Gentle Dental Boston

Great care, excellent Dental Hygienist!

Gentle Dental is always a good experience for me. All Dentist at GD South Boston location are wonderful but Dr Jacob is my dentist, he’s got me smiling again, did a fabulous job, i love my new veneers. Ty Dr J.

Updating my reviews to reaffirm that the dentists, specialists, techs and admin staff are superb. Dr. Jacob possesses extraordinary skill and patience. Quoa (sp?) is a superb hygienist. And the desk staff are gracious, friendly, and immensely helpful! Can’t say enough good things about this practice and its exceptional leadership and staff! (June, 2026) ⭐️ I’m updating my original review after 4 years of superb dental care at this practice. Some key staff have changed since my first review, but the superb dental care and the kindness, compassion, and general excellence of the staff remain. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Jacob, Dr. Yong, Olga, Tina, Lorrany and every one of your colleagues ⭐️ Original Review: I was skeptical about Gentle Dental because they’re so big . A knowledgeable friend recommended them, and I’m so glad I took her advice! The practice is very well staffed; admin staff are capable and friendly. The skill of the dentists is beyond compare! I was fortunate to see Dr. Tsering on my first visit for tooth pain. She diagnosed the source of the problem and fully explained my treatment options. Her kindness & competence were hugely reassuring. After having my tenth root canal - the first with this practice - I understand why Dr. Smolyar was recognized as Boston’s top endodontist. I’m thankful to the friend who recommended them and to every one of the Gentle Dental staff who’ve helped me.

I was a patient here for over ten years, and when I began treatment, the practice was characterized by thoughtful staff members, including the front desk, hygienists, technicians, and physicians. However, over the last 4 years, there has been a noticeable decline in the quality of service. It started with disappointment in the communication and grew into concerns about consistent care, but I tolerated it longer than I should have. I went back because of their hygienist (their MVP), Ellen, who understood how to treat patients properly. Recommendations to their in-house specialists, who operated from different offices, often resulted in last-minute appointment cancellations and rescheduling with minimal notice, and in one case, the most insincere periodontist who continued to put his foot in his mouth until I opted to stand up and say "I don't think this is a good fit" as my anxiety rose. At one point, I got a hardcore sales pitch for Invisalign that felt like a car sale... as did my partner, who shared his experience after a visit. The final incident that prompted my departure involved a crown being removed and a temporary crown that chipped that same evening. I scheduled a follow-up appointment over concern, took time off work, and visited the office. The demeanor of the attending personnel was unacceptable, and she appeared frustrated by my concerns and dismissive. This was yet another appointment they attempted to reschedule at the last minute, and I had had enough. I requested that the office manager and the dentist contact me. I had already paid $800 for services that were not provided. Despite multiple follow-ups over several days—no call, no response—I finally spoke with the office manager, who said the doctor was supposed to call me and then deflected responsibility. I requested my dental records and have decided never to return. The practice appears disorganized, with frequent front-office staff turnover. When I first started, the staff were consistent, but their departures coincided with a decline in service quality. There are numerous other dental offices that will treat patients with the care and respect they deserve. **Update-- and with all due respect, the response to my review is nothing but lip service, showing no commitment to change or concern for my experience. **

I am giving them a 2 because the front desk staff were nice and professional. However, I had a 3pm apt and everyone else with a 3pm was serviced almost immediately (within 5 mins of arriving). I waited 15 mins and had to inquire about my apt. They said the dentist was running late. A woman came in saying she was early for her 3:30pm apt and she was called in for her apt within less than five mins of arriving (like the people before me). I was still waiting. It's just really disrespectful and unprofessional to lack consideration for your patient's time.

5 stars isn’t enough for the experience I had at Gentle Dental South Boston! As someone with severe dental anxiety and past traumatic dental experiences, I was terrified going into my oral surgery procedure — but Dr. Yang and his team completely changed that for me. From the moment I walked in, the front desk staff was kind, patient, and reassuring. Dr. Yang’s bedside manner was incredible and the procedure was far smoother and more comfortable than I ever expected. The surgical assistant/team was also amazing throughout the entire visit. You can truly tell this office cares about people, not just patients. A special thank you to Olivia for referring me and helping coordinate everything from start to finish. The level of care, compassion, and professionalism here is unmatched. I’m actually looking forward to continuing my implant process with this team, which is something I never thought I’d say after past dental experiences. If you have dental anxiety, this is absolutely the place to go.

I am here to finally tell yall more about Ellen my dental hygienist who has been nothing short of theee gentlest, most thorough, and kind - whatever they are paying her should be trippled as she is the reason I've been a patron of gentle dental south Boston location for the past 8 years. Ask any of the front desk staff who also make sure to book themselves with Ellen. When I first came I was very skeptical because I had just been told by another place that I needed $$$$ thousands of dollars of work done and I had never had any dental problems before. She listened and assured me they would care for my teeth and gums and mouth health and over all this time thats exactly what she's done- ended up I didnt need all that stuff. She's seen me through the hormonal woes of pregnancy, the aftermath of the covid shut down, job changes, etc. Of course once I knew this place and especially Ellen were legit, I brought my whole family - she's cared for my 2 kids, one of whom has a hard time sitting still for long due to disabilities and my partner who had a fear of the dentist after experiences in the military and a bout of dental coverage lapse prior to that- through it all Ellen has shared her skills and best work with us without capitalizing on our vulnerabilities / taking advantage of us. So, if you're looking for someone who knows what they are doing and actually cares about their craft, and, more importantly and unfortunately rarely these days, cares about YOU~ book her!

Top of the line care from the dentists. The front desk staff is super professional and makes you feel at ease when they smile. Best thing yet, is the dental payment plans they offer for expensive treatment, that can be a financial burden to pay all at once. It was so easy to apply. Gentle Dental saved my smile and gave me back my confidence.

I always have a great experience at this dental office. The dentist was professional, gentle, and took the time to explain everything clearly. Answered all of my question and gave me honest option with options. The staff was friendly and the clinic is always clean. Highly recommend!

I cannot recommend Gentle Dental and Dr. Saraniya Pathmanathan highly enough. I was on a very tight timeline getting a crown done just before moving out of the country, and Dr. Pathmanathan was absolutely outstanding from start to finish. She was on top of every detail and truly went above and beyond. When we had an unexpected setback—the crown cracked due to a lab issue—she handled all the communication with the lab flawlessly and made sure it was redone on time, without adding stress on my end. She was incredibly proactive, calling me immediately when the new crown arrived so we wouldn’t lose a single minute. Her clinical work is meticulous: extremely gentle, precise, and always aiming for perfection, with patient comfort clearly being her top priority. On top of that, the cost was very reasonable, which was greatly appreciated during an already stressful move. The entire staff deserves praise as well—the reception team is kind, efficient, and very professional. Scheduling was easy, they have great availability, are super flexible, and they are in-network, which makes everything even smoother. If you’re on a tight timeline, want to keep costs under control, or feel stressed or anxious about a dental issue, this is absolutely the place to go. I’m extremely grateful for the care I received and would recommend Dr. Pathmanathan and Gentle Dental without hesitation.