I came here five years ago and had such a horrible experience that I still remember it and must share with others. I was referred here for gum recession by my dentist and I had Delta Dental insurance. Dr. Kwan looked at my gums for what seemed like mere minutes. He said that I didn't need treatment but didn't offer any other helpful suggestions or reasons. The worse thing was that him and his office were so eager for money that they didn't even ask for my insurance even though my insurance would have covered my exam fully. They wanted my money immediately. I was billed 100 dollars which I paid out of pocket simply because they did not want to spend time dealing with my insurance paperwork. Of course they didn't discuss any of this before I committed to the 100 dollar exam that lasted five minutes or less. Five years later, I told my dentist this week to refer me to a new peridontist and this other office actually used my insurance which meant that I didn't have to pay anything for my exam, got a real exam that lasted almost an hour instead of minutes, and got suggestions and a treatment plan where the financial aspects were actually worked out to my advantage! Stay away unless you want to deal with someone who seems to care more about money and fast money instead of caring for your gum health! Also, the office management is poor too and that just says a lot about what kind of business this is. read more

This is a wonderful office. Dr. Kwan and his staff are always friendly and happy. I have spent many hours in the chair in their office, getting two implants. One of the implants became loose resulting in the whole procedure starting over again (this implant was begun by a different Endodontist the year before). Dr. Kwan followed up fully and gave me great service. I am still going for follow up. If I need another implant (I hope not!) This is where I will go. I highly recommend this practice. read more

Wish we saw the reviews before coming here but this is a money hungry office. They demanded a $90 payment for a bill they mailed the day before, which is also something our insurance would've covered had they bothered to do paperwork. No sense of customer service or how to properly do business. KEEP AWAY FROM THIS PLACE. read more

It's never good to need a specialist, but when you do, getting one who's at the top of the field is the way to go. Dr. Kwan is reknowned in the journals for pioneering minimally-invasive techniques that are actually MORE effective than traditional methods. He was personally very polite and professional, as was his entire staff. The office has a calm, welcoming vibe, as do the exam rooms, and insurance was handled seamlessly. I had a deep cleaning performed by one of his hygeinists, Deborah Murchison, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. Not only was she an absolute wizard with the novocaine (most times, I couldn't even feel the initial injection!) but she was extremely good about checking in with me throughout the procedure, and she's very personable to-boot! I had a wisdom tooth extraction at the same time, and that was also pain- and problem-free. Recovery from everything was quick and easy. All-in-all, I had an extremely positive experience, would happily return, and strongly recommend Dr. Kwan and his staff for any periodontal needs you may have. read more

Although I have had periodonatal work done here before, I have had more routine cleaning by one of the dental hygienist here. This review is strictly for Mari who cleans my teeth ridiculously well. If there was ever a person on this earth that is more concerned with other people's teeth she would be the one. I've had dentists express their concern about the need for me to have improved dental care but she elevates this to the next level. She is a fanatic who takes great pride in not only her own work but how she maintains her own teeth. If you don't maintain your teeth she will clearly let you know. Also it's probably more work for her if your mouth is not in good shape and she has to devote extra time to get the job done. Don't be insulted. Take control of your mouth ! Floss regularly. read more

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am an active professional in the dental field and have been for many years. I have worked with other gum specialists and in my opinion, John Kwan is the only doctor to see for an implant. He is a wonderful periodontist which means he knows about the gum and bone into which your implant will be placed, key to it's success. His office, on Telegraph and Alcatraz..510-547-1300 is efficiently run and communicates well with the general dentist in detail about your condition....an important point! Our office works with him on a regular basis and we share patients so I have seen his work over and over again. My patients return to me quite satisified and informed ....plus he is a great guy!!! Andrea read more

Dr. Kwan is a preeminent periodontist having been written about in various publications and journals, as well as leading seminars on the most cutting edge research, technology and science related to periodontisty. He uses minimum invasive surgery and for implants titanium alloy (stronger than cubic zirconium) that work with minerals to allow for proper bone-growth around the implant. You cannot find this kind of quality with regards to workmanship and product in other dental practices. My primary dentist offered me two choices, but mentioned Kwan was the best in the biz, and that is an understatement. Now on to bedside manner, personality, customer service. Dr. Kwan's easy going persona and ability to give you straight forward answers to your questions, with kindness and patience, is so appreciated when you're dealing with such matters. The dental assistant Ryanne also, very kind, informative in answering your questions, and very caring during the process of the implant procedure. I just had my implant done today, and within a couple or so hours, I am back to getting work done. I am super grateful to have Dr. Kwan to help me get my teeth back in order. The staff and hygienists are great here too. I am happy to know I am always in good hands here. Thanks Dr. Kwan, and thanks to everyone there. read more

Do you want a huge billing mess lingering in your life for months? Do you want to call the office and get an edgy receptionist the minute you tell them you don't agree with their charge? Then go to this office, they're experts at this. It's very, very unfortunate, because the dentist is really good, and so are the hygienists. However, they don't disclose all the charges upfront. If you still want to go with them make sure you do this: go for a consultation, ask for a pre-estimate for your treatment signed by someone from the dental office, agree to it and then get the treatment. Believe me, you don't want surprises and if you don't do this, you'll get them. I got a $200 surprise after I was told twice that my copay would only be $20. That's 10 times more than what they quoted me for. A couple of weeks after my treatment and having paid the $20, they sent me this letter saying that I still owed them $200. What in the world?! No one had said a word about this charge. I waived a much better treatment that would have cost me $100 (out of pocket), just because of the price and then they tell me I have to pay $220 for the other treatment. Totally unethical and unprofessional. When I tried to dispute the charge, the front office staff basically told me "that's too bad we didn't tell you, but you still have to pay for it." Then they got super edgy. I sent a letter to the dentist and I'm sure the staff hasn't even given it to him. They kept sending me invoices for the charge and the new invoices - now, check this out - had an additional charge for stamps for sending me the statement! I hadn't asked for it! It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever had to deal with. It's now in the hands of the Bureau of Better Business - we'll see what happens... Use caution, it's been a very stressful and frustrating process for the last 6 months. read more

[Taking down my earlier bad review. Our dispute with Dr. Kwan's office has been satisfactorily resolved. No complaint at this time; we withdraw our earlier criticism.] read more

Sorry, no stars. was dismissed as not worthy of polite service when they heard i pay by cash. But on the third visit the permanent damage came when they "periscoped" a tooth and it fell out. I had a limp "sorry" but no answer to "how much for an implant?". I did return some months later to inquire about the implant as this Dr is the one my dentist refers to, again not even a discussion. As a retired health care professional myself I could hardly believe the attitude. My bills are always paid before I leave the office. I believe the issues are no insurance and the fact that they made a mistake and are worried that I may ask for a discount. I would not. All I want is replacement of a missing tooth. read more

Despite all those charges guess what !?!? The doctor drops me after he took impressions and 3D X-rays ... What a joke !!! I'm requesting a refund !!! Beware !!! read more

Dr. Kwan is obviously very competent, and I have been happy with the work he has done so far. His explanations are thorough and clear, and though he is deservedly busy, he does not rush through appointments. Unfortunately, I have had intermittent problems dealing with his staff. In fact, it has been fairly frustrating to engage with the administrative problems that seem to pervade this clinic. I have experienced mixups in the scheduling (and rescheduling) of appointments; I have also not been provided itemized billing statements in a timely manner. Office policies are inconsistent and ad hoc, and regrettably, the staff seem, on occasion, disrespectful of patients and blameful of one another. Again, I have full confidence in Dr. Kwan's expertise and ability. The office operation, however, needs a serious overhaul, one that might begin with a sit-down discussion about the fact that people coming in for periodontal care and oral surgery are undertaking something that is already medically and financially stressful. read more

I first met Dr. Kwan in 2000 as a referral from my dentist. Having had nine implants in 1988 one was causing a problem and I hadn't been taking care of them as consistently as I should have. It was unfortunate that one implant had to be removed and I required deep cleaning. The work had a more than favorable result and things remained stable until until the week of 3/13 when I noticed that the bridge "permanently" affixed to the implants was loose it was real panic Dr. Kwan's office got me in right away and after exam I had to have the bridge removed from the implants by my regular dentist. The bridge was only in temporary and Sunday morning I couldn't get it back on. I sent an email to Dr. Kwan and he called me back the same day. Although my appointment (deep cleaning, finding out the condition of the remaining implants and, at least in my mind, wether they could be saved, was scheduled for Tuesday, Dr. Kwan had me in early Monday morning and was able to put me back together so I could go to work that day. Yesterday I had my scheduled big appointment that required sedation and from beginning to end, when I entered the office and left, Dr. Kwan and his staff couldn't have more professional. The procedure was a success, the upper bridge is now affixed to the implants and I am on my way to recovery. Most of all, I can smile. Although there was surgery involved the results were fantastic and Dr. Kwan is the best. read more

Dr. Kwan is the most knowledgeable and innovative periodontist I've been treated by. He saved some of my teeth that other periodontists had wanted to extract. His alternative treatment using laperoscopic technique worked just wonders. I am very grateful to him and his wonderful assistants who have been doing routine cleaning since his treatment. read more

I was referred, now I want to use him as my primary. Smart, knowledgeable, professional - all that one would want in a great dentist.

I saw Dr Kwan for some pretty serious gum disease than another periodontist said would require pulling teeth. Dr Kwan's method healed up my gums with out pulling teeth at all. He is a very good periodontist and I recommend him to friends when I hear they have gum problems. I still go there regularly for dental cleaning by the hygenist because she is really good as well. read more

Great initial meeting with Dr. Kwan. Everyone was very professional. Let's see what my insurance pays but he was very professional and made a potentially stressful experience like a routine exam. I like his approach to a non-invasive procedure. Will keep you posted on next steps and thanks to Piedmont Dental by Design for the Referral. read more

I am pleased to write this review of my experience after being treated by Dr. Kwan. If I could rate him with 10 stars, I would. He and his staff are highly skilled in using leading edge technology, which, in my case, eliminated the need for osseous gum surgery and tooth extraction. He recommended a procedure called Perioscopy. This means NO cutting and no stitches. I was so relieved! The procedure took less than an hour and was painless. Pretty much felt like a deep cleaning. Although you can be sedated if you choose, I elected to only use local anesthetic ( Novocain.) Dr. Kwan was very attentive to my needs and even followed up by calling me personally the following day to ensure that I was doing fine. It is obvious that he has a genuine interest in the care AND comfort of his patients. If you are facing osseous gum surgery or tooth extraction, it's quite possible Dr. Kwan can find a better, less invasive and less costly approach. I wholeheartedly recommend him. read more

I've seen Dr. Kwan and had deep cleaning done by his hygienist. I am so happy to be a patient in this office. All staff were nice as could be. I have new hope for my mouth and plan to keep my teeth. I felt totally inspired to do my part of home care. Dr. Kwan was so professional, comforting and competent, I call him the gum whisperer! I loved that the first thing he did was ask me what i knew about my mouth. read more

This review is long overdue. Dr. Kwan is the best periodontist...period. My only regret is that I didn't find out about him sooner. He does what other periodontists can't do because of their outdated methods. He is able to target his care using micro video technology which, while minimally invasive, improves the efficacy and focus of periodontal care. The staff are great, the office is well run from a patient's standpoint and when he is treating you there is no doubt you are the focus of his attention. After a very successful course of treatment, I continue to receive periodic cleanings with Loan is does a wonderful job. Is he inexpensive? No, but the fees paid for ineffectual care to my previous periodontists weren't either but the difference in outcomes is night and day. read more

Dr. Kwan helped me with an implant and has been very thorough in the entire process. I highly recommend him. He and his office staff are friendly, competent and reliable. read more

I feel so fortunate to have found Dr. Kwan. He saved a double implant that was in serious jeopardy. He is the best dental doc I've ever been to - and I have had a long history of periodontal issues. Wish I had found him years ago! I now go to him as my primary dental doc, not only for periodontal work. Can't recommend Dr. Kwan highly enough. Also, lovely people in the office. Terrific hygeinists. Billing easy. read more

I was referred to Dr. Kwan by my dentist and I'll admit I was skeptical. The peridontal procedure Dr. Kwan uses is still relatively new and a bit expensive; as well, only part of it was covered by insurance. However, with all the travel I do and stress I am under for work, my gums were getting worse and worse. I had done one quadrant of traditional periodontal work several years before and the results were unremarkable and did not last long, while the pain and discomfort did. I am now 3 months after my "surgery" - it was so easy and done in the office it's hard to call it surgery, and my gums have improved leaps and bounds. I actually feel that I can have normal gums again. It's the equivalent of losing weight or getting fit. You feel like you reversed the aging process. The office is professional,clean, efficient and Dr. Kwan is obviously excellent at what he does. Truly remarkable results. Another amazing surprise - Dr. Kwan calls every patient after the procedure to make sure you are progressing well. Old fashioned values from a high tech physician. I would highly recommend Dr. Kwan. read more

I am a dental phobe - never found a dentist I really cared for since childhood. I have receding gums, and sensitive teeth, and went to John Kwan in pain that was giving me a headache expecting to have to have gum surgery. He put a topical treatment on my teeth, it helped tremendously, and gave me the most gentle "pocket check" for my gums I have ever had. He checked in the next day, and a week later to see how it was, and even gave me another application to have my dentist put on. He seems to know a lot about sensitivity and has many tools for treating it. If you need periodontal treatments, he is worth a visit. Delta covered all his costs for me too. read more

I went to Dr. Kwan because I was having a problem with an implant I've had for several years. All the office staff were courteous and professional, and Dr. Kwan has the unique talent of being slightly reserved in his professional demeanor without being cold. I have terrible anxiety about the needles used for novacaine, and he was extremely calm, his assistant held my hand and I felt absolutely nothing with the shots. Dr. Kwan is very skilled. I would highly recommend him and his staff to anyone in need of periodontal care and especially people who are anxious about needle. read more

Dr. Kwan and his staff are a fabulous caring team. I have relocated to Santa Rosa, and have not been able to continue to commute down to Bay Area. read more

I live in Seattle Washington and was desperately looking for a periodontist who could actually come up with a treatment plan for the bone loss in my front #9 tooth. The group of specialist here in Washington were not sure what steps to take. The only thing they could all agree on was that I had so much bone loss, they didn't think the best periodontist (including them) could do a successful bone graph. I started searching the internet after months of no plan for a tooth that was literally falling out of my mouth and found a video of Dr. Kwan's work on a patient with a #9 bone loss issue the same as mine. The results were absolutely fabulous! the Periodontist in Washinton told me after viewing the video that they did not have the same type of tools that Dr. Kwan had, so they could not do the same treatment. I sent Dr. Kwan an email and he actually called me! After he realized that I didn't want to see any referrals he offered, I sent him my information and set up an appointment. Since I found Dr. Kwan, he has completed my bone graph and put in my implant. The dentist here in Seattle are very impressed with his work! They had very little faith that my gum line could be brought down from the bottom of my nose to where it should be with all of my other teeth. I can't stop singing Dr. Kwan's praises to every type of dentist I know. My experience has been wonderful working with him and his team. The highlight of working with him has been that he never, never spoke gloom and doom or made any discouraging comments to me after examining my tooth and bone loss condition. Instead, he told me his plan and showed complete confidence in his work with every step of the process. I love how he shares stories about his life while he is working (he shares things that are interesting and he is not bragging). His smooth tone and steady hand, always made me feel he had everything under control. I'm just in tears while I type this, as now every dentist I have seen after him for fillings or to get a final tooth made for the implant, makes my heart rate and blood pressure go up, as I don't see the same confidence, knowledge and professionalism I see in Dr. Kwan. My overall experience in his office was perfect and I can smile again! The Periodontal Endoscope that he uses is worth the trip from anywhere! read more

5 stars are not enough to express my satisfaction and appreciation for Dr. Kwan, Delia and Ryanne. I need periodontal care periodically and for 8 years this team has taken exceptional care of me and my needs. Professional expertise and compassionate care. read more

I am delighted to write an excellent review for this entire office. I have been fortunate to have been referred to Dr. Kwan, Periodontist aboui 16 years ago and am more than pleased and satisfied with his superior expertise, his great personality, and the professionalism shown by his dental hygienists and office personnel. The latter have always been "up front with me and my husband if there is a question about a charge. I have never felt left out of the loop about charges -- tjhey are straightforward and more than willing to work with my insurance company. Most importantly. I have received excellent care and attention for my gums and teeth and am most grateful to Dr. Kwan. Sharonn Gittelsohn, LCSW read more

Dr. Kwan is great and so are the hygienists BUT this office is run horribly by the front desk staff. One of the ladies there is so rude and has tremendous attitude. She shouldn't be working in customer service From the first time I walked in there, this receptionist was bitchy and unwelcoming. I have spent a lot of money there but that doesn't seem to matter - you'll still be spoken to with great disrespect by the front desk staff...especially elizabeth (I think) was her name. Last time i was there i made a HUGE mistake and did not get pre approved by the insurance first.. HUGE surprise bill in the mail because i was scheduled for treatment 2 weeks prior to when I would have been eligible for my covered treatment. They have experience with this sort of thing and they should be looking out for their clients/insurance just as my regular dentist office does. I had been there repeatedly for treatments over the course of a few years. Definitely get your pre-authorization before getting ANY treatment because they are NOT looking out for you as customers (even if you are repeat customers!!!!). As much as i like this dentist, I will not be going back there if the front desk staff remains as it is. read more