PTSD from working here! - Dentist Kool Smiles Employee Review

1.0
May 7, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Working with children, decent facility and equipment, good pay but I wouldn't put up with working here again for less than $600,000/year!

Cons

Where do I begin? Worst experience of my life! I'm literally traumatized from working here. I always wanted to work with children and I also wanted to help the underprivileged so I chose to work here and be relocated to TX. I found out they don't care a thing about the patients, only profit. You literally have to do whatever management says or they threaten to fire you and if they do you are responsible for paying them back $500/day that is unfulfilled on your contract plus any relocation fees they put out. They set the schedule so you honestly have an average of 7 minutes per patient, plus they come down on you if you aren't treating AT LEAST 3 quadrants of teeth (there's only 4!) per patient. You will get a talking to if you don't place a SSC for any interproximal decay. So you are doing at least 3 SSCs on an anxious child in papoose in under 10 minutes with their crying mother in the room. They don't want you to explain or discuss anything with the parents because the assistants can do that while you are off to another patient. You will be working through lunch and into the evening every night. The staff and I had recurrent UTIs from never getting a bathroom break all while being yelled at by parents and the office manager for being behind on the schedule. The staff is constantly stressed. To keep with the schedule many staff would take short cuts such as not washing their hands, etc. Every second counted. The base pay is good and there is the chance to bonus, but I found out the hard way that you are EXPECTED to qualify for bonus and if you don't you are also at risk for being fired. So I would bonus not to get the extra money but only to keep my job. You are never allowed to take vacation when kids are out of school since those are "peak" times so this includes the week of Thanksgiving, all Christmas/New Years break, the whole summer and any other holidays like Martin Luther King, etc. Obviously this isn't great for you if you are a parent and want to spend time with your kids or if you relocated for the job and would like to finally go see your family for the holidays. The patients and parents aren't treated great either because they are on Medicaid (looked down upon). I try to be a caring, friendly doctor but was told not to waste my time making sure they like me or have a good experience because they have no choice, they'll have to come back since we were the only office in the area to accept Medicaid. I had/have a hard time sleeping at night having to live with myself after working at this place.

Explore other reviews about Kool Smiles

5.0
Jul 23, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good work culture for everyone

Cons

Not much room for growth

2.0
May 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The employees are great there

Cons

Corporate won’t listen to your concerns. Can’t even tell you what your budget is.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All