[Villages Kahuna]

Here's a straightforward description of my experience with Village Dental (offices on 466 and 441). Readers can draw their own conclusions.

I researched the dentists practicing in TV thoroughly. I concluded the dentists at Village Dental were extremely well qualified and best fit my needs. I made an appointment. When asked why I had made an appointment, I explained that I needed a six-month check-up, cleaning and that I had a chip on a lower front tooth that I thought might require some modest bonding.

When I arrived for my appointment, there were three ladies behind the marble-topped reception desk with fresh roses in a vase. I checked in and sat down in the comfortable leather sofas to watch CNN on the big screen plasma TV. I was ushered in for my appointment promptly.

My first stop was with a dental technician who gave me an examination unlike any I had ever experienced. Digital x-rays were taken from every angle including a panoramic view, digital photographs were taken of every tooth as well as my "smile". It was thorough and exceedingly complete. I was impressed.

Next I was ushered into the dental hygenist's office. The hygenist, with an assistant, first performed a periodontal exam, where three measurements were taken of every tooth prior to cleaning. Following that exam, the hygenist told me that I probably should have a "deep cleaning". When I asked what that was, she explained that it was a series of three visits where under anesthesia, some deep scraping was done of the teeth below the gum line. She said the cost would be $900. She then performed a complete cleaning of my teeth.

I was then ushered into the dentist's office. After his two assistants got me into the chair and ready for his arrival, he came in. He quickly looked at my x-rays and photographs and began to explain that my teeth had "100,000 miles on them" and needed maintenance to assure their continued health and avoidance of unexpected cracks or breaks which almost certainly would be painful and would require dental surgery. He then did a very quick inspection of my teeth and told me that I could discuss my further treatment plan with another person, I think she had a title like "Patient's Advocate", or something like that.

I spent about a half hour with her where she went over all my x-rays and photographs--they're all digital, so they were right there on her computer monitor--and explained in detail what they recommended as a treatment plan for me. The bottom line on that is that, following the $900 deep cleaning, they would make appointments for the installation of $17,000 worth of crowns on my teeth. At no point in our conversation did any one ever mention the repair of the chipped front tooth that caused me to make an appointment in the first place.

I left the office without making any future appointments. I have since had an appointment with my long-time dentist "up north". He saw a need for only one crown, and even then he thought it was optional for awhile. I chose to have it installed. He saw no need for a periodontal deep-cleaning.

So at this point I still have my dentist up north, but have decided to continue my research on dentists in TV. You draw your own conclusions.