Amazing experience! The staff and the dentist were friendly and very professional. I look forward to my 6 moth follow up - Now, THAT says a lot! read more

I always dreaded going to the dentist. My experience with Dr. Michael Lew spans 10 years or more. Michael's sense of humor makes my visit pleasurable everytime. A shout out to Jane and Robert for their hard work! Thank you for everything!! read more

I was recommended to go to Dr. Lew by Dr. Young from Lee Young and Ubaldo Orthodontics. I honestly appreciate how kind and fun Dr. Lew is. He always holds a great conversation while doing procedures on your teeth which helps a lot despite the pain haha.... Dr. Lew is very cool and funny to be around but I appreciate him and his wife Jane very much who you can find at the front desk!! read more

Over the years, job changes, different insurance plans, I've had my share of dentists. When I first found Dr. Lew's office, wow, good service, a dentist that cares, and concern for my teeth... Then the honeymoon was over. The front office was managed by family - suspect billing practices (over billing insurance) for services not performed and products never delivered, hard sell for (rota-dent) electric toothbrush. :( They repeatedly called our home and demanded our credit card to settle outstanding balances. We filed a compliant with the dental insurance company and they investigated our charges against this practice. Calls continued until we warned Dr. Lew's office to quit or we would file a formal complaint with the Dental Board of California. http://www.dbc.ca.gov/ Suddenly, collection calls ended - this experience left a very bad taste in my mouth. For my next dentist: I asked for referrals, quote for additional dental work in writing, confirm with insurance carrier if fees is customary and reasonable. read more

One of the reason I picked this office many years ago, was b/c they have weekend hrs. But somehow every cleaning visit, the dentist will always find something "wrong" with my teeth. I don't have perfect teeth, but it did become suspicious and finally, i switched to a different dentist that was close to my work. I got a second opinion for all those "recommendations", guess what? I DIDN'T need to do any of those "repair/fix". And it has been more than 3yrs now, and i still do not have to do any of those "works"clement street dental happened to insisted!! And my teeth are fine and healthy! So if you want extra drill and holes that you really do not need, go there! Another recent incidence which kinda bothers me, and think everyone should know about is the following: One of my relative goes there b/c of language/ limited insurance coverage selections. Guess what, they mistakenly gave someone else's used denture to him. He tried to put it on after got it and of course it won't fit. But this kind of mistake is unacceptable. As it turned out they have swapped the denture by accident, so someone else was putting in my relative's in their mouth.......just by thinking of it....YUCK !!! And what bothers me even more is, they deny it was their fault. They did replace the denture eventually, but ever since then, the front office lady has been giving attitude to my relative like he was troublesome and not welcomed.... =( read more

I've been to Clement Street Dental 3 times in the last 3 weeks and gotten nothing but the best of service. I *highly recommend* Dr. Lew and his associates. Not only did they take my super-crappy Blue Cross dental insurance, but they're super friendly and their prices are way below what I was quoted at other dentists in Berkeley. I'm not really sure what the negative reviews here are talking about, since it sounds like they went to a totally different dentist than I did. The receptionists aren't the friendliest folks but they never bothered me with unwanted advice, and I never heard anything about a "deep gum tissue cleaning" in the three times I've been there. Their prices for uninsured folks are much lower than other dentists I've been to in the Bay Area and they take all sorts of insurance. I have had nothing but excellent experiences at Clement Street Dental. read more

Clement Street Dental - General Dentistry Near Me - San Francisco, California

I thought long and hard about writing this review. The more I thought about it, the more I stewed (you can say my inner Bitter Betty came out over this place). I came here based on the "glowing reviews" on Yelp. This was a big mistake. First of all, during the first appt (for a routine teeth cleaning, mind you), they tell me I needed deep gum tissue cleaning (which coincidentally isn't totally covered by my insurance, surprise surprise) and that there were two cavities that needed to be filled. Quite frankly, the dentist, Dr. Michael Lew, does this exam and then he sends in his shark, ahem, receptionist in to give you the details of your dental damage. I have a high tolerance for accents but this lady's accent was so thick that I had to really concentrate what she was telling me. First off, she tries to hawk their brand of electric toothbrush ($200!). I told her no. Then she tells me how much my cleaning will cost (a lot) and that after the deep tissue cleaning, I'd have to come back for a follow up exam plus to agree to a series of regular cleanings that the insurance will not cover (I'm talking about cleanings every month). She flatly told me that the dentist will not clean my teeth until I agree to these terms. So, in a moment of stupidity or trust (slap me now), I ok'd it. After I sign the paper about the cost, Dr. Lew miraculously shows up to do my first routine cleaning. He told me that the deep tissue cleaning will occur in two sessions (I don't know why when you can do it all at once. You're already numbed up!) and he'll do my fillings on both those sessions. On my first appt for the deep cleaning/filling, I found out that this "major cavity," was actually a tiny small crack on the outside of my tooth (one that was there forever and my other dentist didn't think it was a big deal to fix). Of course I elected for the cheaper silver filling over the ceramic. Dr. Lew did the filling and then sent a caucasian guy to do the deep cleaning (I guess Dr. Lew doesn't do these things!). The guy was very meticulous and I have to say he did a good job on the right side of my mouth. 2nd session: Dr. Lew drills at the back of my mouth to fix a "big cavity (at this point, I'm like yeah sure)." Before he did it, I already told the asst that I want silver filling, not ceramic because it was way back in my mouth. So back that you can't see it unless I drop my head back and open wide. After he finishes drilling, he stops, and has the nurse put a mirror in front of me to ask if I was sure I didn't want the more expensive ceramic!?!?!? Nice job, you dip shit, you have me all vulnerable on the chair and then ask for my opinion? Of course I was already suspicious by then so I flatly said I wanted the silver filling. He does the filling then sends in an asian lady to clean the left side of my teeth. I can totally tell she was half assing the left side of my mouth because she just used that scraper (the other guy used the electric cleaner). She also didn't spend enough time on that side of the mouth. I canceled my check up appt after this session because I can totally tell, they were going to tell me that I needed more cleaning sessions cuz the deep cleaning didn't work!?!?! Oh yeah, what's also super annoying is when they call you to remind you about your appointment. This is standard procedure right? Well the receptionist who calls to confirm, if she gets your voicemail, just leaves a message and instructs YOU to call her back to reconfirm the appt. She did this every time I had an appt (3 times). This is overkill! Why do I have to call to confirm I got the message? Don't you trust me? read more

Checked this place out even with the terrible reviews on yelp due to the only fact that they accepted my dental insurance..What a mistake. Mind you, these guys have been getting paid by my insurance company for over one year since I haven't had the time to go on in.. Free money.. I had my visit here last week, expecting a routine check-up, teeth cleaning and what not. I've avoided the dentist for a while now, and didn't know what to expect since it had been so long. This place is exactly WHY I haven't gone to the dentist. Any who, Dr. Lew informed me that I would need to have deep cleaning of my teeth that would take course over one month, with four visits- causing you to experience pain in the gums and whatnot. And would cost me about 800 dollars. Ok, that is his 'expert' opinion, I understand. But as a patient, this is not only a very invasive procedure, but also a very expensive one, that one does not expect going in for something that I thought would be routine. I then explained to him that I would like to try the LEAST invasive procedure of dental cleaning, which is the "gross scale". And from there on, IF needed, I would be open to the thought of having a deep clean. Of course Dr. Lew and his staff were quickly put off by my response since the gross scale would only cost me $54, a lot less than what was quoted for the deep cleaning of $800! I'm sorry, but I am also a healthcare professional myself. I know when someone is trying to rip me off. Don't tell a patient that least invasive measures should not be done first. It's like telling a patient that due to a small cut on your finger, you will now need to have surgery to repair it. Lastly, I requested a copy of my records. I literally died from laughing while reading what was written. "Patient's mindset is she thinks she knows everything about dental health and that what is recommended is invasive dental treatment." Only because I asked questions regarding this invasive procedure, and I actually asked the right questions to give you a run for your money? Ha ha. Goodbye Clement Street Dental. I am off to a much more reputable and honest business. read more

Came here a few years ago for a routine cleaning and they told me I had severe gingivitis and needed their Soft Tissue Management Treatment Program in order to have my teeth back in good health. Here's me freaking out and thinking I had to do whatever it was to keep my teeth clean and I still have a good amount of years left to use 'em!! So I agreed and paid $1057 [or so] out of my own pocket (cause my crappy insurance covered only part of it) and got the stupid deep cleaning. They also charged for their medication per tooth and I had 7 that needed cleaning. After a couple sessions, as I was waiting in the lobby, I overheard the receptionist lady telling another man that he needed the same deep cleaning for his gingivitis for the same exact price. How is it possible he had the same exact problem as I did on the same amount of teeth? AND his insurance also only covered the same exact amount?? I didn't think much of it at the time, but now that I do, this place was pretty sketchy. As in them trying to get you to do extra and UNNECESSARY procedures. I realized that although I had gingivitis, I'm sure I could've flossed twice every single day for a month and it would've cleared itself. I was definitely not at a point where I was going to lose my teeth in the next month or so that I had to pay THEM a thousand dollars to fix my teeth. Don't come here. The receptionist lady is rude anyway. read more

Clement St Dental was recommended to me by a co-worker who liked it well enough. They took my crappy Dental HMO plan so I thought I'd try it out now that SF is my official home. The actual visit was fine enough--efficient and Dr. Lew was very pleasant and chatty. Then he informed me that I had 5 cavities. This was rather shocking given that I'd only ever had 1 cavity in my whole life and that it had been less than a year since my last cleaning. Dr. Lew took photos of each cavity and projected it onto a screen in front of me so throughout the rest of the cleaning, I sat staring at blown-up photos of my apparently rotting teeth. In the front, I was told that the price of the fillings was covered unless I wanted white fillings in which case it would be 135 per tooth. Yikes! (I realize that that price is related to insurance, not Dr Lew). 5 cavities is a lot for someone who has only ever had 1. So I decided to get a second opinion from my old dentist who had no stake in getting reimbursed from insurance companies. I paid out of pocket for an exam and extra x-rays only to find out that I had ZERO cavities. Now, I'm obviously not a dentist but it seems odd that the definition of a cavity could vary so widely so that one dentist could say I had 5 and another could say I had 0. I see two options: a) Dr Lew is like an untrustworthy car mechanic. His reimbursement rate for a regular cleaning from my insurance company is probably very low so he can rack in a few extra bucks by doing unnecessary procedures. Or b) Dr Lew is an over-zealous dentist who wants to drill any lil' ole' spot, taking away healthy teeth in the process. Either way, I am not going back. One extra star for good front desk staff who sent my medical records just by a phone request (no HIPPA?). read more

I was recommended to Dr Lew by a close friend of mine about four years back. My first experience at the dental office was great. Unfortunately because of my years in college, and somewhat poor dental care, I had a cavity. On my second visit after my cleaning, when I was having my cavity filled, they showed (via camera) what my cavity looked liked and exactly what they were filling in. I always trust my dentist (he is the professional, and I know he isn't drilling for fun) but it was great to actually see what was going on. Since then every time I go in, Dr Lew and I always chat about the Giants, 49ers and Bay area sports. He is a great guy, with a great dental education background, and I don't mind going to the dentist at all. In regards to all the complaints, I personally haven't run into any at all. The front staff have been great, and even when I switched dental plans, before they cleaned my teeth, they called in and made sure I was covered (they did it all on speaker so I knew what was happening). Overall I am extremely happy with Clement Street Dental and I have to say I'm surprised by the negative reviews, but everyone is allowed to have their opinions. read more

TRIED TO PULL TEETH FROM A CHILD JUST FOR THE MONEY. GREEDY business willing to inflict pain and health detriments just to fill their pockets. They told me that I had a cavity when I was a child. Went and got a second opinion from another dentist and they said it was just a stain. Makes sense that it was just a stain because I had no previous issue with the tooth, no pain what so ever. These are the people responsible for creating fear within children and financial hardship for those children's parent. Can't believe it's still in business. What a nightmare. read more

If my memory serves me right this is the same Dentist (Michael M Lew) that practiced in San Rafael. Let me tell you...straight up PTSD. Most of bad reviews on here is pretty much the same of many reasons why I am still traumatized. I don't want to go to any further details but just a caution for some. read more

I've been going to Clement Street Dental for about 4 years now. When I first started going to them, I read their reviews on Yelp, and it made me unsure as to whether I can give them the thumbs up, given some of the negative reviews here. But having gone there for 4 years, I can safely say that Dr. Lew rocks! Dr. Lew makes me feel very comfortable - very important when going to the dentist! He makes really silly jokes that you can't help but laugh. Sometimes he can talk about really random stuff, but it's a helpful distraction when you have metal utensils in your mouth. As far as sketchy billing practices - sure, I've experienced some of their attempts to upsell. This was not done by Dr. Lew though. A younger female dentist had checked my teeth out one time when Dr. Lew was not available. I had already been uncomfortable with her. She had this better-than-thou air about her that I really didn't like. It wasn't anything she said... you can just tell with some people. But at the end, she tried to upsell me on some caps or something like that, that is suppose to protect my teeth. After the pricing structure was explained to me, I opted to not spend thousands of dollars on something that I didn't feel like I needed. The next time I went to the dentist, I did see Dr. Lew and he saw that this female dentist had written the recommendation in my chart. He flat out told me that this was NOT necessary for me considering I have no cavities and unless I plan on changing my diet to eating candy all day, I should be fine. Nevertheless, I never saw that female dentist again. At the same time, I think it is the dentist's responsibility to let you know if there are optional procedures to help you maintain the health of your teeth. If your dentist don't tell you about it - who will? I also have to give a shout out to the dental hygienists there, and one in particular - I don't remember his name. He is so nice and makes me feel as comfortable as possible. He is also very encouraging. Seriously.. because of Dr. Lew and their dental hygienists, I floss every day now... EVERY DAY. They are so encouraging that I don't want to let them down. I do actually feel good whenever I go for a visit and they tell me how well I am doing. I know it's kind of juvenile , but hey... any positive reinforcement is good for the soul! ;) read more

I have been to several other dentists and Dr. Lew is by far the best. He talks his way through and describes everything he's doing. Unlike most other dentists, Dr. Lew is actually human! He's got a sense of humor and even applies Vaseline to my dry lips prior to working on my teeth (I use a little tube of Vaseline instead of chapstick or whatever, so this in particular was totally awesome). I don't know about the comment regarding this place being messy, but I find it SUPER clean compared to offices of other dentists. Most importantly, Dr. Lew doesn't smoke - I hate it when my dentist is breathing down my throat with smoker's breath YUCK. Jane and the rest of the girls @ the front desk are super nice. My appointments are always met on time and I get these little postcards mailed to me a couple weeks prior just to remind me. Clement St. Dental takes my Delta Dental plan w/ no problems. I chose Clement St. Dental because I was having billing problems from my previous dentist and they came highly recommended from someone else. read more

I like Pablo. He's the hygienist there and he has a nice soft touch on my teeth. No bleeding. No pain. I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised by this place given the outer appearance and location. But I am glad I am here. You should stop by for a visit here too. They are good to your teeth. At least Pablo is.. read more

So far great experiences with Dr. Lew. He is a funny socialable guy. Courteous staff. My teeth cleaning was very good. They did extra measurements I've never seen any dentist do before. They even showed me a brown stain deep in my mouth with a dental camera (no dentist has ever bothered to show me the staining), plus they have an X-ray machine that swivels around you in addition to the standard one. Quick and painless filling procedure. I just wish my insurance wasn't so crappy so my filling wouldn't be $125 OOP! Saturday appointments are awesome. It's far away if you don't live nearby, but if you have DMO, I'd rather go to a place with great reviews rather than location (I hear Van Ness Dental sucks!) read more

He replaced one filling 2 times and both times they fell out. I went to another dentist -- I'll see if it falls out again. Never had a great experience there. read more

I used to love this place, it's right around the corner from my house and my dentist was very gentle (extremely important to me.) However, my last experience there changed all that. As other posters have said, Pablo is a good hygienist; he's gentle (a plus) but very chatty (a minus, in my book - just be quiet and clean my teeth!) Unfortunately, one of the original partners in the business to relocate to Redwood City. I guess he was "my" dentist, because I saw the other guy last time - Dr. Micheal Lew (the primary owner of the business) and I am not so thrilled. Dr. Lew was not so gentle, nor understanding. He thought I was joking when I said I would rather give birth again that have dental work done. I wasn't kidding, it's that big a deal for me (disclaimer: both times I gave birth it was relatively fast and easy.) When I left the office last time after having a filling redone and with my mouth sore and face numb, the front office staff was not very sympathetic to my inquiry about my old dentist. They scornfully told me this guy was the only dentist now. Needless to say, I am going to try a new dentist. He's not as close to my house, but I read good things about him online and I got a good vibe when I stopped by the office to check it out and make an appointment. It helped that there were a lot of letters and pictures from kids thanking him for being such a great dentist - if the kids like him, I should be okay. When I explained why I was seeking a new dentist, the very nice lady at the front desk responded that I would like him, that he explains everything very well. We shall see... One last note about Clement Street Dental: I stopped by to request a copy of my x-rays this morning. No fuss, no charge, and no questions. read more

I went to Clement Street Dental for 12 years. I have always had professional, competent care, and I appreciate the people as well. I see some people feel they were ripped off because they were told they needed deep cleaning. I had this done as well a number of years ago. It is painful and expensive procedure, regardless of where one has it done (unless you have the kind of gold-plated insurance policy that now seems extinct) It also saved my gums - despite regularly flossing, I was in real danger of gum disease. The good news is that was 8 years ago, and I haven't had any indications of problems with my gums since. Well worth the time and effort. I'm confident that if the staff at Clement St Dental recommend a procedure, it's in the best interest of the patient. I now live in London, (UK) and wish I had been able to take them with me! read more

I have to agree with everyone else that has commented, Dr. Lew was wonderful. He is a great dentist and very friendly. He had a good sense of humor and made interesting small talk but wasnt obnoxious. You all know there is a fine line. He explained everything he was doing, made helpful tips to improve my teeth and the elective procedures he recommended weren't outrageously priced, nor was he pushy about them. The front desk staff is always friendly and on top of things as well. I would recommend to anyone. ***EDITED 3/3/08*** So I must say that I am really saddened to have to dock them stars for outright dishonesty... I have known for years that I was going to need to re-do a crown so I wasn't surprised when they brought it up on all my visits. I had just been waiting to get some money together and then I was going to do it. Well let me first start by saying they had given me two formal estimates that said the copay for a silver crown would be $380 and a porcelain crown was going to be $530, this was in mid and late 2007. Well in January I was mailed a new patient charge schedule and thought it was a little funny that there were no crown procedures listed that had a copay that exceeded $500. When I spoke with them again to schedule the appointment, I asked if the price changed with the new year because I got my price schedule... I was even more confused when she told me the price went up to $575!!! Well I didnt have the procedure code so I couldnt be certain so I gave them the benefit of the doubt because I have been so happy with the dentists. So fast forward to last Friday when I went in for the first part of the procedure- the work was done, and I was billed $575 for the crown and $90 for a "core build up w/pins." $665 total, ouch! Well first thing I did was take the bill with the codes and looked up the procedures in the price book. Sure enough, the copay for the crown was only supposed to be $425 and the copay for the core build up shouldve been $120 bringing it to a total of $545!!!! I was able to have a Cigna call the receptionist and sure enough she thought she could selectively "upcharge" a patient for choosing porcelain over silver when low and behold they are supposed to have the same copay. The Cigna rep had to pretty much tell her that they dont get to choose what they charge patients that the HMO dictates cost and ordered that I be given an adjusted bill. Shady, scandalous, not cool....... I wont dock them for services because I stand by my assessment of the dentists as being stellar but thats really bad business and cause for concern. Do your homework folks!!! Thats the message of the story. read more

The receptionists here think they are dentists. They offer uneducated opinions about dentistry when they have nothing to back it up, such as maybe a degree? It's too bad since the male dental assistant takes great care of your teeth. FYI: They will charge you for a portion of the routine cleaning (gum measurement) that other dentists will include in a routine cleaning exam. read more

I made my appointment after seeing the high's and low's given here on YELP. They took my insurance and were close by. Good so far. I did not see the Dr. Lew whom all the glowing reviews highlight. I wasn't really sure WHO my dentist was. I was prepped & X-Rayed by one, Another woman came and scraped my teeth, (no cleaning just a few scrapes here & there). Now, I KNOW my teeth are in bad shape. Different insurance from different jobs have not kept me from my personal Dental track. I KNOW in the next few years I will need 2 bridges/implants. A woman in a lab coat came by by my chair. I spoke to her of this, and my plan to get them taken care of NEXT year. She agreed but stressed that I should defintly get it taken care of, "It could fall out in the middle of the night and you could choke on it and die." Scare tactics? Really? Together her and another woman checked my gums. "4....5....4....6...6....4....5...hahahahah. (one said something in a language that wasn't english) Oh! - Sorry! We not Laughing about you" I know. You're laughing about how much money you are going to get from me. Maybe since I let it slip that I would be needing heavy work done in the future, they didn't give me the hard hard sell for a toothbrush. I paid, (THAT amount would be taken off the 1st (of 2) payments of 880.) I smiled, made the appointments for those deep gum cleaning, which I promptly cancelled the next week. Yes, I read all accounts from the people on YELP. Yes, I regretted it. Yes you can learn from our mistakes. read more

Of course two weeks later that implant fell back out. and another two after that. 3rd time was the charm i guess, he actually stopped and took the time to pay attention to what he was doing since i kept coming back. This time it lasted 9 months. he put it in on wednesday it came out again the following sunday. Having bonded things to other things before I made some suggestions, score the inside of the crown more so the cement has something to grab onto, scuff the current post in my head for the same reason. He didn't. I had to ASK just to get him to clean the implant before attaching it. I had pulled it out of my pocket when i arrived, and he was about to implant it into my mouth for the foreseeable future without first cleaning it. he put it in, held it in place for a second and then had a nurse do it, I said let me do it because she had moved it already and my tooth was being cemented in in a way that aggravated my whole mouth. She refused. I was glad it came out 3 days later. My original made it from age 7 to 28. thru my teen years and early adult years, bike tricks, fights and my introduction to drinking. I am going back in a week for a scheduled cleaning, and I am going to chat with him about this tooth and give a final review. How do you get a refund on dental work? read more

Yeah, they have the fancy equipment that can take a color picture of your teeth and project it on the wall, and my dentist was a nice chatty character. I have good teeth and never thought anything of the service or lack thereof. But then my coworker recommended I try out a place where one of her friends was the office manager, and I did. The first appointment hurt, I mean, he was scraping shit off like crazy and I bled! "I have good teeth!" I thought, indignant, resolving never to go back. As I left, though, I noticed...my teeth felt smoother and cleaner than they ever had at Clement Street Dental. And this new dentist actually SHOWED ME HOW TO BRUSH--trust me people, there's strategy in it. Apparently all these visits with my Clement Street dentist had left calcified gunk on my teeth--a sign of clear incompetence. In my case, my old dentist loved to talk more than clean, as the cleanings took about 5 minutes. Needless to say, I switched and won't be going back. I would recommend trying a few different dentists before you settle on your main squeeze, and especially before you undergo some major dental intervention, or you could go on like I had without knowing otherwise. read more

I love Dr. Lew! He will spend as much time with you as needed to answer all questions!

Initially I was a little skeptical of this place because frankly, it isn't very clean and modern looking in the waiting area. TONS of magazines, I mean thousands, and just an overall not "well-kept" reception area. The receptionist answered her cell phone while I was standing there waiting to be helped so there goes 1 star. But once I got into the back I was surprised to see flat screens playing trashy morning talk shows and a very nice staff ready to help. I feel like they need to hire a cleaning staff or something to just "freshen" up the whole place because that would really make it feel more modern. The most sterile places in the world should be your doctor's office and your dentist and this place just needs a new layer of paint and maybe some real plants... anyway, nice dentist, funny and informative. I went in for a consultation first because the receptionist said you have to do this before you get your teeth cleaned...annoying. BUT when I got there and took x-rays he said, "Do you have time for a teeth-cleaning, we can do it now if you'd like?" Thank god, one less trip to the dentist. Unfortunately I had to return to get some cavities filled and they did those with minimal pain. So, if you haven't been to the dentist is way too long, this place is gentle and easy and the can squeeze you in pretty quickly. read more

I have been to Clement Street Dental about 6 times. The last time I went, just a few months ago, I was seen by a new dentist. She is the only female dentist there. She spent more time with me and was more informative than the other dentists. The other review says that they try to rip you off. I really don't know if this is true. If you have a cavity, they wil take a picture of it with this little pen sized camera and show it to you on a television screen. So, I'm not sure how they can rip you off in this way. I recommend them. read more

Clean facility. Price in the range of the market, not on the cheapest side of the range. Okay for cleaning, very bad for filing. Very bad price policy. Will try to charge an exaggerated estimated price and then will declare only part of the work to the insurance company in order to not have to reimburse the client. Very aggressive policy to keep you as a client, not communicative. read more

So I have been going to this place since I last wrote my first review. I have had such an amazing time until my last visit.... They told me I needed a "deep cleaning" and since my insurance isn't the best it was going to cost me $1000! I got a second opinion and the doctor told me she was embarrassed that someone in their field would suggest I needed the deep cleaning. She said someone my age (22) would never need this procedure as well. She also explained that they were suggesting this to get some extra cash. Not coming back. read more

Will never coming back again! These people were greedy. The lady worked at the front desk told the doctor to add some unnecessary medication when doing my fillings because it will cause me to pay extra which my insurance doesn't cover it. I heard their conversation, they spoke in front of me. What a rip off. Dishonest practice. read more

Five stars for a dental visit? Absolutely. I abhor going to the dentist. For anything. It was bad enough after I turned 18, moved out of the house, and had to start coughing up my own hard earned mullah for the copayments. Now I am, for the first time in my 31 years, uninsured. *Shudder*. I was completely nervous about finding a new place. The dentist I had seen for years was just too expensive (even when I had insurance!), and on my last visit for an exam and cleaning two years (or more) ago, he said I definitely had 9 cavities and needed a deep cleaning immediately. I didn't have the money and put it off. Finally, I realized I needed to at least have a regular cleaning and make sure my teeth weren't about to disintegrate. I booked with Dr. Lew for a cleaning and x-ray/check up. I read the yelp reviews (of course) and noticed a couple of bad ones mentioning upselling. I already felt like my old dentist might have been upselling me, or that I have atrocious teeth, so I figured I would just proceed with caution and treat Dr. Lew as a second opinion that I could afford. Wow! That was seriously such a pleasant experience. The woman at the desk was very sweet and after I filled out my form I was greeted by Robert, the best dental hygenist I have ever seen. Seriously, folks. My teeth feel ah-ma-zing. His demeanor was professional and calming. He made me feel comfortable with some light humor, and then he explained how the bite-wing xray could be easily made more cozy with just a few simple instructions. Nobody had ever taken the time for that sort of explanation before, and I usually ended up spitting them out through some hard core gagging reflexes before all of the xrays were completed. Not this time. It was totally fine. He did a great job cleaning my desperately in need teeth and made it painless. He also really got me to understand how important flossing was without being judgemental or scolding in the slightest. I feel like it finally sunk in. He showed me in a mirror the proper way to floss, which not one person had ever done before, and it turns out that those few times when I actually took the time to floss, I wasn't even doing it so that it was effective. On to Dr. Lew. When he came over to meet me and review my xrays, he answered all of my questions and really made sure I understood everything. It turns out, I only have 3 cavities!! That's SIX fewer than my other dentist had told me. And......I do NOT need a deep cleaning. Apparently, I am not even 'on the fence' for one. I was astonished, and although they were professional about it (not all gossipy or bad-mouthy about my former dentist), I could tell they were too. I totally trust these guys, they are the real deal. Thankfully, I can afford them! Even without insurance! My quotes for the fillings (the fancier composite ones) were actually more than $100 less, without insurance, than what I would have had to pay, with insurance, at my old dentist. I can finally take care of my teeth! Thank you Robert and Dr. Lew. I'm so glad I finally went. I am always going to request Robert and Dr. Lew for future appointments (why mess with success?). read more

This place is great for the price. They take Anthem Blue Cross HMO, so I get two cleanings a year and an exam/xray for a $5 co-pay. Plus fillings and sealants are reasonable. The staff is professional and my first cleaning was in-depth. Dr Lew is friendly and knowledgeable. read more

This was the easiest, most enjoyable visit to the dentist I ever had. I might even go so far as to say it was pleasant. I was able to have my initial X-rays/exam at the same time of my cleaning. (Most other dentists I spoke with said I would have to come back twice). The assistants and receptionists were agreeable and friendly. They gave tips on flossing and brushing without being condescending or lecturing like some other dentists I've been to. My dentist was Dr. Michael Lew. He has a great sense of humor and is very professional and skilled. He explained what he was going to do very thoroughly and patiently. The first appointment, I had X-rays and then a routine cleaning. I came back two days later for some bonding on my two front teeth. It took only half an hour, and the dentist numbed my mouth, so I didn't feel a thing. When I got home, I made an appointment for my fianc with Dr. Lew right away. I highly recommend him to everyone else. Dr. Lew has perfect English and speaks Chinese as well. read more

The office is clean and the staff is nice. I like that they send reminders in the mail. However, I felt the time with the dentist was rushed and the experience was not what I'd hoped for. Still, decent and reasonable place for simple cleanings. read more

Dr. Lew is a breath of fresh air. I love his sense of humor. Oh, and he also happens to be a very skilled dentist. The girls in office I find to be sweet and patient. What is not to love about this dental practice? I always leave with a smile on my face! read more

It must be more than a decade now that Dr. Lew has been my dentist -- first in Cupertino where he was my previous dentist's assistant, then in San Francisco when he left my previous dentist's office and branched out on his own. I've moved from the South Bay to the East Bay to the Peninsula, and through all these moves I've remained a patient of Dr. Lew's rather than choosing a closer, more convenient dentist -- and I'll continue to do so no matter where I'm living in the greater Bay Area. Dr. Lew gets my highest recommendation. I came across reviews of Clement St. Dental on this site through a Google search to get the street address of Dr. Lew's office (to punch into GPS from my new home)...and I was shocked to read some of the reviews! Dr. Lew is an exceptional dentist -- and I've had the opportunity to confirm this over multiple root canals and other major procedures as well as routine check-ups, cleanings, etc. I know several other folks who have the same story I do...we were patients of my previous dentist in Cupertino, and we followed Dr. Lew when he left that office. Dr. Lew has earned our loyalty through consistently exceptional service. Although Dr. Lew is not a friend, he is very pleasant and sociable and I always look forward to office visits. Dr. Lew is always willing to explain things, answer questions and just give good overall patient care. Dr. Lew's office has always been very willing to get me into the office in a hurry when I need it -- other dentists I've seen have not always been so willing and/or flexible, another plus of Dr. Lew's office. I consider myself fortunate to have found Dr. Lew many years ago, and I have never hesitated to recommend him to others. Friends of mine are his patients as well, and we're all in unanimous agreement that we have an outstanding and reliable dentist. read more

Dr. Lew is just great. He is very friendly and shows a genuine interest in your dental needs. His hygenists and assistants are very professional as well. Most of my appointments are routine and no major surprises. One time I was suffering from severe pain and my problem required a root canal. For these type of problems he will have an associate who handles this specialty come in. It was done very well with minimal pain and discomfort. The prices here are pretty standard for SF, ie on the high side but at least the service and attitude is first rate. I am very pleased and can recommend this group with no hesitation. read more

I went to Clement Street Dental based on the previous review. What a mistake! These people are swindlers. As soon as they found out I had insurance they made sure to find as many cavities as possible. Not only that but they tried to convince me I need three caps. Strange, a few months back, my old dentist thought my teeth looked just fine. My advice: go elsewhere, or be prepared to have your teeth drilled to fatten this dentist's bank account. Update: I just visited my old dentist and she confirmed what I thought. I don't need any major work done at all! Good thing I didn't get any done with the Clement Street Swindlers! read more

Rocks! Best teeth cleanings ever. Friendly staff and the dentists are great - every time I go there I have the best conversations and the humor is a real hoot...thanks so much for insisting on night guards and reminding me to floss (now a nightly routine with me kids). read more