FLOSS Dental: W38th

Great location, great staff, great experience.
Just switched to Floss and am very happy. Staff made it easy to schedule and Dr. Wilde was terrific.

You know, when you are new and town and looking for a dentist, I really hate it when dentists try to scam you. That happened here. I get my teeth cleaned every 6 months. I am new to town. I would know if some major drama happened since the last 6 months. There would have been a warning. I was told by the first dentist I saw, not DR. TIFFANY PAIVA, but another one that I needed 3 crowns. I was like, ya, I might need one but 3 I don’t think so. So I came here for a second opinion. And you know what? Not only did she say I needed 3 crowns but she said I needed deep cleaning treatments that are very expensive every 3 weeks for months. So I went back to the first dentist and he said, that part is not true. I still didn’t think 3 crowns was necessary. Nice to have but not actually necessary as I have no issues. So I got a 3^rd opinion. Guess what, still no deep cleaning at all required and 1 crown. And I could wait a year or two on that. So there you go. Great degree, young doctor, expensive franchise, hustle. Be weary as the deep cleaning was completely untrue verified by 2 other dentists.

It surprises me to see that people have had great experiences here. I really tried to like this place, I did, but in the end, it was just disappointing. I will say though that Diamond, the receptionist, is very sweet and seems to be the only person that actually remembered my name every time I came.
I was an Invisalign patient here for over a year. I always found it a little odd that over the course of the year, the dentist had only examined my teeth twice and both times were because I requested alterations to my treatment. All of the other times I came to the office (once every six weeks for Invisalign), one of the assistants would give me my new trays, ask me to try them on and then send me on my way (what’s the point of even going IN to the office?).
Early on in my Invisalign treatment, I decided to go in for a cleaning. The cleaning was pretty quick overall. At the end, the dentist came in to tell me I had a cavity and needed to get a filling. I came in a few weeks later to get the filling — the process took almost an hour and for about 48 hours following, I felt like I got punched in the face. I’ve had fillings before and never had they taken that long NOR had I ever felt like I got punched.
The tipping point for me was when I decided to try out another dentist for my next cleaning. I was shocked to learn that my bite had changed from my Invisalign treatment and it had changed for the worse (none of my teeth were touching when biting down on one side of my mouth). Finding this out was my last straw with Floss — I went ahead and transferred my Invisalign to my new dentist. On my FIRST Invisalign visit she pulled up the computer and walked me through my treatment plan (something Floss never did).
PROS: clean office, offered water upon arrival
CONS: very corporate, expect to be just «another patient,» big on up-​sell (e.g., «you really should get a fluoride treatment»)

Drs. Pavia and Wilde and the staff at Floss are great. I’ve been a patient for about 3 years and have had excellent care during every visit. My experience is consistently positive from the time I am greeted and offered water to the time I check out and schedule my next appointment.
Every treatment is explained and I’m given plenty time to ask questions before deciding how and when I want care. Both doctors have given great pain control during procedures and haven’t balked at my requests to split my care over multiple visits.
I would recommend Floss on 38^th to anyone looking for great dental care.

Dr Paiva, Doctor Wilde and every doctor and dental assistant I have had the honor to have had at Floss have truly been magnificent.
I have been a raving fan of this Floss dental service for 3 years and they have been very methodical and have helped my multiple dental problems from crowns to deep cleaning. I wouldn’t trade their amazing service for any others. They have also referred me to specialists that I consider have been outstanding.
Keep up the great service Floss!

Basically, I should have read the other reviews. They said I had «gum disease.» So then I sought another professional opinion after this, and apparently my teeth were fine. Stay away if you want to save your $$ and not get suckered into this scheme.

After reading some of the negative reviews below, I am disappointed that I did not check Unilocal prior to going to FLOSS and wasting hundreds, yes, HUNDREDS of dollars.
I originally went to FLOSS back in November of 2015, after avoiding all dentists like the plague for about 5 years. Naturally, I knew that I was probably going to need some work done, i.e., cavities, X-​rays, standard cleaning, etc…
However, that is most definitely not what I got. I was told right off the bat by Gerry (the dental hygienist) that I had early stages of Periodontal Disease (which she also told me I got from kissing too many boys, that it could give me cancer, heart disease, and overall poor health!!!)… Naturally, I was terrified, and a little offended, seeing as how I had just broken up with my boyfriend of 2.5 years and had not been kissing ANYONE… but that’s a different story. They then told me that my «treatment plan» required a «deep cleaning» that would cost extra due to my «periodontal disease». When i declined this cleaning, they told me that since the diagnosis had already been made they couldn’t do a «regular» cleaning and If i declined than I would have to leave.
It had been FIVE years since I had been to the dentist, I was not about to leave after already having my mouth prodded and poked with some «gum measuring stick» that Gerry had. SO, I decided to have the «deep cleaning»… THEN the dentist came in, sure, she was very sweet, but she promptly told me that I had SIX cavities, needed a night guard, invisalign, teeth whitening, special $ 25 toothpaste, a water flosser, special toothbrush, and would need to come in every THREE MONTHS for the rest of my life for «deep cleanings» due to my early stage periodontal disease…
Lets just say that I was overwhelmed… Now, I’ll give them the six cavities, because I hadn’t been to the dentist in 5 years and I probably deserved that at the very least. I decided to have all six of them filled on the same day. Everything went fine, and when I went to checkout, my bill was well over $ 300 for the deep cleaning and cavities… (I declined all of the other gadgets they tried to sell me). I swallowed my pride, paid the bill, and chalked it up to this was the price I had to pay for waiting 5 years to see a dentist…
THEN, 2 weeks later I get another bill in the mail stating that I owed them an additional $ 200!!! When I called furious, they explained that there’s no way for them to «accurately quote» insurance benefits during the office visit and that sometimes insurance will decline things… Well, they sure did decline my «deep cleaning» and half a mouth’s worth of cavities… which made me pay over $ 500 out of pocket for this dentist visit… not really sure whey I even have dental insurance at this point.
I didn’t feel good about the whole situation, but 3 months later I returned for my «follow up deep cleaning» because Gerry the hygienist had literally put the fear of god in me during my last appointment and I felt that if I didn’t go, all of my teeth would fall out.
During this second appointment, Gerry told me that my teeth looked «better», but still had a long way to go. She suggested that I needed a topical antibiotic for my gums, special toothpaste, and when I asked again how long I would need to keep returning for these «deep cleaning» appointments… she told me for THE REST OF MY LIFE…
UM, NO.
I am a 28 year old physically fit and healthy adult, there is no way in hell I’m paying for a «deep cleaning» every 3 months for the rest of my life. My teeth are fine and I do not appreciate my dentist utilizing fear as a tactic to get me in the door.
I finished up that day, paid for my stupid $ 25 «special toothpaste», got my «free» teeth whitening (which, by the way, made my teeth hurt SO bad and did absolutely nothing to whiten them), and I ran out of the door as fast as I could…
I’m still waiting for that magical «bill» to appear in the mail that says I owe them another $ 300… and in the meantime, I will be finding another dentist that will allow me to visit every 6 months for a standard cleaning like a normal human being.
Also– all of the staff members kept asking me to post a Unilocal review if I had a positive experience, because they had been getting so many negative reviews… Well, here’s that post that you wanted. Everyone run. Don’t waste your time. And more importantly, don’t waste your money at FLOSS.

Whether you’re new to town and you’re trying to figure out which dentist to go to or you’ve lived here a long time and are terrified of how long it has been since you’ve been to the dentist, go here and ask for Dr P. They’re great.

Services promised over the phone (my daughter made appointments for both of us) were not provided. The Dentist was great and I liked her and this (to me) was worth the cost. However the appointment was for checkup and cleaning. Instead just the checkup was done and a list of suggested additional services was provided with the comment that a deep cleaning should first be done (for a lot more money). So I left after the exam with a list of suggested services, and no teeth cleaning or whitening I had been expecting
A complete up sell appointment in my opinion. But, again, I liked the dentist but I just wanted the checkup and cleaning and, although I expected suggestions for needed work, I still expected the promised services (cleaning and whitening) to be provided (which they were not)
This has turned me off on Floss in the future and I will rely upon suggestions from friends with direct experience with particular dentists.

Dr. Paiva is amazing! She made me feel comfortable and at ease throughout my appointment. The staff was also very welcoming when I first arrived. Jerry, the hygienist, was fantastic as well. She communicated precisely what was going to happen during my cleaning. Dr. Paiva’s work was exceptional and left me with no discomfort or pain. Definitely recommending her to all my friends and family!

So I’ve been coming here for a while and have had multiple hygienists and doctors see me, but today’s cleaning with Jerry was AMAZING and warrants a review. She’s thorough but gentle, explains everything as she goes, and I usually have to tell the hygienists to go back and clean what they’ve missed but not with Jerry, my teeth are clean and smooth, just as they should be after a cleaning. I’ll definitely be coming back and requesting her!

Despite receiving bad news about my dental health, my experience at FLOSS Dental on W 38^th was SO great. Diamond, the receptionist, was very patient and provided lots of information to me. She was also really cool to have a conversation with.
Jerry, the dental hygienist, was so sweet and friendly! She also has an amazing 30 years of experience, so she is very educated! She knows all about what she’s doing and she can explain it to you in as much detail (or as little!) as you’d like. She was just absolutely endearing, and honestly, I feel like I took a mini-​dental college course just talking to her! Thanks to her, I am more aware and mindful of my dental hygiene practices.
Last but not least, Dr. Paiva was extremely professional and also informative. She was patient with all my questions and it felt like we were working as a team (same as with Jerry!). Ah, and Chelsea (the dental assistant, I think) was just as friendly and professional as all of the rest of the staff.
Highly recommend this business to everyone!

This place is great! All of the girls that work there are welcoming and very friendly. You’re greeted right when you walk in with something to drink & a comfortable atmosphere. I had a lot of issues with my teeth and Dr. Paiva & her team took complete care of me! The hygienist was beyond great — she consistently asked if I was doing okay and if I was comfortable. She had the sweetest way of handling clients and did a fantastic thorough job! If I felt any pain at all she immediately stopped & gave me relief with topic numbing and/​or numbing shots! No pain whatsoever! I’ve had two visits there & I can’t recommend them enough! Don’t be nervous to visit, they are so accommodating and care about how you feel.

Terrible Terrible place, went in for regular cleaning. Felt uncomfortable the moment I sat in the chair. Took my Xrays… multiple because they were always blurry «for some reason.» I blame user error… then they proceeded to tell me about how I have periodontal disease and like 8 cavities and gave me thise huge estimate of $ 1500 for all the work that needed to be done. I have never had a cavity ever. I brush my teeth EVERYDAY twice a day and floss. No soda, sweets, etc. Never have had any issues and yet the doctor talks to me like I have some severe disease and proceeds to have a negative attitude and talks down to me about poor hygiene health. When I declined all the estimates for extra work that day I asked if I would still get my teeth cleaning that I originally came for and included in insurance. They said NO, that they wanted to do a deep cleaning that would come out of pocket around $ 300 when I already have insurance and refused to do a regular cleaning.
This place will try to get every dollar out of you while making you feel incompetent and shame you about your oral health. I will DEFINITELY be getting another opinion from a smaller (and nicer) less corporate dental office.

I have been going to FLOSS for a few years now. I have experience at their downtown location (no problems), then switched to their Braker location when it opened because it was closer to home and work. When I switched jobs, I was excited to find another FLOSS location right down the street (this one).
I had a similar experience as another reviewer. I go for checkups religiously every 6 months. I was also told I had early stages of periodontal disease and would need a more thorough cleaning. They ran my insurance and I was quoted the price would be $ 183 … which i thought was pretty pricey, but since i never had issues with FLOSS in the past … i paid up. To my surprise, I got a bill for another $ 200! Apparently, my insurance didn’t cover the procedure. Now, i understand things like this can happen … and they have. The other locations were willing to meet me half way (since I went by what they said) and usually pay 60%. Not here … no remorse … just here’s what you owe … not our fault … blah blah blah. When I called to cancel my follow up appointment, the receptionist didn’t even offer to reschedule and couldn’t care less when I told her I was switching dentists!
FLOSS is awesome overall … just not this location. If you’re interested in FLOSS, try their downtown or Braker locations. Stay away … you will probably pay a lot more than what you bargained for. Read previous reviews, most will have similar story to tell.

My first couple of visits to Floss dental were fine. My first trip was the free whitening Groupon. No complaints, so I went there 6 months later for a cleaning. Yeah they griped at me for not flossing daily, grinding my teeth and said I need to remove my wisdom teeth, but dentists have been telling me that for years. So no biggie. I declined their list of «optional treatments». (As others have mentioned, the expensive tooth brush, mouth guard and «special» toothpaste.)
Well this third visit yesterday for my 6 month cleaning was my last. The staff was completely different than my 2^nd visit. Matter of fact, I think all three visits were a different staff. This should have been a clue.
My hygienist was a gray haired older later. First she took the x-​rays and then started measuring the length of my teeth. Apparently this is a new thing. I told her how I recently got my wisdom teeth taken out and she congratulated me. Then she asked me if I floss everyday and I replied that I do not. Her response was, «I guess they must have taken out all the wisdom then.» Oh snap! I chucked and let it go.
She then went on to explain how I have early stages of periodontal disease, (you know, the bacteria between the gums and teeth others have mentioned) mind you 6 months ago there was no mention of even gingivitis, which usually comes first. The dentist then came in and confirmed the diagnosis and said I need a deep cleaning treatment and oh by the way, let’s crown that one molar you’ve grinded down. $ 600 total out of pocket.
Now, I may have some or all of these issues, but the thing that got me is that when I declined the deep cleaning treatment and crown and that I just wanted the regular cleaning for now that I scheduled six months prior, the dentist said they couldn’t do just the regular treatment anymore since the diagnosis had already been made. What???
I don’t have a choice in my treatment that I’m paying you for and scheduled back in March? Ok. I’ve been to a couple dentists over the years and they would have never done that. They would have made their suggestions and I could have declined or accepted them and they would have done my regular cleaning if I just wanted that. Floss dental seems like a used car salesman trying to take advantage of you. And yes, as others have alluded to they send in a pretty face with their «treatment plan» to sell you.
By this point the snide comment the hygienist made to me combined with the «sales pitch» by the dentist has made me want to do nothing else but get out of there.
So I will go to another dentist in 6 months and see what they have to say. They may have the same opinions about my teeth and if they do I may even get the work done assuming they act like professionals and appear competent, unlike the folks at Floss dental.
It’s not necessarily the fact that I don’t believe I need some of the work they «suggested» done, you see, it’s the principle of the whole thing. There’s principalities in this. Don’t insult your patients and don’t deny them services they are paying you for that was scheduled mouths ago.
Just my 2 cents on Floss dental.

The team at Floss Dental on W 38^th far exceeded my expectations during my first visit. My boyfriend had just broken up with me minutes before my dental appointment, and I was slightly emotional, but it turned out that being at the dentist was the best place I could possibly be. They treated me like family, and I am so grateful.
In addition to their kindness, the quality of care was great as well. I was impressed.

I needed a new dentist since moving to Austin so I tried this place out. I went for a basic cleaning and as soon as I walked in the door I felt like I had walked into a bad sorority party. There was no warmth or friendliness from the girls at the front desk (one of whom ended up being the dentist herself). The xray girl was nice, but we had to retake them 3 times because she was new and didn’t do them correctly the first time.
While in the chair, I ended up seeing 4 different people from their office– each of them scolding me for not having a $ 185 SoniCare electric toothbrush and REALLY trying to push that sale. The dentist told me that I had bacteria in my gums so I needed a deep cleaning which would be $ 650 out of pocket. I had no cavities but one of my teeth that already had a filling was cracked so she wanted to put a crown on it ($ 872). I have my wisdom teeth so she wanted to take those out. Because I couldn’t afford all this, they made me sign a sheet of paper saying I was going against her plan so it wouldn’t look bad on her record. They made me feel bad about myself for being a low income school teacher so I said, «Basically I’m signing this because I’m too poor?» The girl didn’t know what to say because I was clearly insulted.
In comes the dental hygienist who was the sassiest man I have been around in quite a while. He said things like, «Yeahhhh… I’m gonna need you to start flossing more» and «Well this is gonna hurt, you’re just gonna have to suck it up.» SUCK IT UP!!! What professional says that? He proceeded to floss my teeth so hard that blood was everywhere and I unintentionally whimpered. It really seemed like he didn’t care about putting me in pain at all! At the end he told me to swallow a mouth full of blood, spit, and fluoride, which I refused and spit out in the nearest sink I could find.
In the end, I felt like they we were just out to make as much money on me as possible and didn’t care about treating me as a person, not just a patient. I would never recommend this place to anyone.

For the past two years, I have gone to this Floss Dental location, and every time, I have seen a different doctor. When I asked about it, they said it’s because they’re opening so many new locations that they send experienced doctors to the new locations to help it open smoothly. Huh? So I’m left with the inexperienced doctors?
Regardless, my last visit there solidified the fact that I won’t be returning. I was given 4 x-​rays and told that I have 3 cavities, one of which was underneath a filling that this office did about a year ago. Their treatment plan recommended 3 fillings at an out-​of-​pocket (after insurance) cost of $ 261.
Because I’ve had a few bad experiences here before (having to have fillings re-​done a week after getting them, drilling before I was totally numb, etc), I decided to get a second opinion at a totally different dental office. They did over 15 x-​rays and determined that I have ZERO cavities — even showing me on the x-​rays that my teeth and all previous fillings look fine. Floss Dental seems to have tried to rip me off, and I most definitely am done with this chain of dental offices.
Plenty of places offer free whitening — go somewhere else instead.

I want to update now that I’ve had the free whitening. I noticed some others noting they had some issues taking them up on their offer in past reviews. I had no issues. I walked in the office, got greeted with a smile, they did the procedure, and I walked right out.
The whitening was quick and straight-​forward. I was in the office for about 45 minutes total. They prop your mouth open, put stuff to protect your gums on, and then put a red substance on your teeth. You wait 30 minutes, they take it off, you rinse your mouth out and you’re done!
I’m incredibly happy with the result. I was worried it might be too noticeable. I do not want chiclet teeth! That was not the case though. They are nice, white and shiny, and I noticed it the second I looked in the mirror.
I don’t have a before picture, but I’d say my teeth were not that yellow or stained to begin with, but definitley needed to be «polished» up, so I’m happy I did it!