Buchanan, Jennifer M DDS: Buchanan, Jennifer M DDS

I have been struggling with orofacial pain for over fifteen years and have seen Dr. Buchanan on and off for the last five years. From our very first consultation, she demonstrated extreme knowledge and profound understanding of the interconnected nature of my jaw pain, teeth clenching and migraine headaches. She interpreted my x-rays, clearly diagnosed my issues and set forth an action plan that worked in my regaining a full range of motion, something other dentists had led me to believe would be impossible. Although other ""professionals"" had customized mouth guards for me (I have a drawerful of the rejects), the one that she had made is so comfortable that I find myself unable to sleep without it. She was able to work with me even though I had other medical issues that limited what types of treatments I could receive. I cannot overstate how outstanding she is--I wish I had heard about her years earlier! She gave me hope where I had little, eventually helping me to eliminate my jaw pain entirely. I am sorry to hear about the prior reviewer's frustration, but his/her comments are so unbelievably far from my experience (or that of my three friends who also see her), that I wonder if we are even talking about the same person. Pros: Extremely Knowledgeable, Caring, Professional Cons: Wish she would move to East Bay more

I was referred to Dr. Buchanan by my dentist after having TMJ for more than 5 years. I had pretty much given up hope for any relief for my jaw and the accompanying headaches. At my first visit Dr. Buchanan spent over an hour with me getting full medical history and asking very detailed questions. She sent me for extensive x-rays and the next appointment she showed me the x-rays and explained very clearly what my issues were and some of her thoughts on how to alleviate my headaches and sore jaw. She worked with me to adapt to a mouth guard, which did wonders for the pain and my sleep. If I called with questions or concerns, she always called back, even after hours. I really appreciate her expertise, and am grateful to have a dental specialist of her caliber in Marin so I don't have to drive to SF. While she is expensive, I have found that my medical insurance has paid for a majority of the charges. Dr. Buchanan has been very helpful with letters and following up with my insurance company to get me reimbursed. I also really appreciate Dr. Buchanan's holistic approach in addressing my jaw problems. She has obviously spent time training in and around the dental field and it's relationship to your entire body and well being. She has a positive attitude, patience and is willing to listen and work with each patient individually. I highly recommend Dr. Buchanan. Pros: Knowledgeable, detailed, professional and caring Cons: Very busy, sometimes hard to get an appointment more

I was sent to Dr. Buchanan to check out severe injury to my bite due to various factors including, car accident, professional hazards, etc..Basically, she misdiagnosed me, spending only 20 minutes with me after telling me before the appointment, on the phone, that she spends at least an hour on her patients at the first appointment (hence the high price tag). Also, she asked for the $500.00 BEFORE the appointment. She makes you pay BEFORE the appointment. I should have known better at that point and should have left. I left there, a half a grand short, with NO advice, no help, NOTHING. She said she couldn't help my bite issues because it was from my genetics which was completely incorrect. (I received help and relief from other sources). When I left her office, she said she would call me within two days with names of people she knew that might do some body work on me in my area. I never did get that call until I finally called her back after three weeks and left a message saying how disappointed I was in her service. She did finally call back at that point, leaving a message, but I had had enough by then. The worst part of her service was her lack of knowledge. At those prices, you would assume she was HIGHLY educated outside the basics, since she is a TMJ specialists. I was married to a chiropractor and know very well that it is COMMON knowledge that a lower back issue can cause tremendous problems at the top of your spine, mid back, jaw, etc... I told Dr. Buchanan that I believed that most of my issues up top were coming from the base of the spine, that I could feel the connection. Her answer? ""That just isn't how things work. Your back being out of alignment or injured at the base would have NOTHING to do with your jaw issues."" I knew right then and there I had been had and that this woman was charging more than some very incredible doctors for ZERO information. Indeed my problems WERE from the lower part of my back. Beware of this so called ""specialist."" Not only did she not know BASIC information that ALL specialists should know about the spine, but she didn't follow up with even her references to other practitioners. Fair warning. She is a rip off and a fake, imo and I believe she should be reviewed by the Medical Board. Cons: highly expensive, little or no help, no follow up more