Smile Implant Center / California Implant Smiles
Reviews and Complaints

I am a former patient of Smile Implant Center and want to warn everyone to please do yourself a favor and stay away from this crook. I had a full mouth restoration performed in February 2012, and paid $25, 000 to Smile upfront. Actually in January of 2102 they had the full payment, over a month before the procedure. I was supposed to receive my final prosthesis in October of 2012 but after months trying to get Smile to complete everything I have given up. In email conversations with Dr Teich from Jan 2013 his final response to my complaints and lack of follow thru from the office was "if I put a bullet in my brain would you finally be happy?" Really? Would you lay back in a chair and let that that man touch you with sharp instruments? I have sores in my cheeks from poor fitting temporary dentures, implants that are still sore and bleeding and the most terrible fit you can imagine, an incredible overbite that keeps me from biting anything and more food gets trapped between my dentures and gums than goes down my throat. I usually just give up eating before getting full due to the discomfort and embarrassment. I have much more to post but will wait until a later date as I am going to see dental board recommended certified specialists in the next few weeks to see what my treatment plan will be to complete everything that Dr. Teich butchered. If anyone would like to respond or speak with me I would be happy to help. Good luck folks, but please for your own good STAY AWAY FROM SMILE IMPLANT CENTER AND DR.THOMAS TEICH.

Dear Patients and Friends,

My name is Dr. Thomas Teich and I am the owner and founder of the Smile Implant Center started 11 years ago. I opened the business and for the first 6 months I was the only employee. I answered the phones and made all the appointments I sterilized the instruments and did everything. From 2002 through 2008 our office was located in Santa Ana and grew gradually and consistently by providing care to patients with a small staff in a small facility. At this office before we moved we had seen over 10, 000 patients. It was personally possible for me to start and oversee all the patients treatment done here with great success and personal attention to everyone s case.

In 2009 we moved to a Newport Beach location much larger than this original office. We experienced a large phase of expansion over the past few years. During this expansion I was the primary implant surgeon at the center. I was doing surgeries 5 days a week. This was the primary beginning stage of the treatment. We expanded and increased the number other staff members and doctors to finishing the final stages of the implant treatment. Thousands of patients were started and completed. Some of the patients tha did not get to a final stage of treatment in what I believe was a reasonable period of time.

I made a decision over the past year to systematically reduced the number of staff and the number of doctors to allow me to get the office to the point that I could supervise and direct all the patients treatment from start to finish.

The past 4 weeks our remaining staff have all helped to relocate back to the original office where we started in in 2002. This transition took longer than planned and disrupted treatment on our patients and telephone systems in ways that were not anticipated. I sincerely apologize for the frustrations and problems many of you had due to this relocation. The main computer systems were just finally moved last Thursday night and are still getting them reconfigured to work properly. We are not closing our office or going out of business.

All of your charts and lab work are still organized and available to move to the next phase of your treatment. I plan to personally review and oversee the completion of all the patients that have additional treatment needed. I want to help to finish everyone s treatment as soon as possible. If you will allow me to do this I need your help.

I please ask your assistance in helping me manage your case in the following way.

Send me an email directly to me at [protected]@smileimplantcent… giving me the following information:

1. Your full name first, last and middle initial.
2. Date of birth
4 Your best email address.
5. Best phone number
6. Treatment you have had and what you believe you need or a description of the problem you are having.
7. If you want a phone call from me please let me know this also.

I will receive all these emails personally. I review your chart and laboratory case and return an email to let you know what the best plan is to move forward with your situation. If you want to call me my personally cell phone is [protected]. If I am not sleeping or seeing patients I will answer your call. The best way for me to help you is to get the above information first and review your case and chart before we speak on the phone. I am willing to talk to any patient personally on the phone if this is what you want and prefer this over email correspondence.

Please help me help you. I am here for everyone and not going anywhere except back to the new office. We all wish to thank all of our patients over all the years for allowing all of us to provide your dental treatment. I know things did not go smoothly lately but please be patient and I promise this will change soon and everyone will be completed.

Thank you, and God Bless

Dr. Thomas Teich
Smile Implant Center
2740 South Bristol Street Suite 200
Santa Ana, California 92704
http://www.smileimplantc…

Dear Patients and Friends,

My name is Dr. Thomas Teich and I am the owner and founder of the Smile Implant Center started 11 years ago. I opened the business and for the first 6 months I was the only employee. I answered the phones and made all the appointments I sterilized the instruments and did everything. From 2002 through 2008 our office was located in Santa Ana and grew gradually and consistently by providing care to patients with a small staff in a small facility. At this office before we moved we had seen over 10, 000 patients. It was personally possible for me to start and oversee all the patients treatment done here with great success and personal attention to everyone s case.

In 2009 we moved to a Newport Beach location much larger than this original office. We experienced a large phase of expansion over the past few years. During this expansion I was the primary implant surgeon at the center. I was doing surgeries 5 days a week. This was the primary beginning stage of the treatment. We expanded and increased the number other staff members and doctors to finishing the final stages of the implant treatment. Thousands of patients were started and completed. Some of the patients tha did not get to a final stage of treatment in what I believe was a reasonable period of time.

I made a decision over the past year to systematically reduced the number of staff and the number of doctors to allow me to get the office to the point that I could supervise and direct all the patients treatment from start to finish.

The past 4 weeks our remaining staff have all helped to relocate back to the original office where we started in in 2002. This transition took longer than planned and disrupted treatment on our patients and telephone systems in ways that were not anticipated. I sincerely apologize for the frustrations and problems many of you had due to this relocation. The main computer systems were just finally moved last Thursday night and are still getting them reconfigured to work properly. We are not closing our office or going out of business.

All of your charts and lab work are still organized and available to move to the next phase of your treatment. I plan to personally review and oversee the completion of all the patients that have additional treatment needed. I want to help to finish everyone s treatment as soon as possible. If you will allow me to do this I need your help.

I please ask your assistance in helping me manage your case in the following way.

Send me an email directly to me at [protected]@smileimplantcent… giving me the following information:

1. Your full name first, last and middle initial.
2. Date of birth
4 Your best email address.
5. Best phone number
6. Treatment you have had and what you believe you need or a description of the problem you are having.
7. If you want a phone call from me please let me know this also.

I will receive all these emails personally. I review your chart and laboratory case and return an email to let you know what the best plan is to move forward with your situation. If you want to call me my personally cell phone is [protected]. If I am not sleeping or seeing patients I will answer your call. The best way for me to help you is to get the above information first and review your case and chart before we speak on the phone. I am willing to talk to any patient personally on the phone if this is what you want and prefer this over email correspondence.

Please help me help you. I am here for everyone and not going anywhere except back to the new office. We all wish to thank all of our patients over all the years for allowing all of us to provide your dental treatment. I know things did not go smoothly lately but please be patient and I promise this will change soon and everyone will be completed.

Thank you, and God bless

Dr. Thomas Teich
Smile Implant Center
2740 South Bristol Street Suite 200
Santa Ana, California 92704
http://www.smileimplantc…

Beware of this company, like many others I had file a lawsuits against Smile Implant Center and it owner Thomas J Teich. Extremely poor services and patient care. On May 22, 2012 judgement was awarded for wrongful death of one of Smile Implant Centers patients Case Number : 30-2012-[protected]

This sham of a company produces the worst form of implants, It is barbaric and doomed to fail. The reason the are so "cheap" in all respects is because for full upper and lower implant they install a u shaped metal piece similar to a mouth guard and screw it into your gums with a minimum of pins to hold it in. 6 on the top, 4 on the bottom. The least they can do is what they do
If one pin attached to you gum fails……so does the whole unit.
The work is shoddy and similar to a chop shop. The even misaligned the new teeth! The top was to the left of the bottom!
You never get the same dental tecnicians twice. They keep you there for 4-5 hours while the fix the perpetual teeth that break and rebreak almost monthy. The employee turn over is obscene. Not sure they are actual graduates
Most of all, the Doctor Teich, who owns this miserable factory has had his license revoke!
STAY AWAY!

Woman Goes to Smile Implant Center in Newport Beach, Dies; Daughter of Deceased Wins Malpractice Suit
By Yasmin Nouh Thu., Jun. 7 2012 at 3:32 PM
Los Angeles resident Paula Kane went to the Smile Implant Center in Newport Beach for dental implants after seeing a newspaper advertisement in January 2010. When she entered the facility around 9:30 a.m., anesthesiologist Dr. Barry Friedberg administered her drugs while she stayed awake--Kane's anesthesia of choice for the procedure known as "oral conscious sedation." Hours later, she went into respiratory arrest; her blood turned dark, according to one of the dental assistants present; deadly combination of propofol--the same drug that killed Michael Jackson--along with benzodiazepines had shut down Kane's respiratory system. When she was taken to the hospital, doctors diagnosed her as brain dead. A few days later, her daughter, Tanisha Mitchell, took the 57-year-old off life support.

Mitchell filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the center's owner, Dr. Thomas Teich, and Friedberg; Orange County jurors found both men guilty of wrongful death two years later on May 22, 2012. Teich did not have a permit to administer oral conscious sedation, while Friedberg had been unregistered with the Dental Board of California for general anesthesia.

"I would think you don't expect to go in for dental implants and be overdosed on propofol and die especially when that patient has gone in thinking [he or she] will get drugs like valium, " said Mitchell's attorney Jeffrey Wolf of Heimanson and Wolf, LLP in Los Angeles.

The verdict outlined $635, 000 for pain and suffering damages, but was then reduced to $250, 000 per California's cap on non-economic damages. Both men will equally split the cost.

Teich, who still practices in Newport Beach, is not unfamiliar to malpractice lawsuits. He's been charged with medical malpractice twice before in California, and is currently involved in 13 other malpractice cases.

Teich moved to California from Arizona several years after the Arizona Board of Dental Examiners revoked his license in August, 1994 due to insurance fraud, repeated acts of gross negligence and unprofessional conduct among other charges. He spent eight months in federal prison for committing the felony of mail fraud, according to a stipulation agreement.

Six years later, he got his license back on a probationary basis in 1999, during which he applied and obtained a California dental license in 2002. Even after the move, the malpractice suits piled up against Teich, to the point that Richard DeCuir, executive officer of the state's dental board, filed a complaint in April, 2011 requesting the board revoke Teich's license, citing record of failing to upkeep medical records, personal injury against patients, unprofessional conduct and gross negligence again.

DeCuir filed the complaint in April, 2011; four months later, Teich paid $72, 400 in an arbitration award to a former patient for injury including nerve damage in another lawsuit. DeCuir's accusations are currently still pending a decision according to Russ Heimerich, spokesperson for the Department of Consumer Affairs.

The Medical Board of California has yet to subject Friedberg to any disciplinary actions. Friedberg, who describes himself as "your friendly, neighborhood anesthesiologist" on his website, continues to practice anesthesiology, and run a private, nonprofit foundation called Goldilocks Anesthesia. He authored Getting Over, Going Under: 5 Things You Must Know Before Anesthesia, and spoke about anesthesia to various outlets during the Michael Jackson trial.

A dental implant they installed less than 2 years ago just cracked while I was eating soggy breakfast cereal, smile implant center will not fix or replace the crown unless I pay for it, , , it cost me $1400 in the 1st place, , my regular dentist says a crown for an implant should last the life of the patient unless of course the patient is chewing rocks, , , I have always been very careful with this implant just because I am not sure how strong it is, and for this crown to crack while eating soggy cereal is a perfect example of a poorly made crown made of inferior materials, , , , , , , meanwhile this chip is wearing a hole in my tongue and making it difficult to speak because the side of my tongue is swollen and sore because of rubbing against this ship

I think it is outragerous that competitors of The Smile Implant Center, unable to compete with them as SIC is so much larger with much more up to date equipmen and a much larger staff, encourages its employees to post fake reviews all oer the internet stating untrue statements aboutthe MILE iMPLANT cENTER. Smile Implant is wopderful! I have been going tp them for four years and have not had all my teeth repace3d with great implants that work better, look better than ever. Someone I met at my gym told me she worked for a dentist who encouraged his staff to write fake stories about sMILE iMPLANT. What a bad way to try to compete!

My mother has had a lot of recent dental problems. She had dentures, expensive ones but he hates them, says it is difficult for her to talk and eat with dentures so she often does not wear them and cannot eat properly causing health problems. She is on Medicare but as they don't pay much on dental issues we also have dental insurance for her. One of her friends recently got dental implants at the Smile Implant Center and raved about them to my mother, said implants were "better than her own original teeth", that kind of thing. We checked a few places and found Smile Implant Center was the lowest price and seemed to be the largest implant practice in Orange County but they do not accept dental insurance as payment. We had to pay ourselves and even though it was a little more than half as much as my mother's dentist quoted us for implants, we had to come up with the money up front although our dental insurance company says they will pay us a good part of the amount eventually. My mother's new teeth fit great, she loves them and she can eat and speak well again but Smile Implant Center should take insurance too. I spoke to a few people there and they are very nice, easy to deal with but why won't they take insurance like many other dentists?

I've consulted a lot of other people. They're all out of their minds. When I talked to Dr. Teich, and he gave me the whole layout, I said finally something makes sense. You know, and reasonable sense. These other guys, if my first born wouldn't object they'd want him. And it was a whole thing, it was going to take 3, 4, or 5 years. Or whatever. You know, we have to do this and than have to wait 3 years. What are you talking about, all I want is some implants? Everybody else gets them.

I had been to other dentists. In fact even friends of mine and discussed implants and getting stuff done, and the costs. And I reckon Smile Implant Center beat them by somewhere around 5-8 thousand. Well that's significant. So I mean they were holding right to their advertising. And I said well, I'm going to do it. I'm not sorry because I reckon they went above and beyond what they were suppose to do anyway. Really what that proved to me was that they really cared about was the final outcome is EXCELLENT. This should be it, this should be my very last one. And I get all the teeth and its even gonna look superior than this. And that ain't terrible.

I fell for the TV ad and went down to get a free consultation. I had all the scans done and then sat with an account manager to weigh up my options. I needed 4 crowns, two extractions, 2 implants, 2 bone grafts and a sinus lift. It cost me nearly 5 figures to get it done but I wanted it done and out the way. I sat in the chair after being given an oral sedation. The dentist came in and looked in my mouth and said I needed a filling. He stopped and left the room and 25 minutes later the account manager came in and said I needed to pay for the filling now and wanted my credit card. I had to sign for the charge while heavily sedated. Over 30 mins later the same dentist came back in and shouted at his assistant to hurry up as he wanted to go to lunch. Then I was knocked out by the medication. I woke at about 7pm (I arrived at 9am) in excruciating pain with no one in my room and most of the lights off. Finally someone came in and put me in a wheelchair and placed me in the waiting room. Nothing…no prescription for my medication, no post-surgery rundown…I found someone who I begged for painkillers. I was sent on my way with a small bag of cotton swabs, 2 badly photocopied sheets of things to do and two business cards with two appointment times on them. I went down about two weeks later to have some impressions done (for my crowns) and have my stitches taken out. I was there nearly 4 hours. Two weeks later I went down to get them and again was waiting for hours. I got them done and they looked OK. I went to sleep that evening and woke up with a cracked front tooth. I went down and wasted another half day to get a temporary one fitted AGAIN. The following night ANOTHER permanent one cracked. Now I wear a gum shield EVERY single night. The only night I forget to put it in I get a cracked front tooth. That’s 3 out of 4 cracked. I recently went down for my scheduled appointment to have the second step of the implants done. I went down for a 9am appointment and was told because I didn’t want to take the oral sedation I would have to come back at 1pm. WHY? I came back at 1. I STOOD there for 2 hours before I finally asked how long it was going to be. I was taken into a room and a guy came in to inject the anesthetic and was about to do the wrong area. I told him to stop. He argued with someone and then came back and got it right. 45 minutes later with it wearing off I finally got out of the chair and went to see if anyone was coming back. Someone did finally and the work was done (except for the stitches). I was told to keep my mouth shut with gauze to stop the bleeding. 30 minutes later I started to feel dizzy so I wandered into the hall and asked if someone can help me as I was nearly choking on my own blood. At this point Dr Teich marched down the hallway and said angrily “I suggest you sit down and stop disrespecting my staff. I’ve had 6 complaints about you today”. I knew that was a lie as I’d only spoken to three of them. He then slammed the door in my face. Someone immediately came into the room to help me (while mumbling under his breath). I walked out and demanded to see Mike Schneider to express my absolute shock but another member of his crew, a guy called Art Thompson was requested. I was ushered into an office so the other people couldn’t hear what I was saying. I demanded an apology from Dr Teich. Art said he’d call me the next day which he did but he hadn’t spoken to Dr Teich yet. That was over a month ago. I’ve left 5 messages for him. The bad news for them is that I’m a member of the press. I took pictures of the bloody tissues crammed under doors, blood on the supposedly clean tools, and the dirt and dust in all the rooms. Maybe an undercover operation will expose who this company really is. If you want to WASTE YOUR time for mediocre work then please go ahead and visit them but you’ve been warned. Oh, google Dr Teich too…an interesting read.

Why is it that the main thing on your site is a complaint? I had some issues growing up, you know, bad teeth. Than had them pulled out and realized that was not what I was going to do. And so I did some research, and came across the smile implant center, and they're the ones I felt happy with. I love the people here, overall, I mean, I felt comfortable with the doctor right from the beginning. I did some research, I talked to everybody, and he's the one who made me feel the most comfortable. I'm old now, so to come at my age, and to see what they were able to do, because my jaw bone had disintegrated. And they really built me up and its been wonderful. I can't believe it, I really didn't think they were going to be able to do it, when I first got here. And than he told me he could and I trusted him. And he did it. I tell everybody about the place. It's not that I tell them exactly what I'm doing, but they know I'm getting dental work and that I'm getting compliments on my teeth all the time so that's how it should be.
My experience is positive so I figured I'd share.

In England at the moment there are a lot of people who go to Hungary and Poland and even South Africa because of the language, but Los Angeles is further. my cousin who lives in Los Angeles, who is one of your patients too, said, “Do not worry. Come to America. You know, everybodys got implants there.” And implants were hardly known in England at that time. when I first came and had implants, eight of them and Dr. Teich wonderfully took that piece which was not supposed to be there out and replaced it. without any trouble. And about two years ago suddenly I— a piece came into my mouth the size of my small finger of the consistency like a pumice stone. And I was very alarmed and concerned. I went to various dentists, My ordinary dentist said to me: “You must do something about it. I am not an expert in implants. I do not know what to do. But I will not take responsibility, you staying in this condition.” I did not realize the danger of exposing myself with this thing having come off. go to the Health Service which we have got which is not—you know, you think it does not cost, it costs quite a lot. A crown is already half an implant and it’s better to get a whole implant when you need it at the age of 60 or whatever than waiting and deteriorating more and more.
People go for implants but abroad because in England they are so expensive. There are some people who say they know, but they know absolutely nothing. 'not like Dr. Teich does?' No. So I feel I really went down the wrong alley by waiting a year and half to get an appointment there in the first place and than not being told about a Waterpik, or the use of a Waterpik, but just being told just leave it and keep it clean. And than on the other hand, my ordinary dentist telling me that he does not, is not prepared to take responsibility because he does not know anything about implants. And I am endangering myself of just leaving it. So this is why I came here., but it does not make sense to people who do not know in England. You wait for a year to get an appointment and then the man says just leave it. And I rang here. Talked to Dr. Teich. And he said just come. And we have to take new x rays because the old x rays, its no good sending x rays from England. You cannot go to someone else in Hungry or Poland. If I start it here. But it is still very efficient and very pleasant. And one cannot afford to miss any of the work you do. And this is very impressive and I feel the rest of the world seems to be years behind what you are doing.
The Smile Implant Center is my dental center and I would always use it again.

I did not even have to ask for it. You know, give me a discount or anything. They just say no charge. We honor our service. We honor our practice. And that is about it. The other people they were charging me $2, 300 each. This doctor charged me about $900. But the equipment at Smile Implant Center, the know-how of Smile Implant Center, the customer service at Smile Implant Center, and they treat you like you are family. They treat you like you are family. They know dental implant. They know what they are doing. The Smile Implant Center, I honestly feel, when I walk in, I am walking into my own house. I am that much comfortable. And I sincerely mean it. I am not saying this thing because people like to hear it, but I mean it. You make an appointment, very, very professionally, they take care of you. The Smile Implant Center I have referred all, about 50, 60 people to this place. And I will refer more because the doctor treat people like his own family. Maybe he does not know me. Maybe he does not know me because he has so many patients. €“ When you come to this place, and then you have all the implant and everything, and you walk out, you feel like you are being treated like a king. Let us put it this way. As I said, I a€™m not exaggerating. It is the way they treat you. It is the way they welcome you. It is the way they follow up, follow up. And then the guarantee they have. Four years after. Where would they do that? Honestly, where? Show me. Four years after. In a nutshell, the Smile Implant Center is professional, professional service. They do a wonderful job. You do not feel the implant. You really do not feel the pain. And after that, 24 hours, they call you. They follow up on you. What, four days, five days after that they ask you to come. They check on you. And the procedure goes on. I really want to congratulate them, I want to congratulate them.

I’m in sales so a beautiful smile will do a lot. So I feel the implant would serve the need but obviously it’s also the hygiene, it’s also the taking care of the teeth itself. So implant is the next step, it’s the future. And I am happy that I have it done.

I went to some other implant center. They try to charge me for the CT scan and they try to charge me for the x-ray. And I don’t even decide to do this and that but I already have to pay them, and that’s something that I feel I should not be, I was not a fan about. But at the Smile Implant Center I have no obligation at all. The consultation is completely free and if I don’t like what I am being offered I can just walk away. It’s something that I feel that the Smile Implant Center is genuine and honest about the service that they are trying to provide.

One of the reasons that I chose the Smile Implant Center because they have the whole lab here in the office. I used to go to other dentists and just to have a tooth or a tooth filling they have to wait for the lab. Here, everything is done in house and they can control what’s going on and they will have it done correctly.I have a friend who had a front tooth implant from some other center, and a couple years later it doesn’t work. It had to be taken out. I actually referred her to see Dr. Teich at the Smile Implant Center. It’s been five years and she’s completely happy with it. What the Smile Implant Center has done here is revolutionary. It’s a technique that’s probably world-renown and I’m happy that I have been here and chose this center to do my implant.

One of the main concerned that I hadn’t decide to go with the implant because with the missing teeth eventually the bone loss will progress and the implant will stop that process and it can hold the same structure that you now have. With the bone loss it can change the structure of your face.

I have a friend who have a front tooth implant from some other center, and a couple years later it doesn’t work so you have to take it out. And I actually refer her to see Dr. Teich at the Smile Implant Center. And it’s been five years. She completely happy with it. Whatever the Smile Implant Center done here, it’s revolutionary. It’s a technique that probably world-renown and I’m happy that I have been here and choose this center to do my implant.
At the Smile Implant Center they combine the art and the science to make every individual look perfect with a beautiful smile

Smile Implant Center was there when i needed them and they did an excellent job. When my bridge broke, I wondered what I was going to do. I didn’t want another bridge and asked what my options were. My regular dentist suggested implants, but the cost was just too high. Looking for someone who could do quality service at a reasonable price, I heard the advertisement for the Smile Implant Center on the radio. I asked about the facility from other people and it had a good reputation. I made the call, came in for a consultation and signed up for the program. Everyone was nice and they had more practice, more expertise than anyone. Impressed by the good job they had done and the competitive price, I’ve even recommended the Smile Implant Center to others. Now I can say, “The Smile Implant Center is my dental implant center!”
014449 Smith W:

Had three teeth extracted and two implant posts placed at the Smile Implant Center. Awoke from sedation during surgery and experienced severe pain while they were suturing. Also had excruciating pain following surgery for two weeks from what must have been 'dry sockets'. My mouth is still tender after three months in the tooth #13 implant area when I move my lip. No one cared or tried to figure out why I have had pain. I do not want them to do the abutments and crowns and will fight to get a refund for the money I paid for them.