic dentist, who ensures good dental health, as well satisfaction of his patients. I wish he will practice as long as he can. My spouse and I were fortunate to be his patients for 10+ years. His gentle touch is probably as good as it gets, the best ever we have experienced with dentists. Even his best hygienists are probably not as gentle, although very good :) Dr. Pegel is conservative, he does not suggest risky treatments unless necessary. When he referred me to an endodontist, that was a good referral. Dr. Pegel invests in the cutting-​edge technology as he loves the innovation, new «toys» and wants the very best for his patients. I will say that both patient’s satisfaction and his professional satisfaction are equally important to Dr. Pegel. Example? I needed a crown, and that particular tooth just was not happy. I came for free follow-​ups maybe 4 times. After none of the adjustments assured I can bite with that side, Dr. Pegel decided to err on the side of caution that maybe his original work had some issue, e.g. leakage. Despite no evidence of a leakage and without me insisting, Dr. Pegel re-​did the crown at no cost to me. The old crown was found to be just fine, and the new crown still did not let me bite with that side… But the doctor did what he reasonably could, and I learned to get used to the issue.
P. S. About a year later my tooth that had been re-​worked was just fine again. Usually that is clear within a week, but it took much longer in this case.

I love these people. It is not that I am a masochist either. We have been seeing Dr. Pegel and his wonderful team since 1995.
They care about me. They care about each other. Dr. Pegel is a pragmatic dentist. He uses the latest technologies, where the technologies benefit the patient. He does not encourage procedures that are not necessary, unless you express an interest in something cosmetic. He believes in the health of the patient and the health of my teeth. The smiling faces of Laura and Janet, the very much missed smiling face of Sandy, coupled with the many stories shared by Elaine when cleaning my teeth; all of which makes the experiences here so important to me. You can feel the self-​assurance of Dr. Pegel as he rolls up behind you ready to fix anything, whether oral or not.
I cannot ever express the care and comfort I feel at their office. I cannot even guarantee you will feel the same. But, you will get reasonable options, incredible healthcare and a sense that you matter to each and every one of them.

I used to delay dentist visits as long as possible. I am very uncomfortable in a dental office even in the waiting room. I don’t like cleaning and if there is a cavity I want to get over it as soon as possible. Can’t care less what color is the filling and what is the technology used to fix it.
Did I say my dad is a retired dentist? Even sitting in the seat at his office was as uncomfortable as anyone else’s.
Moved to San Diego about a year ago from Canada and chipped my teeth perhaps due to clenching, migration stress …
Dr Pegel was recommended. Had a lot of reservations before going to his office. Him and his staff proved me wrong.
I found his office staff very courteous and very helpful. They were very patience with my insurance company and my wife’s. They were very nice in accommodating me with very tight schedules I have.
Ski picture with all staff says the Doctor actually cares about them. It is very comforting that they help me because they like to, not because they have to.
He attends to the details and makes you as comfortable as possible. I don’t like the angle my seat is but I respect his choice because he needs to be comfortable too. He is on time and delivers as promised. When he fixed my teeth I could not even find which one was it.
Months later still the teeth was flawless. no sensitivity to changes in temperature. no sharp edges. I can’t even feel there is a filling. unlike the rest of my teeth.
In a year I went back to his office on my own without any problem. A first in 46 years. To fix another teeth that had been filled multiple times in the past 10 years. I have had to fix another broken corner of it just before moving to the US.
He fixed the teeth to the same expectations I had. Had a little sensitivity for first few weeks. Disappeared in a month.
I took my 9 year old to have her teeth fixed. Same quality of work. I don’t need to know what he is going to do. He does what’s needed. No less no more.
I highly recommend him to anyone needs a trustworthy dentist.

I’m a little bit confused about my experience here. Dr. Pegel was recommended to me by some family friends, so I made an appointment to see him. I wanted my teeth cleaned and to address pain/​sensitivity I felt in teeth that had been broken and repaired, that had recently gotten much worse. Although I made my appointment for Dr. Pegel, I never saw him, and was instead seen by Dr. Yamaguchi (I think this was her name). I thought it was a little bit strange that I never saw the dentist that I made an appointment with and intended to see, but maybe this is common practice.
Dr. Yamaguchi took x-​rays of my formerly broken teeth and tested them for sensitivity to temperature. The confusion arose when I was essentially told that I shouldn’t be experiencing pain. I don’t think this is an adequate solution for someone who is, in fact, experiencing pain. For one thing, I specified that the most severe pain was on the back side of the teeth in question, and she only tested the front side for sensitivity. Again, maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be done, but the amount of time that I reported pain would have been much longer had she tested the back side. But because the x-​ray also apparently showed nothing wrong, I was told that there’s no reason to be feeling sensitivity from pressure/​temperature and to reassess the situation in a month. I explained that this pain has been present for four years since my accident, and had gotten much worse in severity in the previous months, but this didn’t seem to change anything. I expressed frustration over this lack of solution, and Dr. Yamaguchi empathized, but explained that there was nothing else to do.
A few weeks later, the pain has not alleviated and I have read that in many cases the x-​rays do not show the signs of pulp damage that exist in cases like mine, which may cause the pain I am experiencing. These cases (according to the internet) are often treated with root canals or various related procedures. I am going to see a dentist specializing in endodontics who hopefully can fix or diagnose the problem, as it has become too difficult to drink most liquids and I cannot chew using the teeth.
Anyway, at this point I was expected to leave, but I had also requested a tooth cleaning in my initial appointment scheduling, during the confirmation phone call, and on the paperwork I was given at the office. This surprised Dr. Yamaguchi, who I assume was not told by anyone in the office that I had wanted my teeth cleaned. However, to her credit, she stayed and cleaned my teeth, for which I am very grateful. She was very warm and friendly and the cleaning was great.
In all, I think Dr. Yamaguchi (and from what I hear, Dr. Pegel) are great dentists, but I’m deducting some stars because of the aforementioned logistical abnormalities, and because after researching my issue I think my teeth pain could have either been addressed more thoroughly or been better explained to me. I had dealt with a specific kind of pain for a while and finally considered it severe enough to see a dentist about it, so being told that I shouldn’t be feeling that pain and that nothing is wrong was a bit irritating.

Hands down the best dentist ever! Dr. Pegel is the only dentist I can remember going to from the time I started going to the dentist until I moved out of the country at 20. Even after I moved, I went back to him when I would come home because it was impossible to find anyone that compared and now that I will be back in SD for a visit soon, I am planning to make an appoinment with him again.
Since I had been going to him since I was a very young kid, I can say that he and his staff are great with kids. They knew what to say to me to calm my nerves and make me laugh. Through the years and changing staff, the environment always remained positive and friendly and I eventually looked forward to having a dentist appoinment because I felt like I was catching up with old friends. Not everyone is so lucky to say they look back at going to the dentist with fond memories, but because of Dr. Pegel and his staff, I am that lucky!

This place is good, after experiencing a bad dentist here in SD I’m happy to have found one that i’m sticking with!

Dr. Pegel and his staff are excellent at making you feel comfortable and welcome. I’m quite surprised that his dental hygienists were knowledgeable in what they were doing — my previous hygienists would guess how to perform cleanings.
Definitely recommending to anyone who needs a good hygienist!

Dr. Pegel and his staff know how to make you feel comfortable. Dr. Pegel has had years of experience and is an expert general dentist. You get high quality dentistry for a great price that makes taking care of your mouth so much easier. That’s my favorite perk of this office.
The hygienists are great at what they do. The front office staff works hard to make scheduling work out nicely for you, there are so many patients since this is such a popular dental office that sometimes it’s a lot for the front office to juggle.
Appointments are available for crowns so that you get your crown the same day instead of waiting 2 weeks!
Dr. Yamaguchi is the associate there and also does great dentistry. She is caring and compassionate.
If you’re looking for a dental office you can trust, look no further!

I first heard of Dr. Pegel back in 1996 when I was working for a software company in Scripps Ranch. I inquired of the engineers there, most them went to Dr. Pegel and I found him to be reasonably priced and not trying to sell me stuff that wasn’t necessary as many other dentists I’d seen were doing.
15 years later I’m still seeing him as is my husband, who switched from his previous dentist and my two sons. Many of the same staff that were there in 1996 are still there today. I like some of the hygienists better than others, but I’ve felt that all of them were competent and I am able to request a particular hygienist if I like.
As a previous reviewer mentioned, when he comes in after the hygienist is finished, he leans the chalr way back with head lower than feet and looks into my mouth with funky glasses on, the head rush isn’t particularly comfortable or pleasant, but that’s not the criteria I use to choose a dentist.
They are always booked and it pays to get your appointment at least 6 months in advance, but I’ve been able to get urgent appointments when they were necessary, and many times I can get a cancellation.
Dr. Pegel takes his entire staff and their families skiing in Colorado every year, and they’re a very loyal bunch.
If you’re looking for a competent, down-​to-​earth dentist and staff who gets the job done at a reasonable price, he’s your guy, in 15 years we haven’t been tempted to switch.

Oddly enough, I usually find trips to the dentist to be fairly relaxing. Though it’s not quite at the level of getting spa treatment, it’s nice to be fussed over sometimes, even if it involves picking at your teeth with sharp tools. Unfortunately, my experience with Dr. Pegel left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Literally.
I had been referred here by a coworker, and while the cleaning procedure was fairly straightforward, the cavity fixing process was quite painful. First off, they did not numb my mouth enough, so I could feel the drill digging into my tooth. Ouch. When I asked for some more anesthetic, they jammed a needle into my gums and started pumping some nasty tasting anesthetic in. It was soon overflowing like crazy, and my mouth was filling up with some gross chemical. Ever wondered what gargling gasoline tastes like? I imagine it would be something similar to what I underwent.
Most dentists I have been to get it right the first time, and don’t need gallons of chemicals to do the job. In all other respects it seems like an ok operation; the facility is hidden in an odd office complex out in the middle of nowhere, but the place is clean and the staff seems fairly responsive. They get three stars though because they did get the job done in the end, and they definitely were not pushy about getting extra procedures or services. Dr. Pegel seems like a fairly down to earth guy — brisk but not too chatty. I’m sure others have had much better experiences, but I just wasn’t too thrilled with mine.

Getting an appointment here is like trying to get access to Disney club 33. The typical wait is at least 6 months, and earlier only if they can squeeze you in at a time that no one wants (like 7:30am).
They have a pretty efficient system at the front desk with scheduling and getting you into the doctor asap (I’ve had 30+minute waits at other places). I wish they would renovate their office and furniture. looks a little old.
The assistants are so talky-​talky! Sometimes I just want to close my eyes and relax but they’re asking me questions about the most insignificant things in my life (like what I had for lunch) and commenting about whatever they see out the window.
The doctor also does this really weird thing with leaning my chair back SO low. I might as well just hang from the ceiling. the initial head rush is awkward.
Dr. Pegel can fix teeth pain-​free and they have the coolest numbing machine. I have probably fixed every tooth in my mouth throughout my life because I have the worst cavities so I’m an expert at judging the level of pain or ease a doctor can manage.
Teeth cleaning here is also great. The doctor will come and check that the assistant did their job and will also check for anything that might need to get fixed.

Ah Terence, you make dental appointments so painless and easy. Seeing how I am talking about a dentist, ‘enuff said!

After trying out a number of San Diego dentists, I finally found one that I trust. Dr. Pegel’s centrally-​located office is well-​run and organized. They always confirm their appointments via email or text and call you if a earlier appointment opens up. Dr. Pegel has a great bedside (chairside?) manner. The staff is friendly and I never ever feel pressured into purchasing optional services such as teeth whitening. Their prices are also very reasonable.
The only cons are that the office décor is slightly outdated and there is one hygienist who is a little hard on the gums.