Dr. Hafid Mantilla, MD

My recent interactions with this doctor left me deeply unsatisfied and distressed. We were forced to see him as our Dr. was unavailable during a few separate issues when my child was undergoing a long stretch of severe illness. Despite prevailing health standards, and my child's higher susceptibility to infection, the doctor was not wearing a mask when he saw us. When I requested him to do so, he attempted to argue that the presence of sickness in the vicinity somehow negated the need for protective measures. His initial refusal was neither intelligent nor considerate, both traits one would hope to find in a healthcare provider. Communicating with him felt akin to dialoguing with a disinterested machine, rather than a compassionate human. His responses were a monotonous litany of 'yeah', 'uh huh', and 'right', devoid of any genuine concern or understanding. The doctor's approach was severely lacking in emotional comprehension. As a parent discussing my child's health, I expected… empathy, something more akin to the understanding a fellow parent might show, rather than the cold, calculated responses of a medical manual. Additionally, his lack of humility was disconcerting. Instead of admitting uncertainty when faced with a question beyond his knowledge, he would offer an unrelated medical fact, as if to distract from his own ignorance. This, to me, does not signify intelligence, but a lack of professional maturity. To create a comforting environment, a doctor needs to demonstrate traits such as out-of-the-box thinking, empathy, and professionalism, all of which were sadly missing in this encounter. As a worried parent, I left feeling more distressed and far from comforted.

My granddaughters pediatrician was out and she had to see Dr. Mantilla who refused to acknowledge my granddaughter's diagnosed condition (that was clearly and well documented in her file). He also refused to prescribe antibiotics for what was a clear sinus infection. As a result, we had to take her to Urgent Care a few days later and she was diagnosed with a severe sinus infection, double ear infection, and caused her existing condition go into a bad flare. As a result of this doctor, my granddaughter suffered both physically and mentally. Do not take your child to him. Especially if he/she has a rare medical condition. He will dismiss it and do nothing.