The vision of Dr. Karen S. Potter and the team at San Clemente Endodontics is to provide the most compassionate, gentle, thorough, and skillful endodontic treatment to patients in the South Orange County area.
Dr. Potter was born and raised in San Clemente. After studying in-state as well as across state lines, she has returned to South Orange County with an expertise that has earned the respect of dentists across the southland. Dr. Potters educational and professional accomplishments have impressed her colleagues as well as her patients.
Dr. Potter and her husband live in San Clemente, where she also grew up. They have 3 energetic children: Kinnick, Joey, and Carson.They enjoy spending timewith their kids, watching college football, exercising, traveling, and live music. On Dr. Potters days out of the office she practices yoga, swims, and jogs the beach trail.She loves to expand her knowledge of endodontics by attending CE courses and also loves to present at courses to teach other dentists more about her specialty.Dr. Potter and Sean also have afirm belief that giving back to their community is vital.
Dr. Bergquist has been practicing dentistry since 1979. He practiced as a general dentist for 15 years before completing his endodontic residency in 1992. His undergraduate degree was earned at Washington State University, his dental degree from Baylor College of Dentistry in Texas, and his endodontic residency was completed at the VA Hospital in Long Beach. Dr. Bergquist enjoys lecturing on Endodontics, and is a speaker for Tulsa Dental, a very prominent endodontic supply company.
Laguna Beach is home for Dr. Bergquist and his family. He has been married for over 30 years to his beautiful wife, Sheryl, and has two adult children: Carly and Cole. Dr. Bergquist enjoys traveling, skiing, snorkeling, beach volleyball, water skiing, good food, fine wine, jazz music, and most recently playing with his grandchildren.
Taylor has been at the office for over 5 years starting as the office manager and transitioning to the role of dental assistant last year. Her compassion and love for the job make your experience in the office seamless and smooth. She is currently taking classes to further her careers goals of becoming a dental hygienist.
Pam is our dental assistant that has been at the office for over 30 years through Dr. Oglesby, Dr. Bergquist, and now with Dr. Potter! She is the MacGyver of our office, fixing anything and everything that needs repair. Pam has 3 great kids: Ashly, a recent new mom; Jayme, a graduate of MMI as a certified Marine Mechanic; and Emily is pursuing her teaching degree. Ashly, Jayme, and Emily all live and work in San Clemente.
Interests: I enjoy camping, boating, and cooking. We love taking cross-country driving trips to enjoy all the beauty and adventure that our front door offers. I also enjoy spending time with friends: sharing good food and a glass of wine.
Reviews
Rating 5.0 out of 5 based on 13 reviews
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newest oldest highest lowestChristi Han
2 years ago
Dr. Potter and her staff are absolutely wonderful. They make you feel comfortable throughout the procedure and explain everything. They give you estimated pricing prior to the procedure, so no surprises. She even personally calls to follow up and make sure everything is okay. Highly recommend!
Chuck Zoe
2 years ago
I was referred to Dr. Karen Potter from my own dentist who I think is terrific. She was referred by him because the equipment she has invested in gives much more advanced imaging of a severe crack in my tooth. This was important to truly understand not only my best course of action but also in understanding whether the prognosis for long-term survival of a root canal in my case is viable. After our discussion, I have elected to simply have the tooth extracted by my original dentist to then consider whether I should get an implant or not. Dr. Potter spent plenty of time answering all my questions and while I imagine she would have preferred to do the root canal herself, she was telling me the facts while giving her professional opinion which gave me comfort to feel I am making a very educated decision. I would never hesitate to use her again.
Maui Dental Group
2 years ago
As a dentist myself, I give my highest recommendation to Dr. Karen Potter and her staff. Dr. Potter is not just a regular endodontist (root canal specialist). Dr. Potter is an endodontist in a league of her own. She is sharp (graduated valedictorian), offers cutting edge technology, and is a respected leader in the dental community. Her hands are gentle and warm, and her care for her patients is one of a kind. Have you ever heard of a fast, easy and pain free root canal? That is exactly what Dr. Potter's office offers. When I was in pain, her office responded quickly and scheduled my appointment. Her digital forms made the scheduling process a breeze. The moment I walked into the office, I felt at ease with the warm welcome by the receptionist and the serene waiting room. The digital technology Dr. Potter offers is impressive. The 3D xrays (CBCT) were quick and comfortable, as were the dental xrays. Their office uses every option possible to make sure the patient is as comfortable as possible while getting a root canal. Dr. Potter's local anesthesia technique (the shot to numb the tooth) was incredible. I didn't feel any discomfort. I loved the massager they used while delivering the anesthetic. As a dentist myself, I was delightfully surprised that it was pain free. Dr. Potter uses a special microscope to clearly visualize the canals in the tooth. She also uses the new Gentle Wave technology to fully clean out the canals of the tooth. This technology gives me confidence that Dr. Potter has incorporated every technique possible in her practice to have a positive outcome for her patients. Her root canal treatment was "textbook", meaning she followed every guideline to a T and took her time to focus on each step of the procedure. I am grateful for Dr. Potter and her staff's kind care. I am so happy to be pain free. Thank you and aloha.
Hunter Lee
2 years ago
Doctor Potter is 100% the best Endo in OC. Not only is her work done at the highest level, her care for her patients is unparalleled. She came in on her day off to treat my abscessed tooth and contacted me from her personal cell that same evening to make sure I was doing ok. I've never seen anything like it. Go to her and you won't be disappointed!!
John Mairs
2 years ago
Dr. Karen Potter is the best! Nobody looks forward to a root canal or other dental procedure, but Dr. Potter is soooo good that the entire experience is comfortable and painless. Every step of the procedure is state-of-the-art, you can tell her office is using researched methods to perform the safest procedure with the best equipment and techniques. I can't say enough about how wonderful Dr. Karen Potter is... I highly recommend her!
laura krzywicki
2 years ago
Dr. Potter and her staff were amazing. I had a totally pain free root canal. They were very up front about what to expect and the pricing. They were a joy to work with. Dr. Potter is top notch; her and the staff are curious, punctual, and friendly. I would recommend them 1 million percent.
laura krzywicki
3 years ago
Dr. Potter and her staff were amazing. I had a totally pain free root canal. They were very up front about what to expect and the pricing. They were a joy to work with. Dr. Potter is top notch; her and the staff are curious, punctual, and friendly. I would recommend them 1 million percent.
Brandan Althof
3 years ago
I strongly believe that Dr. Potter is the best Endodontist in Orange County. I am a general dentist and I refer my patients to her when they need root canals. She uses the best technology and has a great bedside manner
Stefani Kistler
3 years ago
Can't speak more highly of Dr. Potter and her entire team. I was referred by my dentist same day, received a thorough consultation on the spot and treatment same day! I've never had a root canal so was not sure what to expect so needless to say I was very apprehensive. Dr Potter and her team put me at ease, clearly explained my options, expedited the entire procedure like a well oiled machine in under an hour with no issues. I'm now about 5 hours post op with no pain with just Advil. Thank you so much and would highly recommend! Stefani Kistler
Dano From Sano
3 years ago
Exceptional Care and Service! At a recent dental cleaning and x-ray, my regular dentist informed me that I have an infection in an old root canal area, and suggested to extract the tooth if the infection did not go away. I went to Dr. Potter for a consultation, who recommended a root canal re-treatment with Gentle Wave technology. The procedure took 1.5 hours and was pain free. Dr Potter and her staff were professional, caring, and courteous. They walked me through every step of the procedure, which kept my mind at ease. I would highly recommend Dr. Potter if you are seeking a top notch Endodontists.
Brandan Althof
4 years ago
I strongly believe that Dr. Potter is the best Endodontist in Orange County. I am a general dentist and I refer my patients to her when they need root canals. She uses the best technology and has a great bedside manner
Dano From Sano
4 years ago
Exceptional Care and Service! At a recent dental cleaning and x-ray, my regular dentist informed me that I have an infection in an old root canal area, and suggested to extract the tooth if the infection did not go away. I went to Dr. Potter for a consultation, who recommended a root canal re-treatment with Gentle Wave technology. The procedure took 1.5 hours and was pain free. Dr Potter and her staff were professional, caring, and courteous. They walked me through every step of the procedure, which kept my mind at ease. I would highly recommend Dr. Potter if you are seeking a top notch Endodontists.
Stefani Kistler
4 years ago
Can't speak more highly of Dr. Potter and her entire team. I was referred by my dentist same day, received a thorough consultation on the spot and treatment same day! I've never had a root canal so was not sure what to expect so needless to say I was very apprehensive. Dr Potter and her team put me at ease, clearly explained my options, expedited the entire procedure like a well oiled machine in under an hour with no issues. I'm now about 5 hours post op with no pain with just Advil. Thank you so much and would highly recommend! Stefani Kistler
K Kenney
4 years ago
The office was very thorough and friendly before even arriving. The doctor contacted me later that evening and over the weekend after my procedure (that occurred on a Friday). Everything went well. I had some concerns and she came up with a solution. She listens, she asks intelligent questions. She's smart, she does her job well and there's no pressure. Hands down I would go back and recommend her.
C. Lee
4 years ago
I had an ailing tooth that was bothering me for over a two years. After the filling fell out of it, I was extremely discouraged to visit a dentist due to my repeated disappointments with my dentist at the time. Obviously, the condition only got worse and a root canal had to be performed. I went and visited a local endodontist to seek treatment however, after charging me over $200 for additional imaging he elected not to treat the tooth because he told me "the tooth wasn't worth saving." After another disappointing experience my tooth only got worse. I started experiencing inflammation of my sinuses, and tenderness of the face. On a last minute effort, I was referred to Dr. Potter and her team and was had a much different, more pleasant experience. Not only was Dr. Potter able to save my tooth; the entire procedure was quick, easy, and most importantly painless. When I recently visited my current dentist to do the crown, even he noted the excellent, and as he put it "meticulous" work of Dr. Potter. Her team was also extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Pam, was assisting Dr. Potter during my procedure and filled me in on everything to expect as well as best practices. I highly recommend Dr. Potter and her team because they are fair, practical, and provide you with a level of transparency that most doctor's don't! Thank you Dr. Potter!
K Kenney
5 years ago
The office was very thorough and friendly before even arriving. The doctor contacted me later that evening and over the weekend after my procedure (that occurred on a Friday). Everything went well. I had some concerns and she came up with a solution. She listens, she asks intelligent questions. She's smart, she does her job well and there's no pressure. Hands down I would go back and recommend her.
C. Lee
5 years ago
I had an ailing tooth that was bothering me for over a two years. After the filling fell out of it, I was extremely discouraged to visit a dentist due to my repeated disappointments with my dentist at the time. Obviously, the condition only got worse and a root canal had to be performed. I went and visited a local endodontist to seek treatment however, after charging me over $200 for additional imaging he elected not to treat the tooth because he told me "the tooth wasn't worth saving." After another disappointing experience my tooth only got worse. I started experiencing inflammation of my sinuses, and tenderness of the face. On a last minute effort, I was referred to Dr. Potter and her team and was had a much different, more pleasant experience. Not only was Dr. Potter able to save my tooth; the entire procedure was quick, easy, and most importantly painless. When I recently visited my current dentist to do the crown, even he noted the excellent, and as he put it "meticulous" work of Dr. Potter. Her team was also extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Pam, was assisting Dr. Potter during my procedure and filled me in on everything to expect as well as best practices. I highly recommend Dr. Potter and her team because they are fair, practical, and provide you with a level of transparency that most doctor's don't! Thank you Dr. Potter!
Steve Ahuna
5 years ago
Dr. Karen Potter and her staff excel in their customer service skills aside from the fact that Dr. Karen Potter is an excellent Endodontist. I was referred to Dr. Potter from my dentist Dr. Mary Fiedler. I believe most patients can tell the professionalism of their doctor just by the way the procedure is being done, conversations during the procedure between Dr. Potter and her assistant(s) and questions answered by Dr. Potter with facts, examples and reasons. Thank you Dr. Karen Potter and staff.
Steve Ahuna
6 years ago
Dr. Karen Potter and her staff excel in their customer service skills aside from the fact that Dr. Karen Potter is an excellent Endodontist. I was referred to Dr. Potter from my dentist Dr. Mary Fiedler. I believe most patients can tell the professionalism of their doctor just by the way the procedure is being done, conversations during the procedure between Dr. Potter and her assistant(s) and questions answered by Dr. Potter with facts, examples and reasons. Thank you Dr. Karen Potter and staff.
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