The Science of Smiles
H. Robert Stender, DDS:
Practice Profile Page

The Science of Smiles
Harry Robert Stender, DDS
Pasadena, CA

★★★★★

35 REVIEWS
0 BEFORE & AFTER PHOTOS

SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT ONLINE

CALL MY OFFICE

DENTAL TREATMENTS OFFERED

Dental cleaning

White fillings

Crowns

Inlays & onlays

Bridges

Clear aligners

Pediatric dental care

Porcelain veneers

Teeth whitening

Dentures & partials

Root canal treatment

Tooth extraction

TMJ treatment

Dental implants

CLEAR ALIGNER SERVICES

Offers Even28 at-home™? No

Offers Even28 at-dentist™? No

Offers Invisalign®? Yes

OFFICE HOURS

Monday: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Tuesday: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Wednesday: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Thursday: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Friday: Closed

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed

SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT

BEFORE & AFTER PHOTO GALLERY

PATIENT REVIEWS

I have been continually impressed with the exceptional level of care that Dr. Stender delivers. A peerless dentist that has gone above and beyond for my wife’s dental care.
We had a three week old baby girl at the time New Year’s Eve rolled around and my wife’s tooth decided that was a good time for the nerve to explode into pain. This year New Year’s Day fell on a Friday, and although the Dr would have been happy to come in on January 1st, his office and us living in Pasadena meant the Rose Parade made that a physical impossibility. Dr.Stender came in alone on the holiday weekend and cleared up my wife’s tooth trouble while the baby and I stayed in the waiting room with breaks to nurse when needed. The entire office is incredibly welcoming and accommodating. They are family friendly as well and have zero problem with my wife nursing our little girl in the office during breaks for long procedures. I don’t know how we could ever ask for more in a dentist. If your family is anywhere near the Pasadena area you absolutely must look this office up for preventative and serious dental care. Many many thanks from our family to this lovely group of people.

Dr. Stender and his team are top of the line, 100% the BEST! I’ve been going to him for years and my teeth are always healthy and sparkly white. Angel is my hygienist and not only does he have a gentle hand, he always remembers personal details about my life. The staff is genuinely invested in all of their patients, which makes going to the dentist like visiting family.

Everyone is extremely nice, professional and customer service oriented my last two appointments have been with Nora and I have to say her manner and professionalism and detail is beyond any I’ve experienced with other dental providers, she takes the time to educate which is something I always personally enjoy and she loves her job which clearly comes across. The entire staff is very knowledgeable and customer service oriented which is pretty rare to find at that level these days, and of course Dr. Stender is fantastic, approachable and makes you feel welcomed! Can’t wait for my next follow up…I’ve never looked forward to dental appointments in my life before this!

I have been seeing Dr. Stender for over five years now, but I want to share a story of his keen attentiveness to health that ended up changing how I breathe and sleep. I went to see Dr. Stender some time in early 2018 for a cleaning, and after he examined me he noticed that I had a lot of wear on my teeth from what he suspected was grinding. He pointed out my swollen jaw muscles and recommended I get tested for sleep apnea. I ended up taking two sleep tests that confirmed mild but not severe apnea, but most notably that I wasn’t breathing through my nose while I slept. He suspected it could be related to allergies so he recommended I see an allergist.  Once at the allergist, Dr. Flora Vardanian performed a series of tests that confirmed allergies to several features of the natural environment. She also noticed that my septum was deviated on my left side. She recommended an Ear, Throat, and Nose (ENT) specialist and once there Dr. Sean Delaney confirmed the deviated septum and added that I had abnormally enflamed turbinates on my right side, which when combined prevented me from breathing through my nose properly and efficiently.  After about a year following the initial diagnosis by Dr. Stender, I went ahead with a surgery that would correct my deviated septum and reduce the enlarged turbinates in my nose. I never expected to feel so differently and to breath so differently. I notice that I sleep a lot better, and actually have dreams which in the past were rare or non-existent for me. I would attribute this to finally being able to gain deep sleep due to the improved breathing. I cannot believe how much better I breathe now, and it was all thanks to Dr. Stender and his staff’s attentiveness to my condition, and their ability to think outside of just teeth and determine that breathing and the health of your teeth are interrelated.  Dr. Stender and his team are a wonderful group of people who sincerely want to improve the health of their patients, and not just their teeth. I feel lucky and grateful to have experienced such care.

I have been so impressed with the level of care at Dr Stender’s office. Dr Stender is up to date on cutting edge technology and technically excellent as a dentist. I’ve been to a number of dentists and the proof is in his work, each procedure has been excellent and the outcomes pain and issue free. The staff is kind and supportive and they are very aware of each patient and their individual needs.

After a lot of research, I chose to go and see Dr. Stender. I was looking for a doctor that offered Ozone in the office as an alternative to the typical drill and fill. I have had some really terrible experiences at the dentist office in the past. Not that they were all my dentists fault but simple fillings that caused a lot of pain post filling and even fillings that turned into a root canals. I am absolutely terrified of going to the dentist. After reading his reviews and about  all of the technology he used to give his patients the best possible outcome, I chose to take a chance and drive quit a ways to see him. Great office and staff. Dr. Stender was kind and patient with me and my dental phobia. Definitely recommend!

I went to Dr. Stender for TMJ which I’ve had for a couple of years now. I had heard about surgeries and all kinds of things to correct this online…invasive surgeries, braces, etc. people who have this are desperate so pay thousands and tens of thousands of dollars to fix it. Dr. Stender calmly assessed  my jaw himself and with the help of some machines and he said it’s fixable. He ended up making me a night guard that fit like a retainer, behind my teeth, which kept me from grinding at night. Then he (and the wonderful Connie) taught me some exercises which helped stretch my jaw. They also did some laser therapy which helped relax the muscles. And, they educated me in how to retrain my bite at rest- teeth slightly apart, not touching, so I would stop clenching, and it  worked. I gotta say, I was skeptical that anything would help, and it took a couple of months, but I’m better! My jaw doesn’t even make a grinding clicking sound anymore. I can even eat sandwiches. 🙂 It feels like a miracle. Also, the pricing was incredibly reasonable. I’m so grateful. Highly recommend of course. 🙂

Once I got to interact with staff, I was so happy to find them. Like many dental offices they were running almost a full hour behind. It takes me an hour to get there so I recommended they let me know by calling of the delay so I don’t lose productivity in my own day as a result. I am extremely pleased with how comprehensive the exam was – I have never had such a thorough exam actually and am 42-years-old. I walked away feeling very optimistic about my mouth health and considering I am an 11-year breast cancer survivor any sign of vitality is a great one to me!

The staff and dentists are wonderful and compassionate. Their work on crowns and fillings are advanced: which means I didn’t have to return for readjustments. They call you at home to check up on you. Who does that anymore ? Lastly, even though I moved to the coast, I will still drive the distance and through LA traffic to Stender’s office to receive their fantastic dental care !

Dr. Stender is the best dentist.  I actually don’t find myself cowering in fear when I go to see him. He is, essentially, painless when it comes to dentistry.   He also does not try and upsell me when I come in.  By that I mean I tell him my issue, he looks at it, and tells me the most efficient way to fix it. I am fortunate that because of his outstanding care I really don’t have a lot of trouble with my old teeth.  I am over 60 and have, thanks to Dr. Stender, all my own teeth, including the wisdom teeth.   One more thing,  he does not bitch you out about being a coffee or tea drinker.  I have had dentists in the past that seemed to live to tell you how awful coffee and tea are for you but not Dr. Stender.  He accepts that we have a life and coffee and tea may be part of it. He is the best!!!!!

Amazing dentist experience today with Dr. Stender. Upon arrival the staff is extremely friendly and helpful. The office environment is clean and comfortable. There are some amazing Western themed coffee table books to keep you entertained in the short wait time. The doctor has a lot of neat tech that helps to analyze and monitor different aspects of your teeth and jaw. He’s really concerned about the longevity of your oral health! I’m sure other doctors have this too, but they also have a 3D scanner that does a 3D xray of your jaw area. I got to see a part of my skull. MY SKULL. The Doctor is friendly, takes his time to explain things, detailed, and overall just seems like a great guy. I had fun at the dentist today. FUN.

My visit was outstanding! I felt welcomed the entire time. Nora was great and Dr. Stender was very friendly and straightforward. The front desk staff was very friendly and I knew right away it would be a good experience. I even got a cool disc with the photos of my x-ray! Overall, it was a good experience and I walked away feeling more empowered to take better care of my teeth.

Extremely well equipped and modern dentist’s office and everyone here was extremely helpful. I don’t have dental insurance and haven’t been to a dentist in ages, but needed to go after a front tooth chipped (a small chip but still annoying) and another dentist filled it but it came off within a few days. Because they spent more time trying to upsell me on full crowns than doing the filling I had a feeling I should try to get it fixed somewhere else and came here. The end result was much better, it’s so far stayed on for longer than 2 days and the other dentist who saw me pretty quickly pointed out it seems like I grind my teeth in my sleep and might have sleep apnea. I do have sleep apnea but only found out recently and didn’t mention it since it seemed irrelevant, and I didn’t know I grind my teeth. She pointed out how she noticed and gave me all the info needed to ask my doctor about if I ever want any of the relevant dental devices/procedures covered in my insurance. She was extremely helpful and professional and did what I came there for quickly and really well. Considering this office seems to subspecialize in treating sleep apnea and my case has been difficult I’ll probably be heading back in the near future and I don’t feel worried about heading to the dentist for once.

My daughter and I drive up from San Diego to see Dr. Stender. That’s how good we feel he (and the entire staff) are. Just had a crown redone. Awesome fit. Uses the best technology. Very professional and I trust his judgement. At least twice we have had other dentists say a tooth needed work and Dr. Stender said they were fine. The office is run like clockwork. Scheduling was right on target. All of the staff are friendly and accommodating. No one minds answering any questions I have. Also twice Dr. Stender has had to give me numbing shots when I had crowns done and both times I didn’t feel them at all. Never had that from another dentist.

I have never had a better experience with a dentist than I have with Dr. Stender. His entire staff is friendly and accommodating and Dr. Stender is excellent. He takes his time and answers all your questions. I was first recommended by my grandmother, who was a patient, and I continue to recommend Dr. Stender to all my friends and family. I usually brag about how this is the best dentist I have ever been to and it is no longer a displeasure to go to the dentist. I have had many fillings with no numbing and it is painless and I can eat right after! I highly recommend Dr. Stender to anyone looking for a new dentist and a better overall experience!

I’ve been going to Dr. Stender’s office ever since I could remember, and not once have I felt uncomfortable or scared. I don’t really understand why people are so fearful of going to the dentist, and it’s probably because I’ve never had a bad experience.The office is clean and tranquil, it feels like I’m in a spa! The staff is so friendly and accommodating to your every need. Dr. Stender is so thorough and up to date on the latest technology, especially in dealing with laser treatments. I can throw out endless amounts of compliment but the icing on the cake and my favorite part about coming into the office are the gift cards that I get for just checking in! I mean, not only do I get top notch dental service but also free stuff. What more can a girl ask for? For those of you in search of an excellent dental office, look no further. I recommend all of my family and friends to this office, and I recommend it to you too!

I was looking for a dentist near me who would accept my dental insurance. 1-800-Dentist helped me find him. That’s another great service I’d like to recommend. I needed a cleaning and checkup. I arrived in the newly remodeled office in an older Pasadena medical building. Everything is beautiful, clean and new, including what I can only describe as an MRI machine that rotates around your head while you sit up. Dr. Stender went over the results with me and gave me a copy of it to take home. It’s truly amazing, and must be a great diagnostic tool for people who have serious dental problems. The staff is wonderful and Dr. Stender is very warm and friendly–he acts like he’s happy to see you. That goes a long way toward reducing the ick factor of going to the dentist. I had one small problem after my treatment, but they gave me a same day appointment and fixed it immediately. I was so impressed. I highly recommend Dr. Stender and his wonderful staff. You’ll be treated with respect, greeted warmly and treated with the latest technology and techniques. Fast, easy and painless. Oh, and I had exactly ZERO insurance paperwork to worry about.

This place is really great. I have been searching for about  3 years for a good dentist and dental hygienists…. and this place has both:)! The office is so nice with the latest magazines and comfortable waiting room chairs. Everything is digital, prior to my cleaning you go into another room to input your information, which is all computerized then one the girls goes over your insurance coverage which is great because no one else every did this for me. I opted to have dental X-rays using the galieo xray machine, which is $200 dollars out of pocket but it is worth it because you only have to have xays every 5 years and virtually gag free. I have a strong gag reflex and having bite trays for X-rays in my mouth makes me gag. So the best part is i only had to have 4 of the bite xrays and the rest was with the galieo machine, it took a 360 image of my teeth and skull and jaw. It is really cool. This alone won me over, the experience was fast and nearly drool free!
Nora the dental hygienist was really great!! So gentle and professional. Normally from my other dental hygienists and dentists I was always use to getting sprayed in the face with the water sprayer, or gaged by the spit vacuum….or worse dried toothpaste around my mouth…..that no matter what you do you always still seem to find it there throughout the day….. but here it was not like that at all, they really take the time to ensure the best service  and comfort of the patient. I had no pain from the cleaning or sensitive areas while she was cleaning and normally with other dentists they always seem to make sensitive areas for me from probing too much or being clumsy with the poking tools, but here not like that… they are very skilled. I heart Nora:) She is the best. The other neat thing is the amount of technology they use. I have TMJ so they used a bite sound monitor over the jaw to listen for clicks and pops from my jaw. they also used a camera to take a picture of my teeth and oh my gosh the list goes on… it was overall the best experience…..
Dr Stender is really nice and personable and didn’t try to upsell me anything. He is a true professional. And very open to listening to questions. Just really nice. The one thing I really like is that I inquired about whitening my teeth (SIDENOTE: in the past I had trays and it didn’t go so well because I have calcium deposits on my teeth so those got brighter  then the rest of the tooth and to make matters worse my braces outline where the brackets use to be showed up too.) Anyway I have been looking for someone who would take the time to try to whiten my teeth or be creative in order to get around the calcium deposits…. and sure enough they were able to accommodate me, and thought outside the box to whitening my trouble teeth…no problem. my teeth look bright and white! Come here for sure….! All the office staff are sweethearts. They are so nice. can’t say enough good things about them.

Dr. Stender and his team are top of the line, 100% the BEST! I’ve been going to him for years and my teeth are always healthy and sparkly white. Angel is my hygienist and not only does he have a gentle hand, he always remembers personal details about my life. The staff is genuinely invested in all of their patients, which makes going to the dentist like visiting family.

How truly amazing that I can now walk into my dentist’s office with a smile on my face!
Dr. Stender and the whole team at his office are not just your dentists, they’re your friends.  And not only are they your friends, but they are extremely skilled at what they do, highly capable, and very intelligent. You can trust them in your mouth and with your teeth. You start every appointment with a bright smile and a warm “hello!” from everyone in the office. Dr. Stander himself is so friendly and kind, always concerned with your comfort and well-being, that you know you are in good hands. He is always ready to answer any questions or concerns with an intelligent and understandable answer, and he will let you know exactly what he is doing during procedures, as well as the process and the science behind it all, so you never feel unnerved. All of the hygienists at the office are fantastic too! They are gentle in your mouth, they don’t stab around your gums with sharp pokey things, and they give you caring and smart advice without guilting you for not flossing. What’s more, each time you have an appointment, they catch up with you and your life, with enthusiasm and laughter, like an old friend! My sister had extreme anxiety when it came to the dentist, to the point that she did not go for many years, and she would break down in tears in the dentist chair. Then along came Dr. Stender and his team, and she now feels safe and comfortable and in good hands! The anxiety is no more! She had a lot of deep dental work that she had to have done to catch up, and she spent a great sum of money having the work done. Get this: because of all the emotional struggles and all that she went through with them, they personally sent her a great big fruit basket along with a kind card!! No joke! This the kindest dentist–ever. Going from my old dentist to Dr. Stender, I learned about a whole side of dentistry that I never knew existed. In other words, I didn’t realize all that my old dentist had been lacking–skill, intelligence, kindness, and smiles. Dr. Stender and his whole team are truly concerned with your well-being and your complete oral health. They specialize in preserving your teeth as much as possible, which means saving as much of the natural tooth as possible, and working with your mouth and teeth. They never just jump straight to “Time to fill a cavity”–instead, they look at all options: will this heal in its own? Is there a deeper problem that needs to be addressed? (Dr. Stender is so skilled that he can often fill a small cavity without using novicane!) You know that you are truly getting comprehensive dentistry with Dr. Stender!

In the late 1980,s ir early 1990,s I called 1 800 dentist because I wanted dentist in pasadena where I lived and still live.  I picked dr. Stender out of the list that was given to me.  Talk about hitting a home run the first at bat. In the 30 plus years that I have been a patient of dr.. Stender I have had some work done on my teeth.  I have always been extremely happy with the outcome.   I have been at dr. Stender,s office when he has been up to his neck with work and is going from chair to chair treating patients.  Despite being as busy as a one legged man in a butt kicking contest, dr. Stender takes the time needed to explain things to his patients and to answer any questions.   IMO dr. Stender and his entire staff are true professionals who take pride in their craft and most importantly care about their patients. I just recently received a letter from dr. Stender,s office advising me that as of May 2019 they will no longer be accepting my insurance, Delta Dental. I had to cancel my July appointment for my 6 month cleaning and check up.  I am now searching the pasadena area for dentist that will take my insurance. If you are looking for a great dentist,  I would highly recommend dr. Stender.  You and your family will be very satisfied.

I never thought I would be writing a review for a dental office, much less it being a positive one.  A cracked incisor that finally led to enough pain caused me to search “tooth extraction” for what I thought was a total loss.  Dr. Stender’s office was one of the top hits, and had high ratings.  I called in hoping to get the extraction done ASAP and begin the healing process for getting an implant, as that is what a prior dentist I visited once had said was the only solution.  The front office said I could come in immediately and be seen by a dentist today.  After a tour of the facilities, I had the problem area x-rayed, and met Dr. Stein.  She explained that the tooth was indeed salvageable, and it would actually be cost effective to save the tooth rather than have an implant.  Furthermore, she was able to start the therapy on the same day.  In addition, Dr. Stein had called personally to make sure the experience was satisfactory (it was superb), and that the office was open to calls early the following morning.  I would highly recommend giving this office a chance at providing dental services. As for the procedure, I had root canal therapy on the #7 tooth, where a sizable chunk of the visible tooth had broken off.  As I see it, no dental procedure can be pleasant, so I was shocked to find myself dozing off in the chair, something I have never been able to do.  The initial injection of anesthesia is always an unpleasant part of the start, and I neither got warning nor felt it, another reason this experience was particularly good.

Everyone is extremely nice, professional and customer service oriented my last two appointments have been with Nora and I have to say her manner and professionalism and detail is beyond any I’ve experienced with other dental providers, she takes the time to educate which is something I always personally enjoy and she loves her job which clearly comes across. The entire staff is very knowledgeable and customer service oriented which is pretty rare to find at that level these days, and of course Dr. Stender is fantastic, approachable and makes you feel welcomed! Can’t wait for my next follow up…I’ve never looked forward to dental appointments in my life before this!

After an extensive amount of research I selected Dr. Stender who is a Biomimetic dentist. I needed to have my old amalgam fillings from 40 years ago removed and wanted to find the very best dentist. Dr. Stender’s form of dentistry is a practice that removes less natural tooth structure in a way that keeps them strong and seals them from bacterial invasion. The office has the latest dental equipment and is able to provide the application of advanced materials and techniques so the repairs can last a life time. The staff and assistants are professional but most importantly knowledgeable. I highly recommend his services.

Our experience has been so wonderful. My daughter Arya came in for a simple polish but Nora went over and beyond and did a thorough clean and was so patient with my daughter. She really is amazing. Furthermore, Dr. Stender came several times to examine my daughter to understand the root cause of her staining and made some valuable suggestions for us to follow up on. I like that he is an “old school” doctor in that he is very direct yet understanding and caring. I look forward to coming back for many more years to come 🙂

First off, I would highly recommend coming to Dr. Stender’s dental office. Making an appointment, getting to the dental office/parking, and the checkup/cleaning was a breeze. They are located in a quiet residential area on el molino dr. The building is the blue-ish one with darker blue paint on the edges. Don’t park in the lot next over with the dental office that’s a wooden building. Maricela, who I believe is the receptionist, is incredibly polite and got me in on the same day because someone had canceled an appointment. I guess I was lucky. My hygienist was Nora who is also very nice and highly skilled at her job. She took me for a short tour of the office and introduced me to Dr. Stender. Nora did the X-rays and cleaned the plaque buildup off my teeth. X-rays were all digital and very simple. She was very thorough with the cleaning, I don’t think my teeth have been this clean in a long time. Luckily, my teeth are in good shape so I didn’t need fillings or other work done, but you can tell Dr. Stender and his staff are all highly trained and professional individuals. She also did a few neat tests that checked my bone levels, gum recession, and tmj/jawbone clicking.Again, I highly recommend Dr. Stender’s office and I commend him for putting together a great team of employees. Thank you to Dr Stender, Maricela and Nora. It was a pleasure coming in, see you guys in 6 months.

I was not interested in regular dentistry, only Biomimetic dentistry who avoid root canals and crowns as much as possible, they believe in saving the natural tooth. I researched and visited several Biomimetic dentist and came across Dr. Stender.  Nice office with amazingly friendly staff, most importantly, it’s affordable compared to other Biomimetic dentists.  I’m appreciative with the staff and Dr.Stender for booking my appointment right away, especially because saving my tooth pose a challenge requiring a skillful doctor in the area of Biomimetics; saving the natural tooth without a root canal or crown. Thanks for saving my tooth. Thanks to you, my molar tooth is doing well.

I went to Dr Stender to have what I thought was a broken crown looked at. He was extremely thorough in looking not only at the crown but also at the rest of my mouth. In the end, it turned out to be just a chip, which he fixed in about 30 seconds. Other dentists would have exaggerated the problem to take advantage and make money, but Dr Stender was honest and performed a simple fix to a simple problem. Staff members are all friendly and the office was clean and comfortable. I’ll definitely be coming back to have all of my dental procedures with his office.

This is the best dentist and office staff ever. Pearl is always kind at the front desk. Nora did an amazing job cleaning my teeth and was very gentle with my four year old’s teeth. She also has a great personality. Dr. Stender is up to date with the latest technology and is always gentle. Five stars all the way.

I have been a patient of Dr Stender for more than 15 years. My mouth full of bad dental works have been transformed into good looking and a healthy set of teeth. Dr Stender is the most professional dentist I know, from making appointment, diagnosis, to treatment you know you are getting honest and full set of options and the best technology and skills. My whole family and my children all came in to see dr Stender and his staff. You will get the best care and treatment here too!

TMD/TMJ/Bruxism: I was very happy I found a dentist that had paid for all the top of the line testing equipment, but also fully understood TMJ/TMD and its effects on other parts of the body. After 6 years of Drs and DDS’s I finally found a clinic who was technologically equipped and had the full therapeutic staff to handle a patient such as myself. If you have  TMD/TMJ please schedule an initial consultation with Dr  Stender and staff. Ive been to so many doctors/ dentist and the USC university and this was the most thorough experience ive ever had. The staff is friendly, the place clean. And even better, they understood my symptoms! If you have had this issue, you know how rare that is!  But the best part is the Doctor has the most sophisticated and top of the line dental testing equipment as well as a highly helpful and educated staff.  I cant praise them enough for the hope they have given me. I cant attest to their day to day dental practice, But I can say if you have Bruxism, have headaches, have facial pain, have tooth sensitivities, have neck and shoulder pain. Its worth the consultation. This clinic has given me so much . After 6 years of doctors and dentist not knowing what to do with me, this clinic spent 1.5 hours testing me with very expensive equipment (i was ready to drive to arkansas to get access to the DTR testing until i found Dr stender online.) and most important to me, they understood my symptoms. After 6 years of specialists, dr Stender and staff gave me hope that I might get better. And that is everything to me.

Blessed to have connected with Dr. Stender known as the “Stephan Hawkins” of dentistry. This is especially true given that I have star strek wandering around in my mouth and not knowing where it is going to erupt next. I had this same feeling with a bad case of poison oak.  He’s got all the space age equipment yet he is firmly in place and meeting me just where I am at with empathy and a democratic/pragmatic approach. I have been in fear given a prior report from Empire Dentistry that I would need a full set of dentures if I didn’t have a tooth removed. His latest diagnostic tool assured me that my one problematic tooth was a localized periodontal issue that must be treated although “we just don’t know” what it will do and when. This alleviates my fears so that I can have the tooth removed in a timely fashion rather than a panicked one. He prescribed medication to prevent further infection and offered a pragmatic approach at a reasonable price. Highly recommended! Cathy Sargent MFT

This is the best dental office I have been to in my 40 years of existence.  The staff is great; the doctor is great.  I highly recommend this office.   Like with any doctor, you need to come prepared with your specific questions, as they are remarkably busy.  Dr. Stender effectively answers my questions in the office and also after the appointment by phone if necessary, and his office responds well to emails.Dr. Stender seems like a nice guy and a great doctor.  My significant other goes to him too.  I first found Dr. Stender on the Internet, because I was searching for a dentist who has the Cerac machine, which he does thankfully.  That machine allows you to get a crown in one day unless your tooth has issues that warrants repeated visits. Five stars for Dr. Stender and staff in my opinion.

I have been going to Dr. Stender since 1999 and I still love him after 10 years. He is kind, patient, caring, and very professional. He listens attentively and goes out of his way to ensure that you experience as little pain (or no pain) as possible. He has the latest technology in his office to offer his patients the best and latest treatments available. His staff is also very friendly and helpful. They take care of all the paperwork and insurance-related documents. I cannot say enough great things about this man (and his staff). I do not know what I am going to do when he decides to retire. If you are looking for a great dentist in the Pasadena area or in the Los Angeles area, give him a call. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Wow, the other review seems pretty bitter! Let me tell you my experience. I worked in a dental office for several years, and I’ve seen really good dentistry and really (really really really) bad dentistry. Dr. Stender is one of the best. Yes, his initial exam can be rather quick, but he is very good. To the other reviewer, I’d say if you tell him you’re having pain in a tooth and he seems to ignore it, I’d ask the question again, or ask him why the tooth would be causing pain if there was no cavity – make sure you get an answer to the questions asked! (this is exactly what I told my husband to do and the doctor said it was due to clenching his teeth and gave him a device to keep him from clenching at night which has helped quite a bit).  He replaced a cracked filling on me and did an onlay (in this case it was like doing half a crown), and I had zero pain or sensitivity with it. I was eating fairly hard foods within an hour of leaving his office, and both were absolutely perfect – no high spots needing to be filed down, no adjustments needed. Every other time I’ve had a filling, that tooth has been sensitive for quite a long time afterwards and i usually have to go back to have it filed down to make the bite right, but not in this case. Yes, he is a bit expensive (gotta pay for all that new equipment somehow!), but in my opinion, he’s worth every penny. He was able to make the porcelain piece for my tooth onsite which means I didn’t have wait for it to be made by an outside lab and then come back for another visit to get it set in, plus any changes that needed to be made could be done immediately. Plus the girls in his office couldn’t be nicer. They’re all very sweet and caring and know their patients by name. Be warned – he does try to upsell certain items (Invisalign, tooth whitening, etc), but if you dont want it, then just don’t buy it, very simple!  He also doesn’t do amalgam (metal) fillings as they’ve been found to not be as safe as the composite (the white fillings) and you have to drill away more healthy tooth to have metal fillings. Composite costs more, but you’re keeping more healthy tooth intact which is very important.

A WORD FROM YOUR DOCTOR