Dr. Lau is our family dentist, but he's also become a trusted friend. We've been to Dr. Lau's practice for many years and we've referred countless friends who all think he's amazing. He's highly skilled, incredibly efficient, very professional, and extremely ethical. It also helps that he's really funny and easy to talk with. He really cares about his patients and their well being. Dr. Lau has treated my daughter since she was in elementary school; she has a good relationship with dentistry because of Dr. Lau. The biggest compliment I can give Dr. Lau is that he has an incredibly light hand. Even though you're getting a dental procedure, it'll be the most gentle version of that procedure. My spouse walked away from a root canal thinking it was a light procedure. We love Dr. Lau and we think anyone new who comes here will feel the same way! His staff is also fantastic! read more

Words cannot express my deepest gratitude, and appreciation that goes out to Dr. Mathew Lau and his team at South Shore Dental. My situation is unique, so I will save you the long story/rant. After much intensive research, I found that Dr. Lau had the best reviews in all of the East Bay. I was apprehensive because our dental insurance had been deactivated due to budget cuts from this new administration. I was left despirit and in despair trying to find a quality dentist I could trust with my family of 6 with medical conditionsand disabilities. Coincidentally, my tooth chipped to reveal a cavity which needed to be filled before it hit a nerve. A week later, I found myself at South Shore Dental. My first visit was met with how friendly and professional everyone was. They were all incredibly kind, helpful, and created a feeling of ease and trust. Dr. Lau explained everything and answered all questions with thoroughness and clarity of the examination/consultation. I was especially impressed with his compassion and empathy as he listened to my situation and how it brought me to his office. I am impressed with his integrity and incredibly touched by his generous heart. The procedure was surprisingly comfortable, and there was no discomfort during or after. I loved how he walked me through the whole process as he addressed my concerns and made me feel heard and respected. I have been telling everyone how great Dr. Lau is as he lives up to and surpasses his reputation. I feel incredibly blessed have met Dr.Lau and to have him work on my teeth and esspecially how he went above and beyond to help me with all my concerns. Dentistry truly is his calling in how he is passionate in his profession, and it is reflected in his work and relationships with his patients. Not everyone in life can say they love what they do, but Dr.Lau can! God has certainly blessed him, and I love how he is giving back in God's name. Anyone who goes here can feel confident that you will be provided with exceptional care and an outstanding dental experience that far exceeded and surpasses all other places. Philippians 2:3-4: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others". read more

Great experience with Dr. Lau! He and his staff are welcoming and well organized. Dr. Lau cares deeply about his patients and the quality of his work. He works gently and explains procedures and options well. I had a filling on a front tooth and it is perfectly blended and invisible. read more

Just another crooked dentist! He will talk your freakin ear off about nonsense in order to distract you from paying attention to his inability to perform quality services. I came in for a simple implant crown replacement and abutment procedure. I assumed he would have to perform an examination to determine how to proceed so I got in the chair. After his helper took X-rays, this schmuck gave me his version of a teeth cleaning which at best lasted 10 minutes! I was then given the bill for the cleaning I never asked for in the first place ($322). I paid it reluctantly but later found out from my insurance that he is (in fact) in my network and should never have charged me that much. I returned to his office ASAP for a refund of $161 and got it while listening to his feeble excuses and vehement denials of culpability. There's more to this sad story but I've wasted enough of my precious time on this moron already! After reading Dr. Lau's response to my review I couldn't resist coming back to clarify a few of his hilariously delusional remarks about me. First of all, I am only 6 feet tall. Secondly, I am a 62 year old below the knee amputee who has no interest in threatening anyone especially an emotionally dysfunctional dentist who clearly needs psychiatric treatment! His response to my review is a series of manufactured lies and has irrationality written all over it! All of his negative reviews have a similar theme which reveal that this dentist has a pattern of unprofessionalism and lacks the ability to run his business. read more

Matthew Lau, DDS FICOI - General Dentistry Near Me - Alameda, California

Dr. Lau is a great dentist. He approaches the work like a craftsman and cares about getting the work done perfectly. My teen son comes here for his appointments after school and is always treated by all of the staff kindly and professionally. I wouldn't hesitate to refer Dr. Lau to friends or family. read more

Dr. Lau and his staff are all very friendly and put you at ease. They are accommodating and patient with young children. The other dentists seem to have changed over the years but I've had no issues with any of them. Their front desk is also very communicative over text/email, which I appreciate. Our family doesn't generally have any teeth issues, we only go in for checkups and regular cleanings, so I can't comment on any more complicated services. But the checkups/cleanings are great- Quick but thorough, which is all I need. Thanks! read more

Dr. Lau and his staff were friendly and professional. I went in for a cleaning and it was probably the best experience I have had with x-rays. I am extra sensitive so I always gag when getting x-rays on my teeth. The staff was very gentle and I was surprisingly able to get through the x-rays without a bunch of retakes. Dr. Lau was very gentle when going through the cleaning. Before I knew it, the cleaning was done. I would definitely recommend going to Dr. Lau for your dental needs. read more

After calling several Dentists in Alameda for an urgent appointment, I was able to get one for the next morning. It was a small miracle that I found Dr. Lau!! The atmosphere there was a friendly and helpful staff. I even had a nurse holding my hand while the dentist extracted a bad molar. I am now excited to have a new dentist to take care of my dental needs. read more

*Updated review with COVID precautions* I recently visited Dr. Lau's office for a regular checkup. They are taking all precautions with COVID, which I appreciate. - The day before my appointment, I received a call asking about possible symptoms/exposure. - Before my appointment, I received a text informing me to wait in my car and let them know I arrived (rather than going straight in.) When I did so, I received a quick survey which I was required to fill out before going in. - Once I stepped into the office, I was asked to use hand sanitizer, my temperature and oxygen level were taken, and they had me gargle for a full minute with 1% peroxide oral rinse before starting the examination. Everything went off smoothly as normal. Everyone here is friendly, efficient and very helpful. I appreciate their thoroughness with COVID precautions, while remaining friendly as always. read more

I love Dr. Lau! He's incredibly kind. I'm always excited when Mom & Dad Lau are working in the office. I can see why Dr. Lau turned out to be such a great human being! I think he's also a very good dentist. He's cautious, which I really appreciate. He's ensured I get the right treatment. read more

I've been with Dr. Lau for almost three years now and I've been very happy with him, his partner dentists and his office staff. He takes great pride in the quality of his work. I also like that he has the latest dental equipment. Highly recommended! read more

He ruined my tooth crown . After 5 times attempting and injecting me 5 different appointments told me he doesn't know how to finish a procedure and refered me to his teacher / friend . Not to mention how creepy he was. He showed me some blonde young girl that I reminded him off. He needs his license taken away. Then he fired me as a patient. When I asked him how many crowns he has done . He said only on his mother . Terrible and creepy person . read more

Dr. Lau was super thorough and detail oriented in my visit today. It was my first time and his attention to detail was very impressive and admirable. Also, the person who took care of me before Dr. Lau saw me was super attentive too. I felt really cared for and will definitely be coming back! read more

Our long time dentist recently sold their practice to a corporate practice, and that sent us looking for a dentist still doing private practice who is more local to us. We chose South Shore Dental and so far have had two really good experiences there -- a cleaning/check-up for my husband and me, and a filling repair for me. Based on these two visits, I can highly recommend this office. Everyone in the office is kind and friendly, our appointments started right on time, and their health & safety measure are on point. When I had my cleaning, I told the dentist* who did it (and I'm sorry that I'm forgetting her name because she was great) that I can get nervous in the dentist's chair, especially around the noises associated with the various drills and grinders. She must have made note of that in my file because when he did the filling repair, Dr. Lau talked me through each step, including telling me what the tool he was going to use was going to sound and feel like. This was a quick process, but I will feel a lot of confidence going back to this office because of how gently Dr. Lau narrated the process to me. He even had me laughing (without laughing gas)! Unfortunately, my former dentist's office sometimes seemed more nervous about my nervousness than I was. So far, with this office, I don't get that at all and it is much appreciated. *I don't know if this office always has a DDS do cleanings or if we had the dentist do our first ones so that they could familiarize themselves with us. We'll find out next time. For that first visit, though, I definitely appreciated how attended to we felt. read more

I was looking forward to meeting a new dentist but I had to cancel my appointment. I called a week before my appointment to ask if they take Delta Dental insurance and they said yes they do. I was emailed a form to fill out and it asked me what insurance I had. I filled it out and emailed it back. Then, they texted me a form to fill out to fill out electronically. It asked me again what insurance I had. So today, an hour and fifteen minutes before my appointment, they call and tell me that they don't take my insurance! The receptionist tells me that they just looked at the paperwork today. I told her I spoke to someone originally and they said they took my insurance. There wasn't even an apology. So frustrating. So sad. read more

I'm bummed to hear this dentist will not be taking ANY insurance in 2023. That's crazy. I'll be looking for a new one... again. Used to go to Dr Tonsberg. Oh well. I wanted to like this dentist but they don't understand billing like they should. read more

Very happy I made the switch to Dr. Lau's office. Everyone on the staff who I encountered during my visit were genuinely kind and knowledgeable. They were able to squeeze me in for an appointment on a very short notice. And the best part is that they answered all the questions I had and never tried to suggest anything that I didn't need. read more

At this point I've used them for a few years. Bummer... They've stopped weekend appointments which was a main motivating factor for coming here in the first place. I've also never met Matthew Lau who started the practice and have always managed to get another associate. I see a new face on my last few visits. read more

I'm a new patient here and recently had a deep cleaning. Dr. Lau and the team run a really great operation here. Patient, kind, and gentle - I look forward to returning here in the future and intend on referring my fiance here as well. Thank you guys, read more

Dr. Lau is a good dentist. Loved his work and skill. It really is a pity, I have to take away stars because of how his office works. Out of all my years of going to dentists, I have never had a surprise bill after I have paid everything, even the bad dentists. And yeah, it happened with Dr Lau's office. I was told my insurance covers the treatment, then a month later, I was notified by his office, I have an outstanding charge. I owe them money. I am not happy with this and also I have to mention again, his front desk/front office really needs some customer service training. I dont expect super friendly, but at least not be so dismissive. On the phone with them to schedule an appointment, then I ask what is your name? (I at least want to know who I spoke to) And the lady/girl said, you dont need it. Huh? So, it is either you know you have horrible customer service that you dont want to give your name or you not important to have a name? read more

I'm going to have to say, this is by far, the best experience I've had visiting a dentist. This is my first time to this office let along any dentist since the pandemic. When you first arrive, they check your temperature at the front desk. Since I am a new patient, they gave me forms to fill out and obtained my insurance information pretty quickly. The receptionists are extremely helpful and always kept me in the loop about what was happening. After I finished the paperwork at the front, the dentist assistant, I believe, got me situated in the exam room. She gave me hydrogen peroxide to rinse for about a minute, took my oxygen level, then took me to take my x-rays. Let me tell you, she did an excellent job at taking my X-Rays and keeping me calm throughout the entire process. Then, it was time to see Dr. Lau. I've never been a fan of the dentist, but if you are looking for a dentist with a sense of humor and compassionate about his patients, this is the office to go to. He took a look at my teeth, did a quick routine run around, then took the time to go over the x-ray and photos with me. This not only helped me understand what was going on inside, but gave me a much better prospective of what needs to happen next. Dr. Lau is informative and there is no question that is too silly for him. Just ask. He will always answer your questions. Lastly, at the end of my visit, he recommended some ways to better care for my teeth such as; what toothpaste would be better, what to rinse your mouth with, and what types of brushes are beneficial compared to ones that are not as good for you, etc..The staff goes above and beyond. 10+ out of 10. I can't really give a number since the stars only go up to 5, but I think I've gotten my point across. read more

As a new patient, it was a fantastic experience. I recently had to switch dentist and my wife recommended Dr. Lau. The staff is really nice and responsive and got me in really quickly. Their equipment is very current and it was the most painless xray experience it had. Dr. Lau explained things well and even told me about signs I might have some other issues that I should consult with my primary doctor about. I am really grateful for this, as he was watching out for my general health and wellbeing beyond my teeth. read more

Dr. Lau and everyone in the office were wonderful!!!! He walked me through everything he was doing and seeing and that really put me at eaze. We had a great conversation and I wish I took notes of his recommended places to eat, see and shop at. When I told him that I am planning on moving he gave me recommendations on other dentists in the area that I would be moving to. This was truly a great experience and I can't thank him or his office enough. read more

Best dentist ever! He is not looking for business but for the clients health and well-being. Great work ethic and thorough and dedicated dental care. Highly recommend him! read more

Dr. Lau and everyone in his office are wonderful! I am VERY anxious about dental visits & procedures after some traumatic experiences as a child and as someone with some ongoing jaw issues. Dr. Lau and all of his associates were all super patient and kind to me throughout my examination & cleaning. Dr. Lau explained what he was looking at during my exam and then helped me to understand what the best course of action was for my teeth going forward. He fixed a small chip I had on my lower tooth and it was painless, super fast and actually very enjoyable to chat with him during the appointment. As someone who was dreading going in to see the dentist, I am thrilled to have found South Shore Dental & Dr. Lau in Alameda! read more

I've never had a dentist sit with me to explain my x-rays as throughly as he did, nor to point out a small stain on my teeth that he polished away himself. Dr Lau was friendly, attentive, and informative. Regarding COVID protocols, he does have an aerosol guard in place during the cleaning, as well as an aerosol suction thing for during, plus a filter and a fan that circulated the air in the room pretty well. I'm impressed by his thoroughness. read more

Great first experience! We decided to look for a new dentist now that we live here in Alameda. Dr. Lau was great; he explained everything he was doing which I really appreciated. They have some cool tech (x-rays show up on the tv right away, additional photos of your teeth also up on the tv). He was really gentle when scraping around my gum line. I've never not bled and felt like I was being stabbed during that process, and he succeeded in making that surprisingly comfortable. And the hygienist put lip balm on me because before my lips started to crack. That was so appreciated! Also lots of natural light and ventilation -- I felt like I was having my appointment outside, in a good way. read more

I highly recommend Dr. Lau's office! Finding a good dentist during COVID has been challenging, but reviews like my own directed me to this office. I am so happy to say that I now have a regular dentist and he is awesome! He explained everything he was doing and ensured I was comfortable at all times. All staff and assistants reflected the same warmness I felt with Dr. Lau whom is quite funny, by the way. Looking forward to my next appointment! read more

Pain free filling! It only took half an hour and I've never had a more pleasant dental experience for something I thought would have brought some degree of discomfort. Thorough Covid-19 protocol too. Great work Dr Lau. Thank you! read more

Very personable team! Quick and painless experience getting teeth cleaned and a couple of fillings redone. Dr. Lau was very informative as he tells you step by step what he's doing. read more

I usually am inspired to post a review if a place is really good or really bad. My experience here was awesome! Every single person that talk to me was beyond sweet. The equipment is new, which is really important to me. What I really liked were the big screen monitors in front of me that showed me what the technician and dentist were looking at on their computers. I got to see each of the x-rays and there is this really cool little toothbrush device that takes pictures of your teeth, each picture taken made the cute camera shutter sound. It was like paparazzi in my mouth. Then, the dentist took the time to walk through all the pictures and talk to me about each tooth. It was the most informative dentist visit I've ever had in my life. I highly recommend this place. read more

Sadly when Covid hit Dr. Lau office failed at doing the easiest thing possible. Communicate with clients what was going to happen. With my cleaning for April being cancelled I was anxious to know when I could get to my delayed appointment. For months the office was closed while nobody in the office ever reached out to me to discuss what was going to happen. Calls went unanswered and messages were not replied to. After over 18 months I finally received communication from DR Lau office, A letter claiming I didn't pay a bill and them informing me I would no longer be considered a client. I was shocked and disappointed. You failed me Dr Lau. And instead of trying to make things right you tell Me I didn't pay a bill that Ive never been notified about. Well, sadly after going to the same dentist office for 20 years and staying with the office after you took over for the retired Tom Eicheid, I now have left your office and found a new one. I hope you don't make a habit out of letting down clients and then dumping them with fabricated lies. read more

Highly recommended. Dr Lau is skillful, professional and gentle. He and his staff are helpful and friendly. My consultation/cleaning was the best dental experience I've had in decades. read more

On time, polite, knowledgeable. Good experience overall. Will be coming back regularly for dental care here.

Dr. Lau is an excellent dentist. I have a long history of dental issues and Dr. Lau has helped me so much. I've had teeth pulled, cavities filled and crowns placed with him. His work is always top notch. He went above and beyond by not only referring me to UCSF for a complicated bone graft, but he called the department himself to make sure I could see a specific dentist that he trusted. The hygienists in his office are also excellent and very kind. If your looking for the best dentist in the East Bay, it's Dr. Lau hands down. read more

I had very pleasant experiences with Dr. Lau and his staff. My daughter was very anxious about the appointment especially getting injection due to her past experience. However Dr. Lau changed her . He talked and explained to her through on every steps he was doing while working on her tooth. He spent the whole time engaging with her. I personally just got my 3 front teeth filling done today. Dr Lau was so detailed and such perfectionist when working on my teeth. In result, absolutely love how my teeth look now. Thank you Dr Lau, and thank you Dan for being such an amazing dental assistant. Dr. Lau is very professional and straight forward. He takes the time to explain what needs to be done and provides valuable advice , and he is funny as well. It's not easy to find a good dentist for your self especially your kids, but I highly recommend Dr. Lau and his staff. read more

Began seeing Dr Lau, with out issues. I liked him enough to have my 17 year old daughter start going to him. I like him enough to have my husband start seeing him. I liked him enough that many of our friends and co-works started going to him. His original receptionist I believe her name is Josephine, was fantastic she knew how billing worked, never had a problem. When Josephine left a new for came on, didn't know wtf she's doing. We were billed incorrectly $1600.00 for one visit. We were told over the phone it was an error, and they'd correct it. We called our insurance to let them know what happened. Dr. Lau's team was "unable" to figure out what went wrong with the billing and made us pay. Ok no problem. We will figure it out with our insurance company. Meanwhile my daughter had missed her time for an appointment. Went into his office the same day but 30mins After the apt. time and asked to reschedule her apt. She was told she'd have to pay the $50.00 missed appoint fee. Ok she agreed to pay it and was told right then, "We will wave it this one time, but if you miss you appointment again WE WILL DROP YOU AS A PATIENT" Big breath in. Your gonna drop her as a patient.... You know what. I'm good. I called your office told the girl that's currently working as your receptionist that we no longer wish to see you again. I'm not even gonna get into the piss poor job you did on my filling. Who gets a filling down and can feel the filling material months after it's supposedly done??? What dentist have you ever been to that tells their patients kid, they should no longer have soda or chips because it will lead to diabetes??? Yes she should have brushed her teeth better, but you don't scold a kid while working on their teeth!! Nothing you say or do will ever make any of us at least 8 strong come back to see you again. But you can pay us back what you miss billed us for! Edit: In response, to Dr Lau I have called many time asking to speak to you directly about all of this, did you know that? Must be nice to have soooo many patients that you can just dismiss them as you see fit. Ohhh and here's a copy of the email you sent me telling on yourself how you lectured my teenager. Who never ever missed an appointment. Late yes but never missed an appointment. read more

The staff was very friendly and professional. I felt like Doctor Lau was very honest with me. Also my teeth feel very clean :)

Friendly service and excellent dental work. Plenty of parking. Convenient location to shopping and eateries within walking distance. read more

I have never reviewed a dentist before, so bear with me. After a failed root canal (NOT Dr. Lau) six years ago which led to multiple associated problems, I developed a phobia of dentists. In the interim a host of issues have developed with my teeth. I was embarrassed, ashamed, and scared when I first met with Dr. Lau. By the time I left I felt reassured, secure, and confident that I had come to the right place to resolve issues that I have left untended. Dr. Lau has proposed a plan that addresses my fears, my budget, and not to overstate it, but my very SOUL. I have nearly cried both visits out of sheer gratitude for his competency, empathy, and the joy he exudes for his craft. I have been to many dentists, some good, some bad, some ugly, Dr. Lau is in a class of his own and I hope I never have to look for another dentist. If in doubt, don't be, make an appointment today. read more