Des Moines' Root Canal Specialist Is Worth the Half Hour
Waterfront towns run at their own pace — until a tooth abscesses. South King County has few endodontic specialists, which is why Des Moines, Redondo, and Woodmont patients make the 35–40 minute drive to Dr. Nima Dejbod's microscope-equipped Issaquah office.
Dr. Dejbod · 35–40 minutes from the marina district
10,000+
Root Canals Completed
400+
Five-Star Reviews
14x
Microscope Precision
Same-Day
Emergency Slots
Seattle Met Top Dentist 2026VP, WA State Assoc. of EndodontistsAAE MemberNot Corporate-Owned
Pain that ruined your waterfront weekend?
An abscess doesn't respect the marina district's pace. Same-day same-day slots are set aside every business day — call early, take SR-518 across to I-405 north, and you can be numb within the hour of deciding to act.
Bacteria slip past a deep cavity or crack into the tooth's soft center. The pulp gets infected, swelling has nowhere to go, and the resulting pressure is the pain that over-the-counter pills stopped touching.
02
The solution
Under a surgical microscope, Dr. Dejbod removes the infected pulp entirely, disinfects each canal along its full length, and seals the tooth so the infection can't stage a comeback.
03
The aftermath
Your natural tooth stays put and the pain stops. Your Des Moines dentist places a protective crown, and fish and chips by the marina is back on the menu.
Specialist vs. Generalist
The Case for Crossing the County Line
Des Moines has capable dentists — what it lacks is endodontic specialists. Here's the difference that 35 minutes buys:
Evergreen Endodontics
Typical General Office
Training
Two to three years of post-doctoral residency focused entirely on the inside of teeth
General dental training; root canals are one skill of many
Volume
10,000+ root canals completed — the schedule is nothing but this procedure
A few root canals a month, booked around cleanings and crowns
Magnification
Surgical microscope at up to 14x on every case — the fine canals and cracks that defeat loupes stay visible
Loupes or the naked eye; difficult anatomy can be missed
Sedation
Nitrous, oral, and IV sedation on site, scaled to your comfort
Varies; IV sedation is rare in general offices
Your Visit
How the Appointment Runs
Thirty-five minutes up, roughly an hour in the chair, and the drive home is pain-free.
1
Examine & Image
A focused exam and digital X-rays, plus a 3D CBCT scan when the roots keep secrets — everything reviewed with you on screen, immediately.
2
Explain & Approve
The diagnosis, the honest odds, and the full cost — in plain language, approved by you before we touch anything.
3
Relieve & Restore
Deep numbing first, microscope-guided treatment second, sedation whenever you'd like. Most Des Moines patients are back on I-405 within the hour.
Comfort Menu
Sedation, From Edge-Off to Checked-Out
However you feel about dental work, there's a level calibrated to it:
Option
How It Feels
Best For
Nitrous Oxide
A mild, airy calm that clears in minutes — you're street-legal to drive yourself home
Mild nerves, quick cases
Oral Sedation
A prescription pill beforehand; deeply relaxed throughout, hazy about it afterward
Moderate anxiety, longer appointments
IV Sedation
Deep conscious sedation managed moment-to-moment by Dr. Dejbod — like a nap with amnesia
Severe anxiety, surgical cases, strong gag reflexes
The Instrument Room
What the Microscope Sees That Loupes Can't
When a tooth's fate is borderline, the deciding factor is usually visibility. Our setup maximizes it:
◆
Surgical Microscope
Up to 14x magnification turns faint canal openings and hairline cracks into clear landmarks.
◆
3D CBCT Imaging
Three-dimensional scans reveal anatomy and infection that two-dimensional X-rays compress into shadows.
◆
Digital X-Rays
Instant, low-radiation images reviewed with you in real time.
◆
Apex Locator
Electronic root-length confirmation, so disinfection reaches the very tip of every canal.
Patient Voices
Reviews Worth the Read
Three from our collection of 400+ five-star reviews.
★★★★★
“
IV sedation made the whole thing feel like a ten-minute nap. I was back at work the next morning.
— Elena S., Seattle
IV sedation
★★★★★
“
He explained the procedure, what to expect, and how to care for it afterward. Nothing felt rushed.
— Michael R., Bellevue
Clear communication
★★★★★
“
My dentist thought the tooth might not be savable. Dr. Dejbod found the hidden canal under the microscope and saved it.
— Priya K., Kirkland
Complex case
Worth the drive, by design
The Specialist South King County Refers To
“Des Moines patients usually tell me the same thing: they didn't realize specialists were this scarce until they needed one. Thirty-five minutes up SR-518 and I-405 feels very short the moment the numbing kicks in and the pressure finally lets go.”
Dr. Nima Dejbod, DMD · Washington State native · UW graduate · Seattle Met Top Dentist 2026 · Vice President, WA State Association of Endodontists
In-network rates are set by your carrier and identical across offices — so the 35-minute choice costs the same as staying local. For most insured patients, out-of-pocket cost runs $160–$655 with benefits remaining.
Root Canal
Typical In-Network Rate
Without Insurance
Front tooth (anterior)
~$800 in-network contracted rate
from ~$1,300 without insurance
Premolar (bicuspid)
~$1,000 in-network contracted rate
from ~$1,500 without insurance
Molar
~$1,300 in-network contracted rate
from ~$1,900 without insurance
The cost is presented and approved before treatment — there is no second act involving billing. Get a personalized estimate →
Plans we verify daily for Des Moines
Delta Dental
Regence Blue Shield
Premera Blue Cross
Cigna
Aetna
Guardian
MetLife
United Healthcare
Principal
Ameritas
+11 more plans
South King County's major employers — from the aviation corridor to Normandy Park professionals — carry plans we verify daily. Your benefits are confirmed before your visit, so the drive is the only unknown, and even that's just 35 minutes.
Getting Here
From the Marina District to Our Chair in 35–40 Minutes
From downtown Des Moines, Redondo, or Woodmont: take SR-509 or 1st Avenue South to SR-518 east, then I-405 north to I-90 east and exit 17. Our office at 600 NW Gilman Blvd sits just past the ramp. Yes, it's a cross-county trip — but specialists are scarce in South King County, and when a tooth's survival is the question, Des Moines dentists consistently point patients our way. Free parking at the door, as always.
From Redondo's boardwalk to Woodmont's bluffs, Seahurst to SeaTac, the South King shoreline reaches specialist care in 35–40 minutes. Find your neighborhood below — this page was written for you.
Why drive to Issaquah — are there endodontists closer to Des Moines?
South King County genuinely has few endodontic specialty offices, which is why so many Des Moines dentists refer across the county line. Ours is 35–40 minutes via SR-509 or SR-518 to I-405 north — and when the choice is between a close generalist and a nearby specialist, the microscope usually wins.
How long is the drive from Redondo or Woodmont?
About 35 to 40 minutes from either. Take SR-509 or 1st Avenue South to SR-518 east, then I-405 north to I-90 east and exit 17. Our office at 600 NW Gilman Blvd is just past the ramp, with free parking at the door.
Do you see patients from the marina district and Normandy Park?
Regularly. The marina district, Redondo, Woodmont, and Normandy Park all send patients our way — waterfront communities that are short on specialists but long on referrals to ours.
How much is a root canal with insurance?
In-network contracted rates are about $800 for a front tooth, $1,000 for a premolar, and $1,300 for a molar. With benefits remaining, most insured patients pay $160–$655 out of pocket — settled in writing before treatment.
My old root canal is hurting again. Can that be fixed?
Often, yes. Retreatment reopens the tooth, finds what the first procedure missed — usually a hidden or calcified canal — disinfects everything, and reseals it. Dr. Dejbod does this work daily under the microscope, and you get an honest prognosis before committing.
What's recovery like after treatment?
Most patients feel normal within a day or two, managing mild tenderness with over-the-counter pain relievers. The dramatic relief is usually immediate — the pain of the infection ends with the appointment. Chew on the other side until your dentist places the crown.
For Referring Dentists
Refer Your Patient to Dr. Dejbod
South King County specialists are scarce — your Des Moines patients get same-day care, and you get the report that afternoon.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Nima Dejbod, DMD, endodontist and Vice President of the Washington State Association of Endodontists. About Dr. Dejbod
Last medically reviewed:
This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your dentist, physician, or another qualified health provider with any questions about a dental condition.