The call
Tell us what brought you in, your insurance plan, and what would make the visit easier.
91 Google reviews
The Portland dentist people stay with for thirty years.
Same practice, same corner of NW Pettygrove, since long before most of us moved here. You'll leave knowing exactly what you need, what it costs, and what can wait.
We answer the phone. Tell us what's going on and we'll find you a time.
91 Google reviewsFive stars, written by neighbors
Three dentists, 13 team membersOne building, same faces
Three generations of familiesPatients here 30 years and counting
The part most people are actually worried about
You will never hear us sell you work you don't need.
Most people aren't afraid of the drill. They're afraid a dentist they just met will hand them a long treatment plan on the first visit.
Pettygrove is a small independent practice. No corporate production targets. No quotas. The philosophy is simple: help you keep your own teeth for a lifetime. If something can be watched instead of treated, your doctor will say so. Patients have been saying the same thing in public reviews for a decade.
“They never sell any unnecessary product or procedure.”
“They don't pressure you to get a bunch of unnecessary work done like some dentists do in Portland.”
“They don't fix it if it ain't broke.”
Start with your reason
What brings you in?
Start with a clear baseline. No lecture about how long it's been.
- 1Tell us when you last had care and what feels different
- 2Review X-rays and your teeth with the doctor
- 3Complete the appropriate cleaning after your needs are assessed
- 4Leave with written priorities and costs before booking anything
No surprises
What your first visit actually looks like.
The house
Park on site, walk into the converted Pettygrove house, and meet the team at the front desk.
The exam
Your doctor reviews the needed X-rays and explains what they see as they go.
The plan
You get written priorities and costs before you book or agree to anything.
The people you'll keep seeing
Three dentists. One building. No rotating strangers.
Meet the doctors before you ever sit in a chair. You'll see the same faces at your next visit, and the one after that.
Dr. Carmel Doran
Doctor of Dental Surgery · Owner
Carmel was born on Bainbridge Island, Washington and grew up in Portland. She went east to New York City for dental school and worked in Boston, then returned to Portland in 2012 to team up with Dr. Craig BenBen here in NW Portland. She bought into the practice in 2017 and became sole owner when Dr. BenBen retired in 2021. Off the clock, she's on the slopes at Mt. Hood Meadows in a very loud ski outfit, or with her husband and two children.
- Whitman College, B.A.
- Columbia University, D.D.S.
- University of Michigan, A.E.G.D.
Dr. Andrew Riddle
Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry
Drew grew up in Salt Lake City and moved to Oregon for dental school at OHSU, then decided the Pacific Northwest was home. He began his career in a public health clinic, caring for a wide range of patients. Outside the office he's a self-proclaimed foodie who plays guitar, golfs, and studies chess with his wife Arneta and their corgi, Algie.
- University of Utah, B.S.
- Oregon Health and Science University, D.M.D.
Dr. Meena Tappouni
Doctor of Dental Surgery
Meena was born in Baghdad and moved to Lake Oswego at 11. She completed her residency in general dentistry at a community health clinic in Oakland, taught dental students at UCSF, and today continues teaching as faculty at the OHSU School of Dentistry. She came back to Oregon after her son was born to give him the childhood she loved here.
- University of Washington, B.A.
- Portland State University, B.S.
- Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health, D.M.D.
- Lutheran Medical Center, A.E.G.D.
- A.T. Still University, M.P.H.
Training and memberships
The money question, answered early
You'll know what your visit costs before it starts.
We're a preferred provider with Delta Dental Premier, and we happily work with other plans as an out-of-network office — the front desk submits and tracks your claim, and helps you use every benefit you have.
What we take care of
- We submit your claim for you
- We follow it through as a courtesy
- We help you understand and use your available benefits
One quick call to your carrier helps.
Ask these three questions so you know what your plan will pay before you arrive.
- 1Do I have out-of-network benefits?
- 2What is my annual deductible and remaining maximum?
- 3What percentage does my plan reimburse for the care I'm considering?
This independence is the reason your appointment isn't rushed, your hygienist has been here a decade, and a doctor can tell you a filling can wait another year. Practices squeezed by network fees make the math work by moving people through faster. Pettygrove chose the other trade.
What patients say
Decades of patients, in their own words.
“I have been coming to Pettygrove Dental for nearly 30 years. Kelly, Karen, Tracy, it is like coming home when going to the dentist.”
“The receptionist was helpful, and I only had to wait a few minutes before going upstairs with the dental assistant. Serena was very friendly, professional, and thorough!”
“I came in for my first cleaning with them last week and had a very positive experience. Both my hygienist and doctor were thorough.”
“Dr. Doran repaired my chipped/broken front teeth and did a wonderful job matching shape and color. You would never even know they had been fixed.”
“Beautiful old Portland house where the office is. Fair prices, no profiteering.”
“This is the single best dentist I've been to in my life. Dramatic but true.”
91 reviews on Google
Technology with a purpose
You get to see what we see.
Pettygrove invests in training and equipment for one reason: a more accurate diagnosis and a more comfortable visit. Nothing here is a gadget for its own sake — every tool exists so you can understand your own mouth and decide with real information.
iTero 3D scanner
A digital scan of your teeth instead of a tray of goop. We use it for Invisalign planning, retainers, and to show you what we're looking at.
Intraoral cameras
Close-up photos of your own teeth on the screen, so you see exactly what your dentist sees — and we can track wear or a small crack over years.
AI-assisted X-ray review
Software reads your digital X-rays alongside your dentist and flags possible cavities, gum disease, or bone loss. It never replaces their judgment; it double-checks it.
Digital records, faster visits
Scans and images move straight to your plan, so fewer repeat appointments and less time in the chair.
A dental practice inside a Portland house
It doesn't feel like a dental office, because it isn't one.
Art on the walls. On-site parking in NW Portland. Operatories upstairs. Patients describe it less like entering a clinic and more like coming home.
“Decor is so cute and inviting — not a sterile hospital feel.” — Libby R.
Before you call
Questions new patients ask.
Are you taking new patients?
Yes — new patients of all ages are welcome. Call and the team will find the right first visit for you.
Will you work with my insurance?
Yes. Pettygrove is in network with Delta Dental Premier and works with other plans out of network, submitting and following your claim for you as a courtesy.
What if I haven't been to a dentist in years?
Come in as you are. You will not get a lecture. The first job is to understand what is happening now and give you clear priorities.
Do you have parking?
Yes. On-site parking is available at the Pettygrove house.
91 reviews on Google
We value relationships and would love to meet you.
A clear estimate. No work sold that you don't need.