The best dentist ever! I had him for my entire 4 years at UC Berkeley. He was attentive, took his time, and was super friendly. He helped me feel super confident in my dental health and made sure I was not being charged extra. I am sad to be leaving him now that I've graduated. read more

Easily the best dentist I've ever had. Did a great job on my crown, stays very focused and is super careful with his hands. The office is no frills, and his practice is no gimmicks. He doesn't try to rip you off with unnecessary supplemental treatments or pricey toothpastes/mouthwashes. read more

Would highly recommend! I had a bad experience at Western Dental so I was slow to find a new dentist and spent some time reading reviews and am grateful that I found Dr. Cavalli. He was friendly, kind, gentle, thorough, attentive and positive and the whole experience was really pleasant which was a relief. Thank you!! read more

Being new-ish to the area, I was anxious about finding a dentist based on some poor past experiences after moves. But, WOW was I surprised and reassured! Dr. Cavalli has an open and welcoming office, which immediately lowered my anxiety. He was thorough and answered my questions. His practice uses modern equipment, which is great b/c I've been to some questionable dentists that subscribe by 'ancient' practices. I would highly recommend him if you're looking for a dentist. And, I am glad that on the first attempt I found my primary care dentist! read more

Dr. Cavalli is ruthless... towards the adversarial diseases of the mouth. No cavity, no plaque, no tartar will escape his beady eyes and sharp sword-like dental tool. "Ahh, tartar!" "Ohh, there's the tartar." "Tartar coming out!" "Tartar. Tartar! Tartar!!! Tartar." "Whoa, projectile tartar coming my way!" Oops, sorry. "Let's use the dental air to see if there are any remaining tartar on your teeth." "Ah, got it! Last remnant tartar is out!" "Now you have beautiful, tartar-free teeth." Thank you doctor. Yes, I have tartar. So do you. So go. He could use a little more practice on small talk or at least turn up some background music. I struggled to create coherent sentences as he prodded my mouth with that super sharp object of his, since he kept asking me questions, none of which were rhetorical. I always feel awkward and vulnerable exposing my dirty mouth to a stranger, but with him, I wanted all my teeth to fall out and for my body to diffuse into the chair. I would recommend him to any Cal student who needs to get a little use out of SHIP. His office is really close to campus and values his patients a lot. read more

Whole new dental experience! Dr. Cavalli is a kind and funny man. Typically I hate going to the dentist but he made this experience welcoming and pleasant by keeping conversation. Most importantly he was gentle with my teeth and did not let me drown in my own saliva which previous dental offices had no care for. Passed on some wisdom teeth information that eased my worries. Also really appreciate the fact that he made time for my appointment. Best dentist I've ever had! read more

Despite an efficient cleaning, my main issue with this office was the receptionist, Deana. She was unfriendly to me and not understanding at all while I was trying to find the correct member number for my insurance. While I was initially mistaken in presenting a different card, she showed annoyance towards me the whole time. My unpleasant interaction with her coldness and rudeness has turned me off of this office, and I will not be returning. The dismissal of my experience in Dr. Cavalli's comment shows a blatant lack of professionalism, and nothing but a bitter taste is left in my mouth. read more

Bill Cavalli is a skillful dentist. I am no longer his patient, but I still admire his work every time I look in the mirror. He did 2 fillings on my front teeth (yes, front, yes on both) I used to have two black circles were a previous dentist had planted 2 fillings and I always smiled half way. Dr. Cavalli fixed that 12-13 years ago and nobody has been able to tell ever since that I had 2 big holes on my front teeth. If you need a filling just give him a call. I highly recommend him for this kind of work. His prices are reasonable and he even gave me 10% off , because at the time I didn't have dental insurance and paid everything out of pocket. He is no longer my dentist simply because I haven't had cavities in a while. I have gum problems though, so I need a dentist who can do deep cleaning, and I found one in San Francisco, who does an amazing job, goes deep into the pockets and cleans my teeth really well. I got my teeth cleaned in Bill's office only once. It was a so-so job compared to the other dentist's work, but it was more expensive. And that is how she became my regular dentist, even though she is in S.F. Bill likes to do fillings and he takes pride in his work. I don't know what the other people are saying about quirky conversations. I usually don't engage in conversations with my mouth wide open while sharp objects are poking all around, so I haven't experienced that. read more

I am generally terrified of the dentist! I have had horrible experiences and dread going. Not only was Dr. Cavalli professional and very nice, he had a sense of humor! He was very gentle and took his time. I hate when the dentist or assistant rushes through flossing your teeth and leaves your gums a bloody mess and sore. Not Dr. Cavalli. He was gentle and took his time! He takes SHIP - if you are a UC student and was very well versed in what the plan covers. This was my first dental experience where I can honestly say I had a pleasant experience! read more

I saw Dr. Cavalli for a couple of years, then lost my dental insurance and skipped out on cleanings for about two years. I wound up taking a chance on a Groupon dental exam deal, where I was told I had two cavities that should be filled immediately (after being cavity-free for the three and a half decades I've been alive). Skeptical, I scheduled a second opinion consultation with Dr. Cavalli, who told me he didn't detect any cavities upon inspection or based on the x-rays provided by the other place. So Dr. Cavalli saved me from getting $600 worth of needless fillings. AND he was kind enough to not even charge me for the 5-minute consultation! I am never going to stray from Dr. Cavalli's care again as long as I can help it. He's an honest, caring, and trustworthy dentist, and apparently such qualities are not universal. If you are looking for a dentist who will delightedly charge you to do any kind of superfluous work, I don't think he's your guy; see my other reviews for a recommendation. read more

I just came from a visit to Dr. Cavalli's office and thought i should update my review. Dr. Cavalli is hands-down the best dentist I've ever visited. He does all the cleanings himself, is on time, friendly, and incredibly thorough. I particularly enjoy the glee he expresses in his role as a "Tartar Assassin". As a plus, the office has recently been renovated and update. All of the equipment is entirely new along with some very nifty digital X-Ray equipment. I enjoyed reviewing my x-rays with the doctor as he was able to zoom in on all of my teeth. I think he accepts the insurance of most UC Berkeley affiliates like myself. Here's to a cavity-free future with Dr. Cavalli. PLEASE READ: Dr. Cavalli is only accepting referrals from existing patients at this point. This is meant to be personal referrals from people I actually know. Please do NOT e-mail me asking for a referral. Sorry! read more

Dr. Cavalli is a class act. He's a good and thorough dentist, he explains everything, asks the appropriate questions and his front office staff is super knowledgeable and friendly. This is my first visit since my old dentist retired. I am very pleased and I will go back. A+ read more

We've been going to Bill Cavalli for years. He's the best of the best. We do not mind driving from the East Bay to his office. He's incredibly professional and caring. Also love his sweet assistant Deanna!!! read more

Best dentist experience EVER. I was 30 minutes late, and they took me with no complaints - squeezed in everything they could before the next appointment showed up, and quickly offered me a follow-up to finish the cleaning. Dr Cavalli explained everything I wanted to know, gave me options, was friendly and professional, and it's a small shop - so I personalized attention, and not like I was part of herd. I expected a dental assistant to do the cleaning - but I got the Dr's full attention! read more

I had a crown put on an implant. The crown is custom made at a lab and the lab kept sending an imperfect crown. Dr. Cavalli didn't just stick me with an imperfect crown, he kept reordering until it was perfect. He made the very expensive crown affordable as well. He seems really experienced. I would highly recommend. read more

I'm probably Dr. Cavalli's biggest fan, considering how much word-of-mouth advertising I do for him, so I figured I might as well share with the internet too. Everything about my appointments there has been easy and minimally painful (as pleasant as dentist visits can be, I think). First of all, there's hardly any waiting around, since it's just him doing all the cleaning and procedures, and they don't seem to overbook patients. His persona during the visit is immensely entertaining to me, as he likes to narrate exactly what he's doing and shows great pleasure when things go well. Lots of positive reinforcement too, telling you you're doing a great job. He also likes to append "dental" to just about any noun. Since it's a dental office, he lets the dental anesthetic sit for a few dental minutes... so funny. My one dental cleaning and three dental fillings here went really well, and I will definitely go back to him for my future dental needs. read more

I really like that there is minimal waiting to see Dr. Cavalli, and that he explains what he's doing. On top of being positive and friendly, he does really good work. Parking can be a bit of a hassle in the area, so if you're coming by car, make sure to give yourself some extra time to find a spot. read more

I decided to give Dr. Cavalli a try after recommendation from a friend and viewing numerous good yelp reviews. I first contacted the clinic the past summer, and unfortunately the appointments were fully booked and the next appointment wouldn't be for another month, so I had to go back to the horribly dreaded Western Dental. A few weeks ago I came down with a severe toothache, and after realizing that I MUST see a dentist, I gave the clinic another call. They were still fully booked, but after I explained my situation, they were nice enough to fit me in an emergency slot that same morning. The dentist is super nice and efficient. It took very little time for him to look through my scans and to refer me to an endodontist (i had to get a root canal that day $_$). And, like most people said, he's super nice! The only thing stopping me from giving 5 stars is the reception lady and the whole fully-booked business. The receptionist was super cold for reasons I do not know, though I have to say she is very efficient. read more

Dr. Cavalli is a brilliant dentist. Most people don't look forward to seeing a dentist (me included), but Dr. Cavalli has this calming demeanor that will put you at ease instantly. I went to him for a quick checkup because I was having extreme tooth pain. He put me in a 10 minute emergency appointment in a week's time; took some x-rays and recommended me a root canal at a endodontist's place the next day. He also followed up with the crown fitting and some fillings. Dr. Cavalli is considerate, helpful and very skilled at what he does. I recommend him to all. read more

I'm a bit of a wimp regarding pain and dental work. Dr. Cavalli filled two good-sized cavities and replaced two fillings that had fallen out, all pain-free. Yes, the monologuing while he works is unusual and sometimes even rather odd, but it definitely keeps you distracted from the work being done, and isn't unpleasant. Add to that the fact that the actual work is great and his charges are fair and you have a great local dentist. read more

Dr. Cavalli has been our family dentist for about 25 years. He has always been very thorough, patient and responsive. He is very honest and you can trust what he says. I do not like pain at all, but he has been the right choice in that regard. I had another dentist, but will never go back. Dr. Cavalli is the best! read more

I've been going to Dr. Cavalli since I was a student at Cal, which make it almost, let's see...about 10 years now? (Yipe!) But put it this way. I've moved about a half dozen times since I started being his patient, and I've always gone the extra mile or two to go back to his office. Dr. Cavalli has a great way with patients, he'll put you at ease with his mellow-yet-chipper tone as he patiently explains what's going on in your mouth. He's gentle and thorough, and does quality work. He's also incredibly responsive, and was willing to see me right away when I started having serious tooth pain. The office experience is definitely worth a star on its own. Deanna, his receptionist/assistant, is awesome (she can be a little quiet in the office, but on the phone she's pretty funny), and I love all the photos in the office of Dr. Cavalli whitewater rafting. Not to mention, there's more than enough issues of People magazine to get my guilty pleasure fix for a long time! read more

I recently moved out to Berkeley and came to Dr. Cavalli on a recommendation from a friend. The reviews here are right. My first appointment with Dr. Cavalli was surprisingly delightful. He's really nice, but more importantly, really helpful and informative. It was the first time I've had a dentist explain, in clear terms, just what's going on with my teeth, and why, in my particular case, it's important to floss to keep gum inflammation down. It was also great that the dentist himself did the whole thing rather than an assistant. All in all, a great experience. read more

I switched dentists after 5 years to get closer to my home and went to Dr. Cavalli last week. What a great experience. He could not have been nicer, more efficient, easy to talk to, easy on the cleaning : ) He's also super knowledgable and upfront, no tactics to try and up sell me on anything. It made going to the dentist fun and painless really. Definitely recommend him read more

Top notch Dentist!! I have been a patient for 20 years and have the utmost respect & highest regards to the quality Dentist Dr. Cavalli is. I am a Dental Assistant (not employed by Dr. Cavalli) & have been in the field for 21 years. I would ONLY trust my teeth & oral health to the very best! Although I live far way, I will continue to commute to Berkeley for the excellent care Dr. Cavalli has always provided me & my family. Dr. Cavalli is always concerned & attentive to any issue I address. When seeing a specialist is needed he emails my x-rays & symptoms immediately & truely wants to resolve my discomfort a.s.a.p. Dr. Cavalli is constantly up to date with the latest technology & equipment to provide his patients the absolute best care. In response to "Jacueline C", Dr. Cavalli has been placing composite fillings for me & my family for 20 years & still is. Although amalgam fillings are phasing out due to disposal regulations, composite fillings are pretty much a plastic / resin based alternative. For someone who "tries to be careful what materials are placed" in their mouth, I doubt you've done any research. Also for someone who has only seen Dr. Cavalli for "yearly cleanings" your clearly not concerned with your oral health. You should not be placing blame when your fillings done by a different dentist cause you problems. He did exactly what he should have & referred you to a specialist. There was obviously a misunderstanding on your part & this should NOT have resulted in your negative review of him. Dr. Cavalli is an excellent Dentist & you can't go wrong when picking him...Highly recommended & respected! read more

Dr. Cavalli is just fantastic. The best dentist experience I have ever had. He is very friendly and positive, makes you feel comfortable during your appointment and explains everything he is doing. I showed up at 6:50a for a 7a appointment, he had me fill out a bit of paperwork (this was my first visit) and took some info from my insurance card. In the chair quickly after that, he gave me a thorough, complete and almost painless cleaning. He was very careful around the gums and took great care throughout the appointment. It was also a refreshing experience to have the actual dentist perform all of the work, instead of a dental assistant. Go see Dr. Cavalli... you won't be disappointed. read more

My husband, 2 sons, and I have all gone to Dr. Cavalli for about 8 years now. The only dentist I've ever had who cleans my teeth himself--and the only person who cleans them without them aching afterwards (I'm sensitive!) He cares, he knows his stuff, he's just a nice guy and a great dentist. Very low key. Always on time. You're in good hands with him. Plus he has a fancy new leather chair that is very comfy soft. read more

I started seeing Dr. Cavalli years ago when I was in school at Berkeley. I moved to the city after graduation and spent a couple years trying other dentists. But they kept wasting my time, giving me bad advice, etc. It got to the point where, busy though I am and notwithstanding the dozens of dentists in SF, I found it worthwhile to commute over to Berkeley to see Dr. Cavalli. Yep, he's that good. read more

This guy is the real deal. Upfront and honest about pricing and can spot other work you've had done at other dentists from a mile away. He makes you feel really comfortable going to the dentist if you haven't been in awhile. No judgement, just a grade A guy doing grade A work. read more

Dedicated Dentist who takes pride in his work. I came to Dr. Cavalli due to an emergency because my crown came off after 6 years of placement(poor dental work done by a another Dentisy, I later come to find out).I was new to the area so I had to scramble to find a Dentist with a good reputation. Dr. Cavalli saw me and realized my crown was poorly shaped and stated he believed something else was going on with the area and sent me to a root canal specialist. Long story short the specialist stated there was a bad infection and the previous surgeon missed a canal, therefore I had to get another root canal. Anyways after the completion of the root canal I had to go back to Dr. Cavalli to prep for my new crown. Let me tell you that I don't know what type of technique he uses for novacane injection but this is the first time where I didnt feel a thing. Dr. Cavalli also scheduled me at 5am(dedicated) due to my hectic work schedule). My crown turned out beautifully. Thank you Dr. Cavalli read more

Had to wait over a month for an appointment came in on time and ready; only to be told my appointment had been canceled. Apparently they had called to confirm my appointment the day before, and got a busy tone. A busy tone = I am on the phone not that I want my appointment canceled. I had called out of work woke up early and didn't even get to see a doctor. No way am I waiting another month to get screwed over again. read more

I've been seen by Dr Cavalli for about 5 years now and he's just awesome . Very precise and passionate of his job , if something doesn't look right he will tell you before you even notice and give you all the options on how to proceed next. Great work ethic. read more

Worst dentist ever. Severely messed up my mouth. should have probably sued him but I was too young and trusting back then. Both crowns he put in were broken within 2 weeks. He did not stand by his work at all. His response, 'oh thats not a bad break'. No refund or repair. and he has been hounding me for the final 100 dollars I refused to pay him for almost 7 years. read more

So my husband thought the service he received was fine. I am giving them a one-star rating because they charged our insurance for services that were not rendered and we only found out about it after moving and requesting x-rays. They charged my insurance for COMPLETE SERIES X-RAYS, when I called to have the full x-rays sent to my new dentist the new dentist said there were 11 x-rays missing. When I called Dr. Cavalli's office to inquire about it they said they would need to look into it and would get back to me - which they never did. I then took a look at my dental claims and saw they also billed the insurance for 2 fillings (which my husband did not get) on a date when we were out of the country. We have since filed a complaint with our insurance company...my advice to any patients: PAY ATTENTION to what you are billed and make sure you get what you pay for. read more

Dr. Cavalli is great. I was about a year overdue on a cleaning (because of school + multiple job changes + moves) and had also postponed some much-needed ortho work--braces, an implant, crowns, etc etc. I also had some bad staining from a periodontal mouthwash a previous dentist had prescribed. Needless to say, I was more than a little embarrased about the state of my mouth. Dr. Cavalli was super nice, funny, and non-judgy. He did the cleaning and X-rays himself. He polished off the staining on my teeth which had been bothering me pretty much 24/7/365, chatted about my ortho plans, provided multiple referrals so that I could work on those plans, and got me set with a very timely follow-up to fill the one small cavity I did have. This was literally the best, most relaxed, most friendly dentail visit I've ever had. At no point did Dr. Cavalli try to upsell any dental work. He was instead super understanding of the fact that I'm working on a student budget and was fine with me working on a 3-year timetable. One caveat: it's a small practice and a small office. There's a tremendous upside to that, but it can also mean long wait times to get in -- it took me about 7-8 weeks. In fairness, this was in part because of my class schedule. And, there were several days when his assistant (Deanna? -- she's very nice and good at her job) called to see if I wanted a spot from the cancellation list. I couldn't make it because of class, but it was very professional of her to call and ask. Personally, I think it was well worth the wait. Objectively, it does deserve some mention. ***The office also accepts UC-Berkeley's SHIP student health insurance.*** In conclusion: two thumbs up and a big unstained+toothy grin for this practice. read more

Dr Cavalli is a great, wonderful dentist. He is a perfectionist I discoverd when he sent a crown of mine back to the lab for the slightest imperfection. Peace of mind, very reasonable rates, and an enjoyable dental experience, not too many one can say that about !!! read more

Today was my first time at Dr. Cavalli's office. I am always terrified of dentist, but Dr. Cavalli was so nice and gentle that I don't have that fear anymore. I walked in at 12:56 pm for my 1 pm appointment, he knew my name when I said I have an appointment at 1 pm and he prepped and cleaned my teeth himself! I am looking forward to go back in November for follow up then I will update how his skill of filling my cavity. read more

Going to Dr. Cavalli's is an interesting and fun experience. Sure he's good and nice and happy to explain anything you need, but the real treat is listening to his convolutedly precise grammar and engaging in banter while your mouth is filled with dental tools. I've had two standard check-ups with him and two cavities filled, and i'll certainly go back (hopefully just for more check-ups). read more

Dr Cavalli was recommended to me by my wonderful oral surgeon who goes to see him herself. I am from England and very dental phobic due to horrible dentist/butcher experiences as a child. I tend to put off going to the dentist for much too long. However, that is about to change as Dr Cavalli is extremely kind, sensitive, informative and overall wonderful. I highly recommend him. I had no pain during or after procedure. read more

Dr. Cavalli did such a thorough and gentle cleaning. He took his time while cleaning and talked me through each tooth and gave me great tips for keeping my mouth super healthy. read more