Local Recommendations Sought

[pameladean]

I'm sorry to go so long without posting and then do something like this, but I thought it might be nice to collect recommendations for a dentist before something really nasty happens rather than while it's happening. Cut for the non-local and the phobic.



So, can anybody local to me recommend a dentist? I need to be able to get to the office by bus from South Minneapolis without going through a lot of fuss and bother. I have a small mouth, an active gag reflex, a low tolerance for pain, a horror of all medical and dental procedures, and a profound disinclination to be bullied, scolded, lectured, or in any way given any shit about any of that.

Disrecommendations are also welcome, and you can email either if you aren't comfortable using the comments.

Thanks.

P.

Comments

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

Valarie E Kreps, DDS - General Dentist
1206 Randolph Ave
Saint Paul, MN 55105
Ph: 651-699-3031

she's my dentist. i don't know how to get there from your house, but mctc will know. i like her a lot.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I used to see Bruce Betterman in Richfield at about 66th and Morgan; he is a highly competent dentist, but I began to feel that he just wasn't kind enough.

I trolled for recommendations a few years ago, and have ended up at Susan and Fred's dentist, who is Steven Posnick, in St. Louis Park. He is competent and kind, both. I fear he might be too hard to reach on the bus, but I don't really know for sure. He has one hygenist I don't want to see and one I like who is retiring. If I don't like her replacement, I'll be looking for a new dentist myself.

K.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I see Betterman's partner, Dr. Mork, at the same office. I think he's good.

B

[seimaisin.livejournal.com]

If busing to downtown Minneapolis isn't a chore, then I recommend Brent Bordson at Metro Dental in the Medical Arts Building. I hadn't been to the dentist in nearly a decade when I first went, due to active fear of the whole process (many adolescent years in braces will do that to a person) - turns out, I needed a lot of work done, many cavities filled, but no one there made me feel silly about it. Very nice, very professional, only a minimum of discomfort. I can't say enough about them.

[jdfskpoi.livejournal.com]

Dr. Arndt in the Medical Arts Building downtown. It's a small one-person office, and he's very matter-of-fact about everything. I've been lucky enough not to have needed anything beyond a cleaning, though, so I have no idea how he'd be in that respect.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

I don't imagine you want to fly to Philly for dental work, but I've found one that will allow me to use nitrous oxide to get my teeth cleaned.

[pameladean]

I had one who would do that -- in fact, he'd provide Valium, though I never went that far -- but he retired a while ago.

I doubt my insurance would pay for the plane tickets, but it's too bad. I've always wanted to see Philly.

P.

[pameladean]

Thank you. Has she had to do anything terribly complicated with your mouth? I'm fairly sure I'm facing a lot of icky stuff.

P.

[pameladean]

I'll look him up and consult the Metro Transit website. St. Louis is more bussable than a lot of western and southern suburbs.

Thanks.

P.

[pameladean]

B, thanks, though I'm not sure our attitudes are very similar.

P.

[pameladean]

Downtown is very easy for me. Thanks for the testimonial. I figure I'm probably in for root canals, at the very least -- any experience with that, for this dentist?

Thanks.

P.

[pameladean]

That's a good sign, matter-of-factness, and I already know where the Medical Arts Building is. I will need more than a cleaning, though, I'm afraid. Thanks.

P.

[coffeeem.livejournal.com]

We used to go to Dr. William Berge on Hennepin just south of Lake. He specializes in people with dental phobia, and was wonderful about letting me have gas and novocaine both. And he put posters on the ceiling, since one sees more of the ceiling in one's dentist's office than anything else in the place.

He probably doesn't remember us, but if you go to him, tell him we said "Hi" anyway.

[sraun]

ADK Dental
about 25th & Hennepin

I've had some reconstructive work, iraunink & Margo B. and I have all liked them.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Dr. Mork is a nicer guy, and I think you and B. might have more in common on this topic than one might think at first glance.

K.

[seimaisin.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't had to go the root canal route yet. Good luck, wherever you end up!

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

If you get so far as periodontics, I can recommend my guys for that. When I had the initial procedure (more detailed than cleaning, but along those lines, and not actually very much more unpleasant than a standard cleaning) there was much giggling and hilarity between the Dr. and I, as we recounted our favorite bits from "Spinal Tap," I talking in that dreadful mumble one uses mid-procedure at the dentist's, but snickering happily nonetheless.

*And* their hygenists are fantastic.

K. [but let us hope it doesn't come to that for you]

[pameladean]

Nicer is good. I'll look him up too.

I didn't mean to be dismissive, but was trying to elicit discussion.

P.

[pameladean]

That's where we used to go, on your recommendation. I vaguely thought somebody had told me that he had retired, but I guess that I misunderstood. More to the point, he had to send one of our bills to collection because our insurance at that time was so stupid, and I am too embarrassed to go back because of that and because I've neglected his good work for so long.

P.

[pameladean]

As a rule, I have very good gums and very bad teeth, so maybe it won't come to that. I'm very glad to think that I can go somewhere so highly recommended if it does, though.

P.

[pameladean]

Thanks, that's nice and easy to get to.

P.

[sdn.livejournal.com]

if you want to talk at length about all of your dental work, you can always email me. i am pretty unshockable at this point.

signed, 12 root canals

[epj.livejournal.com]

I don't have a local recommendation, but my fiance is terrified of the dentist and waited a *year* after he broke a tooth to see a dentist, by which time he was in a considerable amount of pain. He saw a woman that specializes in children's dentistry, and she was very comforting and matter-of-fact. Perhaps try children's dentists in your area; they (ought to) be sympathetic considering their usual patients. Good luck!

[pameladean]

They'd be used to having not much space to work in, too. Thanks for the idea.

P.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

I went to him for a while, and yes, he did retire. Or went to do something else--my previous dentist quit to teach, because his back got so bad.

Nicollet Station Dental

[1crowdedhour.livejournal.com]

When Dr. Berge retired, I went to the dentist who bought his practice. I should have known I was making a mistake. The name was changed to Beautiful Dentistry. No lie. I did not feel one bit welcome, let me tell you.

Nicollet Station Dental (at Marquette and Fifth downtown, so handy by bus) used to be called Prairie Dental, and was the downtown branch of a practice that started in Eden Prairie. My friend Jody WINOLJ put me on to them, as they were not only competent but hundreds of dollars less than Beautiful Dentistry.

I don't have dental insurance, so they don't pester me for anything unnecessary, but they are very good. No preaching, and they are willing to do all sorts of pain and nervousness remediation. To my astonishment, I haven't needed anything but the basic novocaine from them, as they are really darned good at getting things done without messing me up. I have now had two crowns and a replaced filling from them. The name of the particular dentist I see there eludes me at the moment...it will come to me and I'll e-mail you.