In Carlsbad Village, Packard Dental says it has been caring for local families since 1963. That is more than 60 years and, by the practice’s own account, three generations of Packard dentists. The current face of the practice, Dr. Matt Packard, DDS, is described on its website as a third-generation dentist who grew up around the family office, and he now works alongside an uncle who moved to Carlsbad to join him. This profile is based on public information only; Dentist News Today did not interview anyone at the practice.
Three generations in Carlsbad Village
Packard Dental’s homepage says the practice has been treating families since 1963. Its About page says the Packard family has cared for patients in the area for more than 60 years and that the office enjoys seeing patients grow up in the dental chair. The practice is now at 1281 Carlsbad Village Drive. Some older federal records, including Dr. Packard’s NPI listing, still show an earlier practice address on Grand Avenue in Carlsbad.
The website does not say who opened the office in 1963 or how it passed between generations, and we have not been able to confirm those details from a primary source, so they are left out here.
Who is Dr. Matt Packard?
According to his biography, Dr. Packard knew as a small child that he wanted to be a dentist. The practice says that plan firmed up when he joined his father on a humanitarian trip to Honduras to provide dental care to orphans. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Brigham Young University and his Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. He is also a graduate of the Engel Institute of Implantology and a member of the Tau Kappa Omega honor society. The practice says he has practiced dentistry since 2011, the same year the NPI Registry first listed him as a general practice dentist.
Outside the office, his biography mentions coaching his children’s sports teams, gardening, woodworking, and playing piano and organ for his congregation. He and his wife, Annie, have four children.
A family team
Two other dentists are profiled on the practice’s website. Dr. Michael Florence, Dr. Packard’s uncle, relocated to Carlsbad to join him after 26 years owning a practice in Ogden, Utah. The practice says he graduated with high honors from Oregon Health & Science University and has practiced since 1995, with interests in implants, oral surgery and orthodontics. Dr. Joy Magtanong-Madrid earned her doctorate from the University of the Pacific in 2011, then spent twelve years teaching restorative dentistry and local anesthesia to first-year dental students while practicing. Her biography says she takes part in CDA Cares, a free community dental event, and moved back to her hometown of San Diego in 2023.
The practice’s community page says its dentists sponsor Carlsbad youth soccer, baseball and softball teams and support the Smiles for Life Foundation, which funds children’s oral health causes.
What the office offers
Packard Dental lists general care such as cleanings, exams, mouthguards and family dentistry; cosmetic options including veneers, whitening, smile makeovers, Invisalign and clear aligners; and restorative work including crowns, bridges, dentures, root canals, dental implants and All-on-4 implants. It also lists oral surgery and extractions, TMJ and grinding treatment, emergency care, and sedation for anxious patients. The office says it uses digital X-rays, digital scanners and a CEREC machine to make crowns in one visit. For patients without insurance, it offers an in-house membership club. More is at packarddental.com.
Carlsbad’s mineral-water roots
Carlsbad took its name from a mineral well. In the 1880s, a former sailor named John Frazier dug a well near the train stop. When the water tested similar to that of the famous spa town of Karlsbad in Bohemia, the new town was named after it; the site of Frazier’s well survives at Alt Karlsbad on Carlsbad Boulevard. The city incorporated in 1952 and had 114,746 residents at the 2020 census.
Questions patients ask
What are the office hours?
The practice lists Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and is closed on weekends. The phone number is (760) 823-8282.
Is the office accepting new patients?
Yes. The FAQ on the practice’s homepage says it welcomes new patients and offers a membership club for patients without dental insurance.
Can I get a crown in one visit?
The practice says it makes many restorations in-house, including crowns in a single appointment using its CEREC machine.
Sources
- Dentist in Carlsbad, CA | Packard Dental, Packard Dental
- About Packard Dental | Carlsbad, CA, Packard Dental
- Dr. Matt Packard, Packard Dental
- Dr. Michael Florence, Packard Dental
- Dr. Joy Magtanong-Madrid, Packard Dental
- Community Involvement, Packard Dental
- Contact Us, Packard Dental
- NPI 1023306891: Matthew Stephen Packard, DDS, CMS NPPES NPI Registry
- Carlsbad, California, Wikipedia
- Geocoder result for 1281 Carlsbad Village Dr, Carlsbad, U.S. Census Bureau
