Artistic Center for Dentistry: Laurel Trotter, DDS

Dr. Trotter’s work is AWFUL and she is an UNETHICAL human being.
Not only did she screw up two of my crowns, she completely screwed up my implant as well.
On top of that, I paid her $ 4500 up front (after my insurance coverage) and when she could not perform the proper procedures, would only refund me $ 2300.
Additionally, I must have taken off work 10 times over a 12 month period, and because her work was so TERRIBLE, I wound up going to another dentist and paying an additional $ 2500 to fix the work Dr Trotter, SCREWED up.
Ever since Dr Shir sold the practice to Dr Trotter the office has gone to $hit!
If you value your time, money and smile, DO NOT go here.

I was assigned by Delta Dental to the Artistic Center for Dentistry and was so excited after reading the reviews on here. However when I called in to schedule my first appointment the receptionist (Tracy) was extremely rude and curtly explained that they are not accepting new patients. Why would I have been assigned if this is the case? It sounds like these guys need to get their act together with Delta Dental so that this kind of thing is not happening. And regardless, it’s not a good sign if the person answering your phones is extremely rude and discourteous.

The dentist and the front desk gal here have changed; it’s now run by Dr. Trotter and Keiona at the front. Both of these women are great at what they do, extremely hard working and amazingly honest. I’ve spent thousands of dollars and countless hours dealing with the aftermath of aggressive shady dentists and it’s such a pleasure to be in the presence of people that I can trust my own mouth with.
Full Disclosure, I am one of the hygienists here and this is not a post just to get ratings for my office but rather, I see the precise careful work Dr. Trotter does and want others to know and come experience it for themselves.

Terrible experience.
I wish I read the other reviews before I went there. I needed treatment so was given a quote which I was comfortable with. After the job was done they said it actually cost more than what I was quoted at first so I needed to pay extra.
The main dentist is nice and seems to generally care about her patients but the receptionists and other dentists they bring in seem to have no idea what is going on.
When I had to come back a couple of weeks later to make sure everything was healing correctly the new dentist didn’t have a clue what was going on or why I was there and I had to explain to him that I think he needs to check my gums after my previous treatment. He checked them but the fact he didn’t even have a record of my previous treatment and the reason I was coming in was annoying and very unprofessional.
I just feel this company is very badly run and I really don’t like being quoted one price then told a different price after all the work has been complete which is very unprofessional!

Supremely satisfied! It’d take a stick of dynamite to separate us.
So happy to have found the capable, competent, comforting Dr. Shir and her extremely great staff, whom I’ve seen around the area and said «Hello».
They took everything I could throw at them and didn’t blink! :)
I’ve already recommended my wife and to coworkers.
You’d be crazy not to go here. You’ll thank me.

I’m never brushing my teeth again! I hope I get a million cavities and have to go here EVERY DAY!!!
In all seriousness this place is amazing. The dentist is a brilliant gem of a person and her staff are all hard working and caring people. I had a horrible experience with Western Dental on Lincoln and my HMO set me up here instead. I was a little hesitant at first because the other reviews are so horrible, but from the looks of things they could be from disgruntled ex-​employees. Her and her staff are truly warm, kind and compassionate. Here’s the breakdown:
Pros:
— — —
*LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION! 6 Blocks from the Beach!
*Accepts Met Life HMO! With only a $ 20 deductible for my cleaning!
*Considerate (and pretty) hygienist that worked diligently and thoroughly to make sure my choppers were clean as a whistle.
*Easy appointments and paperwork as the front desk was organized and ready to go!
*High Tech equipment!
*Awesome decorations in office that make it feel super Zen! Ommmmmmmmmm
*Excellent Dentist that is honest and didn’t find problems where there weren’t
Cons: (NOT MUCH! THIS PLACE IS AMAZING!)
— — –
*Street Parking
*A bit of a wait in between the Dental exam and Cleaning
*Cold office (brrrrrrrr) Bring a sweater
All in all, I’m not sure the other reviews are authentic and I’m glad I didn’t pay them much attention before I came in because this place is one of the best dental offices in LA. She is good at what she does, honest and quick. I will be coming back again! Thanks so much!

These people are robbers in Santa Monica and they call themselves dentist. I took my teenagers there and I was given a estimate that was outrageous.
had cavities and had to pay copay for each filling which I agreed. But they added extra charges to each filling which i had to pay over my copay which was double the amount of my copay.
I called the so called fraud and a bitch of a office manager that gave me the estimate and she said i have to pay it, then later called my insurance and they said this is fraud and no such thing and they cover fillings and i dont have to pay extra. The bit… Insisted on piling up these charges and if I don’t pay them they won’t do work. I called my insurance and complained as well as the ADA and reported the office doing fraude and taking $$$ from patients that have insurance .
I got a letter that they refuse to see me again!!! Huh so now they realize they are caught cheating and I got insurance and ADA involved.
do not go to this office as these people r thieves in the middle of the city of Santa Monica and kiana the office manager is a psycho and a crazy bitch, every time I asked questions she would say why r u yelling at me? I kept saying I am not yelling just asking legitimate questions and she would manipulate the conversation and again would say u r yelling at me when she couldn’t come up with a good answer.
She thinks she is smart by doing this act but people in this area are educated and smart and she needs to realize this. Wut a psycho:(:(

I first came to see Dr. Nushin Shir after living in Santa Monica for only 1 month and by recommendation of my co-​workers. I was a year overdue to see the dentist. Coupled with being overdue, I was also experiencing near-​chronic vertigo and almost chronic sinus and ear infections that I read may be tied to my teeth.
The Artistic Center for Dentistry was very clean and Dr. Shir was fantastic. Dr. Shir and her staff performed a thorough cleaning and x-​ray, uncovering that I had an infected tooth underneath a filling in my far back molar that required a root canal. She recommended an Endodontist nearby and scheduled an appointment for as soon as possible.
Thanks to Dr. Shir’s discovery and the root canal, my symptoms all starting going away shortly after the root canal was completed (2 visits). The infection was deep in the tooth and actually spreading to the nasal and ear cavity. I couldn’t be thankful enough to returning my body and mind back to a normal state!
After the root canal and a couple of cavities, my dental insurance reached it’s cap for the year, causing me to have to pay for the crown out of pocket. Dr. Shir was able to accommodate my situation better than any other 5+ star dentist could in the entire Santa Monica area, causing me to save a lot of money and headache. It’s great to be treated like this when you are completely new to a city and have to deal with a major dental operation.

I’ve been going to dr, shir for past 20 years. Her professionalism, knowledge, service quality, result, care and personality it’s been always consistence and for that reason my family and I been seeing by dr, shir and very happy. Thank u dr, shir for all these years to make sure we r having a healthy teeth .i highly recommend dr, shir to whom ever need help.
Hemati

I cannot say enough nice things about Dr. Shir and her entire team. I have been going to Dr. Shir for over 3 years and every time that I need anything her and her team are very prompt and courteous. On top of this her work is flawless. I do refer her services to my entire office team, friends, family as well as any person looking for a Dentist. I absolutely love Dr. Shir and her entire team!

I had to mention this place because I got AWESOME service!
I haven’t gone to the dentist even for routine checkups in years. So I was VERY nervous about how things would go. That’s where Dr. Shir comes in! She was really comforting to be around. Dentists get very judgy when you haven’t taken great care of your teeth. Dr. Shir wasn’t like that. She sympathized with my plight and gave helpful tips about taking care of my teeth when I can’t come in regularly for check ups.
Going to go back soon for the dental day spa… sounds awesome!

My experience are really great! Can’t complain. Deep cleaning and all my cavities are taking care of by a great staf and wonderful Dr. Shir.
Thank you!!!

There are new staff members that are even nicer than the previous ones if that can be believed and some that remained (yaaay)
Greg is still there with his awesome smile, no nonsense humor and professionalism.
New receptionist — Renee — love that she took care of all the paperwork stuff far in advance of my appointment from signing all the docs to getting the number to my pharmacy so that my prescription could be called in. Sure made a huge difference after having TWO root canals done! Thanks Renee
New office manager but not too sure about her name.
New Dental hygenist was awesome — Heidi — she was so much fun and professional at the same time. First cleaning that was drama free.
New specialist for root canals — Dr. Zweig (sp?) The man knows what he’s doing! He’s very professional and gets right to work.

I’ve been a happy patient of Dr. Shir for nearly two years now. I’ve always hated going to the dentist, but Dr. Shir has made these visits as pleasant and comfortable as they could possibly be. All the staff I’ve encountered in her office are extremely friendly. Dr. Shir herself is warm and caring and I’ve always felt that she’s had my best interests in mind. She’s been consistently good about keeping me informed about different options regarding the health of my teeth.

I came in for an initial consultation before Thanksgiving last year. They came up with a treatment plan and then just about nothing happened. They were supposed to give me a referral — never came despite countless follow up calls. Just excuses saying they would get it done, then nothing. I called up my dental plan and they said no referrals had been submitted. Each time I called the dental office, I got a condescending attitude on the other end of the phone. What a waste of six months of my time — hopefully the practice I switched to is better.

Read the other Unilocalers who have been ripped off and consider yourself warned. I have never even written a Unilocal review before but am so enraged by this injustice that I felt compelled to share my account.
I was estimated to pay a copay of roughly $ 600 for services over the course of 4 – 5 visits (cleaning, and sadly, yes quite a few cavities). After paying my copay amounts after every visit… I am today still stuck with over $ 1000 bill.
What happened:
At my 3^rd visit I was informed by the super friendly receptionist that my insurance would not cover one of the charges from my last visit b/​c there was «an elective procedure» (onlay) performed (which btw I did not «elect» to have). I was flabbergasted, but told by the super receptionist, «Not to worry about it», and was assured that he would «work it out». I was also told this on my two subsequent visits as well when I would ask about the status, even offering to pay for whatever copay remained. He told me to wait until he resolved the elective procedure issue with my insurance.
Fast forward 2 weeks later:
Unsuspectingly I open a piece of mail containing a PAST DUE invoice with HAND WRITTEN note (nice touch) at the bottom saying that I was being sent to COLLECTIONS if I didn’t pay my balance within 2 WEEKS. What? Yes. It was almost $ 2000…
A week after that I received another invoice with the same note, but this time for $ 1000. It was apparent at this point that someone over there was confused.
After a few phone calls I am still stuck with over a $ 1000 bill on top of what I have already paid for my not-​so forecasted co-​pay.
*Another note, after my 2^nd visit I received a $ 200 GIFT CARD in the mail for future services over I think it was $ 500. When I asked on a later visit if I could use it, I was told I wouldn’t have to because my remaining copay amount would not even reach the $ 500 threshold. Right…
I understand estimates can vary from the actual invoiced amount, but ~$ 600 vs ~$ 1800 is quite the discrepancy. 3 times the amount to be exact. I would have gone elsewhere if I had known this was the result!
Sorry Dr. Shir, you are very nice and skilled at your profession, but your establishment is totally unprofessional.

I love Dr. Shir, the office, and her staff.
Six months ago I was dealing with a terrible toothache. Some days it was so painful that I could only eat soft or liquid food. I went to see Dr. Shir expecting the worst, ready for her to tell me I needed a root canal. They took X-​rays, did a thorough exam, etc, and found no infection or decay. Dr. Shir diagnosed me with TMD, and explained that the cause of the pain was the unconscious grinding and clenching of my teeth. She provided a packet of information, including jaw/​tongue exercises that I could perform on my own. I was definitely skeptical, and was sure the pain had to be the result of decay. But after trying the home-​remedies she suggested, my tooth and jaw pain literally disappeared within a few days. I haven’t had much pain or tenderness in my jaw since, but when it does reappear, I now know how to treat the problem myself. I was so happy that she addressed the issue without having to resort to a surgical procedure.
Dr. Shir has a very warm and pleasant bedside manner. She always makes me feel comfortable and well cared for. The receptionists and hygienists are also nice, professional and efficient.
The atmosphere inside the office really puts patience at ease. There is a small TV mounted to the patient chair, so that you can zone out and watch while your cleaning and exam is taking place. I thought that was a great feature.
Parking is free for 2 hours on 6^th Street. I’ve never had a problem finding a space out front, but I always make appointments for early in the morning, so parking might become tricky later in the day.

I am not sure why so many negative reviews. I’ve been a patient of Dr. Shir for about two and a half years now and I can’t remember if I’ve ever had a better dentist. The office is state of the art and Dr. Shir and Dr. McDonough are top notch as well. I get cleaning regularly and it has never been anything unpleasant. All the staff members are very nice and friendly, they make sure you understand what’s going to be happening next and that all of your questions are answered before you leave. I’m not dreading coming back every 6 months at all!

I visited Dr. Shir last summer and this past January. My first visit was okay but suspicious, the second confirmed my earlier suspicions.
I found Dr. Shir on Unilocal and basically picked the office because of its close proximity to my office and the fact that she had some online reviews (I’d rather know something than nothing). The offices are beautiful — very clean and modern, with everything updated and digital, something I love. Reception was friendly, as was Dr. Shir, but I can’t say the same for the hygienist — not rude or mean, just cold. Dr. Shir was pretty nice and seemed pretty professional.
After being sat in the chair, Dr. Shir told me that I needed the extensive cleaning that she apparently told the reviewer below me about. I have pretty much perfect teeth with no cavities (knock on wood!) so I was kind of surprised, but I usually listen to doctors so I said yes. After they’d started, the receptionist came into the room and had me sign a form which I stupidly didn’t understand what it was. When I checked out, I discovered it was basically a consent form where I promised to pay $ 90 for the fancy machine cleaning on top of what my insurance covered for a basic cleaning. My teeth did feel nice, so I didn’t complain and just paid it.
Fast forward six months to my next appointment. I had new insurance, so I gave the receptionist my new info. For some reason, he couldn’t find me on the system, so he said he would just hold billing me for a week to see if my new insurance hadn’t gone through yet. After leaving the office, I didn’t hear back from him for two months, and left a message every other week asking whether he had ever billed my insurance. Never heard back from him, and eventually saw the billing after calling my insurance myself.
Next problem: I sit down in the chair and Dr. Shir comes in to greet me. I could see that they were setting up that fancy cleaning machine again, so I told them that I didn’t want the extra cleaning and that I would be fine with the general cleaning covered by my insurance — something I’ve done to my cavity-​free teeth twice a year for 26 years and been fine. This apparently really pissed them off, because Dr. Shir and the hygienist huffily packed it up, and then she proceeded to give me the fastest cleaning of my life. I was out of there in 15 minutes (seriously) without one side of my top teeth cleaned. I didn’t understand why she would be so mad about me not wanting to use the machine. She never explained what the big deal was about not using it, and you’d think if it was necessary, insurance would cover it. And if in fact it isn’t necessary, which I suspect is the case since I paid $ 90 for it the first time, then saying no shouldn’t be a big deal, and I should get just as good of a basic cleaning instead — didn’t dentists do regular cleanings before fancy machines? I just got one at my new dentist.

Worst dentist in Santa Monica.
Rough with utensils. My mouth was sore from the abuse it took after my initial examination. I thought about not going back, but decided to go back to get a cavity filled that was identified in my examination. Cavity then fell out a year and 2 or 3 weeks later. When I returned a year and 2 or 3 weeks later to get my filling replaced, I was told that «rule of thumb» was that over a year and without continued visits to this office I would have to pay for the re-​work of their failure. The estimate…$ 920. To replace a filling they did a bad job on. I called another dentist that afternoon and got a quote of «$ 100 or so» for the same job. And, this is the best part, they charged me $ 79 for the pleasure of waiting 30 minutes to be told that I would have to pay $ 920 to fix their shoddy work.
True story — another patient ran out of the office without telling anyone in the middle of a visit while I was waiting for my turn. I am sure it was just a coincidence. ;)
PS — «rule of thumb» for the office from the patient perspective — being bad at your profession with condescending help is bad for the bottom line (which is pretty clearly what this place is about)