Smiles of San Marcos

Dr. Rasika Jain and her staff are incredible! My husband and i both got cosmetic dental work done here! I get sooooo many compliments on my smile. We get our regular cleanings and I’m going to be receiving a dental implant for one of my molars. I am a dentist snob from Los Angeles and stick with a dentist when i feel safe, and not taken advantage of. Dr. Rasika will be my dentist as long as I’m in the San Diego area. Her knowledge and tender care of teeth is par none!

I took advantage of a special coupon offer for x-​rays and cleaning. Even though I had not had a cleaning in 18 months, they did not try to talk me into a deep cleaning but instead did the x-​rays and a thorough cleaning including debridement. The dentist did discuss options with me for repairs that are necessary and I am in the process of arranging for that service. VERY PLEASED with the process and the staff.

After an initial misunderstanding about what I wanted this office went out of their way to accommodate me. I was treated politely and professionally and was in and out in under 45 minutes. Awesome!

Is there such a thing as a minus review?
I don’t think I’ve ever written a review on Unilocal before, but I feel I need to tell others… BEWARE! My experience here was so awful and I’ve wasted so much money! After going here for several years for lots of different treatments (crowns, extractions, braces and the last straw — implant), something didn’t quite sound right and when I questioned it, a whole lot of awfulness ensued. I stopped going and after almost a year of trying to resolve, get insurance straightened out and dealing with disputed bills (too awful to go into detail) I recently saw another dentist to finish up work started by Dr. Jain’s office. My new dentist says that I need $ 13,000 (my share after insurance) worth of work! How could I have been so duped? BE CAREFUL!

I’ve been going to this place for about a year now, and i must say I love it. Everyone there is very helpful and friendly. I had to get my time cut short for braces, but Dr. Jain did everything she could to help speed the process for me. This place highly recommended.

I visited Smiles in September of last year, I believe. I wanted to go not only for a routine check-​up and cleaning, but I was having a bit of pain where, earlier in the year, I had a root canal and crown. My roommate at the time said she had heard great things, so instead of searching around, I just went for it. They did my X-​rays and all that jazz. Then, the doctor came in and barely poked around in my mouth before instantly telling me I had a lot of bone loss and needed an implant instead of the crown. I was mortified. She also informed me that usually insurance companies wouldn’t cover something on the same tooth within three years so it would be $ 3000 out of pocket. I was really hesitant and asked about my other options. None of them sounded good. I went into an office with I don’t remember her name and she went over the financing options with me. She was really trying to get me to commit to my treatment option. After her trying to get me to commit for a while, I left because I really needed to review my options as I had not expected to be having a $ 3000 expense at that time. The office called me a few times after that to follow up about my treatment… I finally declined and let them know I would be finding a new dentist.
During my most recent office visit at my new dentist, I was told something very interesting. After he was finished looking at everything he asked me if I had any questions. I asked about my crown and root canal and asked if everything looked ok. He told me it looked find. I said it was interesting since my previous dentist told me I had a great amount of bone loss and needed an implant. He looked kind of stunned. He went over my X-​rays with me and showed me that everything looked great.
Dr. Jain was very nice and polite during what wasn’t even really an exam. She had a very pleasant demeanor. However, I did not enjoy the what I felt like was high pressure sales pitch for the implant.

BEWARE!!! BEWARE!!! RASIKA JAIN WORST DENTIST DO NOT GO HERE FOR YOUR DENTAL WORK. I myself had a bad experience with this dentist a few years ago when her office refused to fax some paperwork/​x-​rays to my oral surgeon to get my wisdom teeth extracted. Since I did not have any cleaning or other services scheduled with her at the time, she refused to fax my paperwork to the oral surgeon unless I scheduled at least a cleaning service. Will NEVER go to her ever again.

I unfortunately did not have a very good experience either. You can read my wife’s review, Sherisse, and notice that the office decides to give us a lesson in insurance instead of addressing the real issue. I would pay cash out of pocket if the dental work was needed so you can save your lecture on insurances.
Let’s see how you twist my situation around. I had been going to the same dentist for 7 years regularly every 6 months. I hadn’t had a filling in 3 years. My last visit was in May for cleaning in Xrays. I switch to Dr. Jain in November and suddenly I have 3 or 4 cavities that have to be filled immediately. They even go as far as bugging my wife as to when I will get that work done. The hygienist was very nice and at least got the hint when I told her I do not need a deep cleaning even though she mentioned it twice. Which by the way, Dr. Jain’s insurance price on a deep cleaning is MORE than the cash price of my previous dentist. Go figure. The front desk was generally nice except for the billing lady. She had complete attitude and just flat rude.
If you want to follow blindly and be up-​sold then this is your dentist.
Incidentally, my wife and I have received 2 different second opinions and both disagree with Dr. Jain’s diagnosis so my wife and I and our 4 children will look for another dentist.

I don’t understand all the negative reviews. I have been going here for over a year and have had great experiences. I have horrible gums and teeth and now my oral health is on the upswing. Dr Jain is nice. I really like pavlina, the hygienist. She has made me feel at ease about coming in regularly.
Recently, I felt a lump in my mouth. They got me in the same day. Dr Jain, checked it out. Told me it was nothing and just swollen salivary glands. When I went to pay, she said no charge. Really nice!!!

I have never taken the time to write a review on Unilocal but my experience at Smiles of San Marcos was so awful that I felt the need to warn other innocent people from making the same mistake.
It all started in November when my husband changed jobs and health insurance. We have always had PPO and this was our first experience with HMO. Our dentist of 5 years unfortunately did not take our insurance so we had to go else where. We picked Smiles of San Marcos.
First, my husband who gets his teeth cleanings done twice a year and has never had one cavity, went in for his cleaning. After his consultation and xrays they told him he had 5 cavities. At his last appointment with our trusted dentist only 4 months prior to his appointment at Smiles he had NONE So how does he go from no cavities to 5 cavities in 4 months??? To top it off Smiles told him that its going to be over $ 500 out of pocket for him to get those filled.
Second, with some disbelief with their diagnosis for my husband, I decided to go in for my teeth cleaning. I knew going into it I had to have 7 filings to be done that my prior dentist had told me about before our insurance switched. 5 out 7 are the amalgam (old metal kind) and be replaced with ceramic fillings. Anyways, after my consultation Smiles informed me that I needed 5 fillings, 2 root canals, AND a deep cleaning. Which totaled $ 2,880 out of pocket for me. Keep in mind I had just seen my trusted dentist 4 months prior to this visit. I informed the billing lady that I not only did not believe their diagnosis, I could not afford all of that work. She said well talk it over with your husband because this is the work I need done. After speaking to my husband and calling my prior dentist I decided to just get my cleaning done and then look for a different dentist. I called Smiles to schedule my regular cleaning but the front desk lady informed me very RUDELY that they will not just do a regular cleaning and that if I can’t afford the work then I need to go elsewhere. I said, «but you can’t deny service since you are my dentist». She said, «If you are not willing to receive the work we have said you need then we will transfer you to another dentist’. We argued back and forth and she finally said we will be transferring you good bye and hung up.
So basically even though my insurance pays for my annual cleaning which I am entitled to, Smiles refuses to provide a free service because they would rather falsely diagnosis in order to RIP ME OFF!

Mi habian recomendado mucho este lugar, pero fue una decepcion ya que la ODONTOPEDIATRA no tiene la menor idea de como lidiar con los niños nerviosos.
Tuve que parar la sesion porque mi hijo estaba muy tenso y logicamente la anestesia no le hacia efecto. La dentista estaba apurada y queria terminar rapido. Preferi abandonar el consultorio con mi hijo porque si alguien tiene que atender a mi hijo lo debe de hacer tranquilo, sin prisas y sin estar molesta.
Para que estudian Odontopediatria si no les tienen paciencia?

I went in for a few things, one being a root canal. For background information I basically found these guys after searching and I was happy to make an apointment because my insurance no longer worked for my previous Doctor. After having a procedure done, being in the complete dark with what could happen. They tried to tell me that it was just a one in a million chance and SOMEHOW i got the short stick. I was furious. Everyone can see my teeth and yea they may have done their job on the root canal BUT now my tooth was going to be GREY forever. I was upset! I broke me teeth young and all i’ve wanted was pretty teeth THey told me there was now ONLY TWO OPTIONS and I didn’t understand anything.
I was so confused I begged my parents to go back to my old dentist BTW HER NAME IS MARYROSE HAWKINS (SEEING HER FOR 20 YEARS!!) and what she told me was two things. ONE being that this dentist obviously doesn’t follow the same rules most dentists use pertaining to procedures. My doctor, Maryrose hawkins XRAY/​SCANNED my teeth (whatever it’s called) and the first thing she pointed out about my root canal…
«now i see why she did this, BUT what is this? why is this in your mouth?» and she said she didn’t want to mess with it until she found out exactly what the procedure was that RASIKA JAIN did… the second thing she said was «we can fix your teeth and they will beautiful» :) I am completely satisified and i learned my lesson about what money could really buy.
the worst part is she tried to tell my family that they weren’t going to pay for the first two teeth (the ones that needed the original work) and she wasn’t going to pay for the thrid one (I MADE HER REDO IT BECAUSE THEY LOOKED UNEVEN) and they were supposedly being nice when they told me that in order to fix those two teeth they would need to fix the surrounding teeth and they discount my 6 teeth including the two i needed at a NICE TOTAL OF about 5 – 6,000 $$$
My doctor said they will be able to fix JUST MY TWO TEETH AND MAKE THEM MATCH THE REST OF MY MOUTH.
That’s about it… i’ll gladly give you guys my dentist she’s awesome and has had the same team for over 20 + years (i’ve only been alive for this long) AND it’s a small office as well… this woman is determined to keep you guys her loyal customers :) she’s in Del mar RIGHT off the 5.

My husband has always taken care of his teeth… flossing every day, brushing 2x day, going to the dentist every 6 months, etc. We invested in a water pik which was suggested by Smiles of San Marcos and used it religiously. Because you wanted my husband to come every 3 – 4 months, he alternated between Smiles of San Marcos and another dental office. He went to your office when our insurance would cover for it. The other time we had to pay out of pocket, so he went to the other office where my sister in law is the office manager because paying out of pocket was less expensive there than at Smiles of San Marcos. It is just very suspicious because throughout my husband’s life he was always on a 6 month prophy and all of a sudden, he needs to come in every 3 – 4 months.
Since we’ve changed dental offices, my husband was told that he did not need to come in every 3 – 4 months and was placed back on a regular 6 month prophy. Also, our 16 yr. old son was diagnosed with a cavity and needed a filling. Our son just had his appointment today with our new dental office. He had a full exam and xrays. There was no decay detected.
Smiles of San Marcos, however, was good to our little girls (4 & 5 yrs. old). They only had 2 cleanings and 2 check ups while we were there.
This is what we experienced. Others may have experienced worse, the same or even have wonderful visits. If others have a great experience, that’s wonderful! Good for them, but for us… it was not.

Told us that our daughter needed an extraction because the tooth following it was eminant. That tooth didn’t appear for more than 9 months.
Told my wife she needed «bridge work.» We sought a second opinion and that Dentist just shook his head in mystery.
Friendly enough folks, but not sure about their integrity. Try somewhere else, especially if insured and have the option to do so.

Awesome dentist… Great with people who are scared to death. Great to deal with