Sundberg Center for Dentistry

I changed to Sundberg to have a tooth repaired that a previous dentist botched. Over the 1.5 years I was a patient, I can confirm the sales (or as I felt, cash cow) feeling. The person over seeing the office does not have any personality. Even once asking why I did not call to confirm my appointment, since she could tell I opened the email reminding me I had one. Who in this day and age needs patients to call to confirm their scheduled appointment? Secondly who confronts a patient? A tackless, careless person, that is who.
When you arrive at Sundberg, you will notice a musty, if not damp smell from the office water fountain/​feature. You will need to pay for everything up front, using the office persons calculation (which was always wrong.) On street parking is a pain, you will most likely park a couple blocks away and need to pay.
The dental hygienists are friendly, enough so that they successfully hit a nerve in my mouth all 3 times when they were numbing me. This was across 3 separate visits and I’ve never encountered this with any other practice. Sundberg and her hygienists will banter while working on you, not acknowledge your presence or even engage to make you feel welcome.
I moved on to another dentist after all of these encounters. After feeling like my mouth with a cash cow for their operation. After feeling like everything recommended, complete with dollar amount, was not for my good but for their bottom line.

I’m writing to review the dental hygienist, Gerry. She cleaned my teeth for the second time earlier this week. Gerry is so thorough and meticulous. My teeth have never felt so clean. In addition, Gerry is superb at making me feel comfortable. Other hygienists and dentists have tilted me too far back in the chair so I feel like I’m being water-​boarded. Gerry put a pillow under my head and made sure the chair was adjusted so I did’t feel like I was choking. Her perfectionism and professionalism are a good match for Dr. Sundberg who is similarly driven to do the very best job.

I love my dentist. Thorough, quick, gentle, and very nice. The staff is extremely helpful, be it with scheduling issues or insurance tips. I had been a patient for many years, and even after moving to the ‘burbs, I happily make the trip to Dr Sundberg for dental work and checkups/​cleaning.

Preface to my review:
This was my first (and only) visit, so take it with a grain of salt.
There are obviously a wide range of experiences based on what I can see on this Unilocal page, but this is my own.
tl;dr: I found this environment very unprofessional; almost sales-​like pushy, unlike any dentist office I’d been to before. I don’t doubt that Dr. Sundberg is educated and knows what she’s doing, but her staff left a lot to be desired. After a second opinion elsewhere, I confirmed that some of the more costly work recommended to me was unnecessary.
UPDATE: 11÷11÷15
After visiting another dentist for a second opinion, my feelings on Sundberg Dental are even more cemented. This new dentist (2^nd & Madison Dental, for anyone interested) was very thorough and professional, to the point of feeling like I’d walked out of a dental course. I was told I had no need for any sort of deep cleaning and they were surprised any dentist would’ve said I needed that. They also found no decay or need for any further work. This confirmed my suspicions that Dr. Sundberg & staff were doing their best to upsell me.
As I said above, this was my first visit — perhaps the staff was having an off day. I’ll simply list the reasons I had an unpleasant experience:
* Questions I’d already filled out ahead of time (to save time) were asked on forms two additional times upon entering the office.
* Hygienist I was with may have had about 15 cups of coffee and spoke pretty much non-​stop
* Hygienist continually reassured me she «knew what she was doing» and had «been doing this for years.» Why would a professional tell me this repeatedly? (this partly added to why I felt I was being pressured into additional work)
* Hygienist notices I’m wearing a skull on my t-​shirt. Her response was «Oh, I can’t stand skulls. I grew up very religious.» Maybe keep that thought to yourself.
* The price I was quoted when calling ahead was vastly different from the price I was quoted walking out the door.
* Hygienist mentions «you may have some decay we’ll need to work on… you can’t see it, but believe me it’s there.» Again, why the need to reassure me that you’re telling the truth? I’m going to another dentist and perhaps I’ll discover they were right, but their delivery left me suspicious. (update above: second opinion confirmed this was inaccurate)
* Each task was performed in a different room (all other dentists I’ve been to can take care of everything without rotating you around the office)
I mention this to two friends.
One called to discuss scheduling an appointment and said «I also felt like they were very pushy over the phone and decided not to book with them.»
Another friend, who went there for quite a while, guessed what dentist I was talking about before I mentioned the office’s name… and said he felt like they duped him out of money for procedures that other dentists said there were no need for.
It wasn’t all bad — I don’t want to come across as one of those venting Unilocal ads (because I tend to skip right over them). Dr. Sundberg was friendly and easy to talk to and — as mentioned above — I suspect she is educated well and knows what she’s doing. But alas, this was not a good fit for me.

Dr. Sunberg and her staff have provided me with top notch care for years. They are highly dedicated, friendly, and always take time to answer my questions. Recently, I had a dental emergency. The staff stayed late to see me and called to check on me multiple times over the weekend. Also, Jerri is the most thorough dental hygienist I have ever had; she does a phenomenal job. I am so grateful for all their help!

I would give 0 stars but 1 is as low as it goes.
Misleading, dishonest, pushy (sales & procedures), impolite and a general office atmosphere that screams blasé. Had an awful experience with them myself several years back when they told me I had 17 cavities (6 month prior checkup and 6 month later checkup at two different dentists said I didn’t have any), and my partner recently had a different, awful experience.
SO unprofessional, an example of why people switch dentists and car mechanics so often and never switch when they find a good one. All people want is to trust you that you know what you’re doing, and won’t take too much advantage. This office fails on either count.

Accommodating, effective, efficient, trustworthy– what more are you looking for in a dentist? From Shelly at the front desk, to Wendy in x-​rays and most of all, Gerri the hygienist– they’re a class act all around and it feels good to be in a small, local, quality practice where Dr. Sundberg is friendly and available for all questions and concerns. Having lapsed on my biannual cleanings (graduate school doesn’t necessarily budget for that kind of thing) I was so happy and lucky feeling to have Gerri really go to work in my mouth. She is knowledgeable, experienced, and takes such pride in the great work she does. I didn’t even realize what I had been missing out in a dental hygienist until finding her! Such a gem. Happy to have found my local family dentist here in Portland!

I’ve been a patient of Dr Sundberg’s for nearly two years and am very pleased by both the staff and the quality of work done on my teeth. I really, really care about the good health of my teeth and I do my part to keep my mouth healthy. I also have no patience with mediocre dental care. I want the best and I get it at Dr Sundberg’s office.
Ben, the hygienist, is amazing — I’ve never been to a more gentle yet thorough hygienist. Wendy, Dr Sundberg’s assistant, is warm and lovely and super-​efficient. Dr Sundberg herself explains in detail what’s going on in my mouth and tells me throughout any procedure what is happening, which I really appreciate. Mr Buttons, the office mascot (actually, Wendy’s adorable little dog), is a sweetiepie … I want to take him home with me. The office is spotless and comfortable.
No one dentist is going to be right for everyone. Of all fields of medicine, dentistry is one that patients feel very strongly about. Speaking for myself, I am very pleased with the quality of care and lovely personalities of everyone in Dr Sundberg’s office and recommend her highly.

I love Ben who does the cleanings. He’s amazing and just really helpful about dental care!

I dreaded going to the dentist, so much I intentionally avoided making appointments. Finally I decided it was time, and I couldn’t have chosen a better place. As a new patient I had to have X-​rays done, no more painful old school X-​rays! The office has new digital X-​rays which were a nearly painless procedure. The dental hygienist was awesome. Dr. Sundberg is extremely spirited and honest about the condition of your teeth. Also probably the most gentle staff I have ever had take care of my teeth. Had to have two appointments in one day, on two separate occasions, for scheduling purposes and they fit me right in on the same day notice! Called two days later to check up on me. Overall absolute dream. Would recommend to all my friends and family in Portland!

Wow Dr. Sundberg is getting hammered pretty hard on here!
Went here for a few years. Mainly cleanings and a few cavities, which went fine. Her office is always playing really bad mainstream radio. If you want to have your teeth cleaned while listening to Creed or Justin Beiber then this is the place for you.
Did have some pretty major cosmetic work done including an implant & crown on one of my front teeth. She did recommend an absolutely phenomenal periodontist for the implant (Dr. Robert Henshaw). Problem is when it came to getting the crown made and placed, which was her job, things didn’t go so well. The first crown her lab provided was terrible, it didn’t fit right at all but for some reason she tried to sell me on the fact she thought it was fine. On a front tooth.
It was only after I got Dr. Henshaw involved that she was able to tell the lab how to correct the crown. It all worked out fine in the end but I’m not so sure that would have happened without Dr. Henshaw’s help as he even assisted with the placement.
Her people skills are definitely lacking as a few others have mentioned.
The big catalyst for posting this review was that only after I started going to a new dentist did I realize that things were just a little off around her office.

Went to this place a few years back, just reading the reviews I’m glad I’m not the only one that thinks so poorly of this dentist, she said that I had something called «cracked tooth syndrome» which was not the damn issue, I had a cleaning it was fine, I had cancelled 1 time because I wasn’t able to make it and I got a rude call back from the receptionist, saying that they didn’t need to see me anymore etc, FINE by me. Don’t waste your time and money on this Mickey D’s of a dentist office, surely you can go elsewhere.

I’m really shocked to see the bad reviews! Listen to me, people: I was raised by wolves and I know how to sniff out the good ones. But this isn’t a story about canines. It’s about molars. I went to see Dr. Sundberg five years ago because of some sensitivity in my four best molars. Turns out I had internal cavities from some (not in any way related) dental work I had done as a kid in a land far away. Since I take good care of my teeth, I had no idea there was a problem and if I had waited any longer, I’d have lost my four best molars!
Over two days, she and her assistant did an AMAZING JOB ON MY TEETH! and I *loved* their comfortable and conversational atmosphere. I even took pictures and used my phone to type and be able to chat with them as my mouth was occupied.
She is really the best dentist I can imagine. Just went in to see her today for a checkup and cleaning since my last visit mentioned above. My excuse is that I’ve been busy, but I’d go visit her every day for fun if I could.
Look, if you like having great teeth by visiting a professional who you can trust to know what to do, Dr. Sundberg is my absolute favorite and top recommendation. She’s very knowledgeable and pragmatic. I work with computers a lot, so I enjoy hearing technical insights of dentistry when I ask anything out of curiosity here.
Have great teeth everyone and stay smiling :)

My husband and I have been going here for a couple of years and only because we like Ben the dental hygienist for our cleaning. Dr Sundberg and her receptionist on the other hand are a nuisance. Numerous phone calls, text messages, postcards, surveys (if you write a compliment you get $ 50) emails to try and get you to come in. Telling you to come in before the year ends to maximize your insurance coverage. Always asking us to change our appointments and when we ask to change it if it’s a minute past the 48hr window you get slapped with a fee, ridiculous!
I seem to get an x-​ray at every visit, even just for teeth cleaning and she finds something that needs work on, I’ve had her other staff tell me they are not sure why a tooth was marked for a filling when they didn’t see a cavity!
My last teeth cleaning she said I need a filling, and when her staff checked it they said there is no cavity, so she went back to her previous x-​ray and she said, ‘hmmm the tooth mineral must of restored it. i was like what the heck is that possible??? then she laughed and said good thing you waited otherwise we would of put a filling in for nothing’
Most recently I had a crown put in with the wrong color shade — i don’t know how the high technology got this wrong — i went ahead cos it was my last visit and it was my back tooth anyway. So they told me my insurance covered 60% of the crown, which meant i had to pay the difference of $ 398. They took lots of pics to ensure the crown would not get denied, low and behold my insurance did not cover this and I am requested to pay $ 600 more because they did not check my insurance. I told them this is their error and I only agreed to pay what was quoted to me… now i’m waiting to hear back from BBB Complaints.
From my experience, I do not recommend this place.

Slimy is a good word to describe Viseh Sundberg and her staff. I trusted her with her recommendations initially. I then started seeing a pattern of them wanting to do more and more dental work. They are very aggressive in trying to lock you into your next appointment and love to threaten you with a cancellation fee. Her dental hygienist Ben is condescending when giving you tips on brushing techniques. Don’t believe the polished website and cheesy photos.
Dr. William Shaw (2250 NW Flanders St) is amazing and gentle when cleaning your teeth.

I previously had no dental insurance and was searching for a place to get a regular cleaning and check-​up. I found Dr. Sundberg in the Willamette Week because she advertises for low cost basic services. That was my first mistake …
Initially I thought that I had arrived someplace where the dentist is highly skilled and friendly. She explained that I needed to rip out my fillings from when I was a child and replace them with new fillings, as I was being poisoned by the old mercury. I began that work and spent about $ 600 before a friend recommended I get a second opinion from a dentist he trusted. Dr. Sunberg had quoted about 2K in repairs.
I went to the next dentist and she examined my mouth and said she wouldn’t change a thing. She explained the importance of monitoring my cavities over time and said it could do more damage to my teeth by replacing everything. Needless to say, I think Dr. Sundberg is more concerned with making money than providing honest, high quality dental care.
Oh yes, and she said I was at risk for getting «lock jaw» because I couldn’t open my mouth wide enough. She said I needed a $ 300 fitted mouth guard. It hurt me to open as wide as she asked, despite my best efforts. My new dentist explained (without telling her this story) that I simply have big teeth and a small mouth and she didn’t hurt me during my exam.
I wouldn’t go to this office if I were you.

Good for you if you’re checking Unilocal reviews to help guide your choice– I wish I’d done the same prior to finding this office.
I came to Sundberg in need of an emergency service, and was recommended by a friend. The office was able to get me in for a quick fix on short notice, which I was extremely appreciative of. The fix, however, didn’t last through the weekend, and I got to know this office quite well over the next few months with frequent follow up visits.
Generally, I seek an in-​and-​out style dentist who isn’t set to sell me on additional products, services, and discussion while their hands are in my mouth. I was less than comfortable with the chairside demeanor of the Dr. and staff, and in reading other posts here, wish I’d met this magical Lizzy to help make me feel more comfortable during my visits.
I get the feeling that Dr. Sundberg is quite capable and confident in her knowledge of the field of dentistry. She is more than happy to share additional information about process and prodedures if you ask. However, I did not enjoy her discussion about carving intricate symbols and initials in other clients’ crowns to help bond them into your mouth. Although harmless, I didn’t think it was timely conversation to talk about ‘inside dentistry jokes’ as I was undergoing a crown procedure myself.
Speaking of crowns, I don’t claim to understand the process of coloring them myself. I’m sure it’s a difficult process. But I did also have to make repeat visits both to the dentists’ office as well as her crown-manufacturer’s office in Beaverton just to obtain the proper color, which was annoying to schedule during the work day.
A few good things to point out: I did appreciate insurance estimates prior to procedures. The location of the office was conveniently close to my own, so I was able to go during work hours. The office seems to be using up-​to-​date dental technology. The doctor once gave me free mouthwash.
The Cons that have led to my leaving this office: Staff demeanor can be patronizing. A second emergency need (same issue that wasn’t fixed yet) that couldn’t be met when needed. Months of visits for minor adjustments. Staff was even more patronizing. Received a bill for appointment I have no recollection of scheduling– was told I’d received text messages before the appointment I should have responded to.
All in all, the pros of this office are things I would expect of most dental offices. The cons were ridiculous enough for me to seek out another conveniently located office that is on my plan and uses up-​to-​date technology. Turns out, the search didn’t take me long.
I recommend you search elsewhere.

STAY AWAY! Listen to the various horrible reviews and find someone with some ethics. Dr. Sundberg recommended tons of dental work that every dentist I’ve seen subsequently has been astonished by including an expensive «full mouth debridement».
I had some molar abrasion and she said I absolutely needed a filling. She made a notch in my tooth to set the filling into, and six month later while I was in New York, the filling fell out. The dentist I went to in New York said he would never do a side filling in this situation since it was 1) completely unnecessary 2) drilling an otherwise healthy tooth causes more harm than good and 3) the filling is bound to fall out.
I called Dr. Sundberg and she got really defensive and gave me a lecture about how she believed in karma. Then she said that I owed her $ 50 but she’d forget it if we called everything even.
Never ever again.

First, I get the impression that Dr. Sundberg’s office is fairly new. I don’t actually know if it is or not, but it seems like she may be going above and beyond in trying to further her business. The aggressive marketing is a real turn-​off. I’ve received (and on the regular) phone calls from her office attempting to reschedule an appointment I needed to cancel. I can understand a follow-​up call, but not three. I received an impersonal automated phone call, a text message, and email, plus an post card from her office wishing me a happy birthday. Cheap, cheesy, and overkill. All of this communication which is nothing more than an effort to get me in there and give them my money is annoying. I never gave her office permission to do any of that. I had to call and complain twice to get them to stop. One of her assistants continued to call me anyway in order to reschedule an appointment.
Second, I decided to get a second opinion from another dentist after my last visit to Dr. Sundberg’s office. Dr. Sundberg told me that I needed 3 cavities filled and possibly a fourth. She was so happy when she found them. This was the appointment I needed to reschedule due to financial reasons, which weren’t acceptable to the receptionist. I was surprised when the second opinion came back (after xrays) that I only had a single cavity with a spot that needed more brushing and needed to be revisited in the next six months. Saving me a few hundred dollars, I went with the second opinion.
Having recommended Dr. Sundberg’s services to my wife, we went over an estimate given of $ 1500 in dental work by Dr. Sundberg. She also went to get a second opinion at another dentist which had basically the same end result — the appearance of over-​diagnosing.
Third, the receptionist is typically very rude to me over the phone. I needed to reschedule an appointment and was immediately given the option of paying a $ 50 fee for this because I hadn’t given them a 48 hour notice. My appointment was on a Tuesday at 3pm. I called Monday at 3pm to cancel/​reschedule. I have doubts they were open on Sunday to give me the opportunity to call. I got a bill and almost immediately for $ 50. After ignoring the bill for a month, they actually sent me to collections for $ 65. Nice. I’m not sure it’s legal to send someone to collections for services never performed. When I called to inquire, the receptionist argued with me and then just hung up on me. When I called back, she just picked up the phone and continued to hang up. Real classy and professional.
I won’t go here again and I regret having recommended services here to others. Super, super BOO.

So I have a healthy phobia of the dentist. Let’s just say that as a child my dentist did such a hack job that the trauma still rears its ugly head occasionally.
I want to thank Dr. Sundberg and her staff for making me comfortable and acknowledging my potential discomfort and doing everything possible to put me at ease.
Oh, and when my baby sitter cancelled, they watched him for me!