Ponsonby Dentist | Lumino The Dentists

Fantastic experience: Very thorough hygiene appointment with Bronwyn- highly recommended if you want a deep, rigorous clean, to achieve an excellent result for your teeth’s oral health!

Fantastic experience: I can’t recommend Dr Kelly more highly for anyone who is looking for a new dentist. I’ve been seeing her for a couple of years and every time I’m in the chair I feel at ease and fully informed of what’s happening. For anyone who may be anxious about seeing a dentist, she will be the best for you!

Fantastic experience: No one *likes* going to the dentist... except me! Alex Summerfield is the best. Yeah she's got mad skillz, but what makes her really stand out as a dentist is her great people skills. She's a fun, friendly ray of sunshine. A genuine pleasure to be treated by. A++++++

Negative experience: I was charged $380 when the $500 filling I recently had completed chipped while brushing my teeth. I was told I could have this fixed free of charge *only* if I waited a month and half (with a chipped front tooth) to see the dentist who originally did the filling. For what it’s worth, the dentist who fixed it was apologetic about the cost and both dentists were lovely. But based on the experience with management, I wouldn’t trust Lumino to put your care first or to get any problems with treatment put right.

Fantastic experience: Dr Alex completed some crown work for me and was absolutely excellent! Highly recommended her!

Fantastic experience: Amazing hygienist experience, would recommend - my teeth are healthy and sparkling now

Positive experience: Very good Dental Practice. Difficult to get parking, but this is due to location vs the practice itself.

Fantastic experience: Great experience and service from Tania at Lumino Ponsonby last week. Very thorough and informative hygienist, she took time to demonstrate correct flossing technique and areas where I’m not quite brushing correctly. Thanks again for a the great experience. Doug

Fantastic experience: Very impressed with the professionalism displayed. My dentist (Kelly) was able to identify the underlying problem that other dentists had missed, patiently explained the issue in layman's terms, organize a treatment plan and explain the WINZ process to get everything paid for. Highly recommend.

Negative experience: Brief account only, matter unresolved. When you present to a Dentist as you think the excruciating pain you are experiencing, could be due to toothache but the Dentist doesn't even ask you to sit in the dental chair, let alone examine your teeth, then there is very good reason to be cautious of this Dentist. I experienced 21 days of excruciating, un-diagnosed toothache, thanks to David Hong, previous employ, QSDC. Still unresolved as at 5 Nov 2023. Reply: PANEX x-ray was performed & I was discharged. I questioned this dismissal & David then picked up an instrument, lightly tapped on the top only of 2 teeth only & later claimed he'd given me a thorough examination. I was informed that PANeX does not always detect decay. I note David Hong is now practising elsewhere. Thank you.

Negative experience: Paid $7000 for Invisalign - the dentist I was seeing moved so now I’m expected to go to blocks bay for any further treatment, even though I selected this dentist solely based on its location. Emailed asking for a solution, was told I would just have to go to blocks bay.

Fantastic experience: Aline is amazing! I have had hygiene and cleans several other places and with different people and have not yet experienced someone as detail orientated and thorough such as Aline. I have moved to Australia and still fly back to NZ just to have my appointment with Aline

Fantastic experience: Awesome service. Aline is the

Fantastic experience: Had my regular check with Aline and had the best experience ever. She did my hygiene, explained the whole process and made me feel very comfortable and confident there. Cannot recommend enough and I will be back to see her whenever I need!

Negative experience: Unfortunately have been kept waiting several times for my appointments. And then had to reschedule because ran out of time.

Fantastic experience: Saw the hygienist today and wowwww amazing work! Can’t stop smiling. Thank you for your awesome work Fran, feeling more confident now the team is also lovely.

Fantastic experience: Hygienist Tina Bag was amazing!

Negative experience: If I’ve had looked the reviews before my treatment, I wouldn’t be there to do my treatment and now just two months my crown came off again quickly!!!! The first time my permanent crown came off was week after they put it on, now just two months, can’t believe it just happened again! Have to spend over $300 to just put it back in Wellington cause I moved out Auckland and can’t get them put back for me, even I they can put it back for me for free I even don’t know if I can still trust. Dr Josh did my root canal treatment and implant crown since March, finally got all done in end of May, during the treatment there were so many issues with waiting for him to be back from vacation, then told me have to do another scan and just wasted the weeks waiting for the crown coming in. And every time after the treatment with the filling and the temporary crowns just scratch my tongue and mouth to swollen and sore then had to go back again and again ask help to shape it better. Thought everything is fine after got the crown so didn’t make any comments, who knows now just two months the crown came off again, have no idea the total around $7000 treatment fee for what? Just kept giving me different pressure, finally can’t be positive anymore, hopefully you can see the reviews and choose right dental place for your teeth.

Negative experience: Never normally leave reviews, but this is necessary to avoid this happening to someone else! I normally see Dr David Hong (who is great!), but I booked in with another doctor who was very young (maybe around 25?), she looked at my teeth and told me that I needed 4 fillings even though I had just been to the dentist less than a year ago and nothing had changed in my routine, so I asked for a second opinion with David Hong when he was free. He examined my teeth and said that my suspicions were right and she was possibly confusing decay for staining, thus I walked out of there $1400 richer. I will not be returning and I have been a customer for 8 years. David is a great experienced dentist and I am glad he did his due diligence and checked my teeth properly.

Fantastic experience: Had a check up and treatment with Dr Daisy, she was amazing! Gentle and super efficient. I am no longer nervous to visit the dentist.

Fantastic experience: First time I had my teeth cleaned here the hygienist ran me through a very informative after care routine and eased my anxiety a lot. The staff are incredibly informative, helpful and ease the stress of going to the dentist! Big thank you to everyone at Lumino :-)

Fantastic experience: I had an exam with Daisy and it was amazing. Super efficient and actually really relaxing- I could have fallen asleep in the chair lol. She explained everything very thoroughly and opened up conversation for questions or queries. Would highly recommend!

Negative experience: *Visited July 2022* I was a regular visitor to the Auckland CBD branch, but I had an emergency issue with gum infection. That was the only branch that had the earliest slot, so I went. The overall experience with the branch and Dr. David Hong was not the best. I was examined by the dentist, and he decided to perform a periodontal treatment with a laser on the infected area. The problem was that he had to move me to a room with a deep scaler, but the room wasn't ready for the procedure. The nurse seemed lost, and many of the required items were missing. They made me wait for 5 to 10 minutes while they got ready. Once it was ready, the dentist performed the treatment and numbed my gum directly with needles. In my experience at other branches, dentists usually applied some numbing medicine to the gum area before injecting the needles, so that was unpleasant. The treatment was completed in 5 to 10 minutes, and it felt like the dentist was in a rush for the next patient. There were no clear instructions given to me on how to care for my wound, how to use the mouthwash, or how to take the antibiotic. I had to ask the receptionist myself for that information. The bill was expensive; it was almost $600 for a visit that lasted less than half an hour. When I went to pay the bill, I informed the receptionist that I had a Southern Cross Easy Claim, and they processed it right away. However, when I got home, I realized that any Southern Cross member was eligible for a 5% discount on the treatment, but they didn't mention that when I was paying the bill. I had to call them the next day so they could arrange that for me. Overall, it was not a pleasant experience visiting this branch. You could really tell the difference compared to the branch in Auckland CBD. The only good thing was that the receptionists were friendly. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll visit this branch again.

Negative experience: Awful experience, they expect you to make expensive decisions on the spot without informing and educating you properly of all options available, seem grumpy and frustrated if you are unsure. It can be emotional to make a big and expensive decision if you’ve just been told you need a root canal. If you are unsure at the time they push you to rebook and come back again at a later date and try to rush you out the door instead of being patient and explaining options in depth to help ease your stress. I was booked with Aline and found her cold and unhelpful and she seemed like she would rather be anywhere else than at work.

Negative experience: Had the worst experience I've ever experienced at a dentist here and this was a few years ago but I'm still traumatized to this day. Was only from the hygienist at the time but I walked out shaking and crying - never again. Save your money and find a better hygienist elsewhere. UPDATE: after reading Tyler's message this was almost the EXACT same experience as I had! I couldn't remember the lady's name however...worst customer experience ever

Negative experience: I attended for a scale and polish, the same afternoon my underwire for my braces came loose. I went to my orthodontist and had to pay $150 for the refitting of the underwire. I contacted Lumino to let them know this had happened and was likely due to the scale and polish, they told me they would get back to me in a few days. Three weeks later and I have heard nothing back from them. This is a shame as I have attended in the past for 2x fillings and found the service, location, and professionalism to be of a very high standard. However, I found the commercialisation of dentistry to be somewhat off-putting, it felt entirely corporate and I understand that you usually don't see the same practitioners as they cycle through a lot (high turnover rate). It must be less rewarding as a practitioner as well to work in a business model where income is prioritised before patient experience and good dentistry outcomes. I think I will be looking for a small-practice family dentist in the future and regret foraying into this commercialised space. They have shown they do not care about valid concerns and complaints, and likely hoped I would just forget about the experience or that it would be swept under the rug. I think it is very much a numbers game to Lumino the Dentists.

Fantastic experience: Always a pleasure coming here. The staff members are always friendly and professional. The booking process is a breeze, and they have the best after-care. As somebody who used to hate going to the dentist, I cannot recommend them enough. They will make you feel at ease and explain the processes in a very easy-to-understand manner. Thank you, Lumino Ponsonby. Keep up the excellent work!

Negative experience: I went to Lumino Ponsonby for a few years because my regular dentist shifted there when he closed his previous practice (he was great but has now retired). I decided to keep on with Lumino even though I had several problems in the past with their booking and communications. I have just had further problems with appointment booking and communications - being asked to change an appointment that had just been confirmed by text from Lumino a few hours earlier! I have given up on Lumino and have cancelled my appointment. I see I am not the only one who has had negative experiences here.

Negative experience: My husband was left waiting for 30mins after being checked in by one receptionist before being told by another that the hygienist had actually gone home earlier that day.

Fantastic experience: My doctor was very calming and nonjudgemental. The assisting nurse was polite and kind.

Negative experience: Absolutely pathetic service. Will never use again.

Negative experience: I have already sent an email to Lumino Ponsonby about my experience. But I thought I would share my experience more publicly to make people aware. I booked in for a check up and I ended up needing a root canal after seeing Kelly she referred me to Saskia Saetrum. My experience with Kelly was great she was friendly and made me feel comfortable. A few weeks later I came into see Saskia to talk about a root canal. When I arrived at the appointment I could tell from the start when calling my name that Saskia was in a bad mood and was in a rush. She had the attitude of "not wanting to be here". I quickly learned that my experience with Saskia was not going to be the same as it was with Kelly. She was the complete opposite of friendly. I wanted some advice on the root canal and prices as I was a little unsure about getting the procedure done and she was very unhelpful and rude as she was angry that I wasnt sure about the procedure and said "what do you want to do then" in a very rude tone. She didnt give me information about the root canal she seemed like she just wanted to get me in the chair and get it done, she was over the day and over her job clearly. As soon as I went into the room the vibe was off and I felt she didnt want me there. I explained she made me feel uncomfortable as she replied "ok" with no care in the world. I then walked out crying. If she had just given me more information about the procedure and made me comfortable I would of went through with it. I have transferred my files to a new dentist, I definitely will not be going back. Saskia was a horrible rude women for no reason at all. She should not be in that job with that attitude. When I made the complaint to Cathryn Sanda the reply I got had hardly any remorse. When you are choosing a dentist for most people you want to see someone that will make you feel comfortable as seeing the dentist can be daunting for most. Horrible experience overall and I do not recommend going to Lumino Ponsonby, purely because of Saskia.

Fantastic experience: Hands down the best dental practice I've ever been to. The whole team is fantastic but a special mention to Aftab who is ridiculously friendly and professional.

Negative experience: I phoned the emergency line on Monday during lockdown as an implant had come loose over the weekend. Now, I get that things are tough during lockdown, but Tony if you read this there is no point having emergency contacts if your message service and your staff don't treat it like an emergency. Firstly the message service is just plain hopeless. They fob you off saying someone will call but after about five hours I rang again. Same response. Tony called me middle of the day Tuesday and apologised. He told me they couldn't work because their PPE was not of the right standard, but that someone from Takapuna office would call. It is now Thursday night and no contact. After having spent a lot of money with this practice over the last two years I feel totally undervalued as a client. Heres a direct message, Tony. If some doesn't call me tomorrow, I am gone from your practice and I am going to tell a thousand people.

Fantastic experience: Amazing experience at Lumino Ponsonby. Roanne was exceptional!

Fantastic experience: Booked in for a check up after a friend recommended Lumino, hadnt been to the dentist in 7 years (shocking I know) as I had a horrible experiences as a young teen. Cannot rave enough about how amazing my experience was with Kelly! She was super kind and accommodating, stopping whenever I needed, explaining everything before so I knew what to expect and all round just an amazing dentist. I am no longer scared to go to the dentist, highly recommend!

Negative experience: I had an appointment to check my teeth with Dr.Tony Dey last Friday Tony wanted to take pictures since it was my first time there, they put some metal mirror in my mouth to take a picture form back of my teeth. Tony was so much in rush to do it he hit my front tooth with metal mirror and chipped it. I understand accidents happen but with a bit of care it was totally avoidable. They are fast like shearers! And that does not work with people! The only positive thing about this experience is that Tony said he is going to apply for ACC for this and let me what they are going to do about it. Of course I will seek advise form other dentists .

Fantastic experience: Excellent experience. Staff efficient, friendly and helpful. Highly recommend.

Negative experience: I saw David Hong and I notice another person had the same painful experience as me! Complained to tony dey, he didnt what yo know. DO NOT GO HERE. WARNIN . WARNING!!!!! disgusting service. poor dental treatment with management not wanting to know when things go wrong! I still have nerve problems from Male treatment on one side of my face. when I told them met with deaf ears. never go here unless you want poor 3rd world treatment and no ears when you complain!!!! DISGUSTING IS THE ONLY WORD I HAVE!!!!!

Fantastic experience: Very professional

Fantastic experience: Great service and great advice from a well run establishment!!! Secretary's are nice and friendly. Special thank you to Roanne that always looks after us when my wife and I go there!!!

Fantastic experience: Very friendly Doctor, Very friendly office assistant, definitely recommend :)

Positive experience: Go and see Dr David Hong, he's a cool guy really friendly and approachable and knows what he's doing. He's a young practitioner and as an ex-young practitioner myself (not in dentistry) he's open to new ideas not stuck in his ways and happy to go the extra mile to do a good job. Also we should be supporting our young practitioners building their practice. Overall the practice itself is pretty good, being Ponsonby its a young go-getter practice full of snap. Go see David!!! Russ

Negative experience: I got a groupon for an x-ray and an exam there and they quoted me over $200 worth of dental work that I DID NOT NEED. I went to see another dentist because I was skeptical about how much the Lumino dentist wanted to do and found I didn't even have any cavitys which they had said I did. I will never trust any Lumino branches after that.

Fantastic experience: Exceptional service from the entire team at Lumino. Dr Aftab was really open, honest and transparent about the treatment plan, steps and also a clear visibility of the costs up front which made managing the process really easy. Highly recommend the team at Lumino Posonby, and if you can, I recommend booking in with Aftab.

Fantastic experience: I would say that the service was excellent and I feel very comfortable. I was given full attention and Steven was very professional. Price is reasonable for the impeccable service.

Fantastic experience: I've never reviewed anything on google, but after having such an easy and profesional experience with David Hong, I thought that I should. David was understanding, skilled, and just a cool guy. My experience with him was quick, easy, and painless. If you haven't been to the dentist for a long time and are nervous, go see David. ✌

Fantastic experience: Beautiful clinic and hands down the fasted work I've ever had done. Also looooove how I can book everything online... I find the alternative so frustrating these days. 10/10 would recommend.

Fantastic experience: Everyone is awesome! :)

Fantastic experience: Friendly hygienist & professionally run outfit. Central location helps too.

Negative experience: Hygienists are very heavy handed. General negative attitude, even towards dentists professional opinions behind their backs. Tried to contact them to complain but have not heard back from them. So currently looking for another dentist. Reduced rating further - have since discovered their x rays were of such poor quality that they actually missed some details about my teeth after gaining a second opinion.