He Took The Long WayTo This Chair
Seven people in a two bedroom house. The Air Force at seventeen. Three jobs at once before dental school. Dr. Paulo Cortes did not grow up around dentistry. He got into it to know people over years instead of appointments, and to send them out healthier than they walked in.
Dr. Paulo F. Cortes, DMD, Dentist
His story
He's Been The PersonWith The Toothache
Paulo Felipe Cortes was born in National City, the youngest of five. Seven people shared a two-bedroom home of about five hundred square feet. He grew up between National City and Chula Vista and graduated from Castle Park High School in 1997.
He enlisted in the Air Force at seventeen and served as a diet therapist at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, separating as an Airman First Class. When he came home, he worked three jobs at once: overnight at Walmart, a shift at a gas station, and days as a school custodian, before landing at Pacific Bell. He came to dentistry in 2015.
That path is the reason this office keeps the hours it keeps. He remembers what it's like to have something wrong with your mouth and still have to clock in. Kearny Mesa Smile Center is open on Fridays and Saturdays so that getting your teeth taken care of doesn't cost you a paycheck.
United States Air Force
AirmanFirst Class
Enlisted at seventeen. Diet therapist, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Separated as Airman First Class.
Why Kearny Mesa
Why We OpenedA Second Office
The short answer is that Dr. Cortes loves this work, and he did not want geography deciding who gets good care.
The Mira Mesa office has been treating families for years. What kept coming up was people driving in from across the county, or worse, people who never came in at all. Not because they did not care about their teeth, but because every dental office they called was open exactly when they were at work. So they waited. A small cavity became a root canal. A root canal became an extraction. By the time the pain was bad enough to take a day off, the cheap fix was long gone.
Kearny Mesa is the answer to that. Same dentist, same standard of work, in a second part of San Diego, on the two days most people are actually free. It is not a franchise and it is not a satellite run by someone else. Dr. Cortes is the one in the chair here, and Anaissa is the one at the desk.
If you have been putting off a visit because the schedule never worked, this office was built for exactly that reason.
At home
FamilyFirst
Dr. Cortes grew up in San Diego and is raising his family here. His patients are his neighbors, and he would rather run into them at the grocery store than have to avoid the aisle.
5.0On Google
Siri · August 2026
“Dr. Cortes and all the staff are very knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. Dr. Cortes and his team took the time to explain my treatment plan and the entire process clearly, which made me feel comfortable and confident in my care. I really appreciated how thorough and transparent they were. The office is modern, clean, and equipped with up-to-date technology. I also love supporting this family-owned business, it has a welcoming and personal feel. If you're looking for the dentist who is open on Saturdays and genuinely cares about bringing your smile back to life, definitely check this place out! Highly recommend!”
Alec · 2024
“Dr. Cortes and staff were so helpful. I unfortunately took a header directly onto a rock knocking out one of my front teeth. Dr. Cortes was able to get me in the next day and start the process of fixing me up. Took the nerve out and put a cap to help with the pain and helped review my options going forward with getting a new tooth. I really appreciate how quick and friendly all the staff is.”