I recently had to find a new dentist, so after doing some research and reading many reviews, I decided to try Dr. Kuramoto. My husband and I are so happy that we found Dr. Kuramoto. She is very professional and extremely timely, so you're not sitting in her waiting area for your appointment. Also, I've never had my mouth numbed without feeling like you are being jabbed with a giant needle. With Dr. Kuramoto, I barely felt it. Since Dr. Kuramoto does everything herself, you don't have to sit and wait for her, so she is able to get you in and out in a timely matter. Dr. Kuramoto was a wonderful find! read more

I've been seeing Dr. Kuramoto for at least 6 years now. She is fantastic. The practice is a nice balance between professional and friendly. My favorite part is that it is convenient and quick. I hate making the dentist an hour-90 minute long saga of finding parking and dealing with up-sells and lectures. Dr. Kuramoto and her staff are friendly but down to business. Get your cleaning, get your x-rays, chat, then you can get back on with your day. I'll add, there are so many dishonest dentists out there (I've fallen victim to them before) and Dr. Kuramoto is the consummate professional and is honest with her medical opinions. I trust her completely. Highly recommend if you're looking for an excellent cleaning and care that is quick and trustworthy! read more

Gentle, thorough, efficient, welcoming, highly professional, friendly, honest...these few words describe my immediate reaction to Dr Yoko Kuramoto and staff. I have been a patient here since they opened their doors in San Mateo. Dr Kuramoto and the staff have always taken great care of my teeth, given solid advise, and taken dental action when truly needed. I have never felt anything but kindness and gentleness. If you are looking for a new dental Practice-look no more. read more

Best dental office on the Peninsula. Very professional team...latest equipment. They are all about caring for the patient and making the experience comfortable. Dr Kuramoto just does outstanding work! I even took my 3 year old Grandson here...jumped up into the chair and let her check out his teeth. We were all shocked...but, that's the type of office this is. If you're looking for a new dentist...these are the people.... read more

I was recommended by my girlfriend to come here, best decision ever! Every time I've been here I've never had to wait for my appointment - I'm seated and taken care of right away. Dr. Kuramoto is an absolute gem; she is caring and thorough with her examination and provides excellent consultation each time I'm there. Also aside, I always enjoy our conversations about basketball (she's a big warriors fan!), and travel. I used to dread going to a dentist and would constantly reschedule to push it off; now it's a quick and easy process that I would recommend to anyone! read more

Dr. Kuramoto is friendly, professional, and efficient. Making appointments and getting questions answer is very easy. My whole family sees Dr. Kuramoto and my 6 and 2 year old love going to the dentist now! read more

Just made a Yelp account to write this review, as I've already reviewed on Google :) Contemporary Dental really deserves 5/5. I had a cleaning appointment + checkup a few months ago -- love the office as it feels very homey, and quiet. I usually arrive early, and they take me almost right away, which is great. Receptionist was on point, and answered my questions well. They sent an email survey after the appointment, and I admitted in the survey that I felt that the dental assistant did a not-so-thorough job on the last phase of the clean. Dr. Kuramoto sent a handwritten letter to apologize and offer a new cleaning, free of charge. Amazing! I took up the offer and Dr. Kuramoto did the clean herself. I've never had such an attentive dentist before, and am feeling totally blown away. Would rate more than five stars if I could. Also, bonus note: I've never had a cavity filled without localized anesthesia before (my previous dentists always gave it to me by default) but for my cavity fill at Contemporary Dental, Dr. Kuramoto said I wouldn't need it. She was 100% right. No pain at all, since the cavity wasn't too deep. She was also incredibly fast and efficient through the whole process, and a great storyteller (so helpful when trying to distract yourself from the dental work). It was fantastic leaving the dental office without a frozen, puffy feeling mouth! Sorry for the essay! TL;DR, 6/5, will recommend to all my friends. read more

I used to dread going to the dentist. It would leave me uncomfortable, nervous and anxious. I am soooooo glad I chose Contemporary Dental. Dr. Kuramoto is terrific. Shes super nice, gentle and thorough. She helps you make informed decisions about your treatment plan. The staff is very professional and always readily available to help. The whole process from start to finish (scheduling, teeth cleaning, fillings, etc) was easy and stress free. And most importantly pain free. Highly recommend. read more

I am so glad and lucky to have found Dr. Kuramoto. She is professional, thorough, friendly and caring. Thank God i don't dread calling or going to see my dentist anymore. read more

My husband and I have been going to see Dr. Kuramoto for a little more than two years. We found her to be a competent and professional dentist. She explained what work needed doing and why in a way we could easily understand. It took us years to finally land on a gentle dentist we could trust. Her office staff has gone through changes, but we have always been treated with courtesy and understanding while traversing the complicated world of dental insurance. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her practice to anyone looking for a new dentist. read more

I've only visited Contemporary Dental once so far, so it's hard for me to rate Dr. Kuramoto's dental skills, but the customer service and environment are both top notch. When I arrived, I walked up to the receptionist as usual, and before I can say anything, they asked "Mr. Chen? We've been waiting for you.", and even offered tea as I filled out my dental history. Dr. Kuramoto was actually there to greet me as well. I was already a bit blown away by that, and then I noticed how beautiful the place looked. It was very open, and had lots of plants. It didn't even have the hospital smell that you'd expect at a dental office. I've been going to Kress Dental in southern California for the past 8 years or so. I've moved to norcal for 2 years now, and I still went back. They have been pretty good to me, but during my last visit, I was told I needed a crown on one of my teeth (cavity on a tooth that already had a big filling), and the timing was hard to work out so I was forced to find a dental office around the bay area. Dr. Kuramoto is more conservative, and would like to observe my teeth a bit longer, and also suggested that I try to fill it up again instead of going for a crown. I'll have to see how this works out, but so far, this is the best dental experience I've ever had in my life. read more

I have a big trust issue with dentists from past experiences, and was devastated to lose my wonderful dentist in San Diego when we moved to San Mateo. I've seen Dr. Kuramoto twice now and so far, so good. Her staff is very friendly and it's really easy to get appointments. Dr. Kuramoto is nice, and like the website says, she's very passionate about dentistry. She did some preventative work on me using some crazy camera that shows where cavities are beginning to form. I'd like to think it was legit, although there will always be a part of me that's a little distrusting. read more

Dr. Kuramoto is great -- her approach is low-intervention and she has made great recommendations over the last couple of years for my family's dental care. She is also very caring and available, I had a visitor from out of town who broke his tooth over the Xmas/New Year's holiday, and I emailed Dr. Kuramoto who promptly replied and setup an appointment for the next day, even though it was a holiday. I highly recommend! read more

I don't write many reviews but I felt compelled to do so for Contemporary Dental because teeth are one of the most important things to me. Take this for example; I am originally from Tacoma, Washington and until now, I have always flown back to Tacoma to have my original Dentist work on my teeth. When it comes to my teeth I trust very few people. I was recommended to Dr. Kuramoto so I thought I'd give her a try. She is awesome. Super knowledgeable and extremely friendly. She took the time to explain some of the things she was doing and how that was important to the care of my teeth. Her staff was equally friendly and willing to do whatever it took to make my visit comfortable. When I walked in they offered me tea.... it was like I was starting a spa visit, not the dentist. Lastly, the job they did on my teeth was great. My teeth feel extremely clean and they were extremely gentle in my mouth. Nothing worse than an overly aggressive dentist or hygienist that leaves you with nagging sore spots for the rest of the day. Again, I trust very few people with my teeth, but I now trust Contemporary Dental read more

This place puts the "extra" in extraordinary. After a routine exam, Dr. Kuramoto recommended that I get my wisdom teeth removed to prevent them from pushing against my other teeth, thus ruining my smile. I was fearful that it would be excruciatingly painful because I had seen a Youtube clip of an extraction the night before the procedure. But, my fears were premature because her associate, Dr. Ogawa, assured that it would be painless. He was right!!! The whole procedure went smoothly and I did not feel any residual pain afterwards. Even Dr. Kuramoto was by my side and assisted with the extraction so I was in good hands with two well-seasoned professionals. Since then, Dr. Kuramoto has always been helpful in explaining how I should properly care for my teeth during my routine cleanings. Also, this office, unlike others I visited in the past, has lots of decorum and "feng shui". read more

I've been coming to this office for years, I feel very fortunate. The entire staff especially Dr. Kuramoto are amazing if you are looking for new dentist or new to the area stop looking. We feel very lucky to have such superior dental care. read more

It has been over a year since I've been a patient of Dr. Kuramoto's and I can attest to how wonderful she is. She is so caring and thorough, and genuinely wants to provide you with the best treatment plan that will preserve your teeth in the long run. She does take a more conservative approach, but I think that is especially important when it comes to long term dental health. She's also very good about referring you to specialists if she feels that you might benefit from seeing one. Although I've always dreaded visiting the dentist before, Dr. Kuramoto makes each trip a worthwhile (and pleasant!) one. I really wish I had met Dr. Kuramoto earlier in my life -- though embarrassing to admit, it could have prevented a few cavities that I had put off treating since I disliked dental appointments so much! Other +'s: they always send you an appointment reminder two days prior, which you can easily confirm via text or email. (None of that annoying phone tag/voicemail checking.) Also, she is always spot on with identifying which nerves to numb when it comes to dental anesthesia. (To me, this is a significant + because I've had dentists who couldn't do this properly.) I'm really sad that I won't be able to see Dr. Kuramoto once my car lease is up; but until next year, I'm going to continue making the trek to see her while I still can! read more

Just had my first appointment with Yoko today! I was very nervous since it was my first time at Contemporary Dental. But the staff and the whole ambiance of the place put me at ease! The receptionist (didn't get her name unfortunately) was very sweet and approachable. Shayna was to the point but gave off a super easy-going vibe. And Yoko herself was very thorough during her work. She made sure I had a good understanding of what she was doing and kept good conversation which definitely helped calm my nerves. Going to the dentist used to scare me, but now that I've found Contemporary Dental, I don't feel so anxious anymore! A big shout out to the team! See you in 6 months! read more

My experience to Dr. Kuramoto's dental office was a delightful and exciting. First, I was impressed at how bright and spacious the office was. In the past I visited dental offices that were dark and had only small windows where hardly any sunlight comes in. However, Dr. Kuramoto's dental office was very open and bright which made me feel very comfortable and relaxed. Second, Dr. Kuramoto described and explained to me in detail what problems and advantages I have in my dental hygiene. I was excited to know that I was taking good care of my teeth and also to learn that I need to work on problem areas. Overall I was excited to learn new things about taking care of my teeth and after leaving the office I felt good about myself. I want to thank Dr. Kuramoto and her assistants for the great experience. read more

Everyone is incredible, kind, and helpful. Dr. Kuramoto is informative and she provided me with many options. Will recommend this dental office to everyone i know. Simply amazing read more

I came here for the first time today and saw Dr. Kuramoto and loved it. Everyone was so friendly and personable. They made me feel really comfortable being there. The cleaning was gentle and painless. Overall it was a pretty quick visit as well and didn't have to wait. In fact, I was running late because of traffic. I called and they said it was no problem at all and to get there safe and when I could. I even offered to reschedule. Dr. Kuramoto explained everything she was doing and in terms that non-medical people would understand very well. At the end I got a little goodie bag with toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and some useful coupons. I'd definitely recommend coming here! read more

I have been to Contemporary Dental twice now. My 1st time was for a cleaning/examination and my 2nd was for a filling. My experience during both visits were great! The office is relaxing, neat, and HUGE! There is even a parking lot which is extremely convenient. Dr. Kuramoto and her staff are so NICE! They really make the dental experience painless! Dr. Kuramoto is super detailed, explains everything she does, and genuinely care about her patients :) I can't wait for my next cleaning and have already recommended her to my boyfriend. read more

I like the dentist, but I have the uncomfortable feeling that she is trying to get as much money out of me and my insurance as possible, rather than providing the care that I need. I had tooth pain and she said floss and we'll check it at the next visit. The next visit, she said I probably need a root canal - why didn't she do something before I needed that? She sent me to her endodontist pal, who insisted that I get a root canal. I then got a second opinion, and they said it was only 50/50 if I would ever need one, and that it was my choice. So I'm done with Dr. Kuramoto. Put your patients first instead of their pocketbooks. read more

I've been seeing the Contemporary Dental for many years. They are what you would expect from a dentist's office: professional, thorough, friendly and state of the art services. I recently broke a tooth and received care the next day. Regularly scheduled cleanings and related services are excellent. Dr Kuramoto and her staff are the best! read more

Not thrilled with my first visit, I kind of felt like the assistant was very rough and when I said she was hurting me while doing my X-rays she didn't really receive those comments well and just gave me a look like I was being silly. The doctor I saw kept showing me pictures of bad cavities that needed to be filled when I said I just wanted to fill a minor cavity and it was my first experience with cavities at the age of 33. I really feel like the Dr I saw is practicing unethical dentistry and is pushing treatment on me that's not necessary. read more

I'm not an American citizen and only here with a traveler's insurance. Dr. Ogawa was great, helped me with all my problems, even gave me long-term advice. His team was wonderful, too, going out of their way to accommodate my insurance company's requirements and extra paperwork. I highly recommend this practice! read more

For routine checks and cleanings, Dr. Kuramoto's office is fine. I've had a couple different hygienists, one I really liked and the other I really did NOT like, she did not seem to be particularly efficient with her work or seem to know what she was doing. Lots of fumbling and uncertainty. But Dr. Kuramoto seems more than capable. I'm also not crazy about the fact that the office always seems halfway closed when I'm there, but that's not a major issue. What I would definitely NOT recommend this practice for is Invisalign treatment. I started my Invisalign there and Dr. Kuramoto assured me it was a reasonably simple case. I had to move in the middle of this course of treatment. She provided the me with my remaining trays and just said that if I followed the tray schedule, I would be fine and may need to undergo a refinement at the end of the treatment with my new doctor. My subsequent orthodontist had to completely redo my treatment plan, new scans, new molds, completely new trays, like a new case. I had to start over, and I was charged like it was a new case--though the new orthodontist worked with Invisalign to save me the initial case fee. And on a side note, the process to take my scans and molds at the new practice took a total of 10 minutes, including waiting time, versus the hour and a half and two visits it took at Contemporary Dental. That's a lot of detail to say that this practice is fine for routine dentistry, but if you need orthodontic work done, go see an orthodontist. They are not equipped to handle, even simple, orthodontic cases, and ultimately, I feel, like another reviewer said, that beginning my Invisalign treatment with Dr. Kuramoto ("It's easy to transfer your Invisalign case if you end up moving...") was more lucrative for them than in my best interests. (I paid this practice as if they completed my whole treatment, $6000, though she was willing to refund about 13% of that cost.) I started this treatment two years ago--it was supposed to last 9 months. I'm still working on correcting my alignment and bite. read more

It took 3 years for me to finally find a dentist like Dr. Kuramoto. She was attentive, down to earth, and very good about explaining everything to me. Her staff Annmarie and Fergie were really great as well. Dr. Kuramoto did not try to up-sell me with anything fancy or cosmetic like my last dentist did. I'll be looking forward to my next visit in 6 months. read more

It's been 15 years since I seen a dentist and could not decide on where to go. Thank goodness I found contemporary dental. It's so much fun to go to that office. It's nice and open, with lots of sunlight to make you comfortable. That makes all the difference for me. As Dr Kuramoto repaired my teeth I relaxed as I looked at the large skylight. What a difference from my childhood dental office where I felt clostrophobic in a dark basement. Also what a difference in dental care since that time. No pain and great patient care. Check it out for yourself. read more

I've been searching for a new dental office since moving to San Mateo in November 2011. I am happy that I found Contemporary Dental! Dr. Kuramoto and her staff are very friendly and make you feel comfortable to be there. Everyone is helpful in addressing all of my questions and explaining the importance of proper care of your teeth. Most importantly, they did an awesome job on my cleaning and fillings. Plenty of street parking available, but they also have a small lot of their own. read more

This is the best dental office I ever had to deal with. No nonsense, just thorough work and good treatment. Today I woke up with some serious toothache. I called them the moment they opened and requested urgent help. In one hour I was seating in the dental chair. The doctor thoroughly checked everything and even got second opinion from the colleague to make sure she is 100% right. They patched up my aching tooth and charged very reasonably as I did not have insurance. Another nice aspect is that they are tech savvy and you can fill out these forms online. I'm very glad I called Contemporary Dental today. read more

I went back in today for a follow up and was not charged. I almost feel guilty for not being charged. Anne Marie (I hope I spelled her name correctly) is very warm and friendly. A great first impression for the office. She will go out of her to way help you and do what she can. She is helping me with something and has gone out of her way. Great part of the team. Thanks Anne Marie! read more

Okay so now it is 6+ months later and I just left Dr. Kuramoto's office and yet AGAIN I am a HAPPY camper! Not only did Dr. Kuramoto know me by first name she treated me gently (still had anxiety). I had an awesome experience again at this office! And now they have Annmarie who is a doll and really knows how to interact with the patients. Immediately I felt more comfortable than before. Thank you Dr. Kuramoto, Fergie, and Annmarie for a wonderful experience again! If you are scared of dental treatment or just need a new dentist and are looking for a compassionate caring dentist PLEASE see Dr. Kuramoto. She's great! read more

I love Contemporary Dental! They filled in a gap I had between my front teeth a few days before my wedding. They worked hard to arrange so that I could come in on short notice, which I greatly appreciated. Dr. Kuramoto is very gentle and effective at cleaning teeth. I am very happy to have found a friendly, warm, clean and modern dental office by my work. read more

It has definitely been awhile since I last went to the dentist. Figured I needed to do a general check up/cleaning. I found Contemporary Dental and scheduled an appointment. Quick and easy! Annmarie was extremely friendly with accommodating a time that worked. On the day of my appointment, I filled out some paperwork and quickly got seated for my x-ray. Biting on the mouthpiece for the different angles of my x-ray (assuming this is what other dental offices do as well?), was probably the only thing I didn't like. However, 5 stars for the staff members being genuine and made me feel comfortable. Dr. Kuramoto also provided many helpful tips and recommendations for my teeth. Oh, parking was easy too (lots of street parking). That's always a plus! read more

I normally avoid the dentist at all cost. So when my mouth started throbbing I feared the worst. A friend of mine recommended Dr.Kuramoto. Honestly, it was the most relaxing and painless dental visit I have ever had. She told me what she was going to do each step of the way and always asked me if I was okay. She made me feel comfortable and explained everything to me. And she did a wonderful job fixing my fillings! read more

Dr. Kuramoto did a great job cleaning my teeth! I just had a regular cleaning and she's really detailed and calm throughout the whole thing - she seems like she's cleaned a million teeth before. It was one of the quicker and better cleans I've ever had. What makes this place stand out is that the entire staff seems to be on board with customer service, very polite and very friendly. They spent a good 25 minutes sorting out my insurance [it has some annoying clauses on whether a 'year' is a calendar year for x-rays and some other stuff] to make sure it'd be the easiest possible experience for me so that's a bonus star if I could give them one. Another perk was that the entire place is put together very nicely, it was near the holidays when I went so there was a tree, lots of Christmas type things and it extra effort shows: it's kind of attention to detail you want when someone's cleaning your teeth. Finally they even offer some beverages (coffee, tea, etc.) which is definitely something new. The place on the outside looks like some old brown building but inside is bright and inviting, which is probably not you'd associate with the dentist. Plenty of parking, quick and painless, I'd recommend her to anyone. read more

"Woohoo! As good as it gets!" would be an accurate description. Professional, patient, caring, knowledgeable & tidy. They do a great job everytime I go in. I used to hate going to the dentist; but now I'm not so afraid or unwilling, thanks to Dr.Kuromoto. read more

After having a really bad Dentist in downtown SF, I've been overcautious of Dentists. But Dr. Kuramoto has really warmed me up to them in the last two years. She is the first Dentist I did not feel was out to stack my bill. She is the only Dentist I've had who responds positively to my nit picking, and doesn't charge me for it. I.E. On numerous occasions I have asked to have a bump smoothed or a stain removed, in the middle of an unrelated procedure, and she kindly obliged, and though I would have been happy to pay a fee for the kindness, I was never charged for these. It is a very affordable practice with excellent happy service and top quality work. read more

I have been seeing Dr. Kuramoto for years and love the office, the staff and professionalism of everyone there. I also feel like I am going to one's home for a visit as well because quite often Dr. Kuramoto comes out to say hi before I go into the chair. I had an emergency when she wasn't available and Dr Ogawa saw me with the same welcoming and thorough assessment that I would have expected from Dr. Kuramoto. All of the dental assistants that I have met are all wonderful, patient, knowledgeable and comforting. I highly recommend giving this office a try. The office is bright and cheerful too. read more