“Carmel Valley’s Trusted Oral Surgeon for Wisdom Teeth Removal”
Elevated Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Worried About Pain, Cost, or the Procedure? You're Not Alone.
Sedation Options for a Pain-Free Experience
Transparent Pricing and Financing Available
Same-Day Appointments and Emergency Care
Trusted by Hundreds of Carmel Valley Families
Real Patients. Real Results.
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Staff and Dr. M were amazing. Explained my dental condition and procedure clearly. Made me feel at ease about my care during and after the procedure.
Julie Felix
January 1, 1970From my initial contact with Fancy Nancy, to Alissa's diligence to Dr. James' patient explanation of the procedure to Mike's endearing compassion during the extraction, this is THE spot in... read more town for all your dental extraction needs 🌟😁 Nancy was incredibly resourceful and helpful in prepping me for my visit. The rest of the process was very seamless at this pristine and spacious facility.⭐ The real treat was during the extraction. I'm being incredibly sarcastic but also honest 😂 The nitrous was a complete life-saver (which Dr. James generously included without cost). Getting high on laughing gas is great and all, but it is absolutely ESSENTIAL considering the excruciation contained in 🦷 extraction. 😵 The aid, Mike, was incredibly reassuring and compassionate throughout the entire process. In fact, his affirming demeanor was second only to the Laughing Gas in calming me. 🤣😂 When all was said and done, I left the facility numb but delighted that I chose Elevated. Shall be returning next week for a checkup! 🙏
Amsal Wajihuddin
October 16, 2024I went in for life altering TMJ issues and Dr. MacDowell was completely understanding and I could tell he genuinely wanted to help.
Roxanne Salinas
July 16, 2024 -
We always have great experiences with Dr. MacDowell and his entire staff. They are so helpful and professional with everything they do. They take the utmost care when they... read more work on my teeth and they make every procedure as painless as possible. Their courteousness and expertise shines. Thank you so much!
Jason Rubick
January 1, 1970I want to say Dr. James McDowell was and is the most caring individual I have ever had the pleasure of being a patient with. His level of compassion deserves... read more the highest level of respect and appreciation. Please consider this company as the gold standard of oral surgery options. I would trust them with my life.
Katherine Osabe
July 16, 2024I'm very happy with the attention I got I had 2 surgical procedures done during my visit...it was painless and the team was very professional... thanks Dr.james 🙂
Blanca Lepiz
July 16, 2024 -
My experience was great….very helpful and made me feel comfortable….id recommend this dentist to all my friends
Danny Rivas
July 16, 2024I got my wisdom teeth taken out and I am the most nervous and anxious person on the planet and Dr. Macdowell and his staff made this experience so easy... read more and calming. First let me start of by saying Dr Macdowell is one of the kindest and patient doctors I’ve ever met, he answered absolutely all of my questions( and I had a lot!) His nurses were also extremely patient and nice as I was so scared to go under but honestly it was a breeze. Minimal pain afrer the surgery as well! Which was also a fear of mine but so far so great , 10/10 I would definitely recommend for ur oral surgical needs. Also shout out to Nancy at the front desk she’s been really helpful with any post care questions 💕💕💕
Seher Amad
February 16, 2025I was pick up for my brother for a procedure by this surgical team, this encounter is specific to Michael & Jose who work with Dr. MacDowell. The short of it:... read more want to get screamed at and humiliated in the literal street about your healthcare being medi-cal and using government funded healthcare? Want to listen to the techs discuss racial slurs and profiling about you, their issues for their coworkers and manager drama? And THEN experience them taking out their frustration on your dental procedure? Look no further! Michael and Jose will do just these things for you in their discriminatory treatment. You know the stories of medical practitioners saying or doing all sorts of stuff while you're under anesthesia? Seems like they have some of that going on here. I was just my brother's pick up for his wisdom teeth removal and have never experienced such unprofessional and insulting behaviors. After the procedure, they have you go around the back to get the patient, and I immediately noticed the 2 guys (Michael and Jose) that brought out my brother were visibly irritated and angry. Yelling about overbooking and complaining about the manager (which obviously is ok, everyone is entitled to bad days and I get it). But then Jose proceeded to physically bang on the car and yell at me to open it (it had locked after I got out), then physically tried to aggressively TIP my brother (under anesthesia) out of the chair as my brother asked for a bag since he needed to throw up. I asked if we could wait to get him out of the chair while he got a bag and the guy angrily said no lets get him in the car and you can leave, to which i again said no please get him a bag so he doesn't hurl in his car. I then asked if we could get a minute for a bag since we had just waited over 2 hours for his appointment (which was scheduled at 2 and he was not seen until after 4) So Michael finally went to get a bag while I got screamed at that the schedule issues were not his problem, I tried to explain that we were on time and I wasn't sure why he was so aggressive all while he proceeded to escalate things. I was terrified and wanted to call the police. Finally Michael came back with the bag and we were able to get my brother in the car. I was scared the whole time they were going to hurt my brother, that's how aggressive the situation felt. At the end they both literally SCREAMED at us about being on government insurance and that we had not even paid for the service because it was under Medi-cal. Literally left in tears and shaking I could not believe what had just happened. My brother is a college kid no longer on my parents insurance, what kind of insurance is he supposed to be on?! Why accept the insurance if you don't want to?! I proceeded to call the office since we got no discharge papers or information about his prescription and talked to a pretty indifferent manager? Not sure what she could possibly do about what happened anyway but I do hope maybe she schedules with a bit more consideration for time management in the future. I'm glad other people have had good service there. Maybe my brother was just not their targeted client base with his "government insurance".
Melissa Maher
January 1, 1970
Welcome to Elevated Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
At Elevated Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, we specialize in wisdom teeth removal, dental implants, emergency oral surgery, and full-scope oral surgery services in Carmel Valley, San Diego, and Torrey Pines. Our mission is to provide exceptional care with a personalized, patient-first approach.
Led by Dr. James MacDowell, a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon with advanced training from UCLA, UCSF, and Naval Medical Center San Diego, our practice combines compassionate care with state-of-the-art dental technology to ensure safe, precise, and comfortable outcomes.
Meet Our Team

Dr. James H. MacDowell, DDS

Jaw Pain? Wisdom Teeth Issues? We Can Help!
Struggling with jaw pain, swelling, or discomfort while chewing? It could be your wisdom teeth. Don’t ignore the signs—early treatment prevents bigger problems.
👨⚕️ At Elevated Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, our board-certified oral surgeon in San Diego specializes in safe, gentle extractions and pain relief with sedation options available.
- ✅ Advanced Surgical Techniques
- ✅ Comfortable, Stress-Free Care
- ✅ Trusted by San Diego Patients
Call now to schedule your consultation and take the first step toward lasting relief!
Schedule a Consultation

The Proof is in Our Patients

Conveniently Located
- 11710 El Camino Real Suite 150, San Diego, CA 92130
- Mo - Fri: 8AM - 5PM

Ready to Feel Better? Let’s Get You Scheduled.