Laurel Chandler Dental Care

A friend recommended these folks and I’m thrilled to be one of their clients. A couple of years ago, I needed two dental implants and was very apprehensive about the procedure. Dr. Sanjay Lala and Dr. Anthony Torres were very reassuring and completed the procedure without any pain at all. Irene and Lisa in the front office are very helpful and the place is very friendly and inviting. These folks, with Liberty Dental, actually charge less for services than my old Delta Dental plan I had through my previous employer. What can I say, they’re fantastic.
Go see them and you will be very impressed, no kidding!

I’ve been to Laurel Chandler twice now, both times for cleanings, and I’d have to say my first visit was better than my second. The office has a convenient location and I have never had an issue parking there. The office is clean and the staff is friendly, for the most part. I was only disappointed on my last visit because it was the quickest cleaning I have ever had! I feel like it’s because I’m on MediCal that they didn’t really care to do a thorough job on my teeth. The cleaning lasted less than 20 minutes. All teeth cleanings I’ve ever had in my life have lasted at least 45 minutes. They offer you a Starbucks gift card if you write them a review on Unilocal

I have been here for 4 years. Friendly staff & good experience.

Went back to check a tooth that I thought had a cavity. Once again, the entire staff was kind and professional, and Dr. Lala was completely honest with me. I didn’t have a cavity and he explained what the issue was and what to do about it. I really respect a doctor like that. My entire appointment took 15 minutes. Very happy :)

Another scam place. Just needed a cleaning, insisted on an exam and Xrays before I got one then MAYBE they would schedule one. These insurance rip off places are everywhere. I wouldn’ trust a single one of these reviews.

First of all, Laurel Chandler Dental posts signs in their treatment rooms indicating they will give you a prize (like a Starbuck’s gift card or something) if you write them a positive review on Unilocal.It’s patently against Unilocal guidelines for a business to request reviews, so that really bothered me, but given everything else I suffered in that office, it pales in comparison.
I chose Laurel Chandler because my husband had gone there (once, for x-​rays & denture advice, where he was told he couldn’t have new dentures due to gum aging; now I’m not sure), and the front office is very clean/​pleasant (one of the stars is for the waiting room).
My impression of Dr. Lala is mixed: at times he has seemed compassionate (when he speaks), but his physical manner with my face, mouth, and teeth is completely different. He doesn’t keep his fingernails trimmed all the way down, and I don’t get how these people don’t know that fingernails can be felt through latex gloves! Ow! He jerked my face and lips around however he wanted and didn’t pay attention to the effect on my lips, in particular (having my lips abused once is an accident; this treatment occurred several times).
My treatment plan included three crowns & a filling on the right & two crowns & a filling on the left (a lot of work). We began with the right side; I used nitrous because I have very sensitive teeth & a high level of dental fear. That appointment went okay because I couldn’t feel the temporary crowns being shoved against my gums, as I was still numbed. However, when I came back to have the temp crowns replaced, I was not numb, & the procedure sent me through the roof with every adjustment because under the temp crowns were little tooth stumps that were a hair away from the nerve. Isn’t it obvious that they would be extraordinarily sensitive? Should I have to explain this? Unfortunately, I was given a new girl to replace the temp crowns (never Dr. Lala unless or until the assistants had failed trying). There are two techs working there who seem to have a clue, but when the «real» crowns they’re trying to place in my mouth are simply not made properly (they were too big, too short, etc.), even someone trying hard to be sensitive is going to cause pain. (The stumps have to be cleaned off from the temp cement & dried.) Dr. Lala decided to send back the bad crowns, reinstall the temps, & try again when the new ones were ready. I had to ask him to put a rush on the order, & that still meant waiting another week. This time I knew it was going to be mind-​bendingly painful, so I requested nitrous, & they treated me like I was either weird or a junky & were concerned about payment (why should I even have to pay for it when it was their lab’s fault I was there in the first place?), not my comfort. No one ever asked «Is there anything we can do to make you feel more comfortable?» or offered something to make me feel more comfortable, except one tech who brought me warm water to rinse with instead of the cold water the newbie brought. They act surprised when you don’t want to watch t.v., and they don’t have headphones or music as a relaxation option (I brought my own).
This 2^nd crown experience was no better than the first, but I was in so much pain, even with the nitrous, that I think that was when I had to ask to be numbed again. It was all so hard to handle that I ended up telling them to make the crowns permanent, even though I could feel a gap between the top of the crown and my gumline. Dr. Lala did tell me that if they permanently cement it, it would have to be broken to be removed, but the idea of going through the temp crown to real crown process again, especially when I had no sense that the lab would get it right a third time, was unbearable, so I told him to make it permanent, and I expected that I would be able to live with it. I was aware at that time that I still had crowns on the left side to be done, so I was worried about how much time we were taking to do the right.
Because I’d had to pay for the nitrous out of pocket, I only used it once for the left side, but again, the first set of crowns was ridiculous (I took a pic inside my mouth to show Dr. Lala how out of line one was with my real teeth, & the other one simply did not fit). Using my very best mind over matter, I muscled thru two diff. temp crown replacements, but the tooth being covered barely existed (second bicuspid). The new crown felt nothing like my real teeth (was much smaller & rounder than what it was replacing), but it «fit» between my own tooth & the other crown, so again, because I was DONE with the pain, I accepted it as permanent & hoped for the best.
Now I have 2 sides of my mouth that don’t function — 1 makes it impossible to eat ice cream or drink cold liquid; the other can’t chew & makes my own tooth stick way out. I’m still paying huge $ for these faulty teeth, but I’m too young to accept bad teeth & pain the rest of my life! I want to replace them, but… yikes!

I came in to this office because it was close to my home. Also because of the 4 star good reviews. However i just walked out of the office so disappointed. It took about a week to get an appointment which is fine. I show up with my x rays, done about a couple weeks before. I get called to the examination room. The dentist shows up «examines» my mouth for all about 1 minute and says ok you just need a cleaning. When I know for a fact that is not all I need. He was super fast, rushed like he was just too busy to really give me a proper examination.
Lisa the front desk reception lady wants me to book a cleaning. However told her I will not be interested in coming back. I told her how everything was rushed and that is not what I’m looking for in my doctor dentist. All she had to say is «sorryyyyyy» no let me get the dentist so you can speak to him or if you have questions for him. Just «soryyyyyyyy» not a dentist I can personally trust.

I too shared similar experience as Stephen F and Arne W. (see their reviews below.)
I was assigned to Dr. Lala. After x-​rays were taken, Lala told me I had 2 cavities, an old crown had to be replaced, and another tooth needed a crown. The total estimate would be $ 1660 (see photo of estimate below.)
Since my previous out of pocket HMO expired, I re-​joined it and went to my dentist of 9 years. The group that assigned me Lala couldn’t assign my preferred dentist as he is not part of that network. Anyhow, my dentist of 9 years confirmed that I did NOT need those 2 crowns and that I did not any cavaities. That was 4 weeks after my consult with Lala.
According to the dictionary, the definition of fraud is the «wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain.» That exactly describes Dr. Lala.
I have filed a complaint with the service provider and will also file a complaint with other agencies as well.

I have never been to a dentist office that numbs you from the numbing needle medicine. I hate that shot and just that gesture made my appointment. I have had several procedures now and yet to have felt any of them.
I’m going to stop short of saying it is a pain free dentist, but pain less for sure. I would recommend those who need a gentle hand to see Dr. Lala. Very good bedside manners.

Our whole family (my kids, my wife and myself) have been coming here for literally a couple of decades. The staff is very conscientious, along with their attentive and talented dental assistants. Dr. Lala is the best. He is careful and will honestly tell you what you need. If a specialist is needed, he will let you know and will recommend great specialists. I’ve been a wreck since childhood, when it comes to dental work, but I feel so comfortable having work done here that I don’t even need Nitrous oxide (laughing gas).

RIP OFF!!! Part of my husband’s tooth broke off after he ate a RASPBERRY, and needed to go to a dentist ASAP. We jumped through a bunch of nonsensical hoops just to get him on their roster so he could go in to have it fixed. Long story short… they wanted to charge $ 335 dollars (an alleged co-​pay) for a GOLD crown — he didn’t want gold… he wanted porcelain! Apparently, this place doesn’t offer porcelain — ONLY GOLD, and they consider a crown to be cosmetic!!! Needless to say, my husband said «Thanks, but no thanks» and walked out! Stay clear of this place… they are a complete rip-​off, and will nickel and dime you to death.

This was my second time here and I was so surprised when Dr. Lala himself did my cleaning himself! I’ve never had a dentist take the time to do this and it was an indication I think of how much he cares about his patients. He was very friendly and professional.

Dr. Lala is really great with his patients! I have my annual cleanings here and also had my wisdom teeth removed by Dr. Torres who did a perfect job. The staff is very friendly and they always remember their patients. Great and convenient location and really nice new building. There is a great family atmosphere and I strongly recommend Dr. Lala as your dentist!

I have been going here for years and I have never doubted the quality of service. The staff are always very nice and appointments are on time with a minimal waiting period.
A few years ago I had my wisdom teeth removed. I have never experienced any complications and the procedure went very smoothly.
I highly recommend this place to anyone seeking friendly help and reliable doctors. Thank you.

From the front desk staff, to Angela, to the dental assistant Reyna, to Doctor Lala: All the staff are friendly and professional! The experience, after not having been to a dentist for nine years, was painless and NO CAVITIES! Coming back next week for my consult /​wisdom teeth extraction. Highly recommend this place! Even without insurance, the prices are way more reasonable than I’ve seen elsewhere!

i never expected to find such a 5-​star dental office (resembling one you would expect in Beverly Hills, CA) located in the Valley! unlike my previous dental visits (since childhood in South FL & other dental offices in CA) this office has a two-​part process for all new patients. your first visit consists of a full set of x-​rays followed by a thorough exam by the dentist. your second visit is solely for teeth cleaning.
visit #1: Yadira, a new graduate, made this formerly uncomfortable, bite down on hard oddly positioned cardboard-​like x-​ray pieces — a wonderful improvement from my past experiences. this time… i felt like a vip, as the high tech equipment replaced the dreaded cardboard yuck mouth from my past! Yadira’s professionalism, attention to detail, and genuine kindness immediately made me feel at ease. Knowing that this dental office cares about helping new graduates become superstars was the icing on the cake! they pay it forward!
visit #2: Dr. Lala performed my teeth cleaning in record time! Thorough and fast! my teeth and mouth feel refreshed and silky smooth! And i even left with a teeth cleaning goody bag!
If you want to be treated like a vip and not a number, desire to have less fear about seeing a dentist and enjoy the kind of treatment that I received, with advanced state-​of-​the-​art equipment, an honest and knowledgeable staff — then i HIGHLY RECOMMEND Dr. Sanjay Lala & his team at Laurel Chandler Dental Care.
*quick tip: the office is located in a 2-​story green building on the Westside of Laurel Canyon Blvd. (across the street from the Gelson’s grocery store). parking is FREE in their building which is always a plus!
to vip styled a fabulous job taking my xrays

Wonderful experience! ! I needed 3 teeth extracted to accommodate my new braces and, as someone who has never been put under anesthesia, or had any surgeries in the past, I was naturally terrified. Dr. Torres, however, put all my fears to rest. He was very friendly, and answered all my questions during the initial consultation, and we went over all the options as far as being sedated.
I am happy to say that the day of my surgery went as smooth as could be, one minute I was talking to the doctor, the next minute I was in a wheel chair and on my way to my car! Super fast, painless, and minimal bleeding. I couldn’t be happier or more satisfied with the entire experience, I would definitely recommend dr. Torres!

I have a Dental HMO that gives me less options, but I had been unhappy with my Dentist for some time. His name is David Issacs and I was uncomfortable going to him because I always felt like he was trying to upcharge me. Plus he treated his staff terribly in front of his patients, and the atmosphere at the office is toxic and depressing.
So I went on Unilocal and was impressed with the reviews for Dr. Lala. I am very happy to have made the switch. The office vibe is very friendly and professional. And the location is so covenant close to the 101 freeway and with free parking!

I’ve been avoiding the dentist for years and like most people I only needed one when I felt pain.
I called the office in the morning explaining the pain and the receptionist had me come in that afternoons.
Dr. Lala is amazing, he makes you feel at ease and is incredibly gentle. The staff is kind and knowledgeable making the entire experience a pleasant one.

Best Dental experience ever. Granted, its been years since i last saw a dentist. I had 2 impacted eisdom teeth along with a molor that had been consumed by infection.
I spoke with Dr Torres and he walked me through every step and answered all my questions. Long story short, he removed 4 wisdom teeth and 1 molar in about 45 minutes. The recovery time was amazing considering i just had 5 teeth removed.
It took about 1 week after surgery to be back to normal eating (except for crunchy foods).
I only had to take pain pills once to sleep and havent taken them since. Its been a month since the surgery and i cant believe how great i feel.
I recommend this place to anyone and everyone.