BEST DENTAL PRACTICE EVER!! We all know how many crooked dentists are out there right? I know because I have been to every one of them! Seriously!! Then, after coming close to a dental nervous breakdown, the Universe brought me finally to the website of Fillmore Dental Spa, just blocks from where I live! I love working with Vicky, who runs the office. She is very knowledgeable with insurance and Care Credit and just very organized! She is so nice and fun to talk to that you want to run to the dentist!! I have been given horrible advice previously that would have cost me the loss of teeth so that the dentist could make money off Invisalign like the doctors who are in bed with the pharmaceutical companies! I was recently seeing a corrupt dental group who I found out was in the midst of two lawsuits against the head dentist who currently can't even see her patients! I could literally write a book! Now, I seriously can't say enough great things about Dr. Cecilia Santos-Berkowitz! She is a true gem and probably the only honest dentist left in San Francisco!! From my first visit, where she took the necessary full mouth x-rays to the deep cleaning which I needed, she was always courteous and explained everything in grave detail. She goes over the images with you, so you actually understand what you need that is tailored to you as an individual! I have complex Periodontal issues but instead of wanting to rip my teeth out or send me in to the "end of my life in debt" with Invisalign, she told me about "PerioProtect" trays for my mouth twice a day! Check out the YouTube videos! Not one of my past dentists ever told me about this! They did not tell me about it because then they can't rip you off if you can actually curb your problem without extensive and mostly unnecessary dental work! This may not be for everyone but it sure is working for me! She created the 3D molds for the company to make my trays and then she sent me home with them on my last visit along with the tray gel and an antibiotic to add to the trays in certain areas so it goes deep below the gum line to do it's magic. I love how fresh they make your breath and the added benefit of this gel having hydrogen peroxide in it is the whitening it gives my teeth, even the bonding! Bonding is not supposed to whiten but mine is!! People have commented on the gleam of my new smile! So, ladies and gents out there looking to get away from the scammer dentists come to see Dr. Cecilia Santos-Berkowitz for the best experience of your dental life!! read more

I made an appointment at the Fillmore dental spa as I was overdue for my cleaning and just general checkup. The amazing doctor did such a comprehensive exam for me and used some really cool technology to image my teeth and jaw. I loved how she took the time to explain what she was doing and how it related to the bigger picture of my health, as I am usually quite nervous to go to the dentist. I will be coming back--best experience I've ever had at the dentist! read more

Ive been going to see Dr Santos for over twenty years. I can't believe I'm just now leaving a review. She has always been kind and very efficient. And most importantly honest. She's great to converse with and is genuinely a nice person. Definitely recommend going to see her for any dental work you need. read more

A lot of dedication in Dr Santos office. Starting with Vicky in the front office she's loyal and helpful from getting you in and listening to your concerns about your appt and billing. Great gal. Dr Santos is very skilled and experienced dentist. I think when you have a dentist that is very personable and professional you build a great business and that's what she has. They work with you with accounts and insurance. 5 stars. I have been going there for 10 years or so. They practically have to send me 20 reminders to get in there. Which if I did not I would have no teeth. They really care. That's the bottom line. :))))) read more

By far the most entertaining and well knowledgeable dentist I have! So happy that I was recommended to try their services. Now, I truly understand my teeth, their current state, and how to properly take care of them from now on. Massive shout out to the front office as well. Such a positive attitude and very calm. Dr. Santos hands are very light and she communicates in a personal level, helping me understand without using medical words that can be so difficult to comprehend. The office is clean. The tools are sanitized. HIGHLY RECOMMONDED! read more

Dr. Santos is extremely warm, knowledgeable, and diligent. She does the cleanings herself and answers all questions. She is great at explaining what needs to be done now and what can wait. I have been under her care for the last 2 years and have always had an extremely pleasant experience! She filled a dent and even did some minor fixes on a chip. 10/10 care! read more

Dr. Santos is amazing! I went in for a routine cleaning with my new insurance and she was so explanatory of all of her processes and what was needed and what we could wait on. Her assistant was also incredible during booking and helped answer all of my questions about insurance pricing etc. I told her the shape of my two front teeth were bothering me because they were a bit square and uneven and she literally fixed it the day of. My before and after is shockingly beautiful! She also said she didn't want to do too much but if I had any small fixes to come back and she would fix them for me! Definitely recommend her office for anything routine or cosmetic. read more

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Dr. Cecilia Santos-Berkowitz, D.M.D is by miles the best dentist I have ever had. Not just good at her craft, but a delight to visit to boot. The small office feel is one that I can only describe as having my own private, personal dentist. Plus, the Fillmore Dental Spa Holiday Party is the highlight of the dental related holiday season. If you are new to the Marina or Pacific Heights area, I highly recommend you check it out. read more

Great service and great results. Dr. Santos Berkowitz is a knowledgeable and skilled dentist.

I love Dr. Santos! She is by far the best dentist I've had, from her warm and friendly demeanor to her amazing cutting-edge technology to her awesome assistant and receptionists... she really walks you through everything so that you know exactly what's going on in your mouth and what she's going to do about it. She asked me so many times if I was doing okay and to let her know if anything hurts (it didn't). I really feel like I'm in good care in her hands - the past dentists I've had now seem like totally obsolete compared to her, and I could never go back after experiencing the Fillmore Dental Spa. I've already referred a couple friends and wouldn't hesitate to refer others who are looking for a dentist. Plus it doesn't hurt that the office always looks and smells nice! read more

I hate the dentist. Why do you ask? Well, imagine being 11 years old and being told you're just here for a routine exam and to your horror you find out you're having four teeth extracted! Just because you were inquisitive enough to look under your chart to investigate the weird bulge and discovered a huge chrome syringe and dental pliers. Yeah, that really f'n sucked ass. Thanks for the mental scars Mr. "Children's dentist". Asshole. Dr. Santos on the other hand was very pleasant and very concerned about my dental fears and high sensitivity to mouth pain. She uses state of the art modern dentistry equipment that includes; digital x-rays, fiber optic cameras, and an anesthetic wand delivery system. She also has a gentle touch, and that goes a long way with me when it comes to being inside my mouth performing dental work. She made sure that I was fully medicated and anesthetized before performing any procedure. Thanks Dr. Santos for alleviating my dental fears and for not hurting me either. I'll be back again. read more

I agree with the first reviewer, Dr. Santos is a joy to visit. She's been my dentist for over two years and has always made it a breeze. I've had to get more than cleanings, too. It's a cozy atmosphere but I've never had to wait very long for her to finish with her previous patients. She times her work very well. She uses all modern technologies so she shows you how things get done. No surprises so you're not scared :-) Her assistants are great, too! And let's not forget the holiday parties. They are so fun! People are usually spilling out of the office onto Fillmore but a good time is had by all. Tarot readings. massages, hors d' ouvres and great people (other patients). read more

Dr. Santos is one of my favorite dentist. I like the fact that she isn't agressive about filling your mouth with holes. They are very organized with schedules and billing which I like to see from medical professionals. What surprised me most about this place is that she is so digital so that all your teeth are shown with its history in front of you. I get to see the history of my teeth every time i go in. I guess if i could change one thing i would change the decor to have one of the rooms there be a little more manly. I mean the name already says Fillmore Dental SPA. I feel like i'm going to get a pedicure when i tell my friends i'm going to the SPA. Anyway I like going there because everyone there is really nice and I feel like Dr Santos does a great job. read more

I hate to write a bad review, but it's only fair to warn other people about my experience here. I have been fortunate to never have a cavity in my life. Nor have I ever needed braces, or much of any dental work. I visit the dentist every 6 months, and other than routine cleanings and I've been lucky to have had zero problems. When I moved out to San Francisco, I went to see Dr Santos based on Yelp reviews. I was surprised to be told that I had a whole bunch of cavities that needed to be taken care of, plus required corrective braces. Considering I'd had my last checkup only 6 months before with a clean bill of health I was not expecting so much bad news. Before agreeing to all the procedures I went to another dentist for a second opinion. I was told I had nothing wrong. Then I went to a 3rd dentist, just be sure. He also said I had nothing wrong. So I decided not to get the work done that Dr Santos had told me was necessary. This was almost 2 years ago, and to this date I haven't had any issues with cavities or anything else. Dr Santos seems very nice, and has lots of cool gadgets in the office, but I would be extremely wary of getting any expensive or invasive procedures done until getting someone else to offer a second opinion. read more

I want to recommend the Fillmore Dental Spa for any dental needs. Dr Santos is an excellent dentist and helped me through several problems. She performs routine cleaning herself and keeps you comfortable and pain free. This is an excellent dental practice! read more

Cecilia is great. She takes extremely good care of me and my teeth. I have been a repeat patient of hers for over 2 years because she is consistently doing great work. Her staff are also extremely friendly and patient. She is using serious technologically advanced equipment and you can visually watch as the procedures advance. Ive never been to a dentist with better taste in music than most of the people I know. She gives you a music menu to select from and listen to while she drills you. No joke- Cecilia's persistence is the reason I quit smoking cigarettes. Highly recommended. read more

SCAMMERS. My uncle is a dentist. I get my teeth cleaned every 6 months, floss twice a day and have never had a cavity. I was forced to take X-rays and pictures of everyone of my teeth. She said I had the beginning of 5 cavities, smh. I immediately knew what was going on. This dentist is bad!!!! She basically lies about your teeth to get you to pay more money. I went to get a cleaning and it was PAINFUL! Then she did a probing of my gums! Wow, never had that done before and it hurt. I highly recommend going to the dentist down the street at MARINA DENTAL. It's not the nicest office but they don't try to steal your $$$$ and rob your insurance company. DO NOT GO TO THIS DENTIST. I really hope her and her employees read this review and understand that this is not the way to build trust and build a legit practice. They take advantage of people and it's completely unethical. read more

I do not recommend this dentist and want to write a fair honest warning against it. I came here via recommendation. I knew I needed a few fillings and a teeth cleaning. Dr. Santos recommended I get 8 fillings, and delay my teeth cleaning, but said that I'll eventually need a deep cleaning. The fillings I did receive were incredibly painful, as she did not properly numb my gums or teeth, saturated my gums with anesthesia and could not give me more. Since getting these fillings, I'll need to have 3 of them replaced because she did not fill them properly. Also, I've had gum problems, because she should have cleaned my teeth first before working on fillings. My new dentist was able to correct some of the bad work already on my fillings with zero pain. He also gave me a regular cleaning, and explained that a deep cleaning was not necessary to correct my gum problem, which makes me wonder why Dr. Santos was trying to force one on me. It also makes me wonder if the 8 fillings she made me get were all even necessary. I would not recommend Dr. Santos, and I will never return for dental work here. read more

I like the fact that she has a gentle touch, is very friendly (staff as well), and uses the latest technology. As a dentist, she does indeed seem great. However, I'm just not someone who likes to chat a lot to their dentists, and their assistants. While they're both very cool in this case, I just find it a bit awkward to be asked rapid-fire questions about my personal life when I've only just met a person once or twice (the only people who can legitimately do that are doctors, for obvious reasons, I'd say). I also find it a tad weird to be invited to a singles party hosted by my dentist... I don't know why... it's obvious it's only a friendly gesture. It's just... I don't know... not palatable to me. But seriously, this is so much a "it's not them, it's me" situation... I only wanted to put in a review to forewarn other anti-social souls like me :-) read more

The true test of a great dentist is when they are available to fix a problem when you actually have one. Well, my crown came loose on one sad evening (previous Dentists work), and I called and emailed Dr. Santos right after it happened. She called me first thing in the morning and was able to arrange to get my new crown in on the same morning. There was a lot of work she did (I will spare you the painful details) but she was professional, explained my options and she saved the day! I wasn't skipping out of the office with joy but I was grateful that she was able to fix a problem in one visit and do a great job. Dr. Santos had actually warned me about this crown / tooth from a previous x-ray but, I didn't get a chance to the work done and then of course, like she said what happened was that the crown came loose. All that to say is that she knows what she is talking about...she is not one of those Dentists that simply recommends you do XYZ just because they want your money. She is a genuine a professional - wouldn't go to anyone else, ever! read more

I can't say enough good things about Dr. Cecilia Santos-Berkowitz and her team! I would highly recommend anyone looking for a dentist in San Francisco to consider her. read more

I had the greatest experience with Dr. Cecilia Santos-Berkowitz! She was great - sat there and talked me through everything, did the cleaning herself. It was certainly the most personal experience at the dentist that I have ever had. She also has has a ton of new fancy machines that I've never seen before. Warning: seeing a close up picture of your teeth = scary! Extra bonus...across the street from City Tavern! read more

I heard about this place through my best friend. I had a primary dentist but he would not fix the chips on my 2 front teeth without doing extra dental work. Doctor Santos understood that it was important for me to have the chips fixed immediately. She was kind, asked me if I was okay during the process, and her dental assistant was amazing as well. I will be changing my dental plan to be able to continue to see Doctor Santos as my primary dentist. If you are shopping around for a dentist I definitely recommend Fillmore Dental Spa. read more

AMAZING. AMAZING. AMAZING. I was cursed with soft enamel and have had some serious problems with my teeth. I have been to over 10 different dentists over the past 8 years, and have had extensive amounts of dental work. I can say this very confidently that Dr. Santos is the absolute BEST. I actually look forward to seeing her when I go to the dentist. I had both cosmetic and restorative dentistry done in her office, and was thoroughly impressed with my results. She helped condition my mouth and gums into great shape. My teeth and gums don't ache anymore, and I feel healthy. And by the way, EVERYONE is non-stop complimenting me on my new smile. She's an artist! Her staff is excellent, they are very professional, they are upfront with costs and handle everything in a timely manner. Overall, I am so grateful to have found Dr. Santos and HIGHLY recommend her for all cases. Whether you just need a cleaning or some serious dental work - she'll take incredible care of you. read more

When I first went to see Dr. Santos, it was because I was grinding and clenching my teeth to the point that I had incessant headaches and jaw aches. I finally made an appointment after I was in a lot of pain, and she was able to see me that day, 4 hours later. Dr. Santos suggested I get fitted for an e-appliance to prevent me from clenching my teeth together. She also went so far as to "massage" the roof of my mouth to relieve the muscle tension. After only a couple weeks of using the e-appliance, my headaches were gone, and my mouth tension relieved! I look forward to seeing her every 6 months for a checkup, because she makes the appointments relaxing and enjoyable. read more

I've been seeing Dr. Santos for since 2010 and have loved every visit with her! I have never liked dentists, but Dr. Santos makes going to the dentist as enjoyable as it can be. Her pleasant demeanor, gentle dental practices, and kindheartedness makes her stand out amongst the dental community. I recently completed an invisalign treatment with her and was beyond impressed with the outcome. Sure, it was me wearing the trays that caused my teeth to be straight, but it was her reinforcement of my dental goals that kept me on track to having a straight smile. I promise you will love your experience if Dr. Santos is your dentist, she has completely changed my opinion of what a great dentist should be! read more

I've been going to Fillmore Dental Spa for over 10 years and absolutely love everything about coming here.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Cecilia for many years and was referred to her practice by a good friend. Cecilia has not only built an outstanding and trustworthy practice, but a community of loyal patients. She's the type of person that truly connects and, once a year, throws an amazing holiday party just to bring the community together and express her thanks. Thanks read more

I've been going to Dr. Santos for three years now. She does phenomenal work and makes procedures that would otherwise be uncomfortable very pleasant and pain/anxiety-free. Additionally, she's been very accommodating when I've needed to bring my small children. Her assistant Vicki is also a total sweetheart who makes scheduling and coordinating with my insurance extremely hassle-free. Very appreciative of their work and would absolutely recommend them to anyone looking for a terrific dentist. read more

This is as good as it gets as far as dentists. Dr. Santos is the best thing that ever happened to my teeth and general oral health! Not only is she approachable, friendly and wonderful, she is a pro that does not settle for anything less than excellent when it comes to your teeth. I have had many services performed at Fillmore Dental Spa (FDS). I initially came to have a a deep cleaning that was impeccably performed and made my gums super healthy.....also get regular cleanings and have just finished my Invisalign ortho treatment....all done through FDS. The service for all has been beyond excellent. Not only is it top notch, they squeeze me in whenever I have a special request or emergency, such as when I chipped one of my Invisalign attachments. Service is always with a friendly smile! They accept my insurance and have never had a problem. In fact, my insurance is always maximized! When Dr. Santos realized that I still had my wisdom teeth, she even showed me how I could maximize my insurance to take them out, even though the surgery would not be performed by her (I found my own place). Best advice I ever got....wisdom teeth serve no purpose and are difficult to clean/prone to infection. I think what I am most grateful to Dr. Santos for is for seriously always encouraging me to be better at taking care of my teeth; she truly cares about you. For instance, while my gums were already ok, she urged me to get the Rotadent to have them be top notch. Wow...what a difference it makes. With the tutorial she gave me, my gums are as healthy as they can be. My life has been changed! I now do not know how people go about life without brushing or flossing correctly. I could go ON AND ON AND ON and on about how much I love this place and its people (assistants Mariana and Maria are great), how excellent the service is, and all of the wonders it's done for me. And no! I'm not getting paid to write this! I am doing it out of my own decision and happy to do it. P.S. ...FDS even throws an amazing holiday party each year. does this place get any better?! read more

I was referred to Dr. Santos by a friend and I've been a patient for 3 years now. I live in the East Bay and will gladly drive to SF to see Dr. Santos. It's always a pleasant, quick and painless visit and she's always so warm and friendly. Thanks Dr. Santos! read more

I feel absolutely disgusted and taken advantage of by Fillmore Dental Spa. My husband and I were in need of a local dentist since we moved. Yelp had rave reviews so we thought we would give her a try. We were patients of hers for about 2 years. My husband has had cavities but prior to me visiting her, I only had one. After leaving, I had seven fillings and was left holding a bill for $1200 in CO-PAYS!!! And, we have insurance. She started wanting us to come in every 3 months (compared to the usual 6 months), saying that the visits were free and I should take advantage of it. I got a bill for $40 about a month after my extra visit. Turns out, they were not free. She lied to me and would not return my call when I disputed the charges. I call the office to complain, never got a call back. I asked for my files to be moved, never got a call back. I feel like I was taken advantage of and will NEVER recommend or use her again. read more

Is it possible to love a dentist? It is in fact and I have found true love. From the moment I wandered into her office just out of curiosity while out on a walk (because I hadn't seen a dentist in 5 years and had a nagging toothache). She sat me down in the chair right then and there and looked at my tooth. After making a next day appt. and curing my pain she has continued to care for me with a gentle touch and reasonable prices. Not one of these dental-procedure pushers, she will only do what is necessary. In fact, I happened to ask about a chip in my front tooth that has been bugging me for 15 years (and a constant reminder of a really bad date to a Metallica concert) instead of trying to sell me expensive veneers she buffed it down right then and there. I couldn't believe it! 15 years of looking at something I HATED, and it was gone in 10 min. Fantastic! Nice place too, with music and homey feeling rooms. There is also a parking garage next door if you don't feel like circling for an hour read more

Dr. Santos is wonderful! I have horrible teeth so having a competent dentist is very important. You'd think that wouldn't be so hard to find, but it really is a crap shoot out there. Thank goodness yelp helped me find Dr. Santos. She has done a great job with fillings, crowns, and figuring out what might be causing pain. She takes pride in her work and her relationships with her patients is very important to her. She is no longer my dentist because I moved out of the state, but I'm glad she was with me for many fillings and other nonsense my teeth needed for the years I saw her! read more

Dr. Santos treats her patients with skill, kindness and care. She and her staff give patient comfort the highest priority. I just had a complex procedure and didn't even feel the injection to numb my mouth. She finished a replacement filling and a composite in a front tooth so quickly I never felt any discomfort. I feel so grateful to have Dr. Santos as my dentist! read more

A review of one's own dentist requires a bit of thought, and as someone who doesn't like to write or think too deeply about such matters, I'm challenged. The most important and basic idea is not to come out worse than when you went in. (I wouldn't go to a freshly minted dentist again, it can happen). And an unneeded procedure is one way that can happen. I had a recommendation from a well established dentist several years ago for a root canal, which Dr. Santos avoided just to let you know, but in all fairness I thought was a highly suspect recommendation too. She is not hurried and eager in this regard, but thoughtful and measured and conservative. I value that big time. Fortunately I've not had restorations (fillings and crowns) that didn't work and hold up over time so I can't offer any comparative experience here, except to say her work is ascetically appealing and she may stand out in this regard. I was after quality and not so much value when I first started seeing Dr. Santos. She is neat always, methodical and clearly deft. And that last thing strikes me as highly important. So take from this what you will. But one more thing, least I forget: attentiveness and proaction. So, yes Dr. Santos is thorough, and won't let any potentially serious problem slip by. She will let you know, keep you informed and make referrals and recommendations to be on the safe side. Now, can she do miracles? Maybe, but I was thinking more along the lines of the old Chrysler commercial, "If you can find a better car, buy it." I don't think you will. read more

I hate teeth. SO MUCH. I hate how they decay, how they can crack, how they can shift, and I ESPECIALLY hate talking about them. That being said, you can imagine how I feel about going to the dentist. Anyways, this past month, I've been to the dentist/orthodontist 7 times in total. The whole hellish month started off with me cracking my crown on a tortilla (what??). After this happened, I visited two dentists for initial consultations, the second being Dr. Santos. I decided to go with Dr. Santos to fix my crown, and we went from there. Dr. Santos was seriously amazing. She explained to me clearly everything that needed to be done, and gave me a timeline for when everything would be completed in. She explained to me as she was doing stuff as well, which was a refreshing change from other dentists who often don't explain what they're doing as they're doing it. Anyways, three visits later (one for the temporary filling for me to make my decision on course of action, one for the temprary crown where she removed the existing crown, underlying decay, and to put on the temporary cown, and one for her to cement on the permanent crown) I was good to go, or so I thought. We decided to squeeze in a cleaning too, which led us to discover three more cavities as well. Imagine my horror when I found out I had to go the dentist yet another time. Anyways, after the fourth visit with Dr. Santos, my teeth are now decay free. It's extremely frustrating to have so many issues with my teeth (I take good care of my teeth! Brush and floss multiple times a day) and equally as horrifying to have to go the dentist so many times a month. However, Dr. Santos and her team made the whole experience as pain-free as possible, and I really appreciate them for that. Considering how much I hate talking about teeth, I really don't mind going to Dr. Santos for a visit. I have definitely found my permanent dentist (I had been bouncing around before) and will be back for a cleaning and check up in 6 months. (Fingers crossed that I will not need to be back before that). read more

I love her! She makes you feel so comfortable and helps you to understand what is going on in your mouth. Very gentle and caring. My last dentist had an assistant who called me in November and said, "Yeah, you have $1,000 left on your plan and that money expires at the end of the year so we were wondering if you'd want to come in and get something done?" Are you kidding me!? Come in just so they wouldn't miss out on my insurance money!? Dr. Santos-Berkowitz is nothing like that. When I had fillings done, she was very considerate about doing them in the order of what I could afford. She is just all-around considerate and I'm thrilled to have found her! read more

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Fillmore Dental Spa and Dr. Santos!! I am a new patient and from the moment I walked into the office, I was treated so well. Dr. Santos walked me through the procedures I was going to have done and paid amazing attention to detail (Vaseline on my lips to prevent them from drying during the procedures!). She also has a great software system that tracks all of the work she is doing. We reviewed everything from my chair. She has fantastic beside manner and incredible patience. Dr. Santos made me feel extremely comfortable. I cannot say enough about how enjoyable my experience was - I completely trusted Dr. Santos 100% of the time, and actually look forward to my next visit. :) read more

Dr. Santos is smart, cool, and an amazing dentist! I have been going to the Fillmore Dental Spa for years. I can't say enough about Dr. Santos! She is a perfectionist in the best way. Dr. Santos explains exactly what procedures that she will be doing and encourages any questions you may have. She also has a modern software system that gives you a visual of her x-rays and of her work. Oh, and you get to choose music to listen to during your procedure. Best dentist that I have ever had! read more