Dr. Alpa Nirav Merchant

Everything with this so-called "dentist" is a sales pitch. And if someone sells that hard, be warned! As I found out the hard way, what they have to sell is not worth all that much. Merchant really is the perfect name for this woman, but the "Dr." is misplaced. She is a salesperson first and a doctor second, and is therefore no doctor at all.

I had a poor experience at this office. The short of it: undue arrogance, unprofessionalism, and carelessness. This dentist seems to think good chair-side manner is showing off how smart she. The number of degree/certifications listed after her name might seem impressive, but I think they have gone to her head. Those abbreviations don’t build trust with patients like she thinks they do. Attention to detail, empathy, and humility is what is needed, but there she is completely lacking. In my case, her negligence and mismanagement delayed my dental care by several weeks. Then when something else didn’t go exactly as planned, rather than looking for a solution, she turned her frustration and impatience towards me. After being completely patient with the situation up to that point, I then finally called her out. And what do you think her approach was when faced with her errors? Acknowledgement? An apology? No. Her arrogance won again: she went on to once again try prove how smart she is.… I’ve never before experienced such unprofessional behavior! I don’t think Merchant is cut out to deal with patients and practice dentistry day-to-day. She *may* have the knowledge, but it takes more than that to be a professional. Instead of trying to manage a dental office, maybe she should teach at a dental school where she can show off her the theoretical knowledge all she wants, can have her ego regularly stroked, and not worry about all the pesky real-world details.

Highly recommend my new hi-tech dentist with superior state-of-the-art equipment! Dr. Alpa Merchant and her staff are outstanding! Dr. Merchant uses cutting edge technology called CariVu - a Photo Infrared Scan technique that can detect decay early. This will save you pain and money in the long run. After my first visit, she let me know there were some old fillings in need of repair. I was pleased to learn entire fillings did NOT have to be replaced. She could save a good majority of the filling and just repair the portion that needed repair. That saved me PAIN and cost. The reason I changed dentist in the first place was because the front office person at my old dentist, Kathi, changed to Dr. Merchant's office. There is no administrator more efficient than Kathi! When it comes to filing insurance paperwork, I never have to deal with insurance on my day off, because Kathi is on it. She's also a great communicator when it comes to text notifications regarding my upcoming… appointment. Dental Assistant Desiree is professional, patient, and safety conscious--explaining everything as she goes. Stephanie, the hygienist is uber gentle when cleaning your teeth. Dr. Merchant's entire staff is the best! Dr. Merchant has been practicing dentistry in Tucson for 20+ years. She is extremely knowledgeable and competent. Also impressive, is her healthy lifestyle--she's a tri-athlete and an avid traveler in her spare time.

Wonderful experience. Staff excellent