she is an average dentist with average abilities; She is not terrible but not excellent in her dental services; only the mediocre can be at their best all or most of the time. read more

I have been seeing Dr. Chui for over 2 years and the result is that my molar is safe and my bite is no longer hitting on the problem tooth. She taught me tongue thrust exercises and how to properly massage the jaw muscle. I can feel the difference now that when I chew, I no longer hit the problem tooth. She also taught me to recognize my clenching teeth and how to correct them. I believe Dr. Chui treatment addresses the root cause rather than just treats the symptom. read more

Bordering on criminal. Dr. Chui is a scam artist, pure and simple. My wife went to see Dr. Chui on a referral (a referral that has caused us to question even returning to our regular dentist of the past five years) due to her TMJ. She was in a lot of pain, had broken some crowns recently, and desperately needed treatment. Dr. Chui had her in for a "free consultation," that was primarily Dr. Chui scaring her by telling her that she would break all of her teeth, that "her children needed her healthy," etc. and that she needed to deal with this NOW, or risk permanent damage. The dentist suggested that a mouthguard would mitigate some of the damage, and that this would cost "several hundred dollars." But before she could get this, she needed an exam that would cost $500! My wife, in pain and scared, agreed to the treatment, assuming it would involve molds, x-rays, etc. and would lead to a diagnosis. The "exam" only involved Dr. Chui pressing on my wife's jaw with her fingers and yelling at her about how much pain she was in. No molds. No x-rays. The whole thing took under an hour, begging the question what the $500 was for. After this, I contacted other orthos who said that exam would cost only $200 (which makes a heck of a lot more sense). Our insurance company rejected the bill also, because it was too much more expensive than other dentists in the area were offering. Not only was the exam a scam, but the mouthguard that was only going to cost "several hundred dollars" now was going to cost $2500, bare minimum, plus $120 per "adjustment visit" at least once a month. Thankfully, all the pressure Dr. Chui was putting on my wife earlier was now no longer necessary. Take your time! She already had our $500. Concerned about this treatment, I attempted to contact Dr. Chui to discuss why the exam was so expensive, but she refused to answer my calls for weeks. I then asked to see the medical record, but she refused to show it to us until we had settled the bill (a violation of federal and state law). Only when I threatened to contact the Dental Board did Dr. Chui even respond to our concerns, but she STILL refused to show us the treatment. Instead, she demanded that we come talk to her in office before she'd give us the records. In the end, it wasn't worth the $500 for us to keep fighting, so we are settling the bill. For that $500, my wife has literally nothing. She has no records, no diagnosis, nothing she can bring to another dentist. Dr. Chui just stole $500 from us, plain and simple. She is a scam artist and she will keep doing this until the Dental Board puts their foot down. Frankly, I think the woman belongs in jail. read more

I had a great experience with Dr. Chui. If you follow her directions and actually wear the bands, spacers, etc. there is no reason that your treatment should be anything but a simple straightforward process. My mouth and bite were ATROCIOUS (I wish I still had pics I could share), and she did an incredible job bringing everything into alignment. Again, I can't stress this enough - if you are diligent and follow her instructions, you will not be disappointed with your results. read more

They always make you wait forever and always overbook their appointment. She has 4 patient going on at the same time and it takes forever to get the treatment. I have been waiting for more than 45 minutes and she is still not ready to see us. We will probably consider going to another orthodontist once my daughter 1 year is up. I have checked other Yelp reviews and their comments seems to be true after coming here almost a year. I should have checked her reviews before we decided to use her. read more

Chui Vivian W DDS - From reception area - Orthodontists Near Me - La Canada Flintridge, California

I won't go into the details, because they are well documented by other reviewers. Just know that you have a number of good options for an orthodontist in the La Canada/La Crescenta area. Don't make the mistake of choosing this one. It was the worst decision I ever made for my kids and I still regret it. read more

DO NOT go to Dr. Chui!!! Speaking from personal experience...she does not have the best interest of my son's treatment (i.e. her patient) in mind, she instills fears (if treatments are not undertaken) and prey on our trust in her as a professional physician. Dr. Chui recommended hundreds of dollars of evaluation works and examinations before any treatment even started. We brought my son to two other Orthopedists - both of those doctors recommended no work to be done at this stage and it didn't cost us a single dime. This is poor professional judgement on her behalf at best, if not flat-out fraudulent. Her office lacks basic equipment - she doesn't even have a X-Ray; she justified this by saying that she doesn't have enough volume. I wonder why she doesn't have enough customers; and pushing so hard to sell those unnecessary services certainly doesn't help. I don't know if not having a X-Ray is common (but the other two orthopedists have it). I will let you be the judge here. Dr. Chui does not accept any insurance at all (...I wonder why the insurance providers doesn't want to work with this practice). This is something she did not disclose to me. It's after that hundreds of dollars of work done, that I find out her office only bills the insurance on patient's behalf and we have to wait for the insurance for reimbursement. In the meantime I have to cover the entire expense out of my own pocket. Dr. Chui herself mislead me to think that the insurance will cover the examination works (which is "a must" for an accurate assessment, according to her, and it's beyond the free consultation we initially signed up for). It's bad luck that we elected to go to her first instead of the other two orthopedists. It is my fault for trusting her and end up paying for this very expensive lesson. Surely you do not need to go through this nightmare. You don't need someone that doesn't take a patient's interest (especially when it's a child) as their top priority and someone that (in my opinion) exploit parent's vulnerability of wanting the best for their child. STAY AWAY!!! read more

I have been seeing Dr. Chui for almost 10 years and have had braces for over four years with her. (I'm 18 now) I recently stumbled across her Yelp page and want to set the record straight. Dr. Chui is a WONDERFUL orthodontist and person. She cares so deeply about her patients' health, every aspect of it. She has done so much to support me, and she is so thorough with her treatments. She is so passionate about making sure her patients have beautiful smiles and great health. Although she does tend to have longer treatments, it is because she is being thorough in them. She also goes out of her way to explain her methods to make sure her patients understand. I appreciate her so much and feel so lucky to have been treated by her. I trust her completely and am confident that my teeth will be beautiful! read more

*Zero Stars* Went here for a potential orthodontic treatment consult. They charged me for a teeth mold before they could give me a treatment plan and present a price quote. They quoted two times more than any other orthodontist in the area and when I asked for more days to think about going ahead they charged me a consultation fee, which was not mentioned before, and I paid on the same day. What followed was late fee letters in the mail for a year. I would think twice before going here, seem to be after your buck. Unfortunately, extremely disappointing and a hassle. read more

Dr. Vivian Chui has helped me stop wearing my teeth away from grinding my teeth! I sleep better now and can tell that my facial muscles are relaxed! I look in the mirror in the morning and my face looks rested! I can't wait to begin my orthodontic journey. Zoe is a master RDA Ortho! Lucy, Zoe and April are all professional and great with kids and adults. They make you feel welcomed. Dr. Vivian Chui is a very knowledgeable and wonderful orthodontist! read more

Dr. Chui has been my orthodontist for over 10 years and there is no one I trust more with my care. I came to her with a severe tongue thrust that had shifted the spacing of my teeth and thrown their alignment totally off. Before she helped me, I was so self-conscious about my teeth and would go to lengths not to smile or be in photos. She recognized this and how upsetting these types of issues are for teens in particular and went to great lengths to not only correct the underlying structural problems but also devote time and understanding as I navigated the process. I returned to her in the last 6 months for problems with clenching my teeth while under stress. The clenching had caused several of my anterior teeth to collapse and become misaligned. She took time to explain the long term effects of this practice and was candid about how damaging this can be. Fortunately, I returned to her office before I had progressed to TMJ pain and she was able to teach me how to avoid this happening in the future. She spent so much extra time walking me through exercises I can practice at home independently to reverse the damage that had been done. She doesn't just resort to sending you on for further testing and expensive "quick fix" procedures like so many other practitioners do. She sits down with you and lays out all your options. As a nurse, I really appreciate when a practitioner takes a holistic approach to care and doesn't just immediately recommend medication or invasive procedures. This approach to care may at first seem too time consuming to some, particularly those who want a quick fix and don't want to be bothered by putting in work themselves. But those quick fix options don't treat underlying problems and you'll more than likely find yourself back in the doctor's office when a superficial "fix" fails to help you in the long run, or does even more damage by simply masking the real structural issues and allowing them to progress. I feel so lucky to have found such a patient-oriented, thoughtful, devoted practitioner. She is such a talented professional and so committed to doing right by her clients. I would refer her to others in a heartbeat. Her staff: Zoe, April, and Lucy, are amazing and so knowledgable. They've even come in on their days off to help me when I only have a day or two in town, since I've moved away. I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Chui! read more

Dr. Chiu was nice and seemed knowledgeable, but we backed off because we felt it was a bit too much of a high pressure sell. She wanted to get the braces on SUPER quick and it seemed like she was intentionally trying to keep us from shopping around or backing out. She seems very competent and detailed, which is why I have her 3 stars. read more

I am very grateful for Dr Chui who has been treating my son for the past two years. She has been very patient with us and very encouraging to my son through a difficult adolescent period. His braces came off last month and his smile is beautiful. She corrected his overbite and we couldn't be happier. read more

Dr. Chui was recommended to our family by our dentist and we are so grateful. Where some orthodontists will do the standard recommended procedures, Dr. Chui is extremely detailed in her research of each patient before she even suggests treatment. Her practice is not about simply straightening teeth, but fixing the root of the problems that cause a lifetime of pain and struggle and $$ for most people. She is dedicated to each patient and treats them like family. She has even given us her home phone number when we've had to check in during off hours! She is also great about helping with payment plans that fit your budget. We are so happy to have found her and will recommend her practice to everyone we can. Thank you Dr. Chui! read more

Dr. Chui is very professional and works efficiently. Since her office only has one room, she treats her patients all in this same room and jumps from patient to patient. This makes it seem like she is a bit rushed, but she does her best to address the needs of everybody all at once. She also can be quite strict on what she thinks is best for the patient, but at the end of the day I think you will be pleasantly surprised by her work. I would trust her word because she produces good looking teeth and doesn't let you go before everything is ready. read more

See RF's review below - We had EXACTLY the same experience. Dr Chui is nice but she has no regard for giving patients options based on their budgets for what is ultimately elective treatment. She uses lengthy technical descriptions to stun you into signing a check. And she DOES refer her husband, but she omits from telling you he is her husband - now that's really unprofessional! read more

Thank you Dr Chui for guiding us through this process, you are the BEST!!

Despite reading a number of negative reviews online, I went against my better judgment and had my daughter get braces with Dr. Chui. Although she estimated braces would only take 2 years, it took over 3 years to complete. When I questioned Dr. Chui about the estimated timeline, she was rude and defensive. Would definitely not recommend her. read more

I've been seeing Dr. Chui for a couple of years now for orthodontic treatment related to periodontic, endodontic, and dental issues that include tongue thrusting and jaw misalignment. In working so closely with her, I have found Dr. Chui to be extremely knowledgeable, dedicated, and masterful in her orthodontic treatments. She is also fiercely passionate about doing what's best for her patients and I am convinced that her priorities in order of importance are: (1) the patient's best interest; (2) the patient's best interest; and (3) the patient's best interest. Dr. Chui applies a multi-dimensional approach by working with my other doctors and myofunctional therapist to find the best course of treatment. She thinks outside the box to find the best and most cost-effective solution for whatever dental, periodontal, endodontic, or orthodontic issue before me. I am so grateful for her forthrightness in telling me about my tongue thrusting because no amount of orthodontic work will straighten or save my teeth if I don't stop thrusting. If tongue thrusting is a problem for you or your child, I urge you not to shy away from it. I can truly empathize with patients and parents who are taken aback by a tongue thrust diagnosis. Initially, it made me feel like I had been doing something "wrong" all these years. But I quickly realized that straightening teeth entails more than just slapping on braces. It's a team effort that requires me the patient, to do my part as well. I know for certain that had I tackled my thrusting problem in my youth, I would not be facing the myriad of dental issues I have now. So take advantage of Dr. Chui's experience, expertise and foresight and you too will be ever grateful! Thank you Dr. Chui!! read more

Dr. Chui treats patients for far too long, resulting in dental root damage. She shames patients into complying w her requirements, even if they are complying. The office wait is far too long each time. We removed our child from her treatment and sought care w Dr. Charles Low instead, and he is wonderful. read more

Dr. Chui keeps patients in braces for to long. Not everybody needs every single tooth in the perfect position. She explains & explains & explains Everything. The only problem is she explains in her "dental language" as she calls it. I could hardly understand. But the office staff is great and will explain anything you didn't understand with the doctor. After my child was in braces for 6+ yrs she recommended to finish treatment with Invisalign. Which cost an additional $6000 after the $5500 I already paid for 6+ yrs in braces! (Not including $5000 I paid for the first round of treatment that was supposed to be 1 yr but turned into 3 yrs) After some research on the Invisalign web site we found out she OverCharged us. After finishing with Invisalign Dr. Chui told us that my child was grinding holes in the retainer and we needed to have a sleeping night guard before the teeth got ruined. (Another $1000...and $100 every time we came in...1 to 2 x a month) My child needed a general dentist so I asked for a few referrals to someone local and good. After spending so much money already I wanted someone good! She only gave me one business card. Later I found out the dentist was HER HUSBAND!! Dr. Ken Lam. I don't think that's professional, Referring to your husband. But we went anyways. Talk about night and day! They are complete opposites when it comes to dentistry. She wants everything perfect and I think he is color blind. We ended up with "tooth color" fillings that probably matched someone's tooth color...just not my child's teeth and a couple crowns that maybe matched IN THE OFFICE light but not in real light. Hind sight is 20/20 and you feel stuck in the middle of treatment and just hope it ends soon. But it goes on and on. Just like I told Dr. Chui, my child is not going to wear the retainers all the time or even everyday this is a waste of time. All those rubber bands Chris crossing all over the mouth was torture for the whole family. read more

We really liked talking to Dr. Chui since She explains things in completely different way versus everyone else. But, once we decided to wait on the Treatment, all Hell seems to have broken loose with Her and Her staff. Our First Visit that was suppose to be Complimentary, She made us sign something saying all follow ups are to be paid which was fine with us, BUT, on the First visit she recommended to do X-Rays somewhere else and bring it to Her for review, and We got Charged. We thought this was part of the First visit since She only said go get X-Rays somewhere else which we end up paying for those as well. She also would not send the insurance company the Code required for the Insurance to pay them, They were punishing us by playing hard on what code to put for first visit. She messed with us for months until they corrected it and we just paid them what was needed. SHAME ON YOU & YOUR STAFF. read more

This is a warning about Dr. Chui. If you disregard all of the negative reviews, proceed at your own peril. I brought two children to her. She immediately diagnosed them (after sending us for $300 x-rays and charging us for a "study") with a tongue thrust. She installed those metal devices that you crank each night with a key. The braces then went on. "Phase one". After about a year and a half, our regular dentist warned us that Dr. Chui's patients often have the tongue thrust devices on for so long that the skin from the roof of the mouth grows into the metal. Our dentist was disappointed that we didn't consult with him prior to contracting with Chui. We went along for a while with the head gear and the key cranking. When at last we were ready to start "Phase Two," Chui told us that she needed to charge us to do a second study on them as to how to proceed! Wait a minute...shouldn't she KNOW what their progress is without charging another $300 each for a "study"? What a racket. I immediately notified her that we were not using her for phase 2. I went to another highly recommended orthodontist in Glendale who did NOT charge extra for x-rays, for "studies" or anything else. There were no hidden costs. He was shocked when he heard our story. So bad he felt, that he gave us a discount to help defray our costs. We are very happy now. Oh, and when he removed those tongue thrust devices, both kids had ulcerated sores on the roof of the mouths and we had to spend a few weeks rinsing with saltwater until the wounds healed, prior to reapplying the braces. I hope you all listen to me. Don't harm your children or your bank accounts unnecessarily. read more

Do not recommend. Regret taking my children to Dr. Chui. One of the worst mistakes of my life!

My experience as a patient in Dr. Chui's office has been wonderful.  I had many preconceptions about braces when I signed on for them, but I needed them and couldn't have chosen a better orthodontist, a perfectionist whose ideal is to provide an effective and pain-free experience for each patient.  In my case, she's modified her adjustments around my travel schedule so my braces haven't interfered with my plans.  The braces themselves, by the way, are discrete and lovely in their own way.  Dentistry can be an art form, and Dr. Chui has mastered this art. She also knows how to treat TMJ.  Anyone with a crooked bite and a tendency to grind would do well to seek her out.  What she's done to minimize my grinding is nothing short of miraculous.  My dental problems affected more than my mouth.  I was holding one shoulder up, the other was starting to freeze; I had positional vertigo, a sinus issue, and pain beneath my cheek bones.  My back teeth were constantly sore from my grinding.  Some of Dr. Chui's treatments addressed these issues, and she also sent me to an equally gifted physical therapist who worked more miracles.  As time has gone on, I've relaxed more and more into this process because I'm feeling better all the time.  Each adjustment has been an improvement.  The worst thing a patient can do is rush Dr. Chui because the correction of some issues can be time-consuming, and her strength is her patient determination to move your teeth into the most perfect and comfortable position. I always enjoy going into Dr. Chui's office, too.  She has a staff of happy and optimistic co-workers who are equally dedicated to her patients' welfare. read more

My time at Dr. Chui's office proved for an absolutely horrific experience. I had braces for four years when I had been promised a maximum of two years. Dr. Chui was constantly finding new excuses to extend the treatment. During the fourth year of treatment, after years of bars never seen before by other dentists, head gear and rubber bands, Dr. Chui insisted that she could not remove anything or continue treatment until I sought outside treatment at a speech therapist of her recommendation. I have no problem with diction so this request seemed futile. Furthermore, she insisted that at the end of treatment we purchase an additional retainer to the standard one. At this we immediately switched offices where they were unable to find any of the problems Dr. Chui suggested I have and remove the braces within two months. Ultimately terrible experience, worst choice and would not recommend AT ALL. Plus she was rude to patients and assistants which made the experience all the more painful. Seriously wish 0 stars were an option for this one. And last of all, my sister and I now have permanently stained teeth from years of abuse. I mean, how do you even get stains from Invisalign? By putting unnecessary and unknown contraptions in your mouth for years. Seriously astonished that she refused to take off the braces until I saw a speech therapist for the made up "tongue thrust" that she insisted I had even though my dentist and other orthodontist did not seem to detect this. BEWARE OF TONGUE THRUST, somehow she is the only orthodontist that can detect this, and coincidentally ALL HER PATIENTS have it. In all, I urge you to consider again before beginning treatment with Dr. Chui. read more

Dr Chui has done an amazing job with my 13 year old daughter's mouth. She is caring and patient, and has significantly changed the shape our my daughter's face and bite. Her staff are top notch, and the practice is comfortable and welcoming. I cannot recommend her more strongly. read more

I've never had Dr. Chewy but my friend has and she's been in braces for like 4 years (way too long)