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Joel Berger

Dr. Joel Sheldon Berger, MD

Oral & Maxillofacial SurgeryDentistryPlastic Surgery

OVERVIEW

Dr. Berger was born in Montreal, Canada, where he earned both his bachelor and dental degrees from McGill University. After earning his dental degree, he spent an additional year in advanced dental training ...

PATIENT'S PERSPECTIVE

Takes time to answer my questions
Provides follow-up as needed

Based on patient feedback. Read the reviews

RATINGS AND REVIEWS

Dr. Berger's Rating
67 Ratings
Patient Perspective
3.0 Explains conditions and treatments
4.0 Takes time to answer my questions
4.0 Provides follow-up as needed
Office Rating
Showing ratings for:
8008 Frost St Ste 311, San Diego, CA, 92123
n/a Average office wait time
2.0 Office cleanliness
3.0 Courteous staff
3.0 Scheduling flexibility
Children's Physicians Medical Group
8008 Frost St Ste 311
San Diego, CA, 92123
"Dr. Berger destroyed my health and my life. I am in constant misery from the horrific pain and damage that Dr. Berger caused. Before you let him operate on you, go to the California Medical Board site: mbc.ca.gov and see the $400,000 medical malpractice judgment against him. Then go to sdcourt.ca.gov. Better yet, paste this link in your browser: courtindex.sdcourt.ca.go… then click "party Name Search" and on the form fill in "Civil" and "San Diego" and his name as Defendant, and you will see the dozens of lawsuits against him. If I had done this, I would have saved myself from this agony that is my life now. Here is my story: I had double Jaw surgery with Dr. Berger on 9-15-2018. Prior to surgery I had many appointments with Dr. Berger. With family members present, I told him repeatedly that I had previously had two turbinate reduction procedures by ENT's in the past and did not want him to touch these vital organs inside my nose that are essential for breathing. I gave him the ...
reports from both doctors. He said he would not touch the turbinates in my nose and stated that there was no reason to since they were reduced twice already in the past and he had a CT scan showing their location. During Jaw surgery he cut the turbinates out of my face with scissors and then burnt them, destroying the mucous membranes and my ability to breathe properly. Since then I have been in constant pain. I have been diagnosed with Empty Nose Syndrome (ENS). Google it. Nightmare condition. I no longer have the ability to warm and humidify the air so my nose is horribly dry, there is no mucous, constantly scabs but never heals, stinging, and hurting. My throat is red and sore like strep throat due to the cold, dry air hitting my throat. I have terrible vibration in my nose and face. I suffocate and feel like I have plastic wrap over my face and can't breathe. Berger was paid an extra $1,000 dollars for cutting out the turbinates that were perfect prior to surgery and had already been done twice by specialists. Also, Just before surgery, his office clerk suddenly wanted $2,500 dollars for special guides which were not covered by insurance and would make the surgery more accurate. Obviously we paid. No one told us about this until right before surgery. I also had to have two CT scans because his clerk took the wrong image and had to re-do it, so I got double radiation and double charges. After surgery, my septum was crooked and bent to one side, with the right nostril almost twice as big as the left. I have a painful vibrating sensation in my nose. I have permanent nerve damage with no feeling in my upper teeth, gums, palate and lip. The post-surgery CT scan shows surgically reduced turbinates and there is an unrepairable hole between the nasal wall and the maxillary sinus. My septum was put back on crooked and is bent so far the air can't flow in right. Joel Berger would not discuss my post-surgery pain and I had to visit and pay many doctors to find out what he had done. I have spent the past two years seeking help in the United States and in Europe. I have been to top universities. I have seen ENT's, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and reconstructive facial plastic surgeons, but no one can repair the damage or alleviate my pain. I have received stem cell therapy at enormous expense; it failed. One jaw doctor said, "We never cut through the nasal septum like this" and recommended that I re-do the orthodontia to try and match my teeth to the off-centered crooked jaw. I am undergoing orthodontia a second time at great expense. I had a surgery done to try to reconstruct my septum by reinforcing it with bone graft, but the damage Dr. Berger caused can't be fixed. I met a victim of Dr. Berger - a young woman who would have been pretty if he had not cut her septum during jaw surgery collapsing her nose into a saddle nose deformity. My elderly parents have been heart-broken and financially crushed by this. Th "
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  • September 28, 2020

LOCATIONS

San Diego Center For Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery
8008 Frost St Ste 311
San Diego, CA, 92123
  • Accepting New Patients
Mon8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tue8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wed8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thu8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Fri7:00 am - 4:00 pm
SatClosed
SunClosed
  • Accepting New Patients
8008 Frost Street Suite 311
San Diego, CA, 92123

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Dental School
University Of Washington School Of Medicine
Graduated 1980

INSURANCE PLANS ACCEPTED  (146)

Please verify insurance information directly with your doctor's office as it may change frequently.
  • Blue Cross CA California Care Large Group HMO
  • Blue Shield CA 2017 I&F HMO - CoveredCA
  • Blue Cross CA Pathway X HMO
  • Ameritas PPO
  • Assurant DHA Premier
  • Aetna Signature Administrators PPO
  • UHC Navigate POS
  • Health Net CA HMO Employer Group
  • Blue Shield CA Access Plus HMO
  • Sharp Health Performance
  • United Healthcare Dental PPO
  • Health Net CA Individual and Family PPO
  • MetLife PDP
  • Aetna Managed Choice POS Open Access
  • Guardian DentalGuard Preferred
  • Blue Shield CA Trio ACO HMO
  • UHC SignatureValue Flex1
  • Cigna Southern CA Select
  • Blue Shield CA Access Plus Savenet
  • First Health PPO
  • UHC Options PPO
  • Dental Network of America DPPO
  • United Concordia National Fee-For-Service
  • Aetna DMO
  • Delta Dental PPO
  • Delta Dental Premier
  • Health Net CA HMO SmartCare
  • CompBenefits PPO
  • Blue Cross CA Select HMO
  • Health Net CA HMO Whole Care Network
  • Dominion Dental PPO
  • UHC SignatureValue Focus
  • Health Net CA PPO
  • Humana Choice POS
  • Blue Shield CA Silver 70 PPO
  • Blue Cross CA Pathway X PPO
  • Sharp Health Premier
  • CIGNA PPO
  • United Concordia Advantage Plus PPO
  • Aetna Choice POS II
  • UHC Choice Plus POS
  • Blue Shield CA Platinum Access+ HMO 25
  • Blue Shield CA Bronze 60 PPO SHOP
  • Aetna HMO
  • United Concordia Alliance
  • Humana National POS
  • UHC West SignatureValue Alliance
  • Blue Shield CA Platinum Local Access + HMO 25
  • Blue Cross CA Priority Select HMO
  • Blue Shield CA Bronze Full PPO 4500
  • CIGNA Total DPPO
  • CIGNA Radius Network
  • Aetna HMO Deductible Plan CA only
  • DenteMax Dental
  • Blue Shield CA PPO
  • Humana Dental PPO
  • First Dental Health
  • Health Net CA CommunityCare Network HMO
  • Principal Dental PPO
  • BCCA Dental Blue 100/200/300
  • Aetna Vitalidad Plus CA con Aetna
  • Aetna Basic HMO
  • BC CA California Care Small Group HMO
  • Assurant DHA
  • Delta Dental DeltaCare USA
  • Health Net PureCare One EPO Individual & Family Plan
  • CIGNA Open Access Plus
  • UHC West SignatureValue HMO
  • UHC Navigate HMO
  • Sharp Health Gold Value
  • Blue Cross CA Select Plus HMO
  • CIGNA HMO
  • Health Net PureCare HSP Individual and Family Plans
  • Aetna DPPO
  • Aetna Savings Plus of CA
  • Emblem Dental - Preferred Plus
  • UHC West SignatureValue Advantage HMO Value Network
  • Blue Shield CA Local Access Plus HMO
  • BS CA Platinum 90 PPO
  • Sharp Health Blue Choice
  • BCBS Blue Card PPO
  • Blue Cross CA PPO Prudent Buyer Large Group
  • Multiplan PPO
  • Blue Cross CA Select PPO
  • CIGNA Dental DHMO
  • BSCA Dental PPO
  • Liberty Dental CA Independence PPO
  • Blue Cross CA PPO Prudent Buyer Individual
  • Blue Cross CA PPO Prudent Buyer Small Group
  • Blue Cross CA Advantage PPO Preferred DirectAccess Plus
  • Anthem BC Pathway X EPO Network
  • Aexcel PPO
  • Metlife PDP Plus
  • Anthem Advantage HMO
  • Anthem Dental Complete
  • Anthem Dental Prime
  • Assurant Dental Network
  • Assurant Focus Dental Network
  • Cigna DPPO Advantage
  • Connection Dental
  • Dominion Dental Choice PPO
  • GRID
  • GRIDPlus
  • Health Net CA HMO
  • Health Net CA HMO Excelcare
  • Health Net CA HMO Wholecare
  • Health Net CA Salud HMO Plus y Mas
  • Health Net SmartCare Network HMO Large Group
  • Health Net SmartCare Network HMO Small Group
  • Lincoln Financial DentalConnect
  • MEDICA CHOICE WITH UNITEDHEALTHC
  • Sun Life Dental Network
  • UHC NAVIGATE PLUS POS
  • UHC Nexus Open Access
  • UHC Signature Value Focus
  • UHC SignatureValue Alliance
  • UHC SV Flex Tier 3
  • United Concordia Advantage Plus 20
  • United Concordia Elite Plus
  • Blue Shield CA Tandem PPO
  • Aetna Elect Choice EPO Open Access
  • Aetna Innovation Health Aetna Premier Care Network Plus
  • Aetna Open Choice PPO
  • BCBS TN GRID
  • BCBS TN GRIDPlus
  • Blue Cross CA Anthem Advantage HMO
  • Blue Cross CA Anthem Blue Connection EPO CA
  • Blue Cross CA California Care Small Group HMO
  • Blue Shield CA Dental PPO
  • Blue Shield CA Platinum 90 PPO
  • Blue Shield of CA 2021 I&F PPO Plan
  • HealthNet ExcelCare Small / Large Group
  • Medica Choice With UHC
  • Sun Life Assurant Dental Network
  • UHC SignatureValue Advantage HMO - CA
  • UHC SignatureValue HMO - CA
  • BCBS Pathway EPO
  • Oscar CA Cigna + Oscar Open Access Plus
  • Sharp Health Choice
  • Sharp Health Value
  • BCBS AZ PPO/EPO Statewide
  • BCBS Pathway HMO
  • HealthNet Salud HMO y Mas Small / Large Group
  • Blue Shield CA Blue High Performance Network EPO
  • Blue Cross CA Pathway EPO
  • Blue Cross CA Pathway HMO
View more

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