CONTACT MOUNTAIN DENTAL
We answer the phone. Reach out and we'll help you take the next step.
New patient appointments are open. Call us during office hours, send us a message, or stop by the practice in downtown Placerville.
Find us in downtown Placerville.
Mountain Dental
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596 Main Street
Placerville, California 95667 - Phone: (530) 642-8614
- Email: Office@mountaindentalplacerville.com
Hours
- Monday through Thursday: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
- Friday: by appointment only
- Saturday and Sunday: closed
Send us a message.
For patients who’d rather write than call. We respond within two business days during office hours.
Have a question? We have an answer.
Check out our most commonly asked questions and answers on the following page.
Booking and availability
How do I make a new patient appointment?
Call (530) 642-8614 during office hours, or fill out the contact form above. Our front desk coordinator will return your message within one business day, walk you through what to expect at your first visit, and get you on the schedule. We do not currently offer online booking.
What is the wait time for a new patient appointment?
Wait times vary by season and by patient type. Call the practice to ask about current availability. We hold spots for new patient appointments most weeks and can usually accommodate within two to four weeks of your call.
Do you see new adult and pediatric patients?
Yes. Mountain Dental is a family practice. We see kids, teens, and adults. Some of our adult patients started with us as children. Others come in for the first time as adults seeking a different approach to their dental care.
Do you offer same-day or emergency appointments?
We hold a small number of slots each day for urgent issues like broken teeth, severe pain, and recent injuries. Call as early in the day as possible if you need to be seen the same day.
Insurance and payment
Do you accept my insurance?
We accept all PPO insurance plans. Our front desk can help you understand your benefits before treatment. We also offer in-house wellness plans as an alternative to insurance.
What does the in-house membership include?
Our wellness plans cover preventive care for the year at one flat rate, plus a meaningful discount on additional treatment. Plans are available for adults and for kids. See full details on our Memberships pages.
Do you offer payment plans?
We offer third party financing including care credit and cherry.
What if I don't have insurance?
Our in-house wellness plans are designed for patients without insurance. They cover preventive care for the year at a flat rate and include a discount on any additional treatment. Most patients without insurance find the wellness plan covers their full year of dental care for less than they’d pay for insurance premiums.
For kids
What is your approach to pediatric care?
We work at the child’s pace. Dr. Keith built the pediatric side of the practice around earning trust rather than working around fear. We show kids every tool, explain what each one does, and never lie about what’s about to happen. Most kids leave more confident than they came in.
Do you use sedation?
Our default approach is to earn a child’s trust over time rather than reach for sedation. We use nitrous oxide when it genuinely helps a specific child with a specific procedure, and we work at each child’s pace to build the kind of comfort that makes dental care routine rather than traumatic. The visits aren’t always fun, but the long arc is what matters: a six-year-old who learns they can handle something difficult becomes an eighteen-year-old who isn’t afraid of the dentist.
At what age should my child have their first appointment?
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a first dental visit by age one or within six months of the first tooth coming in. We follow that guidance. Early visits are short and focused on getting the child comfortable with the practice, not on extensive treatment.
How do you handle anxious or fearful kids?
We slow down. The treatment isn’t always fun, but the experience teaches a child that they can do something difficult and come out the other side more confident. For kids who have had bad experiences at other practices, we often start with shorter visits focused entirely on building trust before any treatment happens.
For adults
Can adults become new patients?
Yes. Adults make up a significant portion of our practice. Many find us after looking for a dentist who uses safer materials or who can address jaw pain in coordination with chiropractic care. New adult patients are welcome.
Do you do orthodontics for adults?
Yes. We treat adult orthodontics the same way we treat orthodontics for kids: as airway and structural work, not just tooth alignment. That means looking at tongue position, breathing patterns, cranial balance, and where the teeth need to move, treated as one connected system. For adult cases that benefit from cranial work alongside dental treatment, we coordinate directly with Dr. Malori Tinsley at Well-Balanced Body. The two appointments are scheduled in the same building and often the same day.
Do you treat jaw pain?
Yes. Jaw pain (TMD) is one of the conditions we coordinate most closely with Dr. Malori Tinsley at Well Balanced Body. Her cranial adjustment work and our dental treatment, scheduled the same day in the same building, produce results neither field achieves on its own.
Do you do safe amalgam removal?
Yes. Dr. Keith is certified through the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) and follows the SMART protocol for safe amalgam removal. This protocol uses specific equipment and procedures to minimize mercury exposure during removal.
Philosophy and materials
Are you a natural dentist?
Yes, in the sense that we use biocompatible materials, avoid mercury and BPA, and consider how dental treatment affects the rest of the body. We are also a clinically trained, IAOMT-certified practice. The natural and the clinical are not separate categories at Mountain Dental.
What materials do you use?
Our composite fillings are BPA-free. Our crowns are metal-free ceramic or zirconia. We use ozone gas where it makes clinical sense. We do not place mercury-based silver amalgam fillings.
Do you offer mercury-free fillings?
Yes. We do not place mercury-based amalgam fillings. All of our fillings are BPA-free composite. If you have existing amalgam fillings you’d like removed, we follow the IAOMT SMART protocol to minimize mercury exposure during removal.
Is fluoride mandatory at your practice?
What's different about your approach to orthodontics?
We treat orthodontics as airway and structural work, not just tooth alignment. That means looking at how the tongue rests, how the patient breathes, whether the cranial bones are in balance, and where the teeth need to move, treated as one connected system. Conventional orthodontics often extracts teeth to make space and pulls the remaining teeth backward into the gap, which produces a straight smile and a compressed airway. Our approach is built to support the airway and the underlying structure, in children and adults.
Integrated care
Is it true you coordinate with a chiropractor?
Yes. Mountain Dental and Well Balanced Body Chiropractic share a building and a working clinical relationship. Dr. Malori Tinsley specializes in cranial work and is also Dr. Keith’s wife. The integration is intentional and is one of the things that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the area.
How does the integrated dental and chiropractic protocol work?
It depends on the case. For jaw pain, we schedule cranial adjustment and a balanced night guard the same day. For orthodontic care, dental treatment happens alongside biweekly cranial adjustments. The two treatments work together to produce results neither produces alone.
Do I need to see Dr. Malori Tinsley separately?
Not for every visit. Most dental treatment happens at Mountain Dental without chiropractic coordination. The integrated protocol applies when a case specifically benefits from coordinated care, like TMD or functional based orthodontics. We’ll let you know if your treatment fits that pattern.
After you've booked
I've booked my first appointment. What should I do before my visit?
Visit our New Patients page for the forms to fill out, what to bring with you, insurance information, and what to expect at your first visit.
Ready to take the next step?
Call (530) 642-8614 during office hours, or send a message and we’ll get back to you within two business days.