I was looking for a good dentist for years. Similar to Odysseus in the Odyssey, my journey began years ago in my mission to find the perfect dentist. After going through many dental offices, I finally found the right one. I strongly recommend you go here if you like competent, punctual, and friendly staff. The office is great and the experience you'll get is top-notch. The care and knowledge they showed is remarkable. Despite having many customers clamoring for service they do an excellent job seeing all of their customers. I have rarely had to wait and when I do, it is so brief as to be almost unnoticed. I appreciate the time they take with each patient and always see a smile at the front desk. This office is truly a gleaming gem of San Francisco. read more

My husband and I have been coming here for over a year and love it. They have early hours so we can get our teeth cleaned before our work shift. Jovie is the best! I have sensitive teeth and he is very gentle and careful about making sure I'm comfortable. Highly recommend! read more

They didn't match the color on a cap. They put in a number of them in front. This one they had to replace I believe because it broke right away. They didn't match the new cap to the other caps in front, nor did they put in the same color as the one that broke. They put in a darker shade cap. Then when I called back the same day they said they could no longer help me as a patient. This is several years ago. Still have the darker cap I see every day. It's a darker color than the same tooth that was also capped on the opposite side at the same time. It's not something I can easily replace. I don't need a response from them. Or some well written reply from them on here. It is what it is at this point. read more

I came at my appointment time and I barely had to wait at all. The staff was so kind and caring and professional. I'm so grateful that I found a good dental office! read more

Dr. Litterman's practice is fantastic, one of the best dental practices I've been to. They are competent, responsive, with high integrity. The clinicians skillfully resolved issues from regular cleaning to complex issues like crown adjustment. They are always on time with pleasant bedside manner. The front desk staff are responsive in terms of scheduling and billing. I've come to them for the past 5 years and recommend them to families and friends. read more

I am a new patient and I went to have a cracked tooth fixed with Dr. Litterman. I am the type of patient who likes thorough explanations of what is going to be occurring. Dr Litterman was so kind and efficient. She was patient in answering all my questions and explaining the process. The whole process of fixing my tooth was painless. Thank you to the staff as well. read more

First off, I myself am a dentist, and because of this I'm going to be quite picky when choosing who to see for my own teeth. And in case you're wondering why I don't go to my own practice, it's because I work at the VA and am not a veteran. Drs Kelly and Litterman are always so friendly, and I trust that they are not trying to up sell anyone on treatment plans or other products. They are both excellent dentists and truly care about their patients. And I had my teeth cleaned by Jovie yesterday. My teeth have never been so clean! I asked him to remove some stains on my front teeth and he got it done. I keep checking them out in the mirror because they look so good! Highly recommend this practice! read more

Dr.Litterman is the only dentist who I like. She and her staff are caring and professional.

This is the best dentist I have been to in my adult life. I have had many negative experiences with dentists in the neighborhood and was thrilled to finally find professional and competent care. Bernal Heights Smiles are responsive, kind, helpful, prompt, and thorough. I sent my partner to see them after my positive experience and he agreed 100%. Cannot recommend enough! read more

Facility and equipment are very clean, and extra precautions for COVID are in place (hand washing, hydrogen peroxide rinse for patients, every surface covered in plastic) I had to get a deep cleaning and was dreading it. However, the hygienist (I don't remember her name unfortunately) was extremely reassuring throughout. She always gave me a heads up whenever she was giving numbing shots or rinsing my mouth or anything. Very caring and considerate. She also did an amazing job with the deep clean and was able to reduce a lot of pain I was experiencing in my back teeth. I'm glad I found Bernal Heights Smiles and would gladly recommend to others. read more

I cannot believe I haven't yelp reviewed this place yet. I have been going since before the pandemic and I have only great things to say. Let me just start with basics, like pre-covid basics. So I moved from across the country and finding health care providers in a new city is always anxiety-inducing. I googled closest dentists to me and this place was within walking distance. I made an appt and when I went in, I was so pleasantly surprised. The decor is clean, new, and professional. The staff are super friendly and everything is done on an iPad (I am not sure now with post-covid times). I loved the simplicity of it, no paper forms to fill out and everything you enter on the iPad just goes directly into your chart, how simple! The actual exam space is also clean, organized, new looking, and super professional. The dental assistants have all been super thorough and extremely nice. The x-ray machine is at the chair so no moving to any other part of the facility. The images are directly uploaded to a computer at the chairside so you can see everything going on. I love the modern touches. I can't remember my dentist's name, but he is a young guy from UCSF. I am a nurse so I understand and appreciate when someone takes the time to explain everything going on to me. I know I try to do this with my patients. I haven't really ever had a dentist explain step by step what he was doing or looking for before. This dentist always does. I mean you can't ask for a better provider. Now post-covid. I just went yesterday and I was blown away. Everything was wrapped in plastic and looked very clean. There is a large, protective plastic film separating the desk person from you. They check your temp before entering the building and ask covid screening questions. When they take you back you swish with hydrogen peroxide to disinfect your mouth and wash your hands. The staff are all in gowns, masks, and face shields. They said they regularly get tested for peace of mind and I love that. They did modify the cleaning to minimize aerosolizing procedures, and I am ok with that. I would recommend this place to any member of my family. Go. read more

I wanted to like this place, since it's in my neighborhood, but my experience was not good. Old equipment and strange protocols. The fluoride treatment was misapplied. Their response was gaslighting. :( read more

Dr Litterman is amazing! She really knows how to put my nerves to ease and made me feel very comfortable. She cleaned my teeth and filled a cavity and I never felt any discomfort! I could tell that her office is set up to make her patents feel relaxed, comfortable and she even had headphones to distract me while she carefully worked away on my teeth. I also loved that Dr Litterman constantly checked in with me to make sure I didn't feel any pain and did it all with a caring smile. I felt like she really took the time to understand my concerns and she went above and beyond to make sure that all of my concerns where addressed. I also loved the staff who where all friendly and helpful and the office space is calming and beautiful. If your looking for a super professional who cares for your health, wants you to have a pain free experience, takes time to understand your concerns and someone who wants you to feel comfortable in a beautiful location then I would highly recommend you schedule an appointment with Dr Litterman at Bernal Heights Smiles! read more

Cannot say enough positive about this dental practice (having not brushed my teeth as a child). I've had a lot of experience with dental practices during my life. This place is the best in the west. The staff is a professional & highly trained. I incurred a difficult tooth issue and couldn't believe that i didn't even feel the pain medicine being injected! This dental practice knows their stuff! My 15+ year dentist retired & I'm so grateful to find Bernal heights smiles! read more

Great dental experience! All women team! Highly recommended. Stopped by here as a new patients a week or so back. What a great dentist!

I just moved to the area and was looking for a new dentist. I was a bit worried about choosing a new dentist as you never know what the quality is going to be but Bernal Heights and Dr.Julian Alivia exceeded my expectations. Cindy did my cleaning and did an absolutely amazing job and my teeth looked absolutely fantastic afterwards. She explained everything along the way and did a great job going above and beyond in my problematic areas. I didn't feel discomfort and the tools they used were top notch. There was another lady that assisted with setup and she was really nice. She gave me a pillow and blanket and made me feel really comfortable. Aside from all the aesthetics and comfort of the place, I really found the advice and meticulous care they put into my appointment to be reassuring and top quality. Don't hesitate to come here, I had an amazing experience. read more

They were very accommodating by squeezing me in at the last minute. Dr. Nyguen was very thorough and personable as well as her assistant. I felt very welcomed by the whole staff. The most gentle teeth cleaning I've ever had. They broke done the procedures I needed done and which ones were needed now and others that could wait a little bit. They also broke down the costs. I truly enjoyed my experience. TY read more

Friendly staff, efficient, great appointment availability. I really appreciate that their patient intake forms are all digital, costs are trans parents and the dentist was very helpful in explaining the pros and cons of each treatment. read more

Ok. A dentist and staff that is knowledgeable, answers questions (I mean really answers them), totally comforting (they have lovely tinted goggles and noise canceling headphones), and delicate touch with new updated machinery. All great. I also like how Dr Avila isn't just drill happy...he takes his time to figure out what's going on to find the right solution. Happy to have found Bernal Heights Smiles! read more

Amazing experience. The staff is friendly, polite, and attentive, and Dr. Kang does a fantastic job at making you feel calm and comfortable. I highly recommend this place. read more

If you need a new dentist, go here! Their staff is super friendly, helpful, and makes going to the dentist more pleasant than scary :) They make the time to put you in on short notice if needed, and are great at following up when it's time for a checkup, cleaning, as well as sending appointment reminders. read more

Updating my review. They've has updated their management team, and they reached out to me about my previous complaints about their cancelation policy and treatment of my roommate. Had a good conversation with a very professional new office manager, and am happy to update my rating to 3-stars (until my next visit, which can hopefully be even higher) read more

A+ professionalism, correspondence A+ service and cleanliness (of teeth and facilities!) A+ bedside (dental chair-side?) manner Finally got dental insurance, so I emailed this place and got a quick response and was on my way to an appointment a week later. Yay! I even had a situation where I hadn't received my insurance card yet, but they called up and figured all that out for me. I was really nervous because I hadn't been to the dentist in awhile, so I was ready for (but not looking forward to) judgement. However, both the assistant (I might have that title wrong! Apologies if so! Her name was Cindy and she was great) and Dr. Alivia were incredibly kind. Like, the niceness that shows up in those photos on his website is an apt representation of the warmth I got at my visit. Also, extremely gentle with the cleaning! I remember leaving cleanings with a lot of pain and soreness and them really painfully clawing at my teeth and gums, but not this time. I still felt like they did a great job and my mouth feels great. read more

Great dentist, very caring. Excellent staff, had a cleaning there and am scared of the dentist but everything worked out!

Dr. Alivia is the crème de la crème of dentists! He is very knowledgeable, personable, and extremely caring. What sets this place on a higher pedestal is the fact that the staff possesses the same winning qualities as their captain! I had come to Dr. Alivia after not seeing a dentist for quite some time. I was very hesitant to try somebody new, but my former dentist did not get it done for me. Food always got stuck in between two teeth in the top back of my mouth, so I needed to floss that one area after every single meal. Dr. Alivia easily saw the root of the issue and has already solved that problem! I am also currently 9 trays in out of my 13 total invisalign retainers and the process has been unbelievably smooth. Dr. Alivia caters to my schedule and makes sure everything is perfect as far as my progress goes. I can honestly say I haven't smiled this much in photos with my teeth showing since the second grade! Embrace your childhood smile and childhood happiness by checking Bernal Heights Smiles the next time you have any oral issues! =) read more

I had switched over to Dr. Alivia because I felt I wasn't getting the proper care needed from my current dentist. I noticed the difference right away while getting my teeth cleaned. The hygienist took her time to thoroughly clean my teeth and I felt like I hadn't gotten my teeth cleaned that well in a very long time! After they took xrays, Dr. Alivia walked me through the current state of my teeth and the next steps I could take to better take care of them. He was very kind, genuine, professional, and most importantly I never felt pressured into doing anything I didn't want to do. Dr. Alivia taught me a lot and I felt like I could fully trust him with the care of my teeth. His staff was friendly and they all made me feel very welcome. They really tried to get to know me and it was a great personal touch to the service that was provided. I left feeling fully satisfied with my decision to switch over to his care, and am currently working on switching over the rest of my family. I am normally somebody who does not like the dentist and has had a ton of bad experiences growing up, but after leaving Bernal Heights Smiles, I am looking forward to my next visit, as I know I will continue to have positive experiences in the future. I would definitely recommend to anybody who is looking for a quality, experienced, friendly dentistry! read more

Great place I'm coming back I loved the service it's a great place w great people and I am planning to come back to get my teeth cleaned

So I left two messages on their voicemail and emailed them twice three weeks ago and I've still have not heard from this dental office. This place is literally down the hill from where I live and I really needed to see a dentist ASAP, so the location was perfect for me. Sadly, I never heard back from this place. I did expect at least a courtesy call to let me know if they had any open appointments or not, but nothing! read more

My review isn't based on their dental care, as I never got that far with them! I called ahead of time to ensure that they took my insurance and were in network and spent a solid 20 minutes on the phone with someone assuring me that Yes, I was in Network, and Yes, my cleaning and exam would be covered. He even took my Group and Member numbers to double check as many insurance companies have several different Dental programs. I then spent time filling out all of the intake paperwork with past medical history, had my previous x-rays sent over, etc. I showed up for my appointment today and was told that actually No. They are not in network with my insurance. Oh, but of course since I was there they could do the cleaning and exam and my insurance MIGHT cover some of it. Smells a bit fishy to me. Get me in there and hope I just acquiesce and pay for the services as I cleared my schedule to make time for the appointment? Avoid. read more

Recently switched dentists since I moved to Noe Valley, and I'm never looking back! The staff here are super friendly, professional, and accommodating. Dr. Alivia is so nice and knowledgeable! They made a dreaded procedure such as getting a filling not so bad and I loved that I get to watch a movie/show during it. The facility and all the equipment seem top notch as well. SO glad they take my dental insurance! read more

I've been coming here for over a year now and every time I receive great service. All the staff are extremely friendly and organized. On my most recent visit, I met with Dr. Alivia. He truly cares for his patients and makes an effort to get to know them individually. Any questions I had, he answered thoroughly. I definitely recommend this place! read more

Would definitely recommend this office! As my family became unhappy with our previous dentist, I found Bernal Heights Dental in my network being so close to home and had great reviews. My kids were seen by Dr. Alivia first, they were taken care of well and I came in a few months later. I wish I had come sooner! The staff is super nice and friendly right from the beginning. Dr. Alivia was professional, friendly, and definitely thorough. I had my fillings done. He made sure that I was comfortable, he explained each steps, and always asked if I had any follow up questions. Never had this type of experience from a dental office before! read more

So sweet! So efficient! Love my dental team. They get things done so quickly and always find time to reschedule if needed.

Polite staff and great experience. What I love is that they don't try to up-sell you on expensive services and products! Simple and honest.

Extortionists. This was my childhood dentist. I have been going there since I got my first tooth. I was too young before to give them a Yelp so sadly it has to be like this. I have loved and adored all the staff that I grew up with. But now they have changed hands a couple times in the past decade and the people now are money hungry. They don't care that I don't have insurance--for me it's all out of pocket, during covid--when my hours of working are drastically shortened, living paycheck to loan to paycheck. The receptionist gave me the wrong information for the final dollar amount that I would be spending and asked for double the amount when I was there the next time. And me trying to dispute it-- "if you're new then why wasn't there someone there to Shadow you?" " Why do I have to pay double now for your carelessness?" They did not care- did not give me the benefit of the doubt even though my money would have been a drop in a hat for them. I do not recommend them. And I will be taking my teeth business elsewhere. read more

I came in the office as a new patient.All the staff is friendly and welcoming.Dr. Litterman fixed my tooth with a filling and it was painless .Very caring and knowledge.Also I got to watch a movie on Netflix.It was awesome.I recommend this dentist to my friends and family. read more

For me a trip to the dentist is all about the staff. At Bernal Heights smiles the staff is great. They are so friendly and happy yet professional it's actually a pleasure to go to the dentist. read more

Dr. Julian and his staff are so friendly and warm. I was putting off going to the dentist for a long time and finally made an appointment at Bernal Heights Smiles because it's nearby my house. I'm so glad I chose this place. Dr. Julian took a lot of time to exam my teeth then she showed me on the screen exactly where any problem areas were. He pointed out a wisdom tooth that had a cavity and presented the options I had to deal with it. He never forced me to make a decision, only let me know my options. He was very gentle while working on my teeth and took note when I told him a tooth was sensitive. I came back the second time to get a cavity filled, and the staff remembered me and asked about things I talked about last time I was there. It seems like they really value each of their patients. When he filled my cavity, I got to watch Netflix on a screen right above me, so it took my mind off the potential pain. But it never ended up hurting at all, because he numbed the area very well. I never even felt the needle go in! I highly recommend BHS and will be headed back there every 6 months for regular cleanings! read more

I Love this place. I wouldn't go anywhere else. Everyone is super friendly and highly skilled. Haven't been in a while and Cindy gave me the best cleaning I've had to date. And they already had my next appointment scheduled and on my day off read more

Awesome dentist! Dr. Alivia worked on my teeth as well as my wife's tooth filling without any discomfort. It was painless! Dr. Alivia is professional, personable, informative, patient, nice, etc... Not to mention, his clinic location is great, especially it is close to Mitchell's Ice Cream. I recommend him to anyone who needs a dentist. read more