Like most people, I'm scared to go to the dentist. I made it thru age 24 with 0 cavities, so naturally the minute I started getting them (oustide of college, and away from my Colorado dentists), I grew suspicious. I came across a shady dentist in Arlington, when I first moved to Washington DC. Then I found a decent dentist in DC proper, but didn't love the way he did a filling - since he left it rough and not smooth, and seemed irritated when I wanted it polished. After 3 years of unhappy/so-so dentistry in DC, I moved to SF in August '07, and was again terrified to find a dentist. (Do they all want my $ from fillings? And sure, I wasn't flossing every day, but I was at least 3 x's a week!) So it gets better... I move to SF, and go to the dentist whom my OK dentist in DC recommended - Dr. Murakami in SF. My dentist in DC said she did amazing work (since he'd seen some of her old patients who had moved to DC), but I wasn't so impressed. Dr. Murakami had a great, sassy personality and demeanor, and she re-did my rough filling from the DC dentist, but then claimed I had 6 cavities! 6!?!? Really?! I was astonished. Clearly I needed a second opinion. Well, that was one strike against Dr. Murakami - but not necessarily a strike, b/c who really knows since cavities can be subjective on the watch & wait, or fix now scale (or so I'm learning). Well, the real issue was that Dr. Murakami didn't tell me before she fixed my cavity from the DC dentist that her office demands full payment up front, and then instead of them billing insurance, I bill insurance (and insurance reimburses me, not the dentist). Um... this is different. Best part: I don't find this out until AFTER she started drilling, and the service was done. I walk up to the counter, all ready to check out (assuming they'll bill my insurance, and then their office will bill me the remainder later). Um, no. Instead, I'm asked to fork over $869 right there. Yeah, shocker! Needless to say, I never returned, even though Dr. Murakami's office phone stalked me every week or bi-weekly for the next 4 months (even after I politely asked them to stop calling me, explaining that I wouldn't be returning, given their sketchy billing policy - they should explain their unique process up front, before any service is performed). The office finally stopped calling once I came to collect my X-rays... read more

4:00 appointment. Right on time as usual. Awesome people and love talking to them! Thanks for not making it hurt too badly. read more

Been seeing Diane for the last 16 years. She's handled two crowns and 4 filling replacements for me. I like her because she's more concerned about my teeth than I am. Also, she was recommended to me by two other dentists. Beware, though: she'll ask you complicated questions while she has her hands in your mouth! "So, what do you think of the plan to change mid-Market street?" read more

She's my favorite dentist, and I'm sad she has retired. I chipped a tooth ages ago, and Dr. Murakami is the only dentist I found in San Francisco who had the skill to repair it with a simple bonding. Other dentists wanted to put on a veneer, but Dr. M is a wizard with the bonding material and tools. She essentially whipped up a new tooth for me on the spot. I'll miss her. read more

Dr. Murakami and her assistants are all incredibly friendly and nice, and my cleanings have been relatively painless and smooth. So why two stars? Let me tell you a story: I went in to Murakami having had 2 cavities in my life. I was diagnosed with 12 trouble spots - 4 she wanted to drill ASAP and 8 she was going to watch. Assuming that X-rays don't lie, I went ahead and booked an appointment to get the drillings done. My Ex then went in a few weeks later. He has had perfect teeth his whole life, and was suddenly told he had 3 cavities...suspicious. I went back six months later and was told she had to drill 4 more spots. Hell no! Time for a second opinion. So I went over to Dr. Ronald Yee (who is amazing!), had digital X-rays taken, saw them blown up on a big screen TV, was walked through every one of my teeth, and told I have a near perfect mouth for someone my age and need no fillings. He wasn't sure what Murakami was referring to. So if you are just getting cleanings, Murakami is great. But be careful when she pulls out the drill.... read more

I have been going to Diane for the past 25 years. She is a highly qualified and exacting dentist, cares about her patients, listens, has seen me numerous times under emergency situations, and her staff have always been accommodating and friendly. The office is in a beautiful Art Deco building with views of downtown SF. I live in Marin but still make the trip in for cleaning. Had an infection in 2014 in a molar and she saw me the very next... Lifesaver. read more

We LOVE the dentist! Can you say that? Diane is the consummate professional and a blast to spend a prone day with. Her office is always buzzing with activity and laughter. We've been going there for a long time through many many procedures and can't recommend her enough. read more

When I was younger and my mother told me to brush my teeth, it was an automatic encouragement to do the opposite. Therefore, I never brushed my teeth in my formative years and had like 100 black fillings. I asked for it. Then of course, because my mother was single, going to school, and raising two kids, she took my brother and I to UOP to get our teeth fixed by students. For some reason, we got to go downstairs in the dentistry archive with the skeletons, old books, and super old dentistry tools which I would take to school and tell the other kids they were abortion tools. Anyway - so I had about 20 years of bad teeth when I started going to Dr. Murakami and now, many years later, all my teeth are white and pearly. No more black fillings. She has helped me be a lot better about brushing, flossing, and getting regular cleanings. Although I still like to cancel my appointments regularly. Sorry Grace. read more

How can I put this poetically... Dr. Murakami and her staff are the shit! In 2006 I was living in the Bay and broke my front tooth in a basketball game. Until that point I had only seen one dentist, and he was in Southern California. One of my best friend's told me to see Dr. Murakami, and I have not seen another dentist since. Not only did she do a superb job on my fake tooth (no one, I mean no one can tell its not my real tooth) but she made sure that I felt minimal pain--Dr. Murakami does everything possible to make the dentist going experience painless. I have regularly returned for cleanings and check-ups. The staff is always friendly and talkative and Dr. Murakami is a crack-up. I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Murakami. read more

Like many other unhappy patients who have visited this office, I have a similar story regarding having treatments pushed on me without my consent. I went in for a routine cleaning and suddenly, I notice that other instruments and tools are being brought out to be used on me! I couldn't say anything due to hands and gadgets being vigorously inserted into my mouth without warning . After what felt like two hours I am told by the doctor that she had to fill six cavities. I asked her why I was not informed and she said it was an urgent case. Are you telling me that a minute to get my consent would have killed me?! I don't doubt her knowledge of dentistry. However. It is wrong and unethical to do a procedure on me without asking. I also doubt I had six cavities due to my diligence with my teeth. I promptly switched dentists and have never had a problem or a "cavity" again. read more

She yelled at her assistant to start booking empty time slots while she had a drill in my mouth. Not fun.

she was my dentist for years. she and her staff was always really friendly...except for the times i'd hear her yelling for whatever reason in the background. she's kind of a hothead. she's gotten really sloppy within the last year. during my last visit, she repeatedly left the room for really long periods of time. they didn't seem very busy, but i realized that she was going into the kitchen to chit chat with the staff and eat chinese food. when she finally returned to finish my routine filling, she didn't have a mask on and burped several times in my face. do you know how close dentists have to get to your face???!!!!! gross!! i actually recommended her to my friends who all seemed to have bad experiences. she told my friend that he needed to replace all his existing lower fillings and crowns. he got a second opinion who told him that he really only needed to replace one filling and that he should be wary of any dentist who tells you that. another friend had a cavity filled and he said that he was shocked by how rough she was. he's a big, burly, strong guy and she had him in a sweat and shaking for hours after the procedure. he said he'd never go back to her. neither will i. read more

she died. she was awesome. loved her skill humor and knowledge. Rip Diane.

Dr. Murakami is genuinely caring, knowledgeable, proactive and a perfectionist--all great qualities in a dentist. I've been going to her for more than 5 years, but I wish she had been my first dentist. She is wonderful. Terry is also terrific. My teeth always feel so clean after I see her. Everyone in the office is so friendly and kind too. Thank you, Dr M, Terry, Josie, Pat, and everyone. read more

This woman is a fraud. Beware. I've been luckily to have had excellent dental care in my life provided by close family friends, so I know good care when I see it. I take care of my teeth. When I went to see her after moving out to SF, she told me I had 12 cavities. Twelve!!! When just 6 mos after my last visit to my long term dentist in NYC the number was 0!! Worried about waiting (she told me 3 needed to be filled immediately or I was at risk of root canals), I had her fill 3. (Yale White Lab Coat psych experiment from the 60s, anyone? Whereby even if you know better, when someone knowledgable (i.e. wearing a white coat) and calling themselves a doctor tells you to do something, you do it?) Welcome to a 2.5 hour appointment during which time she repeatedly left the room for periods of up to 20 minutes to work on other patients - all while I was under nitrous. She also kept shooting me up with novocaine because she was taking so long. Not only is that unprofessional, it's borderline malpractice. If you can't do the work in one sitting, then any reputable dentist would space the work out over multiple appointments so that a patient isn't subjected to needless shots of novocaine and an extended period of time under nitrous. I mentioned this to my NYC dentist and he was aghast. Also during the first cleaning the hygienist sharply cut my gum - wound up having to get a gum graft, which didn't take and had to get a second time, only to have it fail again. After these experiences I obviously went for a second opinion with another dentist. He said the three 'cavities' I had filled were completely unnecessary, and the remaining 9 were euqally as non-existent. He is also the one who referred me to the gum surgeon. Dr. Murakami is a fraudulent, unprofessional dentist who should have her license revoked. The hygienists are the same. Please please please stay away from this practice. Even if the quality if her work is high as some others claim, please don't be fooled - she performs grossly unnecessary procedures in a grossly unprofessional manner. read more

I use to go to her many years ago for routine checkups. Looking back I had good experiences because of the very nice and friendly dental assistant she had who did most of the work while she only would pop in for a few minutes to check. Then, I switched dental plans and stopped going to a dentist all together until recently when I had an emergency situation. When I called and ask if they accepted this other insurance the receptionist wasn't sure and advised me to come in anyway. Well, after the entire set of ex-rays and while fixing the emergency situation, the receptionist informs me that they are out of my network and that they would call the insurance to figure out the benefits. After waiting 20 minutes after the appointment, I forked over several hundred dollars to settle the entire service. Then several months later, I get a bill for an additional several hundred. I call my insurance to figure things out and they inform me that I only owe a minor amount. Needless to say, yes, I was in a desperate situation and the situation got fixed but they knew that they didn't take my insurance from the get go and insisted that I replace the set of ex-rays also. I question the ethics of this office and I would not recommend this place to any of my friends. read more

I've been going to Dr. Murakami for 6 years now (including three when I lived out of state and came back just for appointments!) and LOVE her. She's fun, sassy, and makes sure all of her patients are totally relaxed, pain-free, and *happy* during any and all procedures. Very nice for those who aren't so happy to have shots and drills in their mouths. She has done several fillings and two sealants for me, though it's pretty clear that she just takes a proactive attitude toward problem areas that are sure to become cavities if left alone. I, for one, would much rather have a tiny, totally painless filling that takes 10 minutes than wait two years and need a massive filling. I did recommend a friend to her and she ended up having to pay up front (minus one star). Since I've been there so long, though, the office handles all my billing. All in all, Dr. Murakami is definitely the most experienced, fun, and trustworthy dentist I've been to (out of four). I recommend her to everyone I know (now with the recommendation that you call first and try to arrange for them to do your billing), and will continue going there myself for as long as I have teeth. read more

I think this is my third review on Yelp ever. I've been a patient of Dr. Murakami's for several years and she's done a great job every time (my favorite fix was when she patched up a gap in my teeth that I've had since I got knocked over by an angry dog when I was 7). However, the reason why I'm finally compelled to write a review now is because I'm so impressed by how she and her staff handled my little brother's dental crisis. He does't live in San Francisco but came down for a visit. A couple of days into his trip here, he lost a crown. Having prior experience with similar situations, I was worried that there might be a bigger problem, especially since he hasn't seen a dentist in three years. Although I wasn't sure if I could even convince him to to see a dentist while here, I sent an email to Dr. Murakami's office to see if they might be willing to see him. I received a response on the same day, saying that if I could get him in by 3:45, they would take care of him. Yes, even though I couldn't even guarantee that I could get him to go. Since then, they have in fact taken *terrific* care of him (and in fact, he had a serious problem with his tooth). I keep trying to pay his bill (he doesn't have insurance) but they seem much less concerned about the money stuff than they do about making sure that he's okay. (BTW, don't want to set unrealistic expectations here - I've been a patient for years and am (super?) good about paying bills so there's probably a trust factor in place there -- nevertheless . . . I don't know -- actions speak louder than words?). Point is, I'm absolutely grateful for the service my brother has received and so is he -- I feel like Dr. Murakami and her staff truly went above and beyond with my little bro. His exact words are "I'm glad you made me go here". read more

Been coming here for 8 years, always a pleasure. Everyone in the office is genuinely friendly and very accommodating. Excellent care and the experience overall is always excellent. read more

The Best! I've told all of my friends and they love her and her practice as well. She tells it like it is and is very fair.

Dr. Murakami is amazing. She came to see me in the waiting room as I had just had a root canal performed by a dentist on her floor. She was able to see me right away to fill the tooth. While they were clearing a room for me she said, "you look a little green, are you ok?" and then she said, "I think your blood sugar is low from all the numbing they just did -- let me get you some oranges." She then proceeded to go into her office kitchen and slice me up some oranges and delivered them to me on a plate with napkins and patted me on the knee telling me to suck out the juice so I would feel better. I dont know about you but I've never had a dentist or anyone do that for me -- she is awesome. Cares very much about the comfort and well being of her staff. I love her! Oh, and she's been caring for my and my husband's teeth for about 5 years now and she is fantastic. read more

This Dentist, Dr. Diane R. Murakami, is definitely five stars. She is highly competent and aware of the interrelation between dentistry and how it pertains to general health . Her father and uncle are/were both dentists, and she has the benefit of their expertise and experience to add to her wealth of knowledge in her practice. She is as ethical a practitioner as her father, which is as high as it gets. read more

Dr. Murakami was referred to us by a co-worker and was our dentist for 10+ years. Her entire team is caring, professional, respectful, and Diane is an exceptionally gifted dentist. She's careful, thorough, compassionate and will do anything it takes to make your experience a good one. One Christmas an old crown came off so I called her office expecting to get a referral. Much to my surprise, Diane answered the phone and insisted we come right in. An hour later we were on our way back home, temporary crown in place, pain free. Christmas Day - wow! Another time, I needed to have a root canal and was petrified. I opted to see a dentist in the same building to perform the procedure and Diane, aware of my fear, personally walked me to his office and waited with me. That's what I mean about Diane -- she'll go above and beyond for you. We've since moved out of state, and, my new dentist has been highly complimentary of the work Diane has done--even he was impressed! We miss Dr. Murakami and her team. They are quite simply the best. read more