Always tough to find a great dentist, but Cable Car Dentist is the one. I'd searched for a competent dentist for over 10 years before I found this place. They truly partner with you to provide holistic dental care. And, everything is handled with such care, I've yet to feel even slight discomfort in these skilled hands. I drive over from Oakland because they're worth it. read more

I believe this is my first Yelp review, after ~10-years as a user. I normally don't feel compelled to leave reviews online but was particularly moved during a procedure today. I've seen Dr. Yelena Ostrovsky and her wonderful staff on/off over the past ~4-years for routine cleanings, fillings, and enameloplasty. Every time I visit, I feel so welcomed and taken care of -- a testament to Dr. Ostrovsky's detail oriented eye (as a self-ascribed perfectionist, I appreciate how she cares deeply about fine-tuning all finishing touches of her work.) Every member of her staff presents so authentically, and it makes me feel welcome to also show up as my whole self. I heard another patient come into the office during my visit today and remark at how calm the environment felt. I have to agree. Thank you to Rita, Dr. Ostrovsky, and the rest of the top notch staff at Cable Car Dental. I've never experienced such consistently wonderful care. Cable Car Dental is the Rolls-Royce 'Phantom' of dentistry. read more

I was looking for an invisalign treatment when a friend recommended Dr. Yelena Ostrovsky. I went in for a checkup and a consultation and immediately fell in love with the clinic and its staff. Dr. Ostrovsky patiently answered all my questions and went through all of the details. Before invisalign I got a deep cleaning, which was done really well by doctor herself. Now I am in the middle of the invisalign treatment, and can not be more happy with the services Dr. Ostrovsky provides me. Highly recommend for professionalism and bedside manners. read more

These guys are amazing! Look no further for a wonderful Dental experience. They rescued me in a dental emergency and I will always be thankful. Caring and professional and very kind...I cannot thank them enough! The Staff is wonderful and welcoming, and Dr. Yelena Ostrovsky truly reduced me so that my weekend in SF was not a disaster. Thank you! Jan D read more

Tommy is the best dental hygienist there is and Dr. O is fantastic! I can't say enough good things and they are consistently excellent. Tommy is so knowledgeable and very efficient and personable. I have been going to him about 20 years and long overdue to write a great review! read more

Cable Car Dental has definitely been good to me ever since I began my treatment with them last year. Tara at the front desk is always very professional, organized, personable and accommodating. Dr. Ovstrovsky is very informative, kind, experienced and genuinely wants to make sure you're happy and comfortable with any and every process. Robin, her dental assistant, is also always very nice, professional and does an excellent job making sure you don't choke on your own saliva, haha. :) I am so glad I came to Cable Car Dental for my work, and will be a devout customer for years to come! read more

Like many others, I hate the dentist. But coming here is different! It's kind of like Cheers - where everybody knows your name! I don't know if they keep some secret file somewhere about you, your job, your life, and review it before you come in - but they always know my face, ask how my job is going, how my vacation was, etc. Very personalized service! I was a bit worried when my original doctor - Dr. Leiberman left and Dr. Ostrovsky came on board, but I have yet to be disappointed! Everyone from Evelyn at the front desk, to Ben and Jessica that clean your teeth, to Dr. Y are nothing but warm and pleasant. I'm admittedly a horrible flosser and no one rips my gums, or yells at me... they just tell me they're there to encourage, not to reprimand. Wow. They also know everyone's insurance plan inside and out and do everything possible to keep your out of pocket cost to a minimum. And to top it off, there is a delicious little cupcake store right across the street where you can get a little treat afterwards - as long as you go home and brush your teeth straight away! I would highly recommend this office to anyone who needs a friendly, personalized and competent dentist. I have sent numerous friends and co-workers there with great sucess. read more

Night 2, no sleep, throbbing, ringing, stinging pain through the left side of my jaw. Curses. Time to suck it up and go to the dentist. Sure enough, Dr. Y does a few tests and its time for not one, but TWO root canals. The fact I'm giving her 4 stars after undergoing TWO root canals says A LOT for Dr. Yelena's skills, professionalism, and sympathy. Efficient, gentle, concise, informative, and they worked with me on how to finance the excess costs (2 root canals, 2 crowns = $$$$$). On day two of treatment I even fell asleep in the chair while she was drilling (I'm sure the vicodin had nothing to do with it.) You won't get the crazy bay views in this office (because it is small and ground level in the Marina). But you will get great friendly service from a dentist/ team who care enough to call and check on you even a few days after your procedure. Kudos Dr. Y! You made a very unpleasant procedure as tolerable as possible! read more

Like the others here, I hate going to the dentist. However, for the first time in my adult life, I hate going to the dentist less that I did before. (Woo hoo!) I've had a lot of dentists and honestly thought it didn't make a difference (I mean, how pleasant can going to the dentist really be?), and boy, am I happy to have finally found Dr. Y and her staff at Cable Car Dental! While going to the dentist is still less fun than oh, say, going to get a massage, Dr. Y and her staff are super nice and friendly and my teeth and gums have greatly improved since starting to see her earlier this year. She had a spot-on recommendation for a new toothbrush (Sonicare rules!) and always explains to me what is going on and deals very nicely with my low tolerance for pain. The only cons are that parking can be a pain (but not if you have a scooter!) and she is out of network for most insurance carriers (except Delta Premier, I believe). However, her awesome staff helps deal with the whole insurance part, so it is relatively painless for me. (Yay for painless!) read more

Unfortunately, thanks to the English genetic line in me (I have to blame something don't I??) I wasn't blessed with great teeth.Sure, my smile looks nice, and aesthetically they look great, but once I hop in that dentist chair and have a good,close look, it's like looking into the Grand Canyon.Crevices,dark marks,deep grooves big enough anyone can fall in! The saddest part is, I take very good care of my teeth.I'm obsessed with floss, I brush sometimes 3 times a day and use mouthwash, but sadly, nothing can prevent the words "You have another cavity" echoing from the mouth of Dr Ostrovsky every time I see her. "Noooooooooo!!!!!!Not another one!!!!!" Honestly, anyone would think I'm sitting at home chewing on "Bit O' Honey's" all day, but the fact of the matter is I'm a shocking grinder at night,which doesn't help on top of having major enamel problems thanks to those damn English genes.(Really...when have you seen an English person with good teeth?Have a good,hard think about it..then next time you watch the "BBC",or the English version of "Wife Swap",have a look..just terrible!) And just for the record, I'm half Dutch,half Australian, however, my mother's side are all English..and my mother's teeth are the same.. Now, when I moved here going on 5 years ago, it was imperative I find a good dentist.I was living in Marin so I went to someone else where I was extremely happy,but then we moved into the city.Someone recommended Cable Car Dental, so I thought I'd see Dr Ostrovsky before I moved from my other dentist. I was extremely impressed and have stayed with her now for over 2 years. Every time I have needed her,she's been there, she's found the best way for my treatment as well as the most cost effective way. She's been patient when I've kicked up a fuss over having so many needles & my phobia of the "Novocaine".. that stuff gives me heart palpitations and panic attacks, so Dr Yelena often has to wait an extra 30 mins until I'm numb as she has to combine epinephrine and needles without...usually after about 7-8 I'm fine.I then stagger out after treatment and attempt to drink a coffee which usually ends up all over my clothing because I'm so numb (don't even go there with how I talk or how I look! ;-p ) But it's all in the name of dental work and saving teeth! Ugh....as much as we hate it at the time! I also truly appreciate how Dr Ostrovsky is generally concerned about my overall health and has,when needed, kept in touch with my primary care provider at Kaiser.I don't know of many other dentists who have or would do the same. She has great dental assistants who are well trained, caring and helpful. Great location,great service,great care!! NOT at all pushy or over-priced! If you want a great dentist who really,truly cares... Go to Cable Car Dental!! You'll be smiling that you did!! read more

Dr. Yelena is quite frankly the best dentist I have every had. Good dentistry is both an art and science, and Dr. Yelena personally cares about how your teeth look and feel. Not only the basics but the aesthetics as she is a perfectionist and wants the best for her clients. I had two implants in the front combined in a new bridge. I went around with other Dentists including a UCSF dental chair who told me it would cost $30K. After meeting with Dr. Yelena we put together a plan and a budget that was just over a third of that price. After the implants (by another Dr. that I am happy with), temporary bridges, fittings, re-fittings, she came up with as perfect a smile that I could hope for, all within my budget. In the process she found that I needed a root canal prior to putting in the bridge that would have ruined the work over time. I am delighted to have the best smile that I have ever had since...ever. Dr. Yelena is also very personable, never speaks down to you, and does not share too much about her personal life and yet keep a nice rapport. (Ever have a dentist go on and on about his ex-wife, no thank you.) She is calming and treats her patients with respect. I am very happy to have been introduced and to have gone through this major dental process with her. Now my interactions are more about the cleaning, etc. that is a quick friendly process, but I have confidence that if something happens, she is ready to address in her professionally friendly manner. read more

The staff is very friendly and attentive. Dr Y is very thorough and explains in detail what she is doing and why. They are quick, comfy and efficient. Additional perks: Chestnut street is just a quick half a block away, so you can run over and feed your sweet tooth at the cupcake shop across the street after getting your cavities touched up! read more

I been a patient of This office since I move to SF. A friend recommend the office. I'm so glad to found them. The staff is very profesional, warm and welcoming. They make enjoyable a dental appointment. I had a filling that constantly chip and Dr.Ostrovsky found a solution to my problem. I highly recommended. read more

I love Dr. Ostrovsky! I was with Cable Car dental back in the day when the Libermans were running the show, and I was so disappointed when they left, however, I have been very happy with Dr. Ostrovsky. I had a chipped tooth while on vacation in Hawaii and when I got back (on a Sunday, no less) she met me at the office and fixed it right up. Cost to me: $40. I currently live in Noe Valley - but make the drive up to the Marina every six months to see Dr. Ostrovsky. She is very personable and easy to talk to and makes me feel comfortable even when using that god-awful scraper on my teeth. read more

Dr. Yelena, Robin, and Jennifer are simply amazing. I've been catching up on my dental work with them for the last 6 months and am actually happy to go to the dentists and see my new friends. After ten years of dental denial I needed to have a broken tooth fixed and it set off my new found appreciation for honest, pain free oral health. These ladies not only care about your oral situation but they care about you. I love that they work with your budget and make the time to understand your insurance setup and then explain how things will work out and work with you to build a plan. This is how business should be. read more

An intermittent pain in an upper left molar triggered my first visit to Cable Car Dental. I interacted with Tiffany on the phone and via email to arrange an appointment. Great to deal with a person with strong phone and email skills for a change. My appointment was in two parts - the diagnosis and the treatment. The diagnosis was on time. How special is that?! I met Dr Ostrovsky and she explained the process for the treatment since how it went would be based on what she found since the x-rays that Robin took didn't give us all the information needed. The treatment the following day started on time as well! It's the first time i was able to log in to MY Pandora account and tune out in a comfortable dental chair with noise-cancelling headphones. Double wow! I'm used to getting a local and then having a LARGE needle poked in my mouth and half my mouth be numb. This time it was a local that numbed just a fraction of my mouth. If there were needles involved after that I didn't feel or see 'em. too busy zoning out to the music. A couple of hours later we're done. Robin has told me the name of a new artist on Pandora, Dr Ostrovsky has said "double Advil every 4-6 hours. You'll get a lot of throbbing for the next couple of days. It's the first lie my new dentist told me. I felt GREAT. My pain was gone and there has been no side effect pain. WOW. And I had asked Maja at the front desk to not let me out without paying (and a bill) for the two appointments and she came through for me. Net net on Cable Car Dental: Great dentistry, and great customer caring from really really nice folks. How often do you hear people say that they enjoyed their root canal? I did! read more

I hate hospitals, dental offices and morgues (i'm assuming to loathe the latter), but Yelena and her office reps really put me at ease! She genuinely enjoys helping people. So it's art, not work, for her. Thoroughly explained the entire process with an honest comments of what to expect as far as pain. i really respect the way she runs her operation. Of course, I still have the same reservations for clinical offices, but as far as I'm concerned she's the only dentist in San Francisco. I'll bite no one else's fingers by accident (tell Katrina I sez, 'sorry, and thanks for being understanding). read more

Given the high praise so far my review is probably superfluous. I lived in SF for almost a decade and changed just about everything except I stayed with Dr. Yelena, Robin and Jennifer the entire time. Today was my first visit to a new dentist on the east coast, and it made me realize how much I appreciated the excellent care, good humor, and light touch of CCD for all those years. read more

I agree with Tracey here - I've had a number of negative experiences with CCD. The front office staff is incredibly rude and prices are high. Last time I went, I was told I had four cavities. I went to get a second opinion and they wouldn't give me x-rays. I was forced to pay $25 for a transfer fee (after I already paid for the xrays!). After I paid, they emailed me a picture (I could understand if the $25 was for postage, etc, but it was not). When I received the second opinion from another dentist, turns out I only had one cavity! In addition, I am a cash pay patient. Last time I was there, they wouldn't see me unless I prepaid - which is just ridiculous totally unprofessional - particularly when I had been a loyal customer/patient for 5 years and had no outstanding balance. I have a new dentist now and he's great. read more

Thursday night, I'm out with friends celebrating a birthday and bite into slice of pizza. Next thing I know, my crown falls out and I'm looking like a hillbilly! Perfect timing of course, since I was leaving Monday for a wedding in Philly! I'm freaking out because I was certain I wouldn't get an appointment before I had to leave. The next morning I call Cable Car Dental, panicked and flustered, and they said it was no problem and that I could come in that day! They put in a temp for the trip and I didn't have to worry about pictures. Dr. Ostrovsky was great. She's very thorough and laid out all my options for me with their pros/cons/prices. It felt great to finally meet a dentist who likes to keep their patients so informed. Thanks to this little episode, I found an awesome dentist. read more

This is my all-time favorite dentist w/ a great staff that has taken great care of my face for many years! They helped me through dealing with my crappy insurance fantastically and did great work every time. Huzzah! read more

Small but very efficient office. Professional and pretty gentle. Dr. Ostrovsky helped me with a "creative" solution to a tooth problem that has plagued me for YEARS -- I am now very happy with my smile! She's not a "rip it out" kind of dentist, which I appreciate. She also didn't reccommend the most expensive route, as most dentists do. I am very satisfied with my dentist! Super friendly staff, too. read more

Very lucky to have found Cable Car Dental. Dr. Ostrovsky knows her stuff! She and her staff are all incredibly personable, sharp, and always on top of their game. The office is consistently clean and smooth, and I've never felt better about my dental health. I've been coming here for quite a while, and even when my insurance plan changed, Dr. Ostrovsky assisted me in choosing the best plan so I could stay a part of the family. read more

Dr. Yelena is great! She has a great demeanor, such that my 6 year old loves to go to the dentist and actually looks forward to it, which is a great way to get started on your road to dental health. A traumatic dentist experience as a child can make a significant difference in your willingness to go later in life, so we're really grateful for Dr. Yelena's excellent care. read more

Dr. Yelena Ostrovsky is great!! She is competent and sincere. I feel very comfortable going there. The staff are very friendly. I alway leave with a smile. I introduced my 2 daughters and my wife there also. My whole family have a wonderful experience going there. Dr. Ostrovsky is good with kids and need I say more. read more

I don't understand the negative reviews. I have been to a number of dentists over the years and Cable Car Dental and Dr. Ostrovsky rate up there among the best. Dr. Ostrovsky is friendly and knowledgable as is her staff. Prices are reasonable (dental work in general is expensive and other dentists I have been to charge more than Cable Car) and I have never felt like they pushed services on me. read more

Like everyone, I have always been terrified of the dentists, but not anymore because I am lucky to have found Dr. Ostrovsky. Dr. Ostrovsky is great, she is professional, kind and friendly. She always take time to explain each procedure thoroughly. She genuinely cares about her patients. The office is very clean and the staff are very nice, especially Robin. Her price is reasonable for the high quality of work she delivers. I highly recommend Dr. Ostrovsky to anyone who is looking for a new dentist read more

You have to search for people who like to go to dentist, I'm not one of them. First of all teeth are gross to me. Dental appointments are usually long, uncomfortable and expensive. Dr. Ostrovsky was gentle, informative and accommodating. I have a filling and a crown coming up, I can't say I'm looking forward to it, but I know I'll be in good hands. Plus there is a great cupcake place across the street :) read more

I was going to Cable Car dentist for a while and I am not happy! the front desk lady is not a very nice one and never smiles. it seems that I have a lot of billing problems since I started seeing them , I was charged even for a once a year cleaning ?! also, lately I received a bill from 2009?! ?! ?! just seems that they are not really professional. I will look elsewhere... read more

My family has been seeing Dr. Ostrovsky since she took over Cable Car Dental. She and her staff are wonderful and knowledgeable. I have PTSD which is triggered by dental work, and Dr Ostrovsky's humor and light touch has helped me immensely. She is reasonable and well informed, and when you are her patient you can trust that you are going to be well taken care of, not fleeced, not pushed. That said, that reminds me....I have to make a call for my 6 month cleaning. :D read more

GREAT EXPERIENCE EVERY TIME! Dr. Ostrovsky is a very knowledgeable and patient. Herself and her staff has always been very personal and attentive. I have recommended her services to my friends and family and everyone have been very happy with her. read more

I would recommend this practice to anyone. I have had nothing but positive experiences with Dr. Y and ALL of her staff. I have had a lot of major dental work done with her and after seeing many different dentists throughout my life...I have found her work to be excellent. On top of that, everyone there is incredibly friendly and they all make you feel right at home. read more

I cannot say enough about Dr. Yelina...she is amazing. I have been her patient for over ten years and I trust her completely. I have had to have extensive dental work done and she is so detailed and available. I have had to make emergency calls and have always gotten a quick response. I love that she has cultivated an incredible practice where everyone working there is warm, compassionate, and works so hard to be of service. So grateful! read more

Dr. Yelena is pretty great! I fully trust her opinion and she really sympathized with me when I was in excruciating pain from an infected wisdom tooth. My insurance didn't cover the extraction because it had already been maxed out, and she understood that I couldn't afford that at the time and needed to wait until my insurance kicked in again, and never pressured me to get it. She also was SUPER helpful with the bills, my father had a confusing time and he called her office, and she walked through everything with him step by step. Sometimes her staff is a little confused on how I was going to pay, and I've had to come in a couple times later just to pay for services, but they are always very professional and kind and helpful. Obviously, dentists are expensive without insurance covering it, and it is so frustrating, but that isn't really her firm's fault. Would definitely recommend her! read more

In San Fran on business, I lost a temporary filling. The filling was a prelude to a cap. Panicked, at the advice of an associate I called and was able to see the dentist, Dr. Yelena Ostrovsky at Cable Car Dental. Not only did she see me, not only did she replace the filling but because she had the Dental CAD in her office, they carved the cap while I waited and it fit perfectly. She was painless, friendly, professional and ran a clean delightfully quaint office that was exceptional and they made every effort to get both my insurances approved. In my 59 years, I have never had such a pleasant dental visit, that includes 20-years in the service. Hats off to you Dr. Ostrovsky, to you and your staff. I think because I'm here on business so much, I'll get all my dental work done here, rather than at home in Texas. Exceptional and just can't say enough. You are a real professional with exceptional bedside manners. Thanks again!!!! read more

Ok, this might be a long one... First of all I had nothing but good things to say about this place when I was a new patient. The people were nice and always friendly. I still stand by Dr. Yelena as an excellent dentist and a kind and caring person. However, I'm giving this place 1 star because my last experience there was dreadful! So I needed a crown after getting a root canal and called to get a quote on the cost. I don't know who I talked to, but I was told that there was a small discount offered on my chart and I was quoted a price. I went in a few months later for a cleaning and this Tara woman was extremely pushy about my getting yet another comprehensive exam. I insisted that I could not at that time; (I didn't go into details with her, but at the time I had returned to school, my husband had just been diagnosed with some complicated health problems, and I didn't have dental insurance.) I told her I'd like to make a future appointment for the comprehensive exam and for the crown. At that time I repeated the price I'd been told over the phone and she told me quite snidely that I'd never been offered a discount and that prices had just gone up by over a hundred dollars. She was confrontational in her tone and I was completely taken aback. She treated me like I was trying to scam her and the experience was absolutely humiliating for me. It was not only bad business, but hurtful. Ok, I understand they're a business and need to make a profit, but I was only recounting what I had been told over the phone! Don't offer a discount and then treat your patient like a liar when they bring it up! Yes Dr. Yelena is an awesome dentist, and this is probably a really good place to go if you have good insurance and if money is not ever an issue for you. Tara is a very nice lady if you provide plenty of money rolling in, but I would caution anyone going here that she can be pushy, rude, and condescending. For that reason I will never be back. read more

I am from Louisville, Ky. and was traveling with my wife and another couple thru San Francisco on the way to a Zija convention. While eating at a local restaurant I broke off the front 4 teeth on a temporary upper plate. We were in the first days of our 2 week trip and I was desperate. The hotel gave us the name of Dr Ostrovsky. I called my dentist, Ken Parrish back in Kentucky who then called Dr. Ostrovsky's office to make sure she knew about my situation. Dr. Ostrovsky ask if I could come to her office as soon as possible. It was a 15 min. taxi ride, and I was immediately taken to her office and in about 30 min. later I was walking out with my teeth repaired. She and her office staff could not have been more helpful. When I came home I had an appointment to have my permanent implants installed, Dr. Parish was very complimentary of Dr. Ostrovsky's work. Thanks Dr. Ostrovsky for saving my vacation. Nelson Lockhart, Louisville, Ky. read more