D Cardale in Lakewood, CA

Pros

• The hygienist Dee is amazing, extremely informative, and patient.
• Dee explained everything and was kind, professional, and patient.
• The front desk staff are kind, accommodating, and welcoming.
• Dr. Song is a fun, caring dentist who makes going to the dentist surprisingly comfortable.
• Dr. Song provides comfort during stressful situations, making even the scariest procedures feel like a breeze.
• The Candlewood Smiles team treats anxious patients with patience and compassion.
• The office is clean, welcoming, and on-time, with staff who explain treatment options clearly.
• Ricky, the office manager, provides exemplary customer service and handles insurance smoothly.
• Dr. Boutros is thorough, caring, and takes time to explain treatment options.
• Nayeli, the front desk receptionist, is friendly and helpful, making visits easier.
• Thania, the whitening assistant, is gentle and ensures comfort throughout whitening.
• The team goes above and beyond to make visits positive and stress-free.

Cons

• The service was terrible, and patients were left waiting for hours.
• The office staff are incompetent and turnover is high, leading to delays and poor communication.
• The billing department charged for services covered by insurance, causing frustration and refunds.
• Patients left the office feeling confused and dismissed after exams, with basic cleanings being refused in favor of upsell options.
• The dentist’s tone was condescending and there was no clear explanation after the patient declined an expensive option.
• There was inconsistency and pressure that left patients uncomfortable about whether treatment was truly needed.
• The practice is overpriced, with equipment breaking and multiple cancellations or reschedules.
• A crown was placed incorrectly and there was miscommunication about replacement coverage.
• One reviewer described the dental hygienist as the worst, citing painful injections, poor suction, and rough handling.

Review

This community is best suited for families and adults who want a patient-centered dental home in Lakewood where warmth, clear explanations, and gentle care are the norm. Candlewood Smiles Dentistry consistently draws patients who value staff that explain procedures in plain language, clinicians who take their time with treatment decisions, and a front-office team that keeps scheduling and insurance matters approachable. The practice earns its reputation from a core group: dentists who communicate thoughtfully, hygienists who perform thorough cleanings with minimal discomfort, and a support staff that makes check-in and check-out feel efficient rather than transactional. It is particularly well-matched for anxious patients, teens pursuing Invisalign, and adults seeking cosmetic or restorative work framed by transparent options. In short, this is a dental home for those who want competence paired with genuine, respectful care.

Those who may want to consider alternatives include individuals who are especially price-conscious or who need consistently predictable scheduling and billing without hiccups. A subset of reviews points to upselling and billing discrepancies, including instances where basic cleanings were deprioritized in favor of elective treatments and where insurance coverage questions required careful verification. Several patients report long wait times or frequent appointment rescheduling, sometimes accompanied by miscommunications between front desk staff and clinicians. For families and busy professionals, these patterns can translate into frustration and a sense that administrative reliability lags behind clinical excellence. If price transparency, strict scheduling reliability, or seamless insurance handling are non-negotiables, exploring other options may be prudent.

On the positives, the practice’s strongest assets are the clinicians’ empathy, thoroughness, and ability to alleviate fear. Deep cleanings conducted with care, injections that minimize discomfort, and step-by-step explanations help even dentally wary patients feel seen and safe. The dental team earns high marks for expertise across a range of services, from routine hygiene to orthodontic planning and restorative work. Front-desk staff and office leadership, Ricky, Nayeli, and others, are repeatedly praised for courtesy, responsiveness, and willingness to walk patients through pricing, insurance, and scheduling. The office environment itself is described as calm, clean, and welcoming, making the process of routine visits and more involved procedures feel less daunting.

Where cons appear, they tend to cluster around administrative and logistical friction rather than clinical capability. Several reviews recount inconsistent experiences with billing or insurance processing, including charges for services later disputed or refunded after review. Scheduling instability, cancellations, late confirmations, or extended waits, also appears in a noticeable minority of experiences, sometimes overshadowing otherwise excellent clinical work. A few patients have observed variability in care among different staff members, and one noted a misstep with a crown a few years back that was eventually resolved after escalation. Taken together, these administrative gaps can undermine otherwise strong patient trust and highlight a need for sharper process discipline.

The key question for families weighing Candlewood Smiles is how the outstanding clinical care stacks up against the administrative rough edges. For most, the offset is substantial: compassionate doctors who explain options, a hygienist who performs deep cleanings with minimal discomfort, and a consistently friendly front desk culture create a reliably positive core experience. When a patient prioritizes reducing fear, achieving visible results, and benefiting from patient education that supports ongoing oral health, the pros clearly outweigh the cons. The best way to guard against the negatives is to enter with a clear treatment plan, request written estimates, and confirm insurance coverage before any non-emergency work proceeds. In practice, this approach preserves the strong clinical value while mitigating financial or scheduling surprises.

For families ready to commit, it is wise to seek care under the leadership of standout clinicians such as Dr. Boutros and the team around Dee the hygienist, who consistently delivergentle, effective care and explain each step with patience. Prospective patients should leverage the front-desk backbone, Nayeli and Ricky among others, for a transparent, proactive intake experience, including appointment coordination and insurance navigation. If a patient wants a dental home where trust grows from clear communication and genuine courtesy, Candlewood Smiles fits the bill. If, instead, the priority is ironclad scheduling reliability and flawless billing every single time, it may be worth exploring other practices first and then returning if administrative improvements accompany the proven clinical excellence.

This part of Lakewood, California offers convenient access to essential amenities such as pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS, as well as healthcare facilities like Kaiser Permanente Hospital and VA Long Beach Healthcare System. There are also a variety of dining options for residents to enjoy, including In-N-Out Burger and Chick-Fil-A. Additionally, the area features recreational spaces such as Cerritos Regional County Park and Bixby Park, providing opportunities for outdoor activities. With a mix of healthcare services, dining options, and recreational areas nearby, this neighborhood offers a well-rounded environment for seniors looking to settle in Lakewood.

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.9 miles)
• Costco Vision Center (1.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.3 miles)
• Walgreens (2.7 miles)
• Walgreens (2.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.8 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.6 miles)
• Bopomofo Cafe (4 miles)
• Starbucks (5.7 miles)
• Starbucks (5.9 miles)
• Starbucks (7.8 miles)
• Lees Sandwiches - Gard (8.5 miles)
• Donut King 2 (9.2 miles)

Physicians

• Paramount Physicians (2.2 miles)
• Dostzada, Ghulam Dr - Los Alamitos Cardiovascular (7.5 miles)
• Harbor Ucla Medical Center - David Durkovich Do (8.1 miles)
• Monica B Espiritu M.D. | Kaiser Permanente (9.1 miles)

Transportation

• Komar Aviation Group (2.5 miles)
• Long Beach Airport (LGB) (2.5 miles)
• Metro - Willow Street Station (3.7 miles)
• Port Of Long Beach (8.3 miles)
• Metro La Mirada & Alondra Bus Stop (9.4 miles)

Restaurants

• In-N-Out Burger (3.3 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (3.7 miles)
• McDonald's (5.8 miles)
• Falcon (6 miles)
• McDonald's (6.4 miles)
• Hooters (6.5 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (6.6 miles)

Theaters

• Harkins Theatres Cerritos 16 (3.6 miles)
• AMC Norwalk 2 (6.4 miles)

Hospitals

• Kaiser Permanente Hospital (4.8 miles)
• Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center (5.2 miles)
• VA Long Beach Healthcare System (5.7 miles)
• PIH Health Hospital (5.8 miles)
• Martin Luther King Jr / Drew Medical Center (6.8 miles)
• Department of State Hospitals (7.2 miles)
• Del Rio Convalescent Center (8.3 miles)

Parks

• Cerritos Regional County Park (5.5 miles)
• Shadow Park Hoa (5.7 miles)
• Rossmoor Park (5.9 miles)
• Bixby Park (6.1 miles)
• Temple Park (6.1 miles)
• Bluff Park (6.3 miles)
• Rainbow Lagoon Park (6.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• Saint Hedwig Catholic Church (6.3 miles)
• Cottonwood Church (6.8 miles)