The doctors are great. This review is about the billing department. The person who was assigned to help with my billing was out on bereavement for months, and NO ONE else at USSF was apparently doing her job. I made many, many attempts to contact someone in the billing dept at UCSF to follow through on this. Delta Dental also made many attempts to follow through with this at UCSF. But it was impossible to get through to someone who would actually do anything. As a result, nothing was submitted to Delta Dental on time, and my daughter's insurance claim for covering her braces was denied. This is several thousand dollars that we were told would be covered, but now is not. The only reason we chose UCSF was that it accepts Delta Dental. Now nothing is covered. Just go somewhere else. read more

UCSF Orthodontic Practice - Delta Dental denial of claim due to UCSF's dysfunction. - Orthodontists Near Me - San Francisco, California

I went to get a retainer. The student orthodontists are caring and very professional, and I felt like they didn't try to upsell me on anything I didn't need. I really appreciated the care I received. However, the receptionists are very cold and unfriendly, making me feel unwelcome. They need to improve their customer facing skills. read more

I got my Invisalign at UCSF. Their quote was outrageous, and they said they would work with Delta Dental to get authorization. So far insurance paid only $500 out of $7000. UCSF claims that insurance sometimes pays later. So don't sign anything unless you're prepared to pay out of pocket for the full amount. Also, the front desk sucks. They never answer the phone or return messages...ever. You get put on hold for several minutes and then get hung up on. But when you show up to the clinic, the staff are just sitting around being unfriendly. Would never go back here except I have to finish my treatment. read more

wonderful orthodontist! god awful, terrible billing system. dont come here if you want easy billing. its backwards here. i can't even get an itemized receipt to submit for billing. even after the procedure and after calling and going into the clinic in person. there's always another person you have to email or call. just bullish it if it ask me. from a vanessa, to the front desk, to maria kristin to (415) 476-5747 or dentalcenterbilling@ucsf.edu avoid at all costs, or if you can't bc your insurance then be aware of the terrible billing system. thanks! read more

UCSF Orthodontic Practice - Orthodontists Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The overall process of getting braces and going through that was completely dragged out, the doctors kept making completely unnecessary extreme suggestions on how to consistently improve my mouth even though I told them my one goal was to get them off by senior year even tho this did not happen till the end of my senior year when I was finally transferred to a capable doctor because mine graduated as I had been going to her for so long. The number one thing that stood out to me at this practice was when I was 15 years old an overseeing doctor said to my face out of the blue that u would benefit and look "more attractive" if I got double jaw surgery that would cause me to have my mouth wired shut for a month. Before this I had never thought about my jaw once and now she filled me with doubt in it when really her goal was probably to make more money. They continually make ridiculous suggestions that's you do not inquire in to take more money. Spend a little extra money and go to a real orthodontist. read more

I've been coming here since November 2018 for my Invisalign treatment and have had a great experience with my orthodontist. However, there is a Filipino woman at the front desk that is very rude. She makes the clinic look bad with her attitude, not just towards me but also to other patients. I work at the front desk at a clinic that gets way busier and have never been as rude as her. read more

I had braces as a kid but after so many years my teeth are slightly starting to move, so I came in to get an estimate on Invisalign's. My dentist originally referred me to an orthodontist, but when I walked into the office for my appointment, the office was infested with children, teens and their parents. It felt a little out of place. With the chaos of kids running around the office I ended up waiting about 45 mins. I got my quote and decided to keep looking. I also considered doing one of the online services, where you just scan your teeth and they mail you entire kit and don't have to go in for office visits, but was concerned that while I'm sure they can make your teeth look straight, would they be properly aligned and could you have problems in the future? So here's the breakdown on price for a minor 6-12 month treatment: Orthodontist quote $3800 UCSF quote $2685 Smile direct club (online) $2000 UCSF is run by Orthodontic students who are doing their residency and are over seen by a Dr. Everyone that worked here was so friendly, happy, and genuinely interested in what they are doing. You will need to come in every week for your Invisalign's, but the visits are fast and painless. Look forward to getting my treatment done here. read more

What an awful experience. A supposed "$35" consultation that UCSF ended up charging $450 for a year later -- for a STUDENT treatment. More below. I came in over a year ago for an Invisalign consultation. Based on the quote I received (which, at $5885 was not even cheaper than non student clinics) and the suggested treatment, I decided not to go with UCSF. The worst, however, is the hundreds of dollars in outstanding bills I received from UCSF over a YEAR after my appointment. The day of the visit I paid an initial $35 consultation fee. I was then told that in order to run the preliminary diagnostic imaging, there would be an additional $75 charge, which I paid. This was explained to cover the consultation in its entirety. The bill I received now included nearly $350 in additional charges, bringing the total for the consultation to over $450. What's more, even though it didn't come for over 13 months, the bill would be going to collections if unpaid within 3 weeks, leaving me little time to dispute with the billing department (who were unreachable by phone or email for an entire week of this time. I know because I called every day). The way they're operating is dishonest and predatory. The billing department tried to say that the consultation fee was really only $35, but it was the necessary imaging that ran up the bill. If a pre-defined set of services are NECESSARY for a proper consultation, then no, $35+$75 is not the "consultation fee". It's a gross misrepresentation and they know it. Top orthodontists in the city do not charge this much for consultations (if at all). You're better off visiting them. read more

Way too expensive! after reading many of the reviews here, I assumed the cost would be much lower than a regular orthodontics office, well I was wrong. Treatment came out to $8,200+ I was not expecting a number that high. I'm still sad and disappointed... I really thought this place would offer me an affordable price for my treatment. Great customer service though, everyone was so nice to me. read more

Still on the long but sooo worth it Invisalign path and can't say enough good things about Dr. Novshadian and the others involved in my mouth! :D It's going really well, with tweaks along the way bc of my own dental issues (needed a crown, so everything had to be redone) that slowed things down or the need for a better way for the ortho dept to deal with my teeth. It's highly personalized, with Dr. Novshadian et al sending Invisalign treatment plans back to Invisalign until they see the result they want to see. Amazingly I've never had more than a tiny bit of soreness, switching trays weekly. Everyone is different, and I feel lucky. Will be back again later in the treatment! read more

Dr. Sneha Oberoi is the best orthodontists we have seen, we have been to others for my other kid! She has the mastery on her work, my son's case was extremely complicated which required surgery to remove the blocking tooth way up and then bringing the stuck tooth down by chain and she knew from day one what to do and had a plan. We are extremely happy with the results and she is always happy to take your call, help with any appointment squeezing and is very compassionate. If you can make it to San Francisco (we come from east bay - tri valley area) UCSF is a great place and Dr Oberoi the BEST. read more

I originally put this review on Dr Chen's current location of business, 'The Daily Orthodontist' in Daly City, but it was pulled because it 'lacked firsthand customer experience', since, I presume, our experience was from when Dr Chen was working at UCSF. Since i think it is important, I'm reposting it here instead: Dr James Chen is a very cheerful and positive person and orthodontist. He likes to say that he treats his patients as family. Judging from the website he thinks very highly of himself and his 'long academic career', scientific interest and humanitarian mission to Guatemala. Our family also experienced another side of Dr Chen. He was my son's orthodontist at the Orthodontics Department of UCSF from April 2012 until August 2013, after we came there for a second opinion. I found out about Dr Chen's current employment when I sent in a complaint to the California Dental Board concerning my son's treatment at UCSF. In the spring of 2012 my son was 14 years old with two impacted canines. Both teeth had a curious resorption going on that had me very worried and that I kept asking about. I only got indulgent smiles from Dr Chen in response. Dr Chen never wrote a comment on the resorption in my son's records as we discovered later. He never did a model of the teeth. He did not document results of tests or consultations with other professors, he never did a proper periapical of the canines. We did do a CBCT, computer imaging of the teeth, that Dr Chen said was for the surgeon and, as we understood too late, Dr Chen was not competent in analyzing the images. The CBCT would have been a valuable tool in evaluating the resorption and what to do, but it was never analyzed even though it cost $ 388 and subjected my son to radiation. After 5 months of trying to get the canines to emerge, my son had a second surgery. It turned out that that the surgeon, Dr Janice Lee, had not seen the CBCT that she ordered with Dr Chen, was unaware of the resorption and had obviously not even looked closely at the older panorama's or discussed my son's case with Dr Chen even though their departments were located in the same building. In the summer of 2013, after reading orthodontic articles by an expert on impacted canines, I became aware of conditions like ICRR (invasive cervical root resorption) and PEIR (preeruptive intracorontal resorption). I emailed Dr Chen and first got no response. I emailed Dr Adrian Becker in Jerusalem, the author, and got immediate, very interested and thoughtful responses. Dr Chen eventually said that the information I forwarded him was 'pretty interesting', but he would have to 'familiarize' himself with the condition first. Three weeks later we were driving home from summer vacation to make it to our son's orthodontic appointment the next day, hoping Dr Chen would have some answers for us, when Dr Chen cancelled the appointment by email because of 'restructuring of the clinic' and goes off to Guatemala and China. You can read information on impacted canines and the full and ongoing story of my son's ordeal with Orthodontics on a website I made: impactedcanine.weebly.com Our experience with Dr Chen was very disappointing and in retrospect it is clear that he was very interested in furthering his career and resume, but not very caring or competent to our son as a patient. read more

UCSF Orthodontic Practice - Dr James Chen - Orthodontists Near Me - San Francisco, California

I found UCSF's orthodontic clinic while researching places that offered Invisalign. After getting quotes from Orthoworks and several other private practices (~$6700), I decided to go with UCSF based on price ($4200) and its proximity to my workplace. Note that prices have probably increased, as I was given this quote over 2 years ago. I originally thought that I would be seen by a dental student, but was mistaken. The receptionist assigned me to a new faculty member - Dr. Maria Orellana - who had years of experience as an orthodontist but was new to UCSF and accepting patients at the time. Dr. Orellana is a wonderful lady and a skilled professional. She has a PhD in dental research in addition to a dental degree because she is really passionate about teeth. Props to her! During my visits, I never had to wait more than 20 minutes to be seen, but come prepared with a book or reading material to make the most of your time. Admittedly, Dr. Orellana is a very busy lady, but her assistant Sonja helps out whenever possible and is extremely good at her job, too. The atmosphere can be a little chaotic at times, but usually everyone is really friendly and you can hear lively salsa music in the background. Lastly, the Invisialign treatment worked like a charm, and my lower set of teeth are now straight. I have to go back a few times for follow up appointments where she adjusts my retainers but this has also been a smooth process. In addition to accepting most types of insurance, the clinic also offers an interest free payment plan which makes Invisialign treatment very affordable. I highly recommend UCSF's orthodontic clinic for its fair prices, professional and knowledgeable staff, and excellent quality of service. read more

I had an Express Invisalign treatment (approximately 10 weeks long) after seeing my teeth shift noticeably. Yeap, the results of not wearing my retainer after my teenage metal braces years. My main complaints were about my lower teeth, which looked like they were leaning over one side, as well as an uneven bite. Dr. Castle was able to resolve all of that! Not only did my husband notice the change, but my general dentist complimented the work, which is a solid professional thumbs up. Now, I am wearing Vivera religiously to preserve the alignment. If you conclude your Invisalign treatment through UCSF, I highly recommend that you ask for the Vivera retainer because my non-Vivera alternative cracked and got worn down after a few months of grinding. All patients are different, but my husband's dentist informed me that Vivera is much stronger than my non-Vivera alternative. In the end, I was able to obtain Vivera, so that was resolved nicely. All in all, very satisfied with UCSF. During a rare scheduling mix-up, I was assigned to Dr. I Chen for a retainer check-up, but I enjoyed meeting him, too- very funny and skilled during my short encounter. read more

I wish I could give 6 or 10 stars! I have had the most positive dental experience with UCSF. Over the past 6 months or so, Dr. Castle has provided me with Invisalign treatments that have yielded amazing results, even in that short time span. My family and friends have been impressed with the results and I feel great! I have never waited more than 5 minutes for an appointment and Dr. Castle actually makes visiting the dentist pleasant! He and his team have always been helpfully accommodating to my work schedule. The costs are very reasonable relatively, too. Given the nature of this kind of treatment, I really can't say enough glowing things about my experience. read more

Although a bit unclear about pricing until it was time for me to pay (I paid for some things in advance), I was quite impressed! Fast, friendly, and affordable! I certainly trust Dr. Nelson, he's fantastic. read more

Nobody in the reception picks up phones. Long wait even if you have an appointment. UCSF medical center is one of the best in the US but UCSF Orthodontic practice is not. Don't recommend at all. read more

I received Invisalign treatment here for 10 months. It cost me $2637, of which I was reimbursed 1/3 via dental insurance. TL;DR: Go here if you are cash strapped but have lots of free time. Faculty and residents are wonderful & do great work. Billing & finance are a HOT mess, be prepared to pay out-of-pocket. My 2 star review breakdown is determined as follows: 4 stars for practitioners 1 star for finance/billing 2 stars for customer experience DETAILED pros and cons: + About 20-30% cheaper than regular orthodontist. UCSF uses a non-negotiable step ladder scale to determine your price, made up of length of treatment period x type of treatment (eg Invisalign or traditional braces) to determine your out-of-pocket price. PRO TIP: They update their price scheme around the holidays, so if you go in October like I did you might get a lower quote. Stating the obvious, but don't go in July when all the new residents start - give them a few months to learn their stuff. + Competent practice. It was clear that my resident was top of her class at dental school, so I trusted her work. She had to present my treatment plan to her presiding faculty and was more than happy to share the exact same presentation with me, including all the xrays/photos she took of my teeth. The faculty did their work but nothing impressive - they're so busy and running around all the time. I had a unique issue with my teeth which is why I wanted to get specialized treatment from current researchers who might have the best, most cost-effective suggestions. - (BIGGEST NEGATIVE by far) Absolute incompetence of billing and finance departments. I paid out of pocket using monthly payment plans, with the expectation that I'd be reimbursed (my insurance partially covers ortho). UCSF once failed to cash one insurance check, and twice didn't bother submitting a claim. Despite telling this to numerous people within both Ortho and UCSF-level billings, it took countless calls/emails to fight with Billings to convince them to reimburse me $500+. As I said, they aren't in it to make money: What this also means if UCSF OWES you money, it's not in anyone's job description to resolve that problem for you. If you don't have a lot of patience for this stuff, just go to your small town orthodontist. - Loooong wait times & limited appt slots. Wait times are LONG. I'd go by 1:50 for a 2pm appointment and regularly wait to see my resident until 2:30-3pm. Spending 2 hours on an ortho checkup is unreasonable. Also, appt slots were often only available on Tue-Thu early afternoons because residents actually gotta go learn stuff too. If something comes up and you have to miss your appointment, chances are you'll need to book 2-3 weeks out from your original date. - Parking. UCSF parking is expensive and not very close to the dental clinic building. During the duration of my treatment, I spent a total of $70 on parking alone. read more

Dr. Eve is awesome! I am getting ceramic brackets on the top and traditional brackets on the bottom. All of the staff and doctors are knowledgable and professional. I would highly recommend UCSF :) read more

I can't say enough good things about the UCSF dental school and the care that my teenage son is receiving. He has actually been a patient of UCSF since he was born with a treatable condition. My mother advised us to consider going to UCSF for the baby's necessary surgery, even though we could have found a private doctor closer to home. It's been worth all the extra driving. At UCSF we get good rates; and better yet, kind and skilled care from some of the best doctors and nurses in the world. Right now my son's needs are mostly orthodontic care, and we feel very fortunate to have Snehlata Oberoi, DDS (also MDS and BDS) as his regular orthodontist. Dr. Oberoi and her nurses are top people in their field --- she's an Associate Professor --- and they are always friendly, patient, kind, and encouraging. It makes health care seem a privilege rather than an ordeal. Everyone from the Front Desk to the Billing Department is a total professional who lets you know that they care about you as a human being. If you are in need of health care and can get to San Francisco --- even if it means some extra travel time and planning --- you won't be sorry you came. read more

Don't waste your time or energy. Apparently, asking the staff member to look up a phone number for an insurance provider that most UC staff have, is a hassle...and management's email response to my concern, " I'm not sure why you see that as inappropriate", simply supports the poor customer service behavior. I'll pay a thousand extra to go to a seasoned professional in a high tech modern office, where I won't be treated like an inconvenience. Thanks for saving me months of additional headaches! _____________________________________ Email to UCSF Ortho Dear UCSF Othodontist Managment- This morning I came I as a new patient to see someone about braces and had so much trouble at check in that I left. I didn't have my whole medical history on me and this was off-putting to the woman reviewing my forms. Additinally I didn't have the group number for the University's Delta Dental PPO, as they do not provide UC employees with that information or an ID card. I asked if the woman behind the counter could look up the number for Delta for me, so that I could call and get my ID number from them, she nodded and then responded with, "your visit is 50.00". I told her that I Understood the visit was covered, to which she replied, "you don't have your insurance number so you have to pay." I left without receiving any services from UCSF. I came to UCSF, because I'm also a UC employee and I wanted to support the University's teaching mission. Today really left me feeling like that was a mistake. I gave up on getting any answers or help from the staff at the counter and left without seeing the orthodontist. --------------------------------- UCSF's response: I am sorry to hear that you felt uncomfortable with your visit to the UCSF Orthodontic Clinic. The front desk staff follows my protocol for a new patient visit. If they cannot establish the source of the insurance they will post a payment. If it turns out later that your insurance is valid, then the payment would be returned. I'm not sure why you see that as inappropriate. You mentioned that you could not 'get any answer' from our staff member. If you would like information, please contact ***** who supervises our front desk personnel. ___________________ read more

We recently moved our son to UCSF Orthodontic Clinic as he was in need of major orthodontic needs. We see Dr. Andrew Jheon who is a professor there and also sees patients. He is fantastic. Really happy. Responds quickly even to emails and emailed us after our 2nd opinion consult (which cost $75 compared to $250 at another orthodontic office) because he had some new ideas that he thought of to address our son's needs. I like that he's really thinking about our case, even after we left. Doesn't seem driven by $ but what's best for our son. Fast, never any waits when we come to the office. Biggest hurdle was getting the initial appointment. I called and used the website form to get an appointment and no answer. It wasn't until I emailed Dr. Jheon directly that I immediately got a response and appointment for 2 weeks later. He said the front office should be able to help anyone get an appointment: 415-476-2841 or email UCSFortho@ucsf.edu. If that doesn't work you could email the professor directly: Andrew.Jheon@ucsf.edu. Also, I'd ask to get seen by a professor/faculty, not residents. I've heard it's more chaotic with residents. read more

I have nothing but great things to say about the staff and faculty at UCSF orthodontics. They have gone above and beyond to cater to my needs as a patient. I have been with them for a little over a year now and you start to feel like a family during your months visits. Dr. Lucas and Dr. Chen have taken great care of me and have been very diligent about giving me great results with my braces. They have great attitudes and are very professional. The nurses are funny and accommodating. Ok.. My orthodontist is funny too.. Sometimes (hahaha). The price is great and I am already thrilled with the results they have given me so far as I'm a little over halfway through my treatment. read more

My experience with UCSF is amazing and there is nothing to say more about it! I started my treatment with Damon braces in another country and when i moved to San Francisco I got the best advice ever about the clinic where i can continue my treatment. That was my first luck. My second luck was to meet in UCSF Dr. Castle who took care of my treatment. He is fantastic! He is real professional! Super polite, friendly and positive! It took me 6 months to finish the treatment. I took off my braces 10 days ago and i'm very happy about the result! The smile looks perfect! Dr. Castle did amazing job and I'm very grateful for that. read more

Dr. Snehlata Oberoi is one of the best orthodontists out there! I am very impressed with her attention to detail, kind and warm approach, and genuine care for each patient of hers to have a beautiful smile. I had an overbite with a few misaligned teeth and Dr. Snehlata Oberoi worked with me so patiently over a span of two years to give me a smile I am now very confident of! The process of getting braces is always tough, but she was so encouraging and kept the end goal in sight at all times. I highly recommend her to anyone that is thinking of undergoIng orthodontic treatment. From your first consultation to the last appointment when your braces are off and you get your retainers, you will receive the best care. I got braces at age 22 and recommend Dr. Snehlata Oberoi for any age range as I have witnessed how great she is with kids in making them feel comfortable and also with adults like myself. Your new beautiful smile awaits you and you won't be disappointed with your experience with Dr. Oberoi! read more

Extremely impressed with results. Got braces done by a third year student in my middle school years. Treatment was over in under two years. Friendly staff and great price. read more

My daughter recently got her braces removed and I am so impressed with the doctor and the resident who treated her. Dr. Oberoi is very knowledgable and experienced and always explained the steps in the treatment so there were no surprises. She greeted us always with a smile and my daughter was very comfortable with her right from the start. We could see during their consultations and interactions that she is obviously very well regarded by her resident Eric Castle. Dr. Castle was also very warm and qualified and I never had any concern regarding their treatment plan. My daughter needed to have a wisdom tooth extracted and Dr,. Oberoi made the referral process very easy as she followed up with the oral surgeon to ensure it was done. The entire experience from start to finish was so positive and painless and I could see there was genuine care for my daughter and for getting her teeth perfect. The good news is that the braces came off a little earlier than expected even! I would not hesitate to recommend Dr. Oberoi to anyone looking for orthodontics. Ask specifically for her! read more

I found UCSF's orthodontics very good, in fact it's amazing! My teeth have never looked better. My dentist is so very caring and is always looking for what's best for me. Dr. Snehlata Oberoi, thank you for your amazing work. Please keep it up. I may not know much since i'm only a freshmen in High school, but i can quite say that the service there is great! They try their best to get to you and finish as fast as they can. They repeatedly ask you if anything hurts, or is anything bothering you. I'm glad they do, they don't want you to go home with some sharp object in your mouth. This is the caring part. I'm truly am grateful for everything they have done. I hope my doctor will keep up her amazing work. I hope to visit her again soon and thank her for everything. read more