The newest addition to the Dental Express family, our Hillcrest location is your one-stop for first-class dental care in uptown San Diego. Offering services for patients and families of all ages, your smile is always welcome here. Our Hillcrest team is prepared to listen and address your dental health concerns at a pace that’s comfortable for you and your budget. For comprehensive and convenient dental care, choose Dental Express in Hillcrest San Diego.
At Dental Express, your smile always comes first, and we walk the walk by providing emergency dental care, flexible scheduling, weekend hours, and several different payment methods for both insured and uninsured patients.
Click below to set up an appointment or stop by to meet Dr. Rachel Ryu and the rest of our Hillcrest Dental team. We’d love to welcome you to the Dental Express family!
At all of our San Diego locations, you’ll have access to affordable, for-you, about-you dental care for the whole family. But what makes our Hillcrest location so special is our dedicated team of dental professionals. For exceptional dental care in a convenient location, Visit Hillcrest Dental Clinic. Our team is dedicated to providing top-quality services in a comfortable environment.
Dr. Casey Ashmore
Dr. Hae "Rachel" Ryu
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These days, dentistry has become more of a business than a genuine medical service. With patients being sold left and right on treatments they don’t need, integrity is hard to come by.
Not to mention, going to the dentist doesn’t exactly top everyone’s list of fun things to do. But who says trips to the dentist have to be something worth dreading?
At Dental Express, we turn all the common dental stigmas on their heads. Whenever you visit any of our locations, you can expect your experience to be warm, welcoming, comfortable, and consistent. Our goal is to provide you and your family with quality dental care you can trust. No upsells. No unnecessary treatments.
We believe discovering your ideal smile is a collaborative effort, with “For You, About You Dentistry” as our main philosophy. No matter where you are on your dental health journey, we’ll meet you there without judgment and build a personalized plan together to give you the empowering smile you’ve always wanted.
When you entrust us with your smile, you become part of the Dental Express family.
Regular dental exams are one of the pillars of dental health. When you come in for your exam, we’ll take an in-depth look at your mouth and teeth to evaluate issues like tooth decay, cavities, or gum disease. From there, we’ll plan the best course of action to create your ideal smile.
Learn MoreNeed to straighten things out? Using clear, removable, personalized aligners, you can even out your smile without the hassle and dietary restrictions of metal braces. Whenever it’s time to eat, just pop them out. No food getting stuck in your teeth. No flossing around metal braces. Just a straight, happy smile!
Learn MoreFostering healthy dental habits at a young age is the best way to ensure your little one has a healthy smile for years to come. We’re happy to provide pediatric dental services in a fun, comfortable, and educational environment that will have your child excited about dental health. At Dental Express, taking your little one to the dentist is nothing to stress about.
Learn MoreThink of dental sealants as raincoats for your teeth. Once in place, they block the buildup of bacteria, tartar, plaque, and food particles, protecting your teeth from decay and cavities. Sealants are the perfect treatment for children who struggle with cavities or have difficulty maintaining healthy dental habits at home.
Learn MoreFluoride treatments use concentrated fluoride levels to provide an extra line of defense against tooth decay and cavities. These treatments are usually included as part of your routine dental cleaning and help patients of all ages maintain a healthy smile.
Learn MoreWith all the coffee and sugar-heavy drinks we consume these days, maintaining a white smile can be challenging. To help you reach your ideal smile, we offer both in-office and at-home teeth whitening treatments. See results in just twenty minutes at the office and within a week at home.
Learn MoreIf a cavity eats away at your enamel, then protecting your teeth and choosing the right filling for you is our main priority. Tooth-colored fillings help stop further decay, restore the strength of your teeth, and blend in with the rest of your smile. If you want a natural-looking solution to cavities or to replace your amalgam filling, ask your dentist about tooth-colored fillings.
Learn MoreWhen tooth decay gets out of hand, it can cause an infection in the pulp of your tooth. Also called endodontic treatment, root canals are how we treat these infections. During treatment, we remove the damaged pulp, clean the cavity, and fill the tooth, leaving you with a repaired and fully functioning smile.
Learn MoreA crown is like a suit of armor for your tooth. If one of your teeth is cracked, decayed, or discolored, a crown can protect it from further damage. Crowns can be made of porcelain, metal, or both and can be colored to blend in with your other teeth, maintaining a natural-looking beautiful smile.
Learn MoreDental bridges help bridge the gap between missing teeth. Whether supported by your natural teeth, a dental implant, or both, bridges keep your remaining teeth from shifting and causing chewing issues. If you’ve lost multiple teeth, getting a bridge can improve your oral health and restore the look of your smile.
Learn MoreHave a chipped or discolored tooth? Bonding and contouring involve using composite resin to correct your tooth’s shape and color, without the hefty price tag of other cosmetic procedures.
Learn MoreJust like crowns are a suit of armor for your teeth, porcelain veneers are like protective helmets. Customized and secured to the front of your teeth, veneers renew your smile by covering up crooked, chipped, stained, or decayed teeth. This quick and painless restorative treatment usually takes just two visits.
Learn MoreDid your kid lose a tooth at soccer practice? Did one of your fillings fall out on Christmas Eve? Whatever your emergency may be, we’re here to provide you with fast, quality treatment to manage your pain, fix the issue, and get you back to smiling as soon as possible.
Learn MoreWe do our best to preserve your natural teeth as long as possible, but when a tooth is beyond repair or threatening to disrupt your overall dental health, an extraction may be the best step forward. We offer different sedation options to make the experience as comfortable as possible and set you up with all the information and necessary medications you need for a speedy recovery.
Learn MoreNot all of them need to be removed, but if you’re experiencing pain or discomfort due to impacted or emerging wisdom teeth, we’ll evaluate your situation and come up with a plan that’s best for your dental health. We offer wisdom teeth extraction services at all six of our locations to remove any problem teeth and make your smile pain-free again.
Learn MoreDentures are an excellent solution for anyone who’s lost several or more teeth. We offer customized partial, full-removable, or implant-retained dentures to give you back your smile and have you chewing and speaking with confidence again.
Learn MoreDental implants are the most reliable and natural-looking way to restore your smile after losing a tooth. This treatment involves placing a metal post – usually made of titanium – into your gums that acts as a strong base for a crown, bridge, or denture. Dental implants are beneficial for anyone struggling with speaking or chewing issues due to a missing tooth.
Learn MoreTired of your removable dentures? It might be time to look into All-on-4 implants. This treatment involves four dental implants put in place to support a full set of dentures. The process usually takes place over several months and requires several follow-up appointments. Believe it or not, you can treat these dentures just like your natural teeth, without the hassle, adhesives, or dietary restrictions that come with regular dentures.
Learn MoreIf you have an intense fear of going to the dentist, we’ll work with you in any way we can to make your experience as comfortable as possible. When longer procedures or even regular dental cleanings become too stressful, we’re happy to offer nitrous oxide sedation to help you relax. When you come to Dental Express, we want you to feel welcomed without judgment, no matter your comfort level.
Learn MoreIf you have periodontal disease, then protecting your smile is our main concern. Our periodontal dentistry services eliminate plaque and tartar from your teeth, stop the spread of gum disease, and keep periodontitis at bay. We also offer laser gum treatment for any patients who want to reduce their “gummy” smile.
Learn MoreThis powerful treatment helps fight gum disease by cleaning out tartar and plaque beneath the gum line. Once we remove the harmful bacteria, we’ll smooth out your enamel to discourage any further buildup. If this treatment sounds scary, don’t worry! We’re happy to offer local anesthesia to numb the area.
Learn MoreIt’s as cool as it sounds! We use high-tech laser technology to zap away periodontitis. This state-of-the-art treatment is a faster, more accurate treatment for periodontal disease than traditional procedures — Not to mention, you’ll recover much faster too.
Learn MoreCrown lengthening is usually an aesthetic treatment that removes some of your gum tissue to reveal more of your tooth. In some cases, it’s used to create space for a crown, filling, or other restoration. This treatment is perfect for anyone who feels their smile is too “gummy.”
Learn MoreBelieve it or not, tooth decay is the most common infectious disease affecting children in the US today. By the time they reach kindergarten, 28% of children in the US have cavities. And it’s no surprise, considering how almost everything we eat and drink these days has some amount of processed sugar in it. To identify early risk factors and get a head start in the fight against tooth decay, Dental Express offers Caries (Cavity) Risk Assessments to infants and children between the ages of 0 and 5. When you bring your little one in for an assessment, we’ll ask you a short series of in-depth questions and perform a dental exam to determine their risk level. Based on the results, and if your child shows signs of early childhood tooth decay, we’ll come up with a plan to treat, manage, and prevent cavities in the future.
Learn MoreYes. At Dental Express, we’re ready and equipped to take care of you and your entire family. Our highly-trained, caring team is prepared to provide top-notch dental care efficiently and professionally six days a week. We accept new patients, walk-ins, and same-day appointments and offer emergency dental care services at all six of our locations.
Dental Express is open six days per week with convenient morning and afternoon appointments. We’re committed to finding a time that works for your schedule.
Dental Express is the “One-Stop” shop for your entire family’s dental needs. We encourage you as the parent to bring your toddler to the office during your appointment. When your little one sees how comfortable Mom and Dad are in the office, it sets the tone for a lifetime of positive dental experiences.
Most families begin regular checkups for their children between eighteen months and two years of age.
Each patient’s needs are different at their first appointment. Most insurance companies will pick up all or most of the cost of new patient exams and x-rays. If they don’t, we’re happy to provide a New Patient Exam and any necessary x-rays for just $75.00.
For wisdom tooth or implant consultations, we offer a complimentary exam at no charge to you.
If your teeth look and feel fine, that’s great! But the signs of tooth decay and gum disease aren’t always visible to the naked eye. Even if you have healthy teeth, we recommend scheduling bi-annual cleanings and annual exams to catch potential issues early before they develop. When it comes to your smile, proactive and preventive care is the best medicine.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, please don’t hesitate to walk in or set up a same-day appointment with us:
If you can’t make it the same day, schedule a checkup with us as soon as your schedule allows. Symptoms like toothaches and bleeding gums can be early warning signs for cavities and gingivitis, and addressing them early is the key to protecting your smile. In the event of a dental emergency, we’re always ready to provide urgent care, gain control of the issue, and get you back to smiling again.
Dental Express is pleased to offer you a variety of payment options for any uninsured portions of your care. We’re dedicated to working with you and building a treatment plan that fits your individual needs and budget. We accept major credit cards, offer payment plans, and are prepared to phase extensive treatments to help you maximize all your available insurance benefits.
Don’t see your question here? Call our office. One of our friendly team members will be happy to go over your questions.
Yes. Dental Express is committed to putting your Medi-Cal benefits to work for you. We’re always happy to help make your dentist visits more affordable, and we encourage all of our patients to see if they qualify.
To maintain that beautiful smile of yours, here are some Dental Express and American Dental Association-approved tips for your at-home oral care routine:
Depending on your dental health, we may recommend a more rigorous home care routine or send you home with specialized products to keep your teeth healthy. Consistent care at home is one of the cornerstones of oral health. At Dental Express, we give you all the tools and knowledge you need to maintain a bright, happy smile outside the office.
At Dental Express, we’re fortunate that we have team members available to speak with you in many different languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Tagalog.