Dentist in Portland?
July 14, 2010 9:16 PM Subscribe
I need recommendations for a dentist in Portland, Oregon.
I haven't been to a dentist in, oh, fifteen years? (yes, I am a bad person). I noticed something in the mirror today and it looks a lot like my front two teeth in the bottom are dying. Not so surprising since they are adjacent to where a tooth and a chunk of my jaw is missing after a previous bad experience with a dentist. So now I need a dentist. Reasonable and sympathetic would be good, but mostly competent and not likely to leave me with a hole in my mouth like last time.
I haven't been to a dentist in, oh, fifteen years? (yes, I am a bad person). I noticed something in the mirror today and it looks a lot like my front two teeth in the bottom are dying. Not so surprising since they are adjacent to where a tooth and a chunk of my jaw is missing after a previous bad experience with a dentist. So now I need a dentist. Reasonable and sympathetic would be good, but mostly competent and not likely to leave me with a hole in my mouth like last time.
I've been seeing Dr. Wiley for years. His office is in NW Portland off of 23rd on Flanders. They are extremely gentle and conscientious there. My favorite hygienist is Vonda but she's often hard to get an appointment with (lots of people like her apparently) but I've never had a bad experience there.
posted by amanda at 9:39 PM on July 14, 2010
posted by amanda at 9:39 PM on July 14, 2010
I've heard great things about Green Apple.
posted by verbyournouns at 9:42 PM on July 14, 2010
posted by verbyournouns at 9:42 PM on July 14, 2010
2nding green apple dental. they provide you with ipods, a paraffin hand wax, and some aromatherapy during your appointment.
posted by violetk at 11:09 PM on July 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by violetk at 11:09 PM on July 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Don't know what part of town you're in, but if you're anywhere near Gateway, I just switched from another dentist I passionately hated and feared and started going to Dr. Randy Castle, who was pretty great.
posted by treblemaker at 11:40 PM on July 14, 2010
posted by treblemaker at 11:40 PM on July 14, 2010
We've been going to Mint since we moved here, and we like him - little pricey, but friendly, competent, and the first fully green dentist's office in the country.
posted by gottabefunky at 11:55 PM on July 14, 2010
posted by gottabefunky at 11:55 PM on July 14, 2010
When I lived in Portland, I went to Bravo Smile. They are extremely competent, have an extremely friendly staff, and their philosophy is to make your visit as painless as possible (they used to tout their gentle dental techniques). But... they are a little pricey. My parents still go there, and the hygienist there still asks how I am doing, even though I haven't lived there for 5 years. Can't recommend them enough.
posted by baxter_ilion at 6:09 AM on July 15, 2010
posted by baxter_ilion at 6:09 AM on July 15, 2010
I really like Dr. John Shaw in Multnomah Village. I think he might be just the right guy for this particular problem, since it is at least marginally similar to mine.
Here's my experience. A few years ago, a front tooth (the one right next to the front top teeth) was broken off by my daughter's head. I went to my normal dentist (Genentech, or something like that, off Macadam near the Sellwood Bridge), and they gave me a root canal, followed by scheduling the start of my implant procedure.
It was going to cost $2K, so I got a second opinion. Dr. Shaw pointed out that my jaw bone was too narrow at that place to support a healthy implant, I'd be risking infection. Implants are quite a nice profit item for dentists, but he chose to be honest instead.
Instead, he just drilled out the base of the tooth and put in a post, followed by a hand-made cap that looks just like my other teeth. I don't remember the cost, but it was far less than $2K.
Since then, he's been my dentist. He is a good combination of an old-fashioned-straight-shooter and a gadget fiend. For example, I let him try out his brand new tooth laser on me, and he didn't charge for that treatment. It avoided a filling, so that was a nice deal, as well as being both quicker and less painful than a normal filling.
posted by Invoke at 8:17 AM on July 15, 2010
Here's my experience. A few years ago, a front tooth (the one right next to the front top teeth) was broken off by my daughter's head. I went to my normal dentist (Genentech, or something like that, off Macadam near the Sellwood Bridge), and they gave me a root canal, followed by scheduling the start of my implant procedure.
It was going to cost $2K, so I got a second opinion. Dr. Shaw pointed out that my jaw bone was too narrow at that place to support a healthy implant, I'd be risking infection. Implants are quite a nice profit item for dentists, but he chose to be honest instead.
Instead, he just drilled out the base of the tooth and put in a post, followed by a hand-made cap that looks just like my other teeth. I don't remember the cost, but it was far less than $2K.
Since then, he's been my dentist. He is a good combination of an old-fashioned-straight-shooter and a gadget fiend. For example, I let him try out his brand new tooth laser on me, and he didn't charge for that treatment. It avoided a filling, so that was a nice deal, as well as being both quicker and less painful than a normal filling.
posted by Invoke at 8:17 AM on July 15, 2010
Go and see Dr. Charles Belusko at the Westover Dental Clinic on NW 23rd Ave. They're all beyond nice, and Dr. Belusko is an offbeat friendly genius out of some Tom Robbins novel.
posted by blazingunicorn at 12:15 PM on July 15, 2010
posted by blazingunicorn at 12:15 PM on July 15, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions everyone.
posted by tallus at 1:37 PM on July 15, 2010
posted by tallus at 1:37 PM on July 15, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by chrchr at 9:38 PM on July 14, 2010