Shemali Eli - Pearl District Dental

Phyllis: Dr. Mika placed veneers on my front teeth about three years ago. They look and function as good, actually fantastic, today as they did then. Before I had this done, I went from forcing a smile (and then being embarrassed about it) to smiling constantly. Smiling is really contagious. I'm also noticing that people around me are smiling more. I you have any doubts about your smile, believe me, investing in an improvement is worth every cent.

By the way, I thought the cost was kind of high at first. But, seeing the extra steps Dr. Mika took, it was actually well worth it. One of my co-workers had two veneers placed by her dentist about one year ago, she has chipped her lower teeth three times now. I referred her to Dr Mika. Sure enough, the veneers don't fit well with her bite.

Dr. Mika may be a great dentist, but I would not recommend her for a number of reasons.

First, Dr. Mika suggested extensive treatment to correct my bite, prior to veneers saying it made no sense to do veneers because they would be compromised without correcting the bite. At the time it made sense to me. She also recommended making a new nightguard to replace my inexpensive 'off the shelf' biteguard. This too sounded reasonable. After consulting with Eli, it was obvious that the whole endeavor: treatment, custom nightguard, bleaching, veneers, was going to require a second mortgage on my home, so I decided to consult other dentists.

What I found out was 1) treating my bite was overkill and unecessary to protect veneers (besides, your bite changes every time a new tooth is worked on, 2) her fee for veneers is high and 3) my retail nightguard was sufficient. The other thing I found out is Dr. Mika is the only cosmetic dentist, out of several that I visited, who charges a consult fee. And, this goes for dentists who spent considerable time with me including taking digital photos and a chairside assistant taking notes for the file. Some dental offices even laughed when I asked if they charged a consult fee. Dr. Mika charges $100.

The final issue has to do with insurance coverage. When I made the consult appt, I pointed out that insurance coverage is important, as these are expensive procedures. They assured me that they were 'in my insurance network', and no worries. Days after the appointment, I get a letter from their office that said they no longer were in my insurance company's network (meaning, there would be higher out of pocket expenses for patients). Not only was this a big surprise, since just days earlier they confirmed they were in network, but the way the letter was worded 'we will still submit claims' and 'coverage is still the same' made is sound as though nothing had changed on insurance coverage, when in fact it was a big change for how much patients would have to pay out of pocket.

Bottom line, as beautiful as the office is, which includes a lot of open space with expensive artwork (which I do not care to subsidize), and as nice as staff is, I would not recommend this dentist to anyone UNLESS they don't mind treatment plans that are overkill, have money to burn and they don't mind an office that is less than forthcoming when it comes to information.

I'm less concerned with the ambience and chairside manner of the dentist as I am their proficiency when it comes to cosmetic dentistry--not only the aesthetics but that it lasts. Any dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist, with no specific training required, although many general dentists state how they've taken numerous hours of training. But the ultimate proof of skill is in customer satisfaction and/or being an accredited cosmetic dentist with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Has anyone had porcelain veneers done by Dr. Mika at Pearl District Dental, and if so, what was your experience and has it lasted? Thanks very much

Truly outstanding in all categories. You know you're in good hands when you're so relaxed you can actually nod off to sleep while getting a cavity filled! Dr. Mika has a soft touch and a reassuring professionalism. The quality of the work is excellent - I can barely tell which teeth are the ones that got filled.
I'll definitely be returning to Dr. Mika and I'd recommend her to anyone looking for a dentist.

Dr. Miyamoto-Shemali's work stands out for its superb quality, great aesthetics and phenomenal attention to detail. She is truly an artist. She transforms dental restorations into masterpieces. She is the only dentist in my experience who combines predictability of complex dental treatment with beautiful aesthetic result. This is not a dentist for those who are interested in "patching things up". She has a comprehensive approach to treatment and great patient communication skills. I highly recommend her.
She cared about the end result for me - and made it work. Procedures were timely. Insurance was handled well. All in all - a terrific experience

The entire staff at Pearl District Dental is very professional and friendly. Appointments are always right on schedule and your comfort is extremely important to them. They always have the latest technology and the treatments will be thoroughly explained to you beforehand. Dr. Mika has a gentle chairside manner which removes any stress or anxiety you may have. This is the best dental office I have ever visited.

My husband came home the other day raving about his new dentist - amazing this, fantastic that, wonderful everything. I haven't seen him this excited about anything for a while, so, I decided to give this place a try.

Wow!!! that's all I have to say. From my first phone call, I knew this place would be special. Those of you who've stayed at any 5 Star hotel know what I'm talking about. Delightfully professional, and they've thought about everything, including parking instructions.

Dr. Mika Miyamoto-Shemali was the dentist I saw there and she was incredible. She actually spend about 30 minutes just getting to know me before she even did her exam. And, she actually listened. Her exam was the most thorough I'd experienced and I learned more about my teeth than I have in my previous dental visits. After the exam, she took more time to recap what's going on and to answer my questions. I kinda felt bad for taking so much of her time - but she did not seem to mind at all.

Oh, the clinic is drop-dead gorgeous. My last dentist had all the high tech gizmos too, but the way this clinic is put together is a beauty - lots of light, high ceilings, natural wood everywhere, they even have a small art galler (you can see a virtual tour at www.pearldistrictdental.com)

My husband just got back from having two fillings done there. More raves :) I can't that big time dental chicken actually got enough nerves to go there.. WOW!!!!!

Need a dentist? Go there - it's a no-brainer.

I felt compelled to write a review about the terrific experience my husband and I have consistently had with Pearl District Dental and Dr. Mika Miyamoto-Shemali. We've been going to this clinic for a little over two years. There are few businesses that have my complete loyalty and this is definitely one of them. Everything about this clinic is beautiful/exceptional, the doctor, her chairside manner, her staff, the facilities, the treatment, the equipment, the widespread smiles. I've referred several of my friends and they have called to thank me for this. I am happy to refer her to you.

Just got done from a visit to Pearl District Dental. I've been coming here for a little over two years and been wanting to have some cosmetic work done on my teeth (can never look too good LOL) I really liked my previous dentist of 25 yrs and was not going to let anyone touch my teeth until I felt comfortable they can match the same quality of work. Dr. Mika understood perfectly and has been quietly earning my trust. I had her do a filling for me recently and was so impressed that I asked her to move forward with my cosmetic work.
Now, having easily having well over 50 fillings/crowns, you name it, I thought I was educated about teeth and smiles. But, I was in for a surprise. I can tell by the level of details, Dr. Mika really has quite an eye for cosmetic work (can't wait to begin).

Now, I expect a top cosmetic dentist to impress. But, I was really wowed, when I met with Eli, Dr. Mika's office manager afterwards. He took time to answer every question and to walk through the process with me step by step. He expertly reviewed my insurance policy and made suggestions on how to maximize my benefits. I can go on and on- suffice it to say, he spent over an hour answering questions from pesky me, and still had a smile on his face the whole time.
This clinic really makes you feel like you're the only person that matters.

PROS: Excellent treatment and service
CONS: