Two (very different) visits to the dentist

So both Patty and I hadn't been to the dentist for 12 months and were overdue for an exam and cleaning.

I found a dentist (Alpha Dental, Dr. Eugene Kim) near Patty's office (near Metrocenter Mall) and accompanied her yesterday to her appointment. We filled out some paperwork and waited a few minutes before the hygenist came to get Patty. After only a few minutes, the hygienist led Patty back to the front office and said that the cost would be $164 for 2 cavities and "full mouth debridement". Without offering a verbal explanation, the staff handed us a paper explaining the various "levels" of cleaning. Since we were already there for the appointment, we decided to do the "full mouth debridement" that day. After paying, the hygienist again took Patty to the back. This seemed so strange that we had to pre-pay prior to any procedures. After waiting another twenty minutes, Patty was done. The doctor seemed decent but the staff was really lacking in service.

After we got home, I did a bit of research on "full mouth debridement" and it seems like a rather involved process (something that can't be done in 20 minutes). The question that keeps popping up in my head is whether the full debridement was required, and if so, was it actually administered?
In any case, both Patty and I got very strange feelings from the visit and have decided that Patty won't be going back to Alpha Dental.

After Patty's surreal ("Twilight Zone") visit, I decided I needed to go for a check-up as well. I did some searching and found a dentist near our house - Desert Vista Dental.

I had a fantastic visit! The entire office staff was great. I was impressed with the digital x-rays:

Having a good hygienist is just as important as the dentist. The hygienist explained, in detail, what she was doing throughout my visit. I think she won me over when she mentioned that I had "pretty teeth". When the dentist (Dr. Robert Jones) came in for the final inspection, he said, "wow, you have great looking teeth" (again, bonus points). Maybe I can become a "teeth model"...hahaha...

The truth is, after having scaling done a few years ago, I vowed that I would never go through that again and since then I've tried to take great care of my teeth. My routine includes brushing with an electric toothbrush, flossing daily, and rinsing w/ Listerine twice a day.

A successful visit...no cavities!

If you need a dentist in the West Valley, I highly recommend the team at Desert Vista Dental!