Smiles Are Us

I had 11 Amalgams removed by Dr. Nathaniel. Pro's: professional, skilled, experienced dentist + assistant. Personal care, quite detailed communication, and access to his mobile (a rare thing these days, but so helpful!). He allowed me to call him on a Saturday after 5PM to discuss details for my trip to come and see him. I chose him as he was one of the few to sent a personal quality email back with a reasonable, even good, price, and after speaking with him on the phone I was certain that he was the one I wanted to have for this imho major procedure. Nathaniel and his assistant are patient, helpful, and I am quite happy with the end result. 2 Photo's from before (not all Amalgam's shown) + 4 photo's from after attached, one for each quadrant. You also see the blackness on tongue which is the activated charcoal. Note to anyone who considers having this (imho dangerous) procedure - i.e. the removal of old Amalgams - please consider (but do your own research - not medical advice) taking plenty of Vitamin C + Activated Charcoal before and after the procedure. Especially after as Activated Charcoal (which is also used in hospitals for poisoning) binds really well with Mercury. In total I likely had about 50 grams of Activated Charcoal over two days, most of it after the procedure. Dr. Nathaniel allowed me to rinse in between the 4 quadrants of my mouth (which were all done in a 4 hour session with a separate rubber dam for each quadrant and breaks in between each quadrant) - i.e. went to the bathroom and as good as possible (numb lips!) rinsed with activated charcoal. It's a bit of a mess, but it cleans really well from sinks etc. just wipe it with a tissue. I used the Schizandu hardwood activated charcoal powder from Amazon. If you're worried about your procedure or have questions feel free to email me at roel at vandepaar dot com and I will be happy to have a chat. Just email again if I do not reply in 1-2 days. Also if you notice that the rubber dam is leaking (i.e. you get fluids into your mouth), you are fine to stop the dentist and ask that they fix the rubber dam. As for small opportunities to improve (and some of the reasons for 4 not 5 stars); a little bit more instructions would have been helpful during and before the procedure (for example an information sheet beforehand, and/or instructions on how to breath through the nasal air tube which I found hard, though I could have asked). Had to ask to cover my clothes (which I think is part of S.M.A.R.T. protocol by default), and head was not covered except regular dentist glasses. Some of the instruments seemed bit older or well-used/stained. I also would suggest for them to use a checklist to make sure all things are in place (complex procedure - so best to have a checklist to quickly run over before each quadrant). All in all, a positive experience, and I consider Dr. Nathaniel a qualified dentist. Also noteworthy is that I have near zero discomfort today (the day after) except for some light sensitivity to cold in the teeth (to be expected). That says a lot imho. Note that dentists are taking significant risks (Mercury vapors etc.) each time they help a patient with Amalgams. That seems to be noteworthy and to be a very worthwhile cause imho. Thank you very much Dr. Nathaniel, and the assistant, as well as the team at Smiles are Us. May God bless you all.UPDATE: 3 weeks later: regrettably, on both sides of my mouth, it feels (since the removal of the amalgams) painful while eating and the teeth are sensitive to cold. There must be some issues with the fillings. Dr. Nathaniel kindly offered to review them, but the drive is too far. I will wait till the new year (reset of health fund allowance) and then go to a local dentist to get it fixed up. Depending on the outcome of that I may update the review again later.UPDATE: a year later: the pain really settled down shortly after a minor flattening was done by our local dentist, and that really cleared everything up. Very understandable with 11 amalgams removed, and overall happy with Dr. Nathaniel & Smiles Are Us!!

I have been attending this practice for 10 years now. Always such friendly and helpful staff that provide a high level of care. Would and do recommend to my family, friends and the occasional random on the internet.

If you read my post, do yourself a favor and stop looking.This practice is the best. The professionalism is second to none and they display a genuine warmth.Exceptional customer service, and off course, it is affordable.I have recommended this place to everyone who needs major dental.

Went today for annual check up as always for the last 15 year and service was absolutely fantastic atmosphere and friendly serviceBig score for professional performance and gentle dental practice go to Hygienist Amanda Devenand

I can’t speak more highly of the staff at Smiles are us. Jayneen was so professional, gentle, and caring. She explained everything to whatever level of detail I needed. No hidden surprises. All other staff were very friendly and approachable also. I felt quite at home. Without a doubt the best dentist experiences I’ve had. I believe Jayneen is very good with children also. If I lived here I’d certainly come again.

Very professional staff and facilities… they went out of their way to book me in on the same day when an old filling collapsed (not their work originally, I must add!). The repair was excellent and the cost surprisingly low! Thank you team, keep up the awesome work!

Nathaniel is a fantastic dentist. So quick but still does all he can to make you comfortable. And very reasonable pricing!

Exceptional service across the board. From the front desk staff to the dentist, dental assistants and hygienist, everyone was professional and personable. Makes a big change from many other cold clinical environments, which is important given many people's aversion to visiting the dentist. You can tell that the staff feel valued and as a result they deliver genuinely exceptional service and care. Couldn't recommend more! Thanks team!

Highly recommend, Seen Nathaniel today and fixed my issue quick with great results.Thank you so much.

Have been going there for years,always a warm friendly atmosphere. All the dentists and hygienists are excellent and good to have a laugh with. Not often you can say that about dental appointments