Harry L. Dougherty Jr, DDS, MS

My dentist, Dr. Richard Swatt, who is amazing, recommended for me to see Dr. Dougherty to fix my slightly misaligned teeth. He is absolutely wonderful and extremely caring. He is very thorough and detail-​oriented. He took a lot of time to discuss my options and we decided to go with the Incognito braces. I didn’t want regular braces, so this is the best choice for me. I feel completely confident that Dr. Dougherty will give me the perfect smile that I’ve wanted for many years! Thank you, Dr. Dougherty!

All I can say is THANK GOD for Harry Dougherty!
Let me tell you a little story…
A horrible pig of a man who calls himself a «neuromuscular dentist» and «TMJ Expert» convinced me that I had TMJ (also called TMD) because I had some ringing in my ears. He convinced me to wear a mouth splint for a year that completely moved all my teeth around and screwed up my bite and did absolutely nothing to alleviate the ringing in my ears. He then tried to convince me to pay him tens of thousand of dollars to let him grind my teeth down to stumps and apply veneers to fix the screwed up bite that he created. That’s when I decided to get a second opinion.
My regular dentist, Olivia Cajulis, recommended that I see a prosthodontist. The Prosthodontist took one look at my teeth and said that it would be «criminal» to apply veneers over teeth in such great condition. He then referred me to Harry Dougherty, who is without a doubt the finest orthodontist in Los Angeles and one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Seriously! Harry took the time to fully evaluate and explain my condition and even sent me to an oral surgeon for a CT-​scan just to make sure I didn’t have any jaw joint problems (I didn’t). I won’t lie; Harry had me in braces for 18 miserable months fixing that mess, but he did an absolutely fantastic job and my teeth now look and work better than ever before.
Thanks so much, Harry! ;)

From our first visit to our «almost» last, our experience at Dr. Dougherty’s practice has been excellent. We were referred by a friend, and since have referred many. His staff is professional and put our son at ease during his very first visit. Our consults with the Dr. were informative and his equipment is state of the art. I trusted his judgement and the plan he set up for my son. His waiting room is calm and my son rarely, if ever, had to wait to be seen. They even have a teeth brushing station for the kids. Smart. My son’s teeth look gorgeous and, most important, they are healthy. Great office!

Ive been going to Dr. D since I was a little girl… I admit that I haven’t been an easy case… headgear, expanders, braces, and several retainers later, I wouldn’t have chosen any other way. I still love coming to his office. Not only is it always immaculate, but his staff (chair-​side and at the front desk) are truly lovely people and ALWAYS greet you with a smiling face, genuinely interested in how you’ve been doing.
EVERYBODY should be so lucky to know Dr. D. Ive grown up in a family of medical and dental professionals and they all highly value their rapport with patients. Dr. D remembers everything about everyone and he enjoys following up with his patients about their personal lives-​somehow he always sneaks in motivational words about school! Dr D takes time to really get to know his patients on a personal level– he treats patients as people and has a heart of gold. Ive never met a man busier than Dr. D but no matter what– his passion is his patients.
Im constantly impressed by his knowledge-​whether its explaining to me every procedure or material going into my mouth or the time he takes to teach fellow orthodontists that travel from countries around the world to shadow him. It’s evident that he’s a leader in the field and loves what he does.
His work is perfection. As a student in the dental school at USC, people are always commenting on my smile.
The bottom of my business card reads «Because everyone deserves a smile as proudly worn as mine» and I owe it to Dr. D.
Thank you for being there for me through thick and thin. You are truly a saint!

My daughters have been with Dr D for several years.
My oldest had surgery to realign her jaw and she is as stunning as can be. Best part perfect smile !
My 14 year old just had her braces removed and looks beautiful ! Straight teeth and she followed every step from rubber bands placements … Which I found all over the floor at home !! Not cool !
But the end result is just beautiful !!
Could it be because his dad was an orthodontist or better yet a USC GRAD !!
Thank you and Your staff for all the TLC !!
You make our smiles rock !!

Dr. Dougherty is more than an exceptional orthodontist, he’s a great human being. He takes his time and explains all of your options to you in great detail. I also appreciate the way that he speaks to my son. I can tell that my son respects him and is working hard on keeping up with his retainers, not only for me and the transformation of his teeth, but because he doesn’t want to disappoint Dr. Dougherty. He always has great advice and I really like Mary too. The office is clean, it’s in a very nice building and is conveniently located in Sherman Oaks right off of the 101 freeway. Dr. Dougherty was recommended to me by my pediatrician. And I whole heartedly recommend him to you. Don’t walk, RUN to this office. You’ll be happy that you did.

Dr. Dougherty and his staff truly deserve a 5-​star rating. Officially, as of yesterday, both of my daughters have completed orthodontic treatment. Both have dazzling smiles! Between the two girls we have been seeing Dr. Dougherty for many years. Both daughters had orthodontic challenges and Dr. Dougherty was able to find solutions without needing additional extractions, implants, etc. One daughter even had a tooth imbedded in the roof of her mouth. Dr. Dougherty invented some contraption to bring it down and eventually got it in line with her other teeth! Moving on to his office and staff… wow! they really run a tight ship! The office is welcoming, you never wait more than a few minutes for a scheduled apt. and the staff is knowledgeable, courteous, and compassionate. Have had more than one «emergency» need (wire snaps, etc) and they are always accommodating with seeing the patient immediately. Billing and correspondence is done via email– prompt and efficient. I would highly recommend this practice.

I highly recommend Dr. Dougherty Jr. DDS, MS. Prior to going to Dr. Dougherty my daughter was fearful of any dentist. However, from the first visit my daughter was very comfortable with Dr. Dougherty and his entire staff. To my surprise she would look forward to her next appointment and she was very comfortable. Dr. Dougherty did a phenomenal job with her teeth. She had her braces removed around Sept 29, 2014. Since having her braces removed she has been smiling ²⁴⁄₇ her teeth look perfect. They gave her clear instructions on how to take care of them and all along the way they were very clear on instructions to the point I did not have to be involved in her appointments at all. The financing department was also helpful in explaining my options. The front desk was also very helpful when we needed to make changes to her appointments. They have the state of the art and up to date equipment. I can’t say enough good things about it. Thanks Dr. Dougherty!!! Brianna B is smiling very proudly and she looks beautiful! P. S. Thanks for the picture and personal note that was mailed to me. I love that touch of her writing me a personal thank you and the picture of you and her after her braces were removed! Definitely a moment I want to document and since I had to work and wasn’t physically there it was even much more appreciated.

Wait, what? I haven’t written a review for Dr. Dougherty yet? Nonsense! I just gotta say that along with my oral-​maxillofacial surgeon in Santa Barbara, Dr. Dougherty «cured» my bite and improved my well-​being a hundred-​fold, holding my hand every step of the way.
I had some pretty complicated bite issues that, at the age of 28, could only be solved through double jaw surgery (finally had the surgery just days before I turned 30). Dr. Dougherty came recommended to me by one of the specialists I saw in my journey to fixing the problem. He worked in conjunction with my jaw surgeon, Dr. Gunson, and they kept each other updated on my progress. I needed braces to bring my teeth into line before the operation, and then surgical hooks immediately before. Until I had surgery he also made an acrylic splint for me to ease the stress on my jaw joints and allow my muscles to rest, where my bite wouldn’t allow it.
I never dreaded going to the office because Dr. Dougherty and his assistants always put me at ease and engaged me in fun conversation, even as they worked on me. It’s very clear how knowledgable and experienced Dr. D is. If you get braces with him, no matter what age you are, listen to everything he says and take care of yourself, because it’s going to be like you’re a partner with him in your own care.
My friend Marcie liked my results (smile) so much that she was inspired to go to Dr. Dougherty herself and get braces!

Dr Dougherty was a great person to work with and a superb orthodontist. After visiting 3 other doctors (BH, Calabasas, Studio City) I had found Dr. Dougherty best. He had a great sense of humor and I was always very comfortable with him working on my teeth. According to Harry, I was his toughest patient. Boy was he good at fixing me up. After 3 years in braces I got that movie star smile ;) Thanks to him and his wonderful team of assistants I would recommend him as a DDS to anyone. Big ups on the reconstruction of the office looks very modern and a good vibe when you walk in!

I felt compelled to write a review about Dr. Dougherty after seeing him again recently after maybe 3 or 4 years. Dr. D outfitted me with braces throughout my middle/​high school days and always managed to strike the perfect balance between friendly and professional.
When I was young, all my teeth were crooked. ALL OF THEM. I was grotesque. I would accidentally bite the inside of my cheeks daily and blood would spurt everywhere and I was a monster. Ok, exaggerations aside, my teeth were objectively pretty gross and Dr. D completely transformed them with minimal pain and discomfort. He was always honest and straightforward about all procedures and on top of that had an amazing team working with him that has never failed to make me feel welcomed and at ease. I believe it says a lot about someone who not only makes sure his work is top-​notch but also that all those who work with him also live up to high expectations.
4 years after my braces were removed, my permanent retainer came apart as a result of my insatiable desire to eat the toughest and crunchiest foods possible. I returned to Dr. D to get a replacement and was greeted with the familiar warm smile and twinkling eyes. He asked me if I still wanted to pursue a career in business and if my brother was doing well in his financial services job. HOW DOES HE REMEMBER THESE THINGS? The man has had hundreds of patients over the years and yet he spoke to me as if we’d merely parted ways weeks ago.
Dr. D is the perfect example of both a consummate professional and an overall kind, wonderful person. I would recommend him to anyone in a heartbeat.

So far so great! First my daughter had braces and, not to brag too much about my own offspring, WOW her smile is beautiful. We never noticed that all her back teeth didn’t meet together (okay, I’ll admit it, I only ever peered in her mouth when she was little to brush and floss, but who looks at their kids teeth when they’re biting down?).
Flash forward to three years later when I take my son in for evaluation. Well, there was so much whooping and hollering that I’m sure it sounded like I won the lottery (Can you guess? My son didn’t need braces!).
Flash forward four more years and yes, it’s my turn. I swear I never noticed how big my overbite was… Well it’s been 2 months so far and my overbite already looks better. I won’t say it’s been the easiest 2 months. I’m still lisping, but at least I stopped spitting on people, and there is waaaaay more hardware in my mouth than I imagined could fit (no snarky remarks please about what that volume should be).
Now, Dr. Dougherty and Sarah were very descriptive and thorough, and they both did a great job explaining (warning) what was coming but, still, I had no idea the extent of torture devices legally available to orthodontists. I will say that I got a hug from the doctor at one of my visits for being a trooper. I also fully expect my smile to be as gorgeous as my daughter’s.
I love the staff — friendly, professional and understanding (read «sympathetic»). Celina is great — gentle, talented and she accurately described my first few weeks as being «on an orthodontic diet» and, yes, I lost 3 pounds!
The offices are pretty, the view is fabulous and everything is computerized and very high tech. My IT guy would love a client like Dr. D. I’ve even grown fond of their reminder-​system-​on-​steroids. If I ever miss an appointment it would have to be because I was in a coma and, even then, my family would get my reminders and take me in, comatose, so as not to delay my orthodontic progress.
I think the only thing I was told that caused me pause was that I would have to stop having red wine or I would stain the bands around the clear brackets. Well, don’t ever underestimate the ingenuity of a mother of teenagers who, if anyone does, deserves lots of wine. I just use a straw…

I found out about Dr. Dougherty through Unilocal,and I must say thank you! Dr. Dougherty is wonderful! Both of my boys need braces… and after an initial consultation I really didn’t feel like taking the financial plunge.
First, let me tell you about Dr. Dougherty. My oldest son has great teeth except for a gap in front. We figured… let’s fix it since he is self conscious and doesn’t do a full teeth smile. Well after some pictures and xrays. Dr. Dougherty sat down with us and told us how his tongue is the culprit. After examining my son’s great facial bone structure, he put a mold of my son’s head on the screen and put points here and there. He told us where he was off and where he would like to see him. He gave us enough information… leaving us with ooohhh. and aaahhs, and not leaving a gazed look on our face from too much information. The initial orthodontist didn’t even give me a ¼ of the info that Dr. Dougherty gave us.
Second, Sarah, the treatment coordinator, is so professional and patient. I met with her a couple of times. She answered all my questions, didn’t rush me, and didn’t bring the money monster up front. My son and I asked her so many questions about brackets, cleaning, bands, headgear, and we probably asked the same questions more than once. She was still patient. She showed us videos, paused when we interjected with questions, and overall she was great.
Finally, his staff is so nice and pleasant. That is a big deal breaker for me. I have changed doctor’s just because the staff is so rude and inconsiderate.
Overall great experience!

I live in Valencia but it is worth the drive I did for 3 years. Top notch and always friendly. My sons teeth look amazing and now my next one will go here too.

Dr Dougherty
What a great Doctor and most importantly what a great person. I will definitely refer all my family, fiends and colleagued to Dr Dougherty. Dr Dougherty really took his time, explain my options and pin pointed what my problem was. I’m very thankful that I was able to find Dr Dougherty. Go see him with confidence and I know you will not be dissapointed.
Thanks Dr D.

See my beautiful smile? See how straight they are? See how when I bite my bottom teeth don’t touch the roof of my mouth? Well, that’s all because of the wonderful Dr. Dougherty.
Dr. Dougherty was recommended to me by a friend’s mom who was a dentist. When I mentioned his name to my dentist his reaction was something like, «Well, you can’t go wrong with Dr. Dougherty. He’s the best.» Despite getting a couple consultations with other orthodontists, Dr. Dougherty was the clear choice. He was the most professional, had the cleanest looking office and had the nicest office staff. Before I knew it I had a mouth full of braces and kept on losing my bumper that went on my bottom teeth.
Now, ten years after I first got braces thrown on me, my teeth still look like the day the braces came off. The entire experience was great. I had my braces on in less than two years. During that time I of course went through a lot of discomfort, but in orthodontics that’s the name of the game. Dr. Dougherty always made it clear that how long my braces were on would be up to me. If I wore my headgear, rubber bands and bumper my time with metal in my mouth would be minimal. I was pretty good with all the gear and he was really good about praising me the months I did well. Of course, the months I was lacking, he made it pretty clear he was disappointed. He wouldn’t get mad, just disappointed which is so much worse. You can tell he’s a parent because he has that down pat.
So now my little cousin just started his journey with Dr. Dougherty. My aunt mentioned me (I haven’t gone to see him for about three years) and he completely remembered me. I swear, every third kid I see with braces tells me he/​she goes to Dr. D. For having so many patients, for him to remember me says a lot about his character.
Even to this day Dr. Dougherty is considered the best. I go to a new dentist now and he asked me who my orthodontist was. When I told he just smiled and said, «Of course. No one else could be that perfect.»
When I got my braces off Dr. D. cemented in a retainer to the inside in my bottom teeth. He told me I get it out either when I get married or turn 30. I can’t wait for either those days to come, just so I get to say ‘hi’ to Dr. D. again!