Dr. Brian Mahoney

I just want to preface this by saying I have never had a bad dental experience in my life, through multiple fillings, teeth being pulled, and years of orthodontal work- until I visited Main Street Dentistry at 3512 Main St in Vancouver, WA. I had two previous fillings at this location, and very professionally performed by Dr. Warnock. Dr. Warnock had told me at the time of my previous appointment, that the final filling would be a much easier fix. When I came in for my final filling, however, I ended up being scheduled with DR. BRIAN MAHONEY. Right off the bat, it seemed to me that he was in a bad mood. He was curt, and didn't ask me if I had questions prior to beginning. In fact, he started the procedure immediately after a quick 'hi'. He swabbed with local anesthetic, and immediately administered the procaine. It was painful, as the local anesthetic hadn't soaked in yet, but I shrugged it off. He left the room, and returned, to immediately start drilling. In all of my previous… dental experiences, the dentists and hygienists would inform me prior to executing any procedure, explain what they're seeing and also verify that I'm doing OK. However, DR. MAHONEY was silent for nearly the entire procedure. He hit a painful spot once, of which I raised my hand to notify him. He didn’t stop until I started moaning from the pain and waved my hand. He said he wanted to try a different drill, and then continued on. I noticed, at this point, that the drilling duration was longer than any other cavity fillings I had undergone, and I was feeling uncomfortable. A moment later, he again hit the painful spot; I again waved my hand, he paused briefly, and then immediately hit the same spot again. I then asked him why this seemed to be taking longer and why he was drilling deeper than I had been previously told was necessary, and I asked for a break. Immediately after my request and without answering my questions, he attempted to continue working. I then repeated my request for a break and held my hands in front of my face to keep him from continuing. Through all of this, neither he nor the dental assistant asked whether I was OK, offered a tissue, or gave any explanations to my inquiries. After lowering my hands, he responded with “I think we're done drilling now”, and in total silence he finished the procedure quickly and brashly. Tears were streaming down my face by this time. In less than half the time he spent drilling, he filled the cavity, set it, and polished it. As he left the room, he told me over his shoulder “You will likely have sensitivity for up to three days.” Only at this point did the dental assistant ask if I was OK, and claimed “The cavity was deeper than it had looked on the X-ray.” I have never felt so violated by a dentist. I'm concerned about the quality of the filling, and will be visiting a different dentist at a different dental practice to ensure that it was completed appropriately. The entire experience was a total shock to me, as my previous visit was pleasant, and I've always enjoyed my time with all of my previous dentists. DR. BRIAN MAHONEY clearly lacks the professionalism necessary to do this job responsibly and respectfully. I am extremely disappointed, and hope that I can help others avoid this kind of traumatic experience.