First Dental — Local services in Somerville

Horrible experience. I went there in November 2019 for a check-up and they recommended doing fillings on 8 cavities. I accepted and went there the day after to get all those fillings done in a less than 2 hour session.

Here's the outcome of some of those fillings:

December 2019: One of them fell after less than a week, I went back and they repeated the filling, which fell again in less than 2 days. The third time they did this filling it finally stayed.

March 2020: Another filling fell while flossing. If regular flossing induces a filling to fall that has to mean the quality of the work was not very good. Since the whole virus outbreak started I decided to wait to get it fixed if it while not hurting.

December 2019-April 2020: 2 fillings kept bothered me and I had extreme cold sensitivity for months (luckily in the same side so I could at least chew on one side of my mouth). Apparently this can last for multiple weeks in some cases so I decided to wait but it never went away until April 2020. A few days after noticing that the sensitivity was leaving, one of the molars affected by that started to hurt really bad. Obviously I was not going back to that dentist and I was lucky enough to get an emergency dental appointment at a real dentist. The X-rays they took showed that the filling was done so close to the nerve that it may have done irreparable damage to it, so they had to take the filling out, put a sedative filling that repairs the nerve damage and if the pain goes away they'll just put a decent hybrid material that won't hurt the nerve. Otherwise they'll have to do a root canal. Still waiting for this but it seems we'll get away by just using a decent material. By the way, while getting this fixed the filling in the neighbor molar fell off so they'll have to repair that one as well. Overall, they said: "I don't know who did those fillings in your mouth but they must have forgotten to add the adhesive material or something because none of them seems to be well attached to your teeth."

Beware of dental offices with affordable costs, because this just means low-cost materials and inexperienced dentists. If things go wrong as it went for me, you'll end up needing to fix the same teeth, and dental insurance won't cover that if the repair is done within the first 3 years, which will end up costing you a lot more ultimately.

Terrible experience at First Dental Somerville, I'm definitely not going there ever again and suggest everyone to find another place, otherwise you'll risk spending a lot of time, money and effort finding a new office who will actually take care of you.

Update 12/2020: Another of those fillings came out in November and had to get it fixed again at my new dentist. Terrible job from...

I very rarely write reviews for any sort of business. I wish I could give First Dental 50 stars instead of just 5 though! They are so incredible in there. The last 10 or so years, ive had a crippling fear of the dentist due to a couple of bad experiences from another dentist i will not name here. It made me never want to go back to the dentist again and just the thought of it would send me into a panic attack. I was starting to have some serious issues with my teeth and finally decided that it was time to try and get everything done. I was trying to find a dentist that accepts MassHealth, but also is good with nervous patients. Looking at reviews, i decided to give First Dental a shot. Im beyond glad that I did. I quite literally have ZERO fear anymore. Ive had to have several visits to get all the work done that I need to, my next visit is supposed to be my last. I have to admit, im genuinely a bit sad that its going to be my last for a while! It is truly like a big family in there and if it werent for COVID, i would have given them all the biggest hugs I possibly could because of how safe and secure they made me feel. Dr. Hovannes and Dr Gobbeh(im terribly sorry if im spelling these wrong) are amazing people, Rita at the front desk is an absolute sweetheart, and the dental assistants are incredibly nice as well. They take the time to walk you through whats being done and answer any questions you might have. They care about you as an individual and thats incredibly important. They are so gentle and take so much pride and care in their work. I cant recommend First Dental highly enough!! If you're nervous or scared about the dentist, go to...

I am pleased with my dental cleanings and the successful removal of my wisdom teeth- I got all four of my stubborn wisdom teeth removed in one convenient and relatively painless sitting at "First Dental." The outcome and comfort was even better than I prepared myself for. The dentists and hygienists have been knowledgeable, respectful, thorough, and gentle. They never rush through my cleaning, I always feel accomplished after a visit. I am content with the quality treatment that's provided. I'm surprised that they dont send us home with a toothbrush though. Haha. That small gesture is always treasured. Or maybe I am just a big kid.;) Unfortunately, I dont think individual dentists are in this location for the longterm so be prepared for a different dentist each year. But that hasn't been a deterrent, since its apparent they are mindful of the professionals they bring into "First Dental." I know I'm in good hands at this sanitary and reliable office. They have a private restroom for patients,it's always well maintained. A lot of people may like to know this in advance because when you're nervous about an appointment-as some people are when it comes to their oral care- people may rely on this accomodity. The front desk receptionists are always warm and recognize me each time I return. Or they are atleast polite enough to pretend they remember me;) I will continue to recommend "First Dental" to others. My friend has told me to mention that they also accept Masshealth. They have a large parking lot that is shared with the dollar store. Always plenty of free parking available directly out front. The 87 bus stops out front. Hope this...