Ali Mogharei DDS

Super dentist — very knowledgeable, efficient, and very pleasant to deal with! Plus free chapsticks!

I feel an urgent need to update my review and give Dr. M and his wonderful staff another 5 stars.
Reading some of the recent poor reviews makes me really want to put my $ 0.02 in.
First of all, a couple of reviews have complained that the lady in charge of the billing, Joanne, is loud and obnoxious… yes she is loud and so the hell what. I think she is sweet as can be and not everyone rocks the same ol’ grey boring personality. I don’t find her one bit obnoxious; as a matter of fact she has always made me feel rather welcome and always entertains me before I’m brought into the exam room. We need more people like Joanne at every dentist office because her bubbly personality eases the nerves.
Second of all, complaining about a fee for canceling your appointment less than 24 hours in advance… uhh that’s pretty standard. Imagine running a business and you don’t book a customer because you are expecting another person to show up and they just cancel. That’s money lost. Yes Dr. M is in the business to help your smile look pearly white, but he is also in the business to make a living. Again; most doctor offices charge a fee. No point in bitching and moaning over it. On that note however I’ve canceled a day before my appointment and Joanne has always been understanding and never has she bullied me to come in or threaten to charge me… perhaps if you aren’t a bitch to her she is actually really nice and accommodating.
Last but not least; I was very disappointed when my long time hygienist Gladys left the day before my cleaning appointment with her; and was even more frustrated with the new hygenist that took her place. I came to Unilocal writing my frustration in a 2 star review swearing I’d never be back. Time passed however and I realized there is no one else better than Dr. M; so I decided to give the new hygienist a chance. Come to find out; Doris is actually a doll and really good at what she does… I think I was just a psycho hormonal mess the day I went in and was used to the old hygienists ways so I never gave Doris a fair chance. The girl was so careful cleaning my teeth today and even kept dabbing my face with a towel not to mess up my make up. Too sweet!
I always have and always will be very impressed with Dr. M and his staff. Ever since I can remember I hated going to the dentist but he makes caring for your teeth fun and I’m happy to show off my pearly whites. Trust me when I tell you you are in very good warm loving hands when you become a patient of Dr. M :)

Reception is rude and inflexible to re-​arrange dates if it’s a day before. Always pushing very hard for you to come back. Feels impatient and needy. The actual service is good, Dr M. Everything else feels shady. Frustrating experience overall.

The ABSOLUTE worst dental experience of my life. Last time I was here was in August of 2015. Why did it take me so long to write a review on them? Because there were so many things that went wrong with this place that just out of pure laziness, I didn’t want to make the effort to write such an extensive review. Ok… Here we go.
1^st. Let’s start with the simplest problem. PARKING. Each time I went here, their parking lot ended up costing me 12 bucks. Why? If you’re lucky to find street parking, make sure you leave 2 hours early because in Santa Monica this is nearly an impossible feat. So, imagine. having to go to their office a total of 4 times, that’s almost 50 bucks.
2^nd. After I made an appt with them I ended up getting a canker sore from just a lack of everything but I’m use to it because ive suffered from this since I was a baby. My mother and my brother suffer from the same danmned thing. If you know anything about this, you know that they are NOT contagious. It’s caused by stress, lack of sleep, and a vitamin deficiency. So, I called them up to reschedule for a time after I have healed and, was it Joanne (?) tells me, «Oh, you should really come in then because the doctor might have something to help you heal.» I said oh, ok… And kept my appt. I get there the day of and guess what? Not only did the doctor see me for less than 5 minutes, he said there’s really nothing he can do till I heal and walked out of the exam room.
2^nd and a half. The dental hygienist that was suppose to clean my teeth looked at my canker sore and says to me, «Um.ya (In the most valley girl voice). I can’t really do anything because you’re probably still contagious.» I looked at her like, WTF??? How are you working in people’s mouths and not know what is and is not contagious?!! Then she goes on to tell me that her mom suffers from canker sores and when she gets one, she stays away from her father. My reply was, «Well, then, your mother doesn’t have canker sores, she has herpes.»
3^rd. The front desk women are not only creepy but just straight up obnoxious. The lady (I call her that hesitantly) is so demanding and loud. She uses intimidation to get what she wants. Then there’s the receptionist. She’s the girl that pays you unwanted and unnecessary compliments in the most awkward weird way. It’s hard to explain. It’s just bazaar. lol…
4^th. They still use film for X-​rays!!! So friggin archaic. Any decent dentist is now digital. If your dentist isn’t, find a new one. After my nightmare with this doctor my new dentist caught 2 cavities that Dr. Mogharei missed!
5^th. I had a crown done that now after 5 months, I still suffer from tenderness and chronic pain. My new dentist and I are hoping the pain subsides because now I’m not sure what I have to do to fix this or even if I can.
6^th. Today I go to the mail to find a bill from them for another 335 bucks of which I paid in full when I was there. I immediately called my bank, got a reference number and called their office and gave them a piece of my mind. I was so angered by their absolute disgusting methods, I just couldn’t hold it in.
7^th. Their office is is so unclean. The spit cup I used had blood spattered in it and the whole office is in dire need of a facelift, including their equipment. The whole time I was there, something in me kept wanting to leave. I should’ve listened to myself but I didn’t. Now I’m suffering the consequences.
Luckily, I found an amazing dentist that is the complete opposite from this archaic office.
And one more thing. At one point I had to reschedule one of my appts. When I called, that same obnoxious woman that handles the finances picked up and basically bullied me into coming in. Telling me that I will be penalized if I cancel in less than 24 hours. «You know what bi*ch, sometimes life happens and it happens at times you don’t expect.» I have no idea how she actually got me to feel bad about it but I did and I went in bringing cupcakes! Unbelievable. All I can say is, I felt bullied. so embarrassing.
This is the kind of experience when you don’t realize how poorly you were treated till you leave and find someone else. Like dating an abusive guy thinking you don’t deserve better. Trust me, you deserve better!!!

I’ve been a patient here for a about 4 years.
This is hands down the best dentist and dental office I’ve ever experienced.
Since I turned 50, I’ve been having my 20yr old precious work redone.
Warm and friendly atmosphere, goody bags and snacks are a bonus.

Never thought I would give a dentist a 5-​star rating, but this one is worth it. Great office staff. Friendly and more than willing to work with their patients. Even thought I have a lot of work to get done, I haven’t felt judged, only helped. Hardest part was putting away my pride and walking thru the door. Thankful every day for the recommendation of Dr. Mogharei!

Place is fantastic! The entire staff are very friendly and personable, and they do a great job reminding you of your appointment. The office is always flexible about finding dates and times available for you to stop I’m. Service is always good and the place is clean and orderly. Dr. Ali really takes the time to explain things and answer any questions without making you feel rushed. Doris is awesome, she always make sure you are comfortable and leaves your teeth feeling fresh and clean! Thanks!

Ever since I was a little I’ve had an irrational, almost paralyzing fear of the dentist after several botched procedures and childhood trauma in the dentist’s chair. Because of my anxiety I refused to go to the dentist when I realized I cracked a tooth, but when most of my tooth broke off as a result, I obviously had to do something. It seems that there are few practices that administer nitrous oxide or offer conscious sedation, and I was so relieved to find Dr. Mogharei. While the procedure was not quite anxiety-​free, I knew I could trust him which helped me get through it. I wasn’t a huge fan of his assistant, she was a little condescending and didn’t make sure I was still numb before yanking stuff around in my mouth, which obviously sent me into a panic attack. She then seemed to take it personally when I requested that only Dr Mogharei work on my teeth.
Anyway, when I went back for the second procedure I didn’t even need the nitrous, which is a BFD. Whether you’re terrified of the dentist and have anxiety or not, I highly recommend Dr Mogharei and will never go anywhere else as long as I live in LA

Decided not to post

Front office staff is super friendly. They have a cool texting system to remind you of your appointment. The hygienists are great and Dr. Mogharei is kind, patient, and never tries to upsell any services or products. He and his staff really make me feel welcome and taken care of. Overall a great dental experience.

As a recent transplant to L.A., I was drawn to Dr. M’s office by reviews touting a spa-​like experience with paraffin hand treatments and video goggles, but quickly realized those are just there to distract you from the unethical practices going on at this place. They take a «worst case scenario» approach to scare you into undergoing expensive treatments and they were very shady about billing me for treatments they didn’t perform. And boy, do they like to sell those veneers. Every time I went in, I was told more of my teeth needed to be veneered. The only reason I am giving the second star is because the receptionist and my regular hygienist were very nice. Now that I have a great dentist, I realize just how bad this place was and that good dentistry does not have to be excruciatingly painful (or painful at all).

Our family has been so happy with the care and service of this dental office. Our kids feel comfortable when they are there. Joann who runs the front office is so caring and takes the time to carefully answer questions. We have been happy and well taken care of.

I was was a bit suspicious when I saw all these 5-​star reviews here and concerned when I noticed that the place was surrounded by car dealerships. Because that’s the service you get here too: they work the up-​sell like there is no tomorrow. They’ll force «advanced» services that are of lower quality than the regular ones elsewhere. They’ll try to scare you with what will happen to your teeth if you don’t budge too.
I also agree with the other reviewer’s comment about the office manager’s attitude and manners (the chubby one, not sure if there are others). Avoid this place to save yourself from frustration and having to find another dentist right away.

My co-​worker refereed me here and I love her for that. He patiently listens, offers the best advise and is not ready to jump on your jaw and extract money out of it.
Every need I had, he has offered a few alternative solutions, and this way he creates an amazing sense of trust. His staff members are friendly, they remember you and go out of their ways to help you. He is an exceptional dentist with great staff! Thank you Dr Moghareie and Cindy, in particular! :)

Dr. Mogharei is the best! I’m so happy my sister referred me to his office. Going to a dentist is never inexpensive. Might as well be in good hands. He is so nice. The whole crew is nice. Cindy is such a sweetheart. and they all know what they are doing. They are gonna make u feel comfortable. Very professional! I’m so glad I finally found a dentist whom I could fully trust. Thank you so much!!!

I love my dentist AND his staff is excellent. Dr. Mogharei is warm and compassionate. Gladys is the best dental hygienist ever. She keeps me on my toes with how to get healthy beautiful teeth. She even makes «scaling» not painful. Their offices are done in soothing purple. Definitely friendly and warm staff just make a visit to the dentist easy!!!

6 months after my first appointment, I have decided I will not be returning to Dr. Mogharei for my dental needs anytime in the foreseeable future. My first appointment was strange at best — hand wax, heating blankets, 3D movie glasses, and somewhat dingy exam rooms left me feeling claustrophobic and a bit odd. Dr. Mogharei was nice enough and explained what needed to be done but as soon as he left the room, I was briefed by the brusque office manager about the details of the pricey deep cleaning procedure. I had only missed one appointment since I had moved, were things really that bad in there? Thankfully, for some strange reason, the manager said that the doctor would cover the costs of the deep clean since I was a new client. I thought this was awesome until the procedure was in progress. Very painful and hygienist didn’t comfort me in the slightest. I left with a bloody mouth from a procedure that was free, yet probably unnecessary.
What finally sealed the deal for me was when I returned the confirmation call from the same oh-​so-​friendly office manager today about my appointment, she was rude and curt with me and so I told her I’d like to cancel my appointment.
Sorry Dr. M. but having a friendly support staff is #1 in my book. There’s no reason to be rude, harsh, and unfriendly ever but it’s a deal breaker when it involves being extremely vulnerable with my mouth open in your chair and sharp metal things prodding around.

I was referred by my friend and after I went there I thanked her so many times! Seriously such a caring doctor! And the staff is amazing. I’ve been to quite a few dentists and up until now never had my own dentist because I would never stay satisfied. I love this office so much that I even took my sister there. She is thanking me now. The chain goes on. :)

I absolutely love this office. Aside from the spa-​like atmosphere (paraffin hand dip, heated blankets, comfy neck pillows, headphones for your smartphone, massaging chair), this office is staffed with people who truly care about their patients. They’re the type of people who remember what’s going on in your life (i.e. surgeries, weddings, new jobs) and genuinely care enough to follow up when they see you again. They’ll even pay your parking meter if you’re running short on time during an appointment!
Dr. Mogharei is gentle, thorough, and uses cutting edge technology. I really appreciate his conservative approach. He’s careful and methodical in his treatment plans, he won’t suggest doing something that isn’t absolutely necessary, and he’ll clearly communicate his long-​term and short-​term goals for your dental health.
I really can’t say enough about this place. So hard to find this kind of care in Los Angeles.

There is no other dentist like Dr. Mogharei! You’re right, I haven’t been to every dentist in the area but just from simply talking to friends and family I know that there is nothing comparable to this place.
The desk staff is so personable and sweet. Stephanie really makes a point to make everyone feel welcomed. Even though the wait time is always short she will offer if you want anything while you’re waiting. Whats even better is that it feels like she actually likes her job so nothing is faked or forced… she just genuinely cares.
The stations are comfortable with a TV available and a back massage available as well. I personally like that the office chose a color scheme (purple) because it makes the whole place feel comfortable and put together.
The hygienists are delicate, precise and communicate with how things are going in your mouth during the cleaning.
The best part??? If you actually brush and floss everyday you have nothing to worry about!!! I live in San Diego but have kept Dr. Mogharei as my dentist, he is 100% worth the trip to LA.