Alderwood Family Dental — Local services in Lynnwood

I think somebody else (who I haven't seen) bought the practice. I left the old review below in case it's the same. I initially gave a glowing review and have really been putting off updating it because the office staff and one of the dental assistants, Laura, were great to me. The front office was always extremely welcoming and kind, the treatment coordinator was super helpful, and Laura always did great work. The star is for them, but there's only so much that can count for when you're going there for dental work.

I'm re-doing my review because I've had issues with some of the work I got done. My main concern is two root canals. Over multiple months I told Dr Rob that two of my crowns didn't feel right. I've had to get, or am having to get, work to fix them both. My boyfriend also has issues that need to be fixed from his dental work there. Even basic (and deep) teeth cleanings were not done well for me, my boyfriend, or my dad who I referred after my initial positive experiences.

One crown was placed so the back went pretty far up the roof of my mouth. Initially I told Dr Rob it felt like it was too high and he shaved it down a bit, then said to give it more time. I wasn't too concerned, but a month later I was still having pain, so he ground it down some more. When I said it still felt like it wasn't enough he told me there wasn't anymore he could do. He also told me he'd checked the pressure between the teeth and it was good, so we should be leaving it as it was anyways and I'd get used to it. I figured "ok, they can't do anymore. Since there isn't another option and it's apparently as it should be my mouth will adjust"... and that's exactly what it's done over the last year or two. A couple of my teeth have become slightly crooked, which I only noticed when I started biting my tongue on that side from one tooth starting to turn sideways.

The gums around the crown recently started bleeding every time I ate and brushed my teeth, and then even when I was doing nothing. My new dentist said the crown was placed so the front teeth were pressed firmly together, which only the back teeth should be. He ground down my lower tooth then and there and I haven't had any issues since. Seems like Dr Rob could've done that originally rather than telling me I was wrong about it feeling wrong and would eventually adjust to the pain.

Dr Rob also placed one of my back crowns incorrectly. Again, over a period of months I repeatedly said the pressure felt off, but was finally told it was correct based on the pressure strips and x-rays, and I just needed time to get used to it. Turns out it's slightly crooked (high on one side low on the other) and isn't sealed properly, so bacteria may have been getting in there this whole time. I'm now going to have to get a new crown and possibly get the post re-done. I signed the standard form that says things could go wrong and I may have to pay to have the procedure re-done, which I understand and I'm fine with. But they took x-rays afterwards, so they should've noticed (especially since I said it felt wrong) and mentioned the issue to me, if so I could pay to have it re-done rather than thinking it was fine this whole time. Once my new dentist pointed the issue out to me on my x-ray even I could see it clearly.

As far as the teeth cleanings, when Dr Rob would come to check after the dental assistants did their thing he'd just do a disinterested, cursory glance. But I figured his involvement was probably just a formality and since Laura did my first cleaning (thoroughly) I didn't care at first. I don't know if they got new dental assistants, but after that the ones I saw didn't do very well. My teeth felt less clean than after I brush them. Both my boyfriend (regular cleaning) and my dad (deep cleaning) had a similar experience: no buffing tool, teeth didn't even feel clean afterwards, only a cursory glance from Dr. Rob.

As nice as the staff is, I'd still say find...

Worst Dental Experience – Do Not Recommend

I had an extremely disappointing experience with this dental office, and I will never return. Here’s why: Appointment Mismanagement: I called to ask if my appointment could be rescheduled. They said no, so I emphasized that I would keep the current one. However, when I arrived, I was told my appointment had been cancelled without my knowledge or consent. This level of mismanagement and lack of communication is unacceptable. Poor Quality of Treatment: After getting a filling on my bottom left teeth, they became incredibly sensitive and painful, lasting for months. I had to seek additional treatment elsewhere to fix the issue. It feels like their focus is on upselling treatments rather than ensuring quality care for their patients. Unreasonable and Unexpected Procedures: I had a deep cleaning done here two years ago and was assured it would not need to be repeated. Despite regularly attending my cleanings, during a recent visit, I was suddenly told I needed another deep cleaning. No prior notice or proper examination was done beforehand. When I refused, they stopped my regular cleaning, wasting my time and leaving me frustrated. Lack of Respect for Patients: Overall, I feel this dental office prioritizes profit over patient health. They fail to communicate clearly, disregard patient needs, and do not follow through on their commitments.

I strongly advise others to reconsider before choosing this dental office. It was the worst experience I’ve had, and I cannot recommend...

I was attracted to Alderwood Family Dental because of the positive reviews here on Google. Trusting those reviews was a mistake. I experienced significant problems from day one. Both my wife and I independently experienced severe tooth pain after cleanings, something we'd never experienced from routine cleanings in the past. I was told that I needed a filling based on the X-ray; at the last minute, the doctor said upon closer examination the supposed cavity was actually just a "shadow." I appreciate that they caught it at the last minute, but that still doesn't change the fact that this practice came dangerously close to giving me an unnecessary filling. To top it all off, they botched a crown, putting it on crooked, which completely screwed up my bite. After coming in multiple times to try to get this corrected, it ended up worse every time and I finally gave up and stopped coming. They even tried to use their mistake as an excuse to try to sell me braces (and I later found out from another dentist that my teeth have shallow roots and that braces would jeopardize my teeth -- something this practice should have known!) My bite is still severely screwed up several years later due to this practice's incompetence. I cannot recommend Alderwood Family...