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Best Pediatric dentists in La Mesa, CA (2026)

4 clinics ranked by DR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →

The short answer

  1. 1

    Top DR Score among pediatric dentists: Gentle Dental Grossmont, 4.3★ from 523 Google reviews, open Saturdays until 3 PM.

Rankings can't be bought. Booking through us earns you a $60 gift card and doesn’t affect order. How we rank

4 of La Mesa’s 102 clinics have a pediatric dentist on staff, as of October 2026. 1 of them open Saturdays and 0 stay open after 6pm. They offer 10 of our 17 tracked services on average.

Top 4 pediatric dentists in La Mesa at a glance

Top 4 pediatric dentists in La Mesa at a glance
RankClinicDR ScoreRating (reviews)Evenings / weekendsBest for
1Gentle Dental Grossmont744.3★ (523)SatTop DR Score among pediatric dentists
2Larry R Pawl DMD735.0★ (107)——
3La Mesa Pediatric Dentistry645.0★ (40)——
4Dr. Surillo's orthodontics584.9★ (226)——

The 4 pediatric dentists in La Mesa, ranked

Ordered by DR Score, a 0–100 score from 6 published factors. Scores refresh weekly.

  1. Ranked #1 in La Mesa

    #1 Gentle Dental Grossmont

    5565 Grossmont Center Drive Suite 459 & 354, 5565 Grossmont Center Dr #459-354, La Mesa, CA 91942

    74/10090% of factors measured

    Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.3★ from 523 Google reviews, the most Google reviews in La Mesa (523).

    Based on reputation, review volume, access, services and profile completeness.

    • 4.3from 523 Google reviews
    Hours
    Mon 8 AM–6 PM · Tue 8 AM–5 PM · Wed 9 AM–6 PM · Thu–Fri 8 AM–5 PM · Sat 8 AM–3 PM · Sun closed

    General dentistryCleaningEmergency careRoot canalExtractionWisdom teethImplantsInvisalign+9 more

    Book appointment at Gentle Dental GrossmontFull profile(619) 202-4749
    In their words

    If you're searching for an affordable dentist, come to the Gentle Dental office in your La Mesa, CA neighborhood. We provide comprehensive dental care for your whole family, and we aim to make our services and scheduling as convenient as possible. Visit today!

    From Gentle Dental Grossmont's own description. Not part of the ranking.

  2. #2 Larry R Pawl DMD

    7339 El Cajon Blvd, La Mesa, CA 91942

    73/10090% of factors measured

    Ranked #2 because of its Google rating and review volume: 5.0★ from 107 Google reviews, 107 Google reviews.

    Based on reputation, review volume, access, services and profile completeness.

    • 5.0from 107 Google reviews
    Hours
    Mon 8 AM–5 PM · Tue 9 AM–6 PM · Wed–Thu 9 AM–5 PM · Fri–Sun closed

    General dentistryCleaningEmergency careRoot canalExtractionWisdom teethImplantsInvisalign+9 more

    Book appointment at Larry R Pawl DMDFull profile(619) 466-4544
    In their words

    We offer restorative family dentistry and cosmetic dentistry services for healthy teeth and gums to La Mesa and San Diego residents. Your smile and comfort is our passion. From a cleaning, to a small filling, to a full smile makeover and everything in between – TEAM PAWL is here to educate you, guide you, and see you through your dental care…no matter how big or how small. Your goals are our goals!! Our approach is simple – provide the highest quality care, from a dental…

    From Larry R Pawl DMD's own description. Not part of the ranking.

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How we ranked La Mesa dentists

This list covers the 4 La Mesa clinics that have a pediatric dentist on staff. We scored 4 La Mesa clinics on 6 factors: reputation 45%, review volume 15%, recency 10%, access 15%, services 10%, profile completeness 5%. 14 were excluded (14 duplicate listings). Data from Google listings and clinic websites, refreshed October 21, 2026.

Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Featured clinics are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.

Read the full method: formula, sources and exclusions

DR Score factors and weights
FactorWeightComputed fromIn La Mesa data
Reputation45%Bayesian-adjusted Google star ratingMeasured
Review volume15%log10(review count) against the city maximumMeasured
Recency10%Share of reviews in the last 12 monthsMeasured
Access15%Evenings, Saturday, Sunday, same-day/emergency, accepting new patientsMeasured
Services10%Services offered out of 17Measured
Profile completeness5%Named dentists, years open, languages, insurance, photosMeasured

Best Pediatric dentists in La Mesa, CA: frequently asked questions

Who are the pediatric dentists in La Mesa?

4 La Mesa clinics have a pediatric dentist on staff in our data. By DR Score, the highest-ranked are Gentle Dental Grossmont, Larry R Pawl DMD and La Mesa Pediatric Dentistry.

Which of these La Mesa clinics are open on Saturday?

1 of the 4 clinics on this page open on Saturdays. The highest-ranked are Gentle Dental Grossmont, and Gentle Dental Grossmont opens 8 AM–3 PM. These counts come from clinic hours and profile data as of October 2026, re-checked every week.

How are pediatric dentists in La Mesa ranked?

Each clinic has one DR Score from 0 to 100, built from 6 published factors: reputation, review volume, recency, access, services and profile completeness. This page lists the 4 La Mesa clinics that have a pediatric dentist on staff, in DR Score order. No clinic pays for its position.

Update log for La Mesa

  1. : DR Scores recalculated for 102 clinics.
  2. : 14 duplicate listings merged.

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