Lorna Lally, DMD

Great dentists — the cleaning staff changes not the same person each time. But problematic is the fact that the front desk has changed in a year dramatically and is bordering on unfriendly to accommodate schedules. They used to be quite flexible to put on cancellation lists.
Now if you want an appointment rescheduled, it may be six months before they even call you back for another one. My rating will be a 4.5 star if it is just based on the quality and care provided by the Dentist.
But unfortunately you cannot see the Dentist, unless the front desk people let you!!!

I’m confused about some of the negative reviews here, as I believe this is one of the best dentists I’ve ever been to.
I have a severe fear of dentists, and would have a borderline anxiety attack just thinking about going. This dentist has been so great, my anxiety is much more manageable. I know they are going to be kind, not judgy, and will give me great advice on things I can do to help my teeth (Xylitol sprays, etc…). If you have a fear of dentists, I would recommend Dr. Lally for her kindness and patience.

Fantastic experience! I hate going to the dentist and this experience was definitely the best :-)

This office is really wonderful. I originally found the gals by searching «best dentists in Somerville» on google, so I was already off to a solid start when I found their listing. The office is clean, friendly and in a really convenient part of Davis. Monique at the desk is amazing, my teeth were SO messed up from years without dental and she laid out a wonderful plan of attack along with a very detailed financial blueprint. She was also very patient with my 900 questions. Dr. Xie and Jensy drilled away at all the gnarly little cavities messing up my chompers, and oversaw the course of my treatment, even counseling me with a variety of ways to stay out of their chair in the future. I dreaded the amount of work I had to get done for YEARS, and the ladies in this office knocked out almost everything I had to handle in a little over a month. This is a brilliant practice, rich with a stellar team of very knowledgable people.

I can’t say enough how absolutely amazing this office is! I actually ENJOY coming here! I showed up with a broken tooth and whole host of other problems expecting to just do a patch job until I could get back to my previous dentist but I have been coming here for 2 years now and never looked back. She sat down with me and laid out all my options and explained in detail what needed to be done somehow without making me feel bad for my past lackluster dental hygiene, which she has since fixed and gotten me into great habits.
She’s guided me through the process of a root canal, wisdom teeth removal, and has put 3 permanent crowns in my mouth and recommended excellent providers for everything she didn’t do in-​house. I was quite hesitant about the crowns since I’ve seen some poorly constructed and discolored ones from other dentists but her work was so detailed and precise that I quite literally cannot tell the difference between them and my real teeth both in looks and in texture. And the entire time she was putting them in (and every other bit of work she’s done on my mouth), she was extremely cautious with the Novocaine and ensured the entire time that I was pain free and her assistant is always right there with suction and a hand to hold when anything is even remotely painful. I’ve never felt uncomfortable in any of the appointments and her detailed explanations of what needs to be done, how they will do it, and why, are extremely reassuring. Incredible patient care!
On another note, my dental insurance is terrible and she was incredibly accommodating with figuring out what needed to be done first and what could wait till the following year so it wouldn’t break the bank. I’ve been coming here for two years now and my teeth look phenomenal and we’re almost done. Everyone in the office is nice and personable and does everything they possibly can to ensure their patients are comfortable and happy. I’ve seen incredible progress with my teeth and I absolutely would recommend her to anyone in the area.

I love this office. Heck, I take the train all the way from Quincy to come here! Dr. Lally is very encouraging & nice! The hygensit Jensi (I know I flubbed on the spelling) is so wonderful, sweet & warm. I’m always so happy when Jensi is there!!! I was referred here by a friend & I am so glad I made the choice to come. My teeth are such a source of stress for me & there is ALOT to be done but Dr. Lally explains the plans she has & makes it seem not so overwhelming. The encouragement I get at this office makes me feel so much better! I would definitely recommend this office to anyone!!!

I hadn’t been to the dentist in 10 years because of financial reasons, so you can bet I was nervous when I made my appointment here! I had previously been to a dentist back home in TN, but didn’t have time to get my cavities filled before I left home. So I took my x-​rays to Dr. Lally and hoped for the best. The office was very welcoming, even though I was bringing x-​rays from another dentist when they would have preferred to do their own. I ended up having to have 2 long appointments to get cavities filled, but the doctor and hygienist were as careful and nice as could be. I’m a big baby about needles, but with them, even three rounds of anesthetic wasn’t bad. What’s even more impressive is that even though I got four cavities filled in one day, I had no pain once the anesthetic wore off — that’s how you know you’re dealing with a real pro! Highly recommended!

Probably the best in the business!
I’ve visited Dr. Lally and her staff upwards of 10 times over the years, with a range of services from simple cleanings to replacing my top front teeth (childhood trampoline accident) and I’ve never been disappointed. Every single person there, from the person answering the phone, to the technicians, to Dr. Lally herself, is friendly, personable and caring. I really wish I could remember the name of the technician I like best but frankly they’re all great. The young woman with the accent makes me laugh, so I always appreciate her to put me at ease :-)

The dentists and hygienists at this office are wonderful. Back in December, I had an old cavity filling that fell out unexpectedly. It was a Friday morning and my previous dentist wouldn’t see me until Monday! There was no way I could wait the entire weekend. So I checked Unilocal and called Dr. Lally’s office. They offered to see me right away even though I wasn’t even a patient. I had Dr. Spargimino who was super nice.
A few months later I had to have 2 crowns done. I was really nervous about the length of the appointment– over 2 hours and the amount of work that had to be done! This time I had Dr. Lally and Jensy, one of the hygienists. The appointment was really long but they both made it as comfortable as possible and were exceptionally nice.
I highly recommend the office to anyone but especially those who are nervous about dental work! It’s possible the prices are higher but to me it’s 100% worth it to be comfortable.

I never thought I’d be reviewing a dentist’s office, but I love Dr. Lally’s office so much that I just felt I had to share it with others. I’ve been a patient here for a couple of years and it’s been a wonderful experience. Everyone I’ve interacted with in this office has been genuinely friendly and caring. I’ve never felt pressured to buy anything as others have mentioned and I’ve never felt like I’ve been treated unfairly or in a «shady» manner. When I’ve needed to have work done, they’ve always explained my options and they’ve worked with me to help keep costs down. Also, let me just say that Dr. Lally herself, is the best. She let me listen to my ipod while getting a crown fitted to drown out some of the awful noise. She’s just a soothing presence in general. And, her Irish accent makes everything sound better. «You’re a sever grinder.» Oh really? How lovely.

I called in the early morning (as a new patient) because a molar was hurting. Got an appointment for the afternoon. Cleanings since then have been just as easy to book. Dr. Spargimino, Dr. Lally, and hygienist Natalie are very professional, friendly, and efficient. Natalie explained what she was doing and looking for, gave me a thinner floss to try, and answered my random dental questions. On my first (emergency) appointment, I was originally going to have to book a second appointment for a cleaning, but she offered to stay a little later and do it. What great customer service!

Note: I may be a candidate for dentophobia, or fear of dentists. Even the idea of booking an appointment give me anxiety. For this reason, I’ve avoided dental visits for a few years.
Fast forward to the present: I started having some pain in my mouth, and I figured I couldn’t delay a trip to the dentist anymore. So I started the search for a dentist in the area. This office took my insurance, was T-​accessible, and had good reviews, so I decided to give it a shot.
I went in for a comprehensive exam in February, and found out that the pain in my mouth was from sensitive gums, not from tooth decay (fears of needing a root canal relieved, thank goodness!) and that I had two tiny cavities. Everyone in the office, from the office manager Marcy to hygienist Natalie and Dr. Spargimino were so pleasant and made me feel less nervous about the dentist. Maybe they deal with a lot of people with my fear, or maybe they handle a lot of child patients, haha.
They took x-​rays and explained what was going on with my teeth and answered my questions about dental care, to brushing, flossing, etc.
The cleaning was as painless as could be given my sensitive gums, with minimal scraping of my teeth.
I recently went in to get one cavity filled (my two cavities are on opposite sides of my jaw so only one could be done at a time) and the hygienist let me squeeze her hand when the novacaine shot was being administered, and while it was a little painful, it wasn’t as bad as I had feared. I had never had any fillings before so I was rather anxious, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was not as painful or as time-​consuming as I had expected. My jaw was a little sore for the entire day (my appointment was at 11:45am) but felt much better the next day.
I still don’t like going to the dentist (who does?) but I think I can let go of some (most?) of the anxiety surrounding each visit. I’m not completely dreading my next visit to get my other cavity filled!
P. S. They have a check-​in offer!

I highly recommend this dentist’s office. The hygienist was great, thorough and nice. I saw Dr. Spargimino and she is excellent and nice as well.

I have not set foot in their physical office, but I just have to post about the wonderful experience I had over the phone with Marcy after 3 hours of calls around town trying to figure out how to deal with my dental woes.
My dental insurance is very limited, and I know that I will probably need some serious work done in the near future. I wanted to find a dentist that accepts my insurance for the few procedures is does cover, and offers payment options/​advice for the services I will need to pay for out-​of-​pocket. I called my insurance provider, Delta Dental, directly and they were no help. I was pleasant and asked as calmly and persistently as I could, but they couldn’t or could not be bothered to explain the details of my plan to me.
Marcy looked up my plan on her end, and explained EXACTLY what services I am entitled to every year. She also explained the payment plan options available with LL DMD (and even outside patient credit lines I could apply for) for expenses I would have to pay for out-​of-​pocket.
What blew me away was this: after listening carefully to my concerns, she recommended I get the one yearly checkup I am eligible for at an office that also specializes in oral surgery. She explained that because I am only covered for one set of x-​rays per year and that my concerns were so specific, that what I really need is a comprehensive exam with panoramic x-​rays… which Lorna Lally does not provide.
Thanks to Marcy, I now know exactly what my insurance will cover, what kind of services I am looking for, and where to look for them. And I know that as soon as I am over this particular dental dilemma, I will be making my next appointment for my routine cleaning and exam with LL DMD.

I had my routine cleaning this morning and was reminded of how much I love Dr. Lally’s office. I’ve been seeing Dr. Lally and her team for nearly two years now, and I have no complaints. Everyone I’ve ever interacted with here has been friendly and professional. The hygienist, Natalia, does a very thorough job and has tons of cool little tips for keeping your mouth healthy. She’s always mentioning a training or conference that she’s recently attended — I really like the idea that there is continuing education and professional development going on at the office.
Dr. Lally is great too. She always puts me at ease and makes sure that I am very informed about what’s going on with my dental health. I haven’t had any problems with billing or any of the shady practices that other reviewers have mentioned. In fact, I’ve found just the opposite to be true. They’re always very forthcoming about how much I can expect to pay for any given procedure. They’ve even helped me schedule things strategically, in a way that gets the most out of my insurance. I actually look forward to going to the dentist because everyone at Dr. Lally’s office is so awesome. If that doesn’t deserve five stars, I don’t know what does.

Just had a great first time visit at this dentist office. At first I was a little concerned with it being at a house converted into an office. But somehow that made me feel a little more comforted.
First time visit. X-​Rays, Cleaning, Exam, Discussion of Payment options — 1 hour 10 min from time walking into the door until walking out.
I did not get checked by Dr. Lally herself. However, the dentist I did see (I feel I would butcher her name) did a fantastic job. She me feel very comfortable and confident in what she told me. I felt that they gave it to me straight up and let me know what needs to be done now and what can wait and even how long it can wait for (1 year, 2 years, etc.). Also they just got this new digital system that is wonderful for helping the patient to visualize everything.
The hygienist, Natalia, was fantastic. She gave me so many good tips on how to keep my gums healthier. She was very efficient and friendly in the cleaning as well.
Finally, the receptionist/​billing specialist, Marcy, was more patient then any other dentist office person I’ve dealt with, even though I could tell she was very busy with other things. She sat there with me and my complicated insurance plan and did the math for several financial options. She even gave me the list of the payment schedule that the office has with Delta Dental so that I can see for myself just how much each procedure costs and then could figure out how much my insurance covers from there. She explained my coverage to me better than any HR person at my work has. She even went over the different ways this office can help me to be able to afford the work that needs to be done.
If you want to complain about this office, maybe you should just stop neglecting your teeth then and you won’t have to see the dentist. Otherwise, they do more than they can to help people take care of a part of the human body that so many people take for granted.

I like this dentist office. We’ve been going here now two years — we being my husband and I.
The dental hygienists are amazing. I found that mine remembered me every time and even remembered asking about my son (since I had started attending the dentist practice while pregnant). They also promptly issue reminders when it comes time for that annual or bi-​annual check up.
As for the comments on shady dealings — I have never encountered this. Actually, I found that the staff went out of their way to check up on whether my insurance would cover a procedure prior to scheduling a time to have the procedure done. With this pre-​check in place — we always received billing as expected. I suspect, it depends on who is covering your insurance as per what you would need to pay.
BECAUSE of my dental hygienist’s expert care — making my teeth feel squeaky clean — I have since taken more care at flossing and even brushing. I’ve never been to a dentist’s office before where I didn’t leave with a mouthful of blood!

I must agree with Jameson B. This is a shady, money hungry place.
I too made an appointment after calling and being assured they took my insurance and fell within the limits. (It was time to switch to a local dentist instead of making treks back to my hometown in NH.) I went in for a regular cleaning not expecting anything since I wasn’t having any problems and had never had a cavity. After all the paperwork, the receptionist said I should get xrays. I explained I didn’t want them unless they were fully covered. Once again, I was assured they would be.
During the cleaning, the hygienist tried to sell me on a whitening procedure. I said I wasn’t interested but she brought it up again. During the exam, Dr. Lally also pushed me to try the expensive whitening procedure. And she told me I had a cavity and could get it filled tomorrow. I thought this was odd since I’d never had one and had no pain, but I know it can happen. I had the filling the next day and was in lots of pain after. I went back and they adjusted it slightly but I was still left with pain.
I knew I would have to pay some for the filling, but I received a bill for the cleaning and xrays too. This is after they confirmed my dental insurance covered it.
That was enough to make me start my hunt for a new dentist. I contacted Dr. Lally’s office about getting my xrays. Sure– we can give them to you for $ 50. What? I already paid $ 60 for them on top of what my insurance paid. I decided to pass By comparison; I visited a new dentist in Davis once before an unanticipated relocation out of state. The new dentist mailed me my xrays for free. Not to mention– the new dentist had a not so nice comment about the poor filling I had received.

About as painless as a dental appointment gets. The receptionist was very friendly and even shook my hand to introduce herself. That was something I had never experienced. The office is in a house, and it feels like you are visiting a friend.
The woman who did my cleaning and x-​rays was super friendly and thorough. They did things to my teeth that I have never had done at other facilities. Like a gum disease test. I only met with Dr. Lally briefly, but she was very informative about the results of my exam. I got a complimentary bag with a tooth brush, xylitol gum, and other dental care products. With Delta Dental insurance, the exam and cleaning were free. The receptionist was very honest with me when I inquired about rates for sealants. She told me straight up that my insurance would not cover it, it would be fifty some dollars per tooth, and six teeth would need sealants. Overall, great experience.

I hadn’t been to a dentist in years, so needless to say, I was a little nervous about having my first routine exam in a long time. After reading positive reviews about this office, finding out they accepted my insurance (Delta Dental), and having an easy time getting an appointment, I decided to come in.
For my routine exam, I saw Dr. Baker and one of the female hygienists. Both ladies were super nice, attentive, and thorough, making my first visit back hassle-​free and stress-​free. They took a full set of x-​rays of my mouth, cleaned my teeth, gave me a special fluoride treatment, and sent me off with a bag of goodies including a new toothbrush, floss, vitamin c gum, and a referral to a doctor who can take my wisdom teeth out.
On my second visit, I called last minute because I had a tooth that was throbbing and I really wanted someone to take a look at it. I saw Dr. Lally this time around, and she was also great. Turns out I had my very first cavities ever, and they were able to see me right away and took care of them for me. I had 4 small cavities filled and they walked me through each step so I knew what to expect when I received the Novocaine injection, what kind of filling was going into each tooth, what to expect after treatment was done, etc.
The only down side was the cost of the dentist work. Honestly, I don’t know if dental work has always been this expensive or has just gotten crazy expensive as of late, but I did have a bit of sticker shock when I received the bill. Even with 80% covered by my insurance, I still had to pay almost $ 300 to get my cavities filled, and it would have been way more expensive ($ 174 per tooth) if I didn’t have any insurance at all. My advice to anyone making an appointment is to get an estimate for services before having the services completed, otherwise you may be just as surprised as I was. At least that way you can save up for specific procedures, provided that you’re not in to much pain to wait.