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La Costa Orthodontics Welcome to La Costa Orthodontics, conveniently located in Carlsbad, California. Dr. Bernadette DeSantos is proud to offer outstanding orthodontic care for the entire family in a clean, relaxing atmosphere. We offer a wide range of orthodontic treatment to meet the needs and desires of each individual patient.

Dr. DeSantos's office is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to ensure our patients receive optimum results in the most efficient manner possible. I love my job. Its a joy to see my patients and their families happy at the end of treatment with a new beautiful and confident smile.
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We know that our office is only as effective and as welcoming as the people who work in it, which is why we take pride in our friendly and well-trained team members! As a team, we are especially interested in making all our patients feel right at home! We put your needs first to achieve efficient and comprehensive treatment in a supportive and nurturing environment.
You probably know that it's never too late to begin orthodontic treatment - but when it comes to your youngster's teeth, did you know that earlier may be better than later? According to the American Association of Orthodontists, kids should have an initial orthodontic screening at age 7. What makes early evaluation - and potentially, early treatment - so important?
No two teen cases are the same, which is why Align Technology is constantly advancing its Invisalign digital treatment solutions. This allows our office to deliver a unique, customized teeth-straightening solution that's more precise and keeps your teen moving forward. With the Invisalign system's proprietary innovations, such as SmartTrack material, your teen's smile can transform up to 50% faster.*
We're seeing more and more adult orthodontic patients these days, and it's not hard to figure out why. Appliances that are barely noticeable have been developed to give adults more discreet choices when it comes to orthodontic treatment. And many adults realize that investing in a smile makeover can have significant benefits, socially and professionally.
Reviews (28)
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Peter D.
Mar 16, 2022
We have trusted Dr. DeSantos and La Costa Orthodontics with the alignment and health of our son's teeth. In under a year and a half with an Invisalign treatment our son (age 11) has a winning smile with his teeth now aligned and ample room in his mouth. By using Invisalign, we were able to avoid further damage to teeth that had repairs from an unfortunate bike accident.

Appointment availability is timely and flexible. The team is caring and tries to make patients feel comfortable. Second, Dr. DeSantos is honest, thorough and has a strong attention to detail. She understood the sensitivity our son's teeth and made her treatment recommendations accordingly. We have completed one phase of treatment with our son and expect to continue with them with our second son's orthodontic care.
Amber Payne
Dec 23, 2021
Dr. DeSantos and her team went above and beyond to make our anxious kiddos feel comfortable and safe. They explained everything in a kid friendly manor before they did anything and made sure both of our twin boys understood what was happening and if they felt scared or unsure, they took their time explaining things even more and helping them through the moment. I highly, highly recommend Dr. DeSantos and her team! Exceptional care!
Sheila Wilkins
Sep 29, 2021
From The first time I met Dr. Desantos I knew there was something special about her. She makes sure that everything is clear and understood before going forward. She takes great care with her patients and the parents! I had the pleasure of meeting her family today and they are super. If your shopping around for an orthodontist. Look no further! I am looking forward to getting braces for myself someday soon.
Nate B.
Aug 20, 2021
Fantastic service! I was a patient with braces for over a year and it was such a smooth ride. Now that I have my braces off I can say I am very pleased with how my teeth turned out. The entire duration of my braces care was incredibly easy and painless.
Linda Wolff
Aug 17, 2021
Going to the orthodontist is not just for kids! At the age of 70, I decided to straighten my teeth that had become very crooked over time. I am so pleased with the outcome! I would highly recommend this office! The staff is very professional and caring and the result is amazing!
Erin S.
Jun 14, 2021
Dr. DeSantos is very experienced and she listened very carefully to me when I described what I wanted and needed. My orthodontics journey began in the third grade, continued through high school, and needed to be addressed a couple of years ago again. Needless to say, my teeth are complicated. Prior to this most recent phase, I had other orthodontists in the state of Washington, so I had to look for someone new since I now live near Carlsbad. La Costa Orthodontics (LCO) was highly recommended by my much trusted dentist. Dr. DeSantos did a great job of coordinating with my dentist, communicating with me, setting expectations and working efficiently.

I am 40 years old, but I imagine LCO is great with kids too. Dr. DeSantos and her staff are very warm and friendly, gentle and reassuring. I would not hesitate to strongly recommend Dr. DeSantos to anyone, including family and friends.
Laura West
Mar 23, 2021
We couldn't be happier with Dr. DeSantos and her lovely staff. They have been nothing but kind and patient during our daughter's time with braces. We are lucky to have been with them during this experience Hands down we would recommend this office to anyone. They truly care about their patients and their work. Thank you, Dr. DeSantos and staff!
Caitlin C.
Aug 03, 2020
I wish I could give more than 5 stars! I've been to other orthodontists in the area and Dr. Desantos and her team surpass them with flying colors! Before leaving my previous orthodontist, I was told that my bite would never be fixed until I have a few teeth REMOVED in order to be able to fix my bite (even after 8 years of 2 sets of braces and countless other equipment in my mouth).

I also had reabsorption (meaning my gum was taking over my tooth from the inside out) occurring to one of my teeth, due to the fact that I had so much work done to my mouth. With all of that I still didn't have my perfect smile and I decided to look for another orthodontist. That is when I found La Costa Orthodontics! I get my retainers tomorrow and I can happily say that I have never had a bad or painful experience, all thanks to Dr. Desantos and her wonderful team!

Everyone who works there is not only skilled and amazing at what they do, but happy to be there, which in my experience is hard to find! I actually have found myself looking forward to appointments! Dr. Desantos always comes up with a specific treatment plan for each person who comes thru her doors. With that being said I couldn't be happier with my journey and results.

Along with the fact that the whole time during my surgeries to fix what was caused by reabsorption, Dr. Desantos and her team helped create new ways to not only make my smile look better, but at the same time make more space for my implant! Even my dentist was impressed at my cleanings! Overall, I would highly recommend Dr. Desantos to everyone, I definitely wouldn't have the smile I have today without her and her team! Thank you!
Natalie Gomez
Jun 12, 2020
I could not be more pleased with my experience at La Costa Orthodontics. I am an out-of-state patient (residing in Arizona for school and visit home in Carlsbad for the holidays). Dr. DeSantos and staff were ALWAYS an email or phone call away if I had any questions. Doing Invisalign was the best option for me and this incredible staff helped me gain the smile that I wanted!

Not to mention, they always made sure that I would be able to come in for any type of appointment when I was home for a holiday or special occasion. I could not have had a better experience with La Costa Orthodontics and would highly recommend it to others!
Auxy Jacobo
Feb 21, 2020
I use to have braces in the past but teeth have an amazing memory And as for myself my teeth shifted back to how they use to be. I was recommended the 3M aligners and I can honestly say that I love them. I'm 25 yrs old so the last thing I wanted was a second round of visible brackets. During my treatment I was able to take them off when ever needed, they were very easy to clean, and were not visible during any photo that was taken for any special occasions.

The treatment went very fast with very minimal to no pain at all. Would recommend This office and staff to my friends and family. Also recommend the 3M aligners with the V-Pro.
Diane C.
Nov 05, 2019
I came in last month for my consultation and see if I'm a good candidate for the new version of Invisalign. From the moment I walked in, everyone was very welcoming. After meeting with Dr. de Santos, I felt like I was in competent hands and decided to go forward. They scanned my teeth and did the imaging on their computer. Couple of weeks later, I got to see what my teeth will look like through the transition.

I approved the results to close my gaps and they went ahead and ordered my invisalign. I went in today to get fitted and have my teeth prepared with grooves to assist in the quick movement. Jennifer in the front is very sweet and informative. She has on Invisaligns as well and I've seen her transformation in the last 4 weeks. I could actually see the difference.

Her teeth look perfect. Marisa took her time in getting the grooves on properly. She was very patient and I loved that the new version of invisalign don't require those large grooves of generation one of invisalign. Dr. de Santos is very helpful and attentive. She made sure that the process was explained well and my aligners fit properly. She truly is a perfectionist. I am glad that I was referred by my dentist. If you're thinking of getting braces or invisalign, this is a great orthodontist. She works with children and adults.
Sandra S.
Jul 24, 2019
Dr DeSantos is super sweet, very knowledgable in her field. I would highly recommend her for your orthodondtic needs. My son JUST started treatment for Braces in January (7 months ago) and his teeth look TOTALLY different in a great way. I just cannot believe the difference already, night and day! Thank you Dr DeSantos!
Carol K.
Jun 24, 2019
Recommend this office for high quality of service. The entire staff is warm, friendly, efficient and professional. My children never complained or suffered from undue pain. This office makes the process comfortable.
Stacie E.
May 10, 2019
I love Dr. Bernadette and her staff. Very friendly and helpful. My son has a motion appliance, Invisalign, and utilizes Propel. His results have been amazing! He was excited to do Invisalign instead of traditional braces. The staff helps him stay motivated and on track. They really talk and (maybe more importantly) listen to their patients. I'm so happy we chose Dr. Bernadette.
Lynn D.
Mar 01, 2019
Dr. DeSantos is a very kind and caring orthodontist and is a perfectionist with both my sons. She is thorough, professional, and friendly with both the kids and me. They run on time and never make you feel rushed. Extremely accommodating when minor emergencies occur and do their best to attend to us as quickly as possible. Highly recommend this ortho and her team!
Queen Claire B.
Feb 22, 2019
Dr. DeSantos goes out of her way to make having braces a smooth experience as possible. My daughter has TMJ which causes her jaw to lock. When she had her braces put on, Dr. DeSantos made sure there were breaks throughout the procedure. This prevented my daughter's jaw from locking and mitigated a possible painful experience. To this day, I am still impressed at how much Dr. DeSantos cares about her patients and craft.
Desiree Hadden
Dec 08, 2018
Dr. DeSantos and staff are amazing! From the front desk to the back-everyone is professional, caring and personal. We have had 3 of our teens and my husband and myself get braces with them. I went through 2 jaw surgeries along with my braces and Dr. DeSantos did an amazing job. We are blessed and grateful to have found her and you will be amazed if you chose her to be your orthodontist!
Rachel G.
Aug 20, 2018
Dr. DeSantos has a wonderful manner, is a knowledgeable practitioner and above all she is kind, caring and considerate with my children. Her staff is excellent and billing is straightforward. We've had no difficulty scheduling followups or emergency visits. Highly recommend!
J. T.
Aug 14, 2018
The review was long over due! I lost track of time. Dr. DeSantos and her staff are the best. They are always available to answer all my questions and made room for an emergency appointments. My daughter got her braces off last week after 1.5 years af treatment (shorter than we expected) and my son will get his braces remove very soon. I bought Propel VPro5 as soon as I know that my kids are going to wear braces and my kids are using it every night before they are going to bed for about 5 minutes. We love Dr. DeSantos and her staff. I highly recommend this place to anyone in need of orthodontics.
Matt V.
Feb 13, 2018
Shop around or you will be absolutely gouged on prices. The orthodontist has hearing issues which are no big deal as she lip reads, but it seems to lead to miscommunication in the office and surprise surprise you paying more for things. Over several years my treatment cost spiralled 50% higher than originally agreed. Once they get the braces on you they know you are stuck and fees start magically appearing. There is also high staff turnover so the level and quality of service varies considerably. My advice is save yourself the headache and look elsewhere.
Linh S.
Jan 27, 2018
I knew from my first phone conversation with Shani that this would be the office that would be best for my son because she was extremely sweet and very sincere. The enter staff are great at listening and accommodating my concerns. Dr. DeSantos was gentle, nurturing and detail oriented when educating my son about caring for braces. The staff is so awesome and warming that my son felt comfortable during his visit and looks forward to his future visits.
D. S.
Nov 29, 2017
The staff could not be friendlier or more professional! I love how they are always on time- we never have to wait. Dr deSantos is very knowledgeable and great with children. I'm so happy we picked this office for our orthodontic needs. Highly recommend!
Wendy R.
Nov 11, 2017
We love Dr. Desantos! She is a kind, caring, knowledgeable perfectionist (everything you want in an orthodontist). We have been going to her for years, as my daughter is on Phase 2. She makes things easy & manageable for my daughter, so that I just have to drop off, pick up & pay the bill. We have recommended her to several friends who asked for a good orthodontist.
Susan S.
Oct 19, 2017
Dr DeSantos and her team are wonderful. My daughter and I both felt completely comfortable and confident in the choice to have her 1st experience with orthodontics here. I look forward to seeing my daughters smile change for the better over the next many years along with the help from these knowledgeable folks Great location too!
Jennie H.
Oct 15, 2017
I am so glad we found these guys - the whole staff is amazing. Such kind, helpful and organized people. My daughter just got braces and they worked to create a custom payment plan that was the best for me. They also have a rewards program for my daughter so when she has good hygiene, she gets points to use at retailers - how awesome is that! I feel as though I can trust them to not only do a good job, but to be a partner for my daughter and me as I work with insurance, FSAs, etc. What a nice feeling to have some peace of mind.
Jan M.
Oct 06, 2017
We love Dr. DeSantos and her staff, She is so sweet and kind with the kids and is an honest person. She helped my oldest through braces and now we are onto our youngest son's braces. We wouldn't go anywhere else. Thank you La Costa Orthodontics!
Theresa C.
Jun 22, 2017
We love La Costa Orthodontics. Dr. De Santos and her staff always take excellent care of us.
Raul & Ash Alidio
May 07, 2015
I highly recommend Dr. De Santos and her staff. The office is welcoming and professional in every way. When our younger daughter needed braces, there wasn't any doubt on where we'd go for treatment. We even went outside of our then-current insurance to see Dr. De Santos when our older daughter needed Phase 2 because Dr. De Santos has been a trusted professional who is genuinely kind and caring. (A few tips: Consider the clear braces (they're fairly new), and if you need a few groceries, Sprouts is just across the parking lot.)