Here’s an uncomfortable truth: most people pick a dentist the same way they pick a plumber — whoever’s closest, whoever their insurance covers, or whoever showed up first in a search. That’s not necessarily wrong, but it does mean a lot of people end up with a dentist they never actually chose on purpose.
Longevity Tells You Something Marketing Can’t
Anyone can build a nice website. What’s harder to fake is thirty-plus years of actually showing up. Dr. Alan Howard has practiced dentistry for over three decades, and The Dental Office Encino has served the community since 1991. That kind of track record means real people, in your actual neighborhood, have already tested this practice — through good visits and bad ones — and kept coming back.
The Technology Question Nobody Asks
Most people don’t think to ask what equipment a dental office actually uses, but it’s one of the more revealing questions you can ask. Cone beam 3D imaging catches things flat x-rays miss. LANAP laser therapy treats gum disease with less discomfort than older methods. CEREC technology means a crown can sometimes be designed, milled, and placed in a single visit instead of two. These aren’t luxury extras — they’re the difference between guessing and knowing, and between one appointment and three.
Who’s Actually Behind the Chair
At a lot of practices, you might see a different associate every visit. Here, it’s Dr. Alan Howard and his son, Dr. Yonatan Howard — the same two people, appointment after appointment, who actually remember your last conversation about that molar.
The Details That Add Up
Hours that fit your schedule. A staff that speaks your language — here, that’s English, Spanish, and Hebrew. A location you’re not dreading the drive to. None of these are dealbreakers by themselves, but stack them up and they start to explain why some people happily recommend their dentist to friends and others just tolerate theirs.
Read the Reviews Like You Mean It
Skip the star count. Read what people actually wrote. Do they mention feeling rushed? Do they mention the same doctor twice? Patterns in the actual words tell you more than a number ever will.
So, How Do You Decide?
The right dentist is the one you’d actually recommend to your own family without hesitating. If you’re ready to find out whether that’s The Dental Office Encino, call 818-300-0333 or stop by 17071 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 102, Encino, CA 91316. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Friday until 2:00 PM.
