Veterinary Dental Specialties & Oral Surgery

Debbie Spoonhour

I brought my surf dog, Kona, here about 20 years ago when she had broken a molar. Dr. Niemic fixed her up by putting a crown on it. Fast forward 20 years and I'm back with another rescue dog, Kamea. Her regular veterinarian noticed during a routine exam, that one of her upper pre-molars was damaged. So she recommended coming back to So Cal Veterinary Dental Specialties. This time we saw Dr. Lan. He looked at Kamea's teeth, explained what it looked like had happened to her tooth and said he’d update me once he had x-rays to look at. She went through a couple of tests to make sure that she was fit for surgery. Then I received an estimate based on her preliminary exam. When we came in for her actual dental appointment Dr. Lan showed me the x-rays and advised me on his recommendations. Kamea is from San Felipe Dog Rescue in Baja. She had been abandoned by her original owner at a spay and neuter clinic. They contacted the rescue and she remained there for at least a year before I adopted her. So her early history isn't very well known. It turns out that just about every one of her teeth is broken off at the tip. Dr. Lan believes that it's related to her early experience as a street dog. So he recommended removing the pre-molar since it looked infected and beyond worth saving. She had another two incisor that he recommended be removed to help with her bite. She has an underbite that has also interfered with how her teeth "fit together" when chewing. Pulling the incisor helped make that feel more comfortable. Then she had a molar on the opposite side from the pre-molar that was damaged. So he recommended saving it by sealing it. They provided me with an updated estimate, then continued to do the dental work. Kamea did great! She was groggy for the first day, but was fine from the next day going forward. She had two meds for pain which I gave her for the first 72hrs post-op. She didn't appear to be in any pain, but I know that dogs are good at hiding it, so I wanted to make sure that she was covered. It's now been 16 days since her surgery We just saw Dr.Lan for her post-op follow up. Her sutures have dissolved and everything looks good! So now she's ready to dive back into barnhunt and show those rats who's boss!

Jan 2, 2026

Alexandra Rimlinger

Dr. Hermanson and the entire team at VDS are outstanding! As a pet parent with a dog dealing with a systemic disease, I was super anxious about the dental procedure and anesthesia. From the initial consultation through the entire process, Dr. Hermanson was remarkable. Her thoroughness and confidence immediately put me at ease. The clinic went above and beyond (they allowed me to see my dog during the procedure and provided a detailed explanation of unexpected findings). The transparency and communication were excellent. The staff, particularly Asuka, Macey, and Jordyn, were phenomenal. They were welcoming, friendly, and informative throughout my wait. Their approach and professionalism made a stressful situation manageable. There is no price tag that could represent the peace of mind and exceptional care we received. Bottom line: VDS is worth every penny. I wouldn't take my dogs anywhere else.

Mar 28, 2025

suzanne diangelo

Words can not express how grateful I am for Dr. Niemiec, he is truely the best in the world, he loves your dogs and his work is incredible and precise, patient and careful and knows the best direction to advise us fur baby parents and your loved one! you do not have to question as his direction is gold! Hope Violet was in the bests hands with the whole staff from the entire front staff creating a warm and inviting entrance and answering all your questions and anxieties from the moment you enter into a beautiful lobby! Vet staff Annie is patient and comforting, Hope's teeth are so clean and pearly white! She had an extraction and a root canal and she is now comfortable, Dr. Skinner, thank you and very grateful for your comforting words and advice as well "she is wrapped sleeping in a warm blanket" . And it would not be complete without saying a special thank you to Dr. Hopkins, anesthesiologist, for one on one monitoring she is amazing and very patient, Special thanks to Macey, Jordyn, Kathleen and Kim, all I can say is a special thank you, for keeping me in peace as I was so anxious, sorry if i forgot anyone's name, see you soon with my other Pup. Be Blessed!

Oct 17, 2025

Cadence marvin

Amazing team and very caring doctors! Took in my 14 year old cat, that we adopted a little less than a year ago, who started having chronic sneezing and leaking eyes. After his surgery he looks amazing no leaking from his face whatsoever! He was a very tough case with heart problems and many caps removed previously with roots remaining(causing the problem). They were able to completely remove all the roots infecting his mouth and I can’t stress enough that he looks better than I’ve ever seen him! Beautiful job thank you so much!

Oct 20, 2024

Ander Olson

Wow, I am really impressed with this place. The staff is on top of things, kind, and very understanding with my anxious dog. Dr. Hermanson was so attentive, carefully showed me what needed to be done, and really put my own anxiety at ease. My only regret is that I didn't start bringing my dog here sooner.

Oct 6, 2025