Dentist recommendations in Western Massachusetts

September 11, 2022 8:48 AM

Do you have a dentist you like in Western Mass? What do you like about them?

I'm looking for a new dentist! Looking for someone who does good work, is conservative about treatment (i.e. isn't quick to drill into teeth), and focuses on tooth integrity and prevention more than cosmetics (i.e. won't try to sell me on bleaching or whatever.) Would especially love to hear from people who have been seeing the same dentist for a few years or know people who have been seeing this dentist for a few years, so they can vouch for longer-term quality stuff.

If you recommend a dentist, I'd love to know specifically what you like (or dislike) about them--I asked a friend what she liked about her dentist and she said "he's really friendly" and "he uses nitrous" which aren't especially important things to me, personally. I have some dental anxiety but it's mainly helped by feeling like I can trust my dentist's judgement and skill and that they will respect my wishes (i.e. pause if I say stop) rather than having a spa experience or nitrous.

posted by needs more cowbell to Health & Fitness (6 answers total)

I have a family member with complicated dental issues who sees Dr. K at Triangle Family Dental and is very happy. She’s very available (has done some emergency weekend treatments, consulted at very bizarre hours via phone when this person had an overseas dental emergency), has done good work on complex dental issues, and the family member feels like they have a good rapport with her/trusts her a lot. I can’t speak to anything re spa-like treatments or cosmetics, though.
I used to go to Amherst Dental Group and was generally pretty happy there, they never tried to sell me on anything cosmetic, care was good, it feels like a medical practice, not a spa, though I had pretty basic needs when I was a patient there. I really liked their hygienists.
I switched to Wohl Family Dentistry for location reasons and I love them, but I don’t think they are taking new patients. But they’re very careful & thorough, are kind and friendly, they’re gentle, and have fit me in and taken things seriously when I had a couple of weird issues with my teeth over the last couple of years. I’d definitely recommend them if you can get in.
posted by john_snow at 10:06 AM on September 11, 2022 [1 favorite]

I absolutely love my dentist, Claire Edwards at Clayton and Canby in Northampton. She's been terrific with my severe anxiety, and I have felt very confident that she's only done necessary work over the several years I have been seeing her (since 2018 or so). She is very careful and accurate about explaining what she's doing and what I will feel. I could not recommend her more highly! She'll be going on maternity leave in December, however.
posted by lysimache at 1:09 PM on September 11, 2022 [1 favorite]

I can’t believe somebody already beat me to recommending Dr. Edwards! Can confirm she is awesome.

Dr. Canby at the same office is also great, but I believe she’s retiring soon and has scaled back her time in the office, so it can be a little hard to see her.
posted by catoclock at 11:33 AM on September 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Since it seems like it may be hard to get in with Dr Edwards or Dr Canby at the moment--can either of you comment on the other dentists in the practice? Like, are they OK but lacking in some ways, or better to avoid, or you've just never seen them?
posted by needs more cowbell at 12:17 PM on September 12, 2022

Never seen Dr. Clayton (he is also close to retirement and not around much). I’ve seen Dr. Lutaaya a couple of times for exams, but nothing more involved. He’s less chatty/personable than Dr. Edwards, but I have no complaints about him.
posted by catoclock at 12:46 PM on September 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks all. BTW I'd still like to hear more suggestions if anyone has them! For Reasons, it might be simpler for me to see dentists that have never taken MassHealth, and the ones listed above have.
posted by needs more cowbell at 5:27 PM on September 12, 2022