At Meares Dentistry, our goal is to treat you with care, consideration, and expertise. We build our practice on a foundation of positive and long-lasting patient relationships. Led by Dr. Austin Meares, Meares Dentistry aims to be a place that you and your family know and trust. We are committed to learning new techniques and advancements in dental technology so that you can be confident in your smile. We dont just see patients, we see people. Thats why in everything we do, our focus is on you. Come visit us and experience personalized dentistry today.
Dr. Austin B. Meares is a native of Columbia, SC. He attended Wofford College, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1994. Upon receiving his degree, Dr. Meares worked in a dental lab for two years before venturing to the Medical University of South Carolina where he obtained his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in 2000.
Wanting to gain all the experience and training available, he then attended the University of Mississippi residency program in Advanced Education in General Dentistry prior to beginning his private practice in 2001.
Dr. Meares has received accreditations from The Dawson Center for Occlusion, American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, Invisalign, CAD/CAM CEREC Comprehensive therapy, implant treatment, and laser therapy. In addition, he is attending continuing education courses to keep himself and his team up-to-date on all the latest technology dentistry has to offer.
In his personal time, Dr. Meares is a dedicated father to his children, Archer and Avery. He is also a hunting enthusiast with special interests in archery, and fishing. On the weekends you can find him spending time with family, enjoying the outdoors no matter the season.
I am person that has always been scared of dentists, doctors etc. But this dentist office is the absolute best at everything they do. Alana was perfect!!!!! Dr Meares is great!!! The entire office staff is great!!! I would recommend them to anyone. They actually made me feel good and not afraid of getting a root canal tomorrow. Thank yall so much
Aleisha is our resident insurance specialist and office manager. She pursued her Business Administration degree from Columbia College and has worked in insurance for 20 years, exclusively focusing on dental for the past 10 years. Aleisha is the most senior member of Dr. Meares team and is always available to help in whatever capacity needed. She was born and raised in the outskirts of Columbia, and resides in Elgin with her husband, Brian, three children, two dogs, and a cat. Her hobbies include singing, baking, and tending her house plants.
Kaitlyn is Dr. Meares lead chairside assistant. She began her career as a dental assistant in 2011 and joined Dr. Meares team in 2019. Kaitlyn has a passion for making patients feel welcome and comfortable. Always striving to broaden her skillset, Kaitlyn holds several certifications including advance training in radiography, CEREC crown fabrication, nitrous oxide administration, and is currently working toward becoming a registered dental hygienist. Born and raised in Elgin, when Kaitlyn is not in the office, you can find her enjoying the great outdoors with her husband, Travis, and their dogs.
Born and raised in the Lexington area,Shea is Dr. Meares lead hygienist. Shea has been in dentistry for 24 years. She obtained her degree in Health Science while working as a Certified Dental Assistant. She then continued to further her education by securing her hygiene degree, and has now been a Registered Dental Hygienist for 20 years. Not only is she passionate about teeth, but what truly drives her are the people behind them. Shea treats her patients as extended family, and she always provides the very best care to everyone in her chair. When shes not working she enjoys spending time with her own family.Shes been married 21 years to her husband, Joey, and they have two beautiful children, Tyler and Emory, as well as two boxers.
Nicole joined our team in 2020 after graduating from the Carolina Career School for Office Administration and Dental Assisting in 2019. She has over 10 years of experience in client relations and service. As our scheduling coordinator and front office liaison, Nicole shines with a positive can-do attitude. Outside of work you can find her with family or soaking up sun and salty air on the coast of Beaufort. She resides in downtown Columbia with her partner Sturgis, three dogs, and two cats.
Reviews
Rating 4.9 out of 5 based on 65 reviews
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newest oldest highest lowestGregg Dodson
2 years ago
Excellent dentist and staff. Dr. Meares is extremely personable and professional. The staff is very polite, patient, and personable as well. Highly recommend Dr. Austin Meares!
Yong ZHAO
2 years ago
I would be happy to give 5 starts for Dr. Meares, but considering the receptionist, I prefer to only give 2 starts at most. Here are the reasons: 1. I had wonderful cleaning of teeth here twice before the pandemic. SO I introduced my girlfriend to this place. When we came to request cleaning of teeth and I told the receptionist that I was a customer, she did not even ask my girlfriend's name and just pulled out two names for us. One is me and another is a stranger sharing the same last name with me. What the heck???? 2. I gave the receptionist my and my girlfriend's insurance cards. When she processed my girlfriend's, she complained that the insurance company could not process my girlfriend's request because the birthdate did not match. When we came home, we found that she used my insurance card for my girlfriend. What's the problem? 3. We both had the cleaning of teeth in early May and the dental insurance emailed us that they processed our request for insuring. However, we still received two mails with two full costs of the cleaning of teeth. The explanation was that somebody else helped them process bills and they made a mistake. Funny to me. 4. We specifically drove to the receptionist and told her that we would move to Texas in mid May and that please send the new bills to our new address. We shared our new address to her. The fact was the bills were still sent to our old address. Anyway, we really had a bad experience this time. I just wanted to share this. If the receptionist always made mistakes for our personal information which is the easies job in the dental, can we continue to trust you with our teeth?
Tim Graves
2 years ago
Dr. Mears is a very easy going dentist. He listens. He is great at what he does. His staff is top notch and if you need a dentist he's your man. Thanks Dr Mears for always taking superb care of me.
Jas Momo
2 years ago
Dr. Meares and the staff I encountered were awesome and really kind! I didn't catch the dental hygienist's name unfortunately, but she was so sweet, social and skilled! They kept me informed through the entire process and really help me understand the issues I'm currently having. Highly recommend!
Matthew Mazzilli
2 years ago
Great first experience! Everyone was wonderful!
Sheila Pierce
2 years ago
Dr. Meares and his team are awesome! They have taken great care of me for over a year now with some dental procedures I needed to have done. Dr. Meares explained everything and gave me several options so I could make the decision that was best for me. Dr. Meares takes the time to listen to my concerns and I never feel like he is rushing me out the door. I am very pleased with the services provided by Dr. Meares and his entire team! Definitely recommend them!
Molli Collins
2 years ago
I love this dental office. Everyone there is so sweet and easy to work with. Dr. Meares is amazing at what he does and genuinely cares! I've had to deal with a lot of dental work in my life and this is by far my best experience. I would recommend them to anyone!
Kristen Roach
2 years ago
Dr. Meares and his office staff are incredible. All his assistants are so sweet and take the time to get to know their patients. He is extremely professional and I love his sense of humor! He has taken great care of me over the past year.
Larry Glasser
2 years ago
It is sufficient to say Dr. Meares is the ultimate professional.
Emilia DeMarco
2 years ago
I have horrible dental anxiety from so many bad experiences. A friend recommended Dr. Meares and I couldn't be more glad that I came here. The staff is so friendly and they all genuinely care and don't brush off my anxiety. Dr. Meares is wonderful and I'd recommend him to anyone!
Clarence Bell
2 years ago
I am person that has always been scared of dentists, doctors etc. But this dentist office is the absolute best at everything they do. Alana was perfect!!!!! Dr Meares is great!!! The entire office staff is great!!! I would recommend them to anyone. They actually made me feel good and not afraid of getting a root canal tomorrow. Thank y'all so much
Eric Stewart
2 years ago
The team and Dr Meares are without a doubt some of the most caring people in the world! They always greet us with a smile when we walk through the door. Dr Meares is very detailed with his treatment, and explains it in terms everyone can understand! Even my young daughters love going to see him. Great family atmosphere, great dentist, we are patients for life.
Laurence Glasser
2 years ago
Dr. Meares is a true professional. His work is outstanding.
Phillip Gregory
2 years ago
Best dentist I've found in the Columbia area. Always a pleasant experience.
Sheila Pierce
3 years ago
Dr. Meares and his team are awesome! They have taken great care of me for over a year now with some dental procedures I needed to have done. Dr. Meares explained everything and gave me several options so I could make the decision that was best for me. Dr. Meares takes the time to listen to my concerns and I never feel like he is rushing me out the door. I am very pleased with the services provided by Dr. Meares and his entire team! Definitely recommend them!
Kristen Roach
3 years ago
Dr. Meares and his office staff are incredible. All his assistants are so sweet and take the time to get to know their patients. He is extremely professional and I love his sense of humor! He has taken great care of me over the past year.
Emilia DeMarco
3 years ago
I have horrible dental anxiety from so many bad experiences. A friend recommended Dr. Meares and I couldn't be more glad that I came here. The staff is so friendly and they all genuinely care and don't brush off my anxiety. Dr. Meares is wonderful and I'd recommend him to anyone!
Eric Stewart
3 years ago
The team and Dr Meares are without a doubt some of the most caring people in the world! They always greet us with a smile when we walk through the door. Dr Meares is very detailed with his treatment, and explains it in terms everyone can understand! Even my young daughters love going to see him. Great family atmosphere, great dentist, we are patients for life.
Molli Collins
3 years ago
I love this dental office. Everyone there is so sweet and easy to work with. Dr. Meares is amazing at what he does and genuinely cares! I've had to deal with a lot of dental work in my life and this is by far my best experience. I would recommend them to anyone!
Larry Glasser
3 years ago
It is sufficient to say Dr. Meares is the ultimate professional.
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