The best pediatric dentist, I found highly recommended you will not be disappointed in your children will love her personality, very pleasing, comforting, and will set them at ease read more

Completely unorganized regarding the billing and insurance. They changed the address on our file without communicating with me even though I am the one that signed the financial responsibility form. Then called me after a year stating that I owed over $800 and threatened to send me to collections even though it was never communicated to me that I owed anything. I set up a payment plan which was fine until they upped the payment without communicating once again. I asked why they did not call me and they tried telling me that I stated I wanted to be contacted by email. Never once did I say that. And I never received an email from them either. We will not be going here again. read more

If I could give no stars, I would. The front desk ladies are great. That's not what I'm here to complain about. The main reason I am updating my review is because I recently went through a change of doctor in this dental office, and from the moment I met her and sat beside her while she told me, my son needed multiple cavities taken care of she was shaming me as a mom with the type of foods I should be feeding my child. I did not get a soft or gentle approach with this doctor. Her bedside manner was terrible. I feel that she is very aggressive with her treatment planning for a pediatric office. I went to another Dentist who I used to work for because I was in the dental industry for over five years and the doctor that I asked for a second opinion was Dr. Michael Rice at Santa Rosa Dental. And from the moment, my son opened his mouth Dr. Michael Rice stated that my son's crown on his lower right canine was put on backwards. This was a stainless steel crown that was done by the previous Dentist who used to work for this practice who was doctor Dr. Shana Van Cleave. I really enjoyed her as she was very warm and gentle with her bedside manner and she worked with kids with special needs so that was a big plus for me as I knew her integrity was there. Which is extremely hard to find nowadays. Be aware that this new doctor that is now currently practicing is very aggressive with her treatment planning. We were told that we needed $3700+ worth of work for my five year-old son. I figured I should get a second opinion which I always do with any type of doctor, so I went to Dr. Michael Rice and when he told me that the crown was put on backwards, it only made sense as to why my son was in pain it had nothing to do with Cavities. Dr. Susan Ryan had told me when we came in for his routine cleaning that he needed 4 stainless steel crowns, and 4 porcelain crowns on his front teeth. This kind of shocked me in so many ways because we are very diligent with his teeth we brush everyday and we floss every night and he takes a fluoride tablet. I felt mom shamed by Dentist, she told me that my son had a very acidic mouth and that I should probably try a pH balancing toothpaste in which I did order the following day from Amazon like she recommended and have been using ever since. But something didn't feel right about this treatment plan that she presented. So when I took the x-rays over to Dr. Michael Rice on that second opinion visit, and he found that the crown was put on backwards. He had to do an occlusal adjustment so that when my son bit down the two canines were colliding into each other to create pain. That is where the pain was coming from. I originally thought the pain was coming from these "so-called cavities" that Dr. Ryan had mentioned. The minute that Dr. Michael fixed my son's occlusal bite, the pain was instantly gone. He of course gave me a disclaimer when he started to do the occlusal adjustment that there was a possibility of a void in the stainless steel crown that he was adjusting. Of course he knew what he was doing and it happened so he just filled it with a little composite white filling. He had my son bite down and he had absolutely no more pain. I was blown away being that I have been in the dental industry for over 5 years, going through this experience was extremely traumatic, and I feel very unwarranted. The moment Dr. Michael Rice saw his x-rays from this pediatric office, he informed me that there was absolutely no cavities. And that blew me away as well considering Dr. Ryan told me that my son needed 8 different crowns. On baby teeth. And granted I am 100% about making sure my son is an optimal health, but this seemed very extreme. We had already gone through a major dental surgery when he was 3 y/o with Dr. Shawna Van Cleave and she was aware of that. I was very impressed with her professionalism. She is very warm and kind and I feel like this office's new doctor is far from that. I question the integrity of this office. It seems to me that she was trying to make her end-of-the-year quota for her dental office and wanted to use my son to do it. And to be completely honest, there is no real difference between pediatric dentistry and general dentistry. What makes me the most angry about this is that there is trauma that can never be fully repaired from this experience for both my husband and I and our son. read more

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I went into see Dr. Susie on an emergency dental visit. My son and his Papa were playing catch and unfortunately my son caught the ball with his lower front tooth and severed the tooth right off. Unfortunately there was no way of saving it because the only thing left was the tip of the root. They got us in right away! My son gets very nervous seeing the dentist but the staff and everyone here made my son feel so comfortable! Dr. Susie was so thorough and knowledgeable. I knew we were in great hands. Dr. Susie took this scary situation for my son and completely turned it around for him. Not only did she extract the remnants of his tooth with ease, but she won the heart of my son. He actually wants to go back to the dentist! I highly recommend Dr. Susie and her staff. We will definitely be going back for my kids routine dental care. read more

We've been bringing our kiddo to the Children's Health Clinic since he was three years old (he's now nearly 17). We've received nothing but the best care. Whether it's for a simple cleaning and check-up, fillings, or an extraction we were always treated with the upmost respect and care. Our son is autistic and was referred to Dr. VanCleave because she had the magic touch with regards to special needs kiddos. She also had admitting privileges for patients, like my son, who needed anesthesia. They also have a laser for treating cavities without Novocain. (Sorry, I don't know what the device is actually called.) No shots! My adult dentist doesn't offer this service! I have taken my kiddo in for a filling or sealants and had him back to school in under an hour. All done quickly, efficiently and with big smiles. Did I mention NO SHOTS? We've received the same outstanding care from Dr. Ryan since she's taken over the practice. We've never had a bad appointment with Dr. Ryan and appreciate the care and professionalism of her and her staff. Thank you so much, Dr. Susie!! read more

Dr. Susie Ryan is the worst dental experience I've ever had. My child and members of our household are immunocompromised which Dr. Ryan was aware of. This required getting clearance from my kiddo's GP that it was safe to do dental work. We showed up to our appointment and Dr. Ryan wasn't able to get the clearance and didn't let us know. I then took charge of that process going so far as to personally deliver the clearance letter to the office. Dr. Ryan made it clear that the dental work she recommended was urgent and needed to be completed ASAP. We showed up for our appointment and there was a visibly and audibly ill child being treated maskless. I let doctor know that we would need to wait 15-30 minutes before taking masks off to allow the air to clear to protect my child from whatever illness the other patient had. She went to check the schedule and came back to say that she didn't have time to wait so we would have to reschedule and they would call later to do that. I called the office in the afternoon after not hearing anything and they said they couldn't schedule until talking to the doctor. I received no further calls and then received a letter three days later saying that Dr Ryan was dropping my child as a patient. Dropping a patient because of their need for accommodations for an illness is a violation of the ADA. My child's care was also delayed by three months because we had to establish care with a new dentist and wait for an appointment. Dr. Ryan is the absolute opposite of Dr. Van Cleave and it's an injustice that Dr. Ryan is able to operate under the good name and good work of Dr. Van Cleave. read more

We have always had a good experience with Dr. Berger. Her approach is very proactive and one that we can certainly stand behind. She did request to see our daughter more frequently due to future concerns she had, but now that our insurance is no longer accepted by her, I will need to find another dentist. Overall the staff is friendly and the dentist is very competent. I just wish she would continue to accept our insurance. read more

The dental staff is very personable and efficient. Prices are a little high but more than competitive for the local area. There are some challenges with military dental coverage -not so much the fault of the dentistry -this is not an "in network" dental office if you have TriCare coverage. One recommendation for improvement would be to include the breakdown of costs on billing sheets. I am confused on what exactly I've been paying for because bills do not include this. There is about half a page worth of white space on the bill that could be used to describe the procedures, materials, and/or efforts being billed. On one occasion I went into the office to request an itemized bill; however, I was informed "we don't do that." The office attendant was nice, and I felt that my request truly was out of their scope and that maybe they are locked in a contract with a third party billing agency that doesn't allow them to include an itemization on their bills. read more

Dr Shana and her staff are taking great care of our kids in this post-virus world! Just a note to everyone out there wondering what it's like to take their kids to the dentist right now (late May 2020). Our son REALLY needed a dental cleaning, and we were super glad Dr. Van Cleve is able to see patients again. I think she's doing everything possible to keep kids safe while helping us all get back to the new not-normal. When we arrived for the appointment, there was a symptom checklist to go through with the receptionist to make sure we weren't sick, and they took my kid's temperature before going in back. Dr Shana and the hygienist wore full gowns, masks, and face shields. Dr. Shana told us they've modified a few steps of the dental cleaning to reduce risks, too, like not using the whirring scrubber that could aerosolize mouth germs. I am really glad we were able to get back on top of our kid's mouth health- yes, brushing habits had definitely slacked off during shelter-in-place. Dr Shana has been seeing our kids for years and we couldn't ask for a more warm and caring dentist. I trust her completely, and trust counts for a lot right now. read more

I took my grandchildren to Dr Van Cleeve after receiving custody of them and moving them here from WA. The oldest had a nasty infection, actually 2 but one we had treated on WA before coming home. Right from the first visit, the staff was very accommodating in getting him in and dealing with all the legal paperwork and insurance forms etc. Them we met Dr Van Cleeve. She was truly amazing with him. Calm, patient, gentle. She took care of the problem and referred him for more work to an oral surgeon, Dr Tyco. They worked together on the phone to make things as easy as possible. The younger 2 also have had a wonderful experience for her. She explained to them the importance of good toothbrushing and "sugar bug poop" That was true incentive and genius in my opinion. She is not just a fabulous dentist but truly a gentle and caring person. All heart and loves kids. read more

We were referred by our dentist because our 4 year old needed a tooth extraction. His abscess was growing the evening before our appointment, so I called the office after hours and was told I would be contacted by the on call Dr. My call was never returned. Our appointment started over half an hour late with no explanation or anyone checking on us. Which happens, I know, but worth mentioning. Our first experience there. My big complaint is with the scheduling communication. I had made it clear before scheduling the appointment that our son was getting referred for an extraction and that he had an abscess. We did the consult today and x-rays and then were told that they couldn't schedule him for OVER A MONTH! For an extraction of a baby tooth. So he would have to hang out for over a month with this. Had I known that we would be waiting over a month, I never would have gone there. Now we have to go to another oral surgeon, have another consult, then the surgery. Waste of time. The techs were great and did a great job getting x-rays. And my boy liked their toy area. Sounds like others have had issues with the scheduling. I would have much preferred being told upfront that they were booked out over a month than to have to find out after our appointment, so that is why I am posting this. Because even if your kid has an active infection, there is no availability. Not a great first impression... Update: We ended up going to Dr. Chavez at Sonoma Oral Surgery. He made an early appointment to get us in the next day so my son could get his infected tooth out. He and his staff were amazing with my son. They were able to do the procedure under nitrous.. something that Dr. Berger wouldn't even consider. My son felt safe and did amazing and afterward kept talking about how nice the doctors were! And he got to go off antibiotics since the source of the infection was gone. So fortunate to have dentists who put little ones first. I would highly recommend Dr. Chavez if your child needs dental work. I can't say enough about how well we were treated and his skill level. He was so quick with the tooth extraction it was like a magic act! read more

We found Dr. Shana in a time of need and she has truly been a hero to us. My son, who has Autism, had never been to a dentist, and has extreme anxieties when it comes to any medical care. Dr. Shana was able to meet his emergency needs in a manner that not only showed concern for my son's dental health, but also his emotional well-being. His emergency situation has since been resolved successfully and Dr. Shana now is committed to building a relationship of trust and friendship with my son in order to treat his future dental needs without trauma and fear. I appreciate her open-minded and open-hearted approach to dental care. I highly recommend her for anyone whose child is on the spectrum. She understands and goes the extra mile. Her entire office staff has been incredibly supportive though all of our visits. Thank you so much to all of you! read more

My children (as well as nephew and nieces) have been using Dr. Berger for over 25 years. Sadly, Dr. Berger is no longer practicing. Now, his daughter is taking over and that is where the issues began. We walked out paying double what we used to pay (cash). The second issue is that she informed us of some problems with pits in the teeth where numerous cavities are starting. She was very vague in her answers and would not show me anything she was referring to so I felt uneasy with this diagnostic (and expensive quote) so I took my daughter to my dentist for a second opinion. Just as I suspected, non of the thousand dollars worth of work previously quoted was needed. But, he did find one small cavity (he showed me) that was missed entirely by Dr Berger-Van Cleave. She also told me that all the baby teeth were out but my dentist showed me that one was not. Dr. Berger- Van Cleave totally misdiagnosed my daughter in so many ways as well as quoted me for expensive work that was not needed. Obviously, we wont be returning. We will miss Mr. Dr. Berger. Even though the office staff have always been a little unfriendly the assistants have always been so caring- we will miss them as well. And yes, making an appointment is always at least 4 weeks out - always. As much as I hate yelp I thought it necessary to leave a review. I am sure the office will reply to this since they seem to do that with all negative reviews, but this is my experience in all honesty. read more

Amazing! Amazing! Amazing human beings work at this office. While this review is not for myself, my dear friend has gone to Dr. Shana since her kid popped out some teeth. Have you ever heard of a kid who ASKS to go to the dentist? Me neither. Until I heard this kid begging to go and see Dr. Shana. You would think this place was Disneyland. Well, it kinda is. You see, when the kids get nervous, Dr. Shana (and even her trusty assistant Aaron) sing Disney songs to the kids. Yep. They know every word and Dr. Shana is an incredible singer who could totally win American Idol. They are gentle and caring people who work here. It takes special person to work in pediatric dentistry... definitely not my first choice in a profession. Dr. Shanna, Aaron, and the others in this office are angels. If you have an kid who is apprehensive about going to the dentist, send them here. You won't regret it. Oh, and several times there has been a semi-emergency come up where they needed to get in to see Dr. Shana right away. They told my friend to come right away. So please ignore negative reviewers with entitlement issues who leave spiteful reviews. It's far from the truth. read more

I am writing today to because I have nothing but amazing things to say about this dentist. Having a child who is very sensitive to dental work Shana made his experience like nothing I have ever imagined. Her kind spirit, gentle touch and dedicated patience have helped my sons dental health and has restored my faith in the kindness that surrounds us in the world. THANK YOU Shana for all you do and all that you are. Hi read more

2 of my 3 kids have ASD and Dr. Van Cleave and the staff at the Children's Dental Center in Santa Rosa are so so supportive, flexible, patient and very clear in communicating. I am so grateful to have stumbled on them, we've dealt with a lot of dental problems with one of my kiddos and she was taken care of so lovingly. read more

My two daughters have been going to this office for years. Originally under her fathers care, they had recently come under Dr. Van Cleave's. Almost immediately she began telling us our daughters needed to come in every 3 months for a visit instead of 6. She knew damn well that insurance wouldn't cover those extra visitations, and gave vague reasons for their necessity. Yesterday she indicated to my wife that she was not happy we weren't following her recommendation. In addition and while working with my 14yr old, she told her that she had several cavities and that she was costing her parents too much money. I'll say it again. She told my 14 yr old daughter she was costing her parents too much money. My daughter left the office in tears. She had just had her braces removed 2 days before. Funny, the orthodontist who my daughter has been seeing regarding the braces never indicated seeing any cavities whatsoever. Upon hearing the story related by both my wife and daughter, I came to the conclusion to FIRE Dr. Van Cleave. While all of us are fallible and make mistakes, Dr. Van Cleave has destroyed the trust necessary to maintain a business relationship. I wish her and her staff (whom are all terrific) nothing but good will. It is my hope that Dr. Van Cleave will learn to keep her opinions confined to herself, or at worst to the parents and adults of children she works with. read more

My son grew up seeing Dr. Steve Berger when he was younger. He made the seamless transition to stray seeing his daughter (Dr. Shana) and we have been so happy with her care! It's great seeing the same level of care with the energy of the next generation. I'm sad he'll have to go to the big kid dentist now that he's growing up! Thanks for the years of great service! read more

We had a great visit with my 2 year old. She was comfortable and everyone was very nice. The dentist gave suggestions about things like fluoride, no matter what my opinion about that was, she was totally respectful and told me the benefits and left it up to me. Very professional of her. I am also thankful she gave me ideas about how to prevent future cavities because my mom guilt made me cry in the office. Just being real!!! Feeding a toddler is hard!!! read more

I have never seen a child (and I have 4) more excited to go to the dentist!! It's so nice. Dr. Shana and the whole staff, including, the front desk, are amazing!! read more

I brought my son here for his first dental visit and I was blown away by how amazing the experience was! From the front desk staff to the support staff, everyone was welcoming and made my son feel at ease. Dr.Shana was so sweet, patient and gentle that I wish she was my dentist! Definitely recommend this practice and will look forward to future appointments. read more

We transitioned over after a previous pediatric dentist was not so great with our daughter. Dr. Shana and her staff are so wonderful with kids! They put the children at ease and help deal with any anxiety. My daughter absolutely loves them all and we are grateful for their consistently good care. read more

Dr. Van Cleave's and Claudia's fabulous rapport with my 4 year old son took what normally is an anxiety filled experience and turned it around into an amazing experience. He went from not wanting to cooperate with much beyond a someone just looking at his teeth, to being able to do the entire process with him actually enjoying it. He gave a thumbs up at the end, after letting them take xrays, do the actual dental exam and clean his teeth(using the suction and polisher and everything). He actually asked me when he was going to get to see them again. Everyone up front was very helpful and scheduling went very smoothly. I can't thank them enough for making this an awesome experience for my son and setting him up to continue taking care of his teeth without fear. read more

My daughter has been to Dr. Van Cleave several times. However today I tried to call and make an appointment for my daughter. Connie the lady who answered the phone was so rude to me and very unhelpful. It sounded like she couldn't be bothered. I also couldn't get my daughter into an appointment. When I told her the times that could work for me...Connie said well that's too bad, this is what we have. She was awful. I really like Dr. Van Cleave but Connie made it seem that Dr. Van Cleave is never available. The hours are also very limited. read more

Dr Van Cleave is a wonderful pediatric dentist. She is fun, caring, and knows how to put kids at ease. All of the staff we have met have been great, too. When we were new to town, she consulted with my three kids on their first visit and explained how cavities form from sugar bugs and how important it is to take care of our teeth. My five-year-old still remembers about the sugar bugs six months later. My toddler who hates getting her teeth brushed even calmly sat down for a cleaning and check-up. The office is spacious and cheery. Only good things to say. read more

I can't say enough good things about Dr. Shana vancleave and her staff! They make my children laugh hysterically everytime we go in. Dr. Vancleave and staff are gentle, kind, fun and the best dental office ever!!!!. read more

I had high hopes for this dental office that my child would be taken care of. After our initial visits with Steven Berger, Shawna's father we decided to try Shawna after he held my son down in attempt to clean his teeth. He was five years old at the time and it traumatized him to the point that he would no longer let him touch him. So I thought a woman's touch. We were referred to PDI for some dental surgery so we could use our Medi-Cal benefits they do not take Medi-Cal benefits at children's dental health center. My child had waited 14 hours with no food or water and no definitive surgery time as I was told it's a first come first serve basis. They shuffle in children into these dental centers that take Medi-Cal but they are way over crowded, they don't have enough time to accommodate all the children and therefore the children will be the ones who suffer. My son has health challenges that limit the length of time he can or should go without food or water for that long. It's unsafe, it's unhealthy and it's inhumane. After receiving a letter from Shawna Berger that they would no longer be treating my child due to my leaving the PDI surgery center "abruptly." I followed up with a phone call to Shawna to explain to her the situation that happened to us there that day. I reminded her that I had called her that day to speak to her directly about the fact that my child had been waiting 14 hours already with no food or no water and no end in sight. She never returned my phone call and her receptionist was short tempered with me on the phone when I called back again! I went ahead and called Medi-Cal to find other dentists who take Medi-Cal that will do general anesthesia for dental surgery and was given UCSF in San Francisco. As a parent to a child who wants nothing more than the best treatment available, then I received her Inappropriate letter yesterday. She tried to send it certified mail I ended up picking it up in her office when I went in there to get x-rays for the new dentist. I would think Shana Vancleave would be able to understand this. If you care for children then you don't shuffle them into facilities that are overwhelmed and overcrowded that's how injuries can happen!! I saw that coming that afternoon a mile away and I would never put my child in harms way. I hope she doesn't find my review too abrupt, additionally I would like to add how extremely exhausting and frustrating and scary it is when your child has to go under anesthesia, and the last thing you need is the staff at any office including PBI of being rude and condescending to you. There IS ZERO NEED FOR YOUNG RECEPTIONISTS TO BE AMBIGUOUSLY UNAWARE THAT THEIR JOB IS JUST THAT, CUSTOMER SERVICE. I was blissfully unaware that it was first come first serve and I can sure appreciate that the little children go first...that makes perfect sense, however it does not excuse the facts of what happened that day and I hope that others will use their instincts as well. read more

Dr Van Cleave has been amazing for our son. He can be very shy and she made him comfortable from their first visit. When complications arose with my son's dental needs, she was very open and honest with us on the steps she recommended. I feel confident in her expertise and trust all she has to say. The entire staff has always been nothing but friendly and helpful to us. I've recommended her to all my friends and will continue to do so. read more

We LOVE LOVE LOVE Shana Van Cleave!! I've taken my 3 kids to see her for the last four years. She is so good with kids. Recently my daughter had to get sealants on her teeth and she was supposed to sit still for awhile during the treatment. She has a hard time sitting still and Shana starting singing Disney songs and let my daughter hum along to keep her mind on something other than the dental work. It helped my daughter relax and made the procedure go so well. I recommend her to everyone. We are moving soon but will still drive over an hour to keep seeing her. She's the best!! read more

I have 6 kids who just switched to Dr. Van Cleave from Gentle Dentle. We are so much happier. We never have to wait to be seen anymore. She is so efficient yet thorough. She explained good oral hygiene habits to my kids in such a creative way, they are all brushing and flossing without complaint anymore. She is so friendly to the kids they feel very comfortable with her. Even my 3 year old happily let her clean her teeth and actually thought it was fun. My 8 year old needed to have a tooth pulled and was very nervous before she went in, but it was a much better experience than she had anticipated and she was totally calm the whole time. I would highly recommend Dr. Van Cleave. If you've ever had a bad experience with a dentist or with their dental staff, this is the place for you. read more

We love Dr. Shana! She always has a smile on her face and makes everyone feel so comfortable, she can relate very well to the children in the practice. I would recommend her to all of my friends to take their children to see her. read more

I honestly cannot say enough good things about Dr. Shana and her staff. She was the 4th Pediatric Dentist we saw in Sonoma County (the first one shamed my then 2 yr old for crying, the other two were probably technically competent but seemed to have little interest in kids -- as strange as that sounds!). Unfortunately my younger child inherited my tendency to get cavities and needed a lot of work done. He's extremely shy around strangers and thinks laying down on a table and having a stranger stick sharp objects in his mouth is akin to torture. So, the last place he wants to go is the dentist. I was bound and determined to find a dentist who genuinely liked children (and not only when they were compliant and cooperative). At a loss for where to find someone I posted a message on FB and asked for referrals all over the Bay Area. At this point I was seriously considering taking him back to our old dentist in San Francisco! Lo and behold, several people recommended Dr. Shana. At our first appointment she met us in a "consult" room, introduced herself to the kids and genuinely tried to get to know them. Sensing that our younger child was not willing to do much, all she had him do was watch his big brother. He saw that nothing bad happened and got to pick out a prize. We came back a second time a few weeks later and again she met us in the consult room. We hung out for a bit and her amazing assistant Aaron (who walks on water as far as I'm concerned!) got him to climb up on the table and let her look at his teeth. By the end of that appointment he was much more comfortable. I was so relieved I was practically in tears and hugged Dr. Shana in gratitude. A few days ago we completed all of the work he needed to have done (4 crowns and 4 fillings) in a surgery center. Dr. Shana and Aaron patiently, competently and with great compassion guided us through the whole procedure. My son was a true champ and now doesn't mind going to the dentist. While I'm tempted to say, run - don't walk to Dr. Shana's office if you have a sensitive child, the truth is I can't imagine any child not having a wonderful experience in her practice. She and her staff are truly that good! read more