I took my daughter to this dental place on 6/5/2024 to get dental braces and they gave me an estimate that was way too expensive. The amount is $7,200. However, this provider is contracted with Delta Dental Insurance (my insurance) and Insurance only allows them to charge $4,086 or premier amount of 5360. The insurance pay $3027 or $3500 and I just need to pay $1024 or the $1860. During the visit, I told Dr. Julia about my insurance coverage and I told her the estimated cost that I think that is going to be. Then she said you also have to pay a certain amount for the dentist's knowledge as well. I said well it should all be covered in the treatment plan that is going to be authorized by the insurance. So, I requested the service coordinator to request the pre-authorization from the insurance, and when they request the pre-authorization, dental insurance will limit the amounts that they can charge. Then the coordinator told me that insurance will not cover the expanders, and I checked with the insurance company and they told me expanders are included in the treatment plan, and it is not a separate billable charge. Their estimate also had a fee for the records but did not specify the amount. The insurance company also informed me that record fees are covered in the treatment plan, and it is not a separately billable charge. During the visit, they took several pictures and I requested those pictures. Then the coordinator Eran told me that those pictures were not free and that if I accepted the treatment plan of $7,200 she would send those pictures. On 6/6/2024 Eran told me that they requested the pre-authorization (she said that over the phone) and I was waiting for the pre-authorization. Since I did not hear back from Delta Dental, I texted her on 6/12/2024 and asked when she requested the pre-authorization. Then she called me the same day and said the Doctor no longer takes any orthodontic patients. I sent an email explaining that since the doctor is contacted with the insurance provider there are limitations and Eran did not submit the pre-authorization. Then they sent me the below email. In the below email, they said they are a premier provider and the fee is $5,360, and initially they told me it is $7,200. For a premier provider Delta Dental contracted fee that provider can charge is $5,360. The provider cannot bill separately for an appliance fee of $532, a retainer fee of $397 per arch, a fixed retainer fee of $500, and an ortho record fee of $587. All these fees are included in the treatment plan, and I already verified this with Delta Dental. On 6/17/2024 Dr. Julia Lee called me and told me that she is a premier provider and her charges are higher than a regular dentist's, and then I told her I am willing to pay what is legitimate to pay according to the insurance guidelines. Thus, I asked her to send a pre-authorization request to the insurance. Then she said it is too much work for them, and she refused to do that. Then she said my daughter's situation is complicated and she feels that it is a lot of work, and she is unable to do that treatment. She also said she is just a regular dentist, not an orthodontic specialist. This also concerns me because her website advertises that she is a specialist in orthodontic treatment. Even when I took my daughter to Dr. Lee on 6/5/2024 she went over the details and explained to me the treatment plan she was going to do. Then I asked Dr. Lee if you are a premier provider then why you don't feel confident to do the treatment on my daughter? She did not have a good explanation. Also, I asked Dr. Lee "if you were not confident enough to do the treatment, how come you gave us a treatment estimate?" Then she said, "Even if you sign that treatment estimate, I can decline to treat". Then I also asked her why her treatment coordinator did not submit the pre-authorization, and Dr. Lee said she did submit on 6/6/2024, but she put the wrong date of birth for my daughter. This Doctor is not credible at all. Dr. Lee is making up stories because she does not want to treat my daughter because she does not get enough money through the insurance. They never requested the pre-authorization but lied to me by stating that they did, and then they refused to treat my daughter because they realized that they could not overcharge me since I knew the rules. I am sure this dental place is overcharging many other people. This business is acting in bad faith to overcharge customers. It is a very common ripe-off that nowadays what some dentists do is to refuse to run the pre-authorization through the contracted insurance company(because when they do patient finds out how much they can charge), and bill you for certain covered services out of your pocket without running through the insurance. This is a big scam. Julia Lee DDS basically wants to charge me $3700 but the actual amount i should be paying is $1,860. This is a big scam. read more

First went to Dr. Julia Lee after a close friend of mine recommended her, and the rest is history. Had been going to the same dentist for years and years (as in 50+), and continued to go there because of my long-term relationship with my dentist (as well as the dentist that retired before, and sold her the practice), as well as her staff. The reason that I was considering making a change is that my previous dentist didn't invest any money into her practice...as in, they still have spit sinks (to this day, I might add!), and still practiced dentistry the same way that they have been doing since the 1970's. (Not to mention the exact same decor that the previous dentist had done 40+ years ago...which had more to do with the fact about how you feel when going into the office, not about the practice itself.) Additionally, I have primary dental insurance through my employer, and carry a secondary policy as well. My previous dentist wouldn't help me to maximize my annual dental benefits (even after asking - repeatedly!), and - for instance - what could have been just a crown, would turn into an implant, because the tooth that should have been crowned months before, wasn't, so the tooth subsequently cracked and had to be extracted. Everything was always REactive, as opposed to PROactive. Not so with Dr. Julia Lee. Since I have been going to her, I have been able to get all of my old amalgam fillings replaced (usually with a minimal co-pay, other times with no money out-of-pocket), simply by working closely with their administrative staff to MAXIMIZE the dental benefits received annually. They had also suggested crowning some of my teeth that had very old filings, so that I don't have to wait until the tooth breaks (which it will, eventually) and go through both the year-long process (as well as the $6,000 that it costs) of getting an implant. They genuinely care about your oral health just as much as you do - trust me! Best of all, Dr. Julia Lee has invested thousands (and THOUSANDS) of dollars into her practice, employing the very latest technology and practices of modern dentistry. As an example, as opposed to sitting in the dental chair for hours of painful scraping just to get through a routine teeth cleaning (and I get my teeth cleaned every four months), my amazing dental hygienist, Sam, uses a device that I would simply refer to as a "power-washer for your teeth"...first of all, removing WAY more than what conventional scraping by itself will remove, and secondly, reducing the amount of scraping required to the absolute minimum. Lastly, I have recommended others to Dr. Julia Lee for their dental care - including my 87-year-old father, now a patient of Dr. Julia Lee's and absolutely ecstatic about the care that HE has received - and have said the same thing to each of them: "Just go to Dr. Julia Lee ONCE...for a teeth cleaning...and if you don't agree with me that it was the very best experience that you have EVER had with a dentist, I promise not to bring it up, ever again." It's the same thing that I would say to you, reading his review. Simply amazing, and truly one of the most professionally-run businesses I have ever come across...and how lovely to have it be my dentist, Dr. Julia Lee! read more

My husband and I went to this dental office for approximately two years. My husband had need of dentures after having his remaining teeth extracted, and it took this office six months, from October 2016 to April 2017 before they were able to supply dentures that were even passable. We were at their office every two weeks between those two dates and we did not get the dentures until April 18, 2017, and we had prepaid for the dentures at the time the teeth were extracted at the oral surgeon. The treatment I got from their office was also equally abysmal. They always demanded payment on or before the treatment was given. My last visits to their office were in March 2018. I went to one appointment which they cancelled because I had asked them to look at my husband's mouth at the last minute, so I was there prepared to have my teeth cleaned but they told me they couldn't take me. This had consequences for me because I had been told to take antibiotics prior to each dental appointment. The next appointment was the following week. I was ready to go with medication taken and they called and wanted to cancel again. I insisted on having them keep the appointment and I had my teeth cleaned and they took some x-rays. They found a cavity in one tooth and a crown that had to be replaced in a lower molar (so they said). I had three more appointments where I took antibiotics, one for the cavity and two to replace the crown. I paid in advance for all of these services the amount that wasn't covered by dental insurance, so they told me. For the crown I know I paid $800.00 in cash. They had a difficult time removing the crown on my lower molar because it was almost new, having been replaced the year before by my previous dentist. To fit the crown they had an assistant work on it and took him quite awhile to fit it. I am now even sure he is a qualified dentist. I put up with all this because I am deathly afraid of having a bad toothache. Now they are billing me for an additional amount and are refusing to give me my dental records till I pay them. The following month I came down with a gastrointestinal infection (called Clostridium Difficile or C-Diff) caused by taking the antibiotics and I almost died and have had several complications including two fractured vertebrae caused by the infection. I am convinced that the Julia Lee, DDS, office is only interested in getting as much money as possible for their patients, not in their welfare. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Lee for over 3 years now and have had 3 implant bodies placed throughout that time. At the time of writing this review, Dr. Lee placed my last implant on October 2024, and I have been having post op pain from the time of the placement to the present day which is February 2025. I have asked Dr. Lee to call my general dentist on more occasions than I can count to address the post op pain but she has point blank refused to do so. Instead she keeps asking me to show up at her practice in Walnut Creek for me to waste 2 hours of my time (travel time+office visit) because she is too lazy to discuss the issue with my general dentist. In addition, I found out recently that she used 3 different implant bodies from 3 different manufacturers so as to increase her profit margins while each time she is putting deficient implants into my mouth/jaw with the last implant causing constant issues since it was placed in October of last year. I contacted an Oral Surgeon in San Francisco to evaluate tooth #21, and to give me an independent assessment and 2 weeks before the appointment she terminated her services via a letter, showing full well her lack of professionalism and to take accountability for using shoddy methods to place the aforementioned implant. If you are reading this review avoid this practice at all costs!!! Her office location is nice but her general demeanor, professionalism and follow through are completely unethical and unprofessional and if you would like your teeth to last avoid this office like the plague. I will be submitting a claim to small claims for all the pain and hassle she has caused me in the placement of this last implant, which was not cheap by any means. These guys are a joke! read more

I like many am not a fan of going to the dentist. In fact, I hadn't gone in over 5 years but today was the day. The minute I pulled up and parked, I knew I made the right choice in picking Dr. Lee. The view from outside is so nice and welcoming. I was still very nervous and than I walked in and immediately was amazed with how modern and beautiful it was inside. I for sure did not feel like I was in a dentist's office. Then anxiety was lowered even more when I was greeted by the staff and explained how everything would go for today's visit. The staff were so nice and personable and even knew the names of returning patients as they walked in. One of the staff members even put on cartoons so that the kids that were waiting would feel at home. You can tell that Dr. Lee and her staff are working very hard to make sure their clients feel as comfortable as they can before there appointment. My x-rays only took about 10 minutes and the tech that performed them made them absolutely pain free. My cleaning was performed by Sam and she was by far the gentlest dental hygienist I have ever encountered. She also was very engaging and made me feel relaxed from the moment she walked in. Again, I don't like getting my teeth cleaned for a reason and with Sam I felt absolutely ZERO pain. Needless to say this was by far the best visit I have ever had to any dental office. Dr. Lee and her staff are true professionals but more important, they make you feel relaxed and at home. I will be referring her dental services to my family, friends and co-workers. I would also highly recommend that you make an appointment with Dr. Julia Lee and her staff ASAP! read more

Dr. Julia Lee DDS, Inc. Saved my life! I have had fake teeth on a retainer for the last 15 years and have been living in fear that I would lose them it would just fall out in public that it would break I can barely bring a toothbrush to it without nightmares fear that the flipper that held the fake teeth in would break and I would be without front teeth and I would never be able to smile again. My mother and my grandfather did some research and found Dr. Lee and her fabulous/ amazing team and we put money together and they have a great payment plan called "care Credit" which is giving me the ability to make sure everything is paid for with monthly payments that are absolutely reasonable for somebody that lives alone in works very hard because this is so important to me! From the moment I stepped in the door the process began! The Dr Lee family took me in like I was family and I do not have any more doubts because I know that the stuff Dr Lee are the most professional people I've ever met in my entire life and they give such amazing advice and make me feel confident and they're supportive and make me smile and laugh even at the dentist which I didn't think was possible) finally feel like I can smile all the time without worrying about my teeth literally dropping to the floor! I have a perfect smile thanks to dr. Lee and team, ( in the process isn't even over yet it just gets better from here!!) I can honestly say I love the whole family over there the team is a family! So if you're ever looking 4 confidence to perfect your smile just to feel like "yourself" again!!I would definitely go see Dr. Lee and her team! Katie read more

I had an extremely disappointing and uncomfortable experience at this dental office. During my first appointment, I waited almost an hour past my scheduled time, and I never even saw Dr. Julia Lee herself -- only the assistants. The visit felt disorganized, impersonal, and left me questioning their professionalism. The situation became much worse when I later requested a copy of my own 3D CT scan. I was shocked to be told that the office charges an outrageous $700 fee just to provide a copy of my existing scan. This is not only unreasonable -- it is completely out of line with federal and California regulations. Under HIPAA and the California Health & Safety Code, patients have a legal right to access their medical and dental records at only a reasonable, cost-based fee that covers the actual cost of duplication (such as a CD, USB, or secure link). Charging hundreds of dollars far exceeds what is legally permitted and creates an intimidating barrier for patients who simply want access to their own information. I left feeling extremely uncomfortable, frustrated, and frankly taken advantage of. Transparency and patient rights should be a fundamental part of any healthcare practice, and this experience has made me lose all trust in this office. If you are considering this provider, I would strongly recommend asking detailed questions upfront about costs, wait times, and record-access policies. My experience has been deeply disappointing and I would not recommend this practice to others seeking professional, ethical, and patient-centered care. read more

Dr Lee has been our family's dentist for around 14 years now. We've had braces done for my eldest son when he was around 10 and his jaw was really bad due to his over bite. I thought that age was too young to get braces on but in his case it was just the perfect time. He's now 16, he's been off braces for more than 2 or 3 years now. I could say he is more good looking now (I might be biased since I'm his mom:) ). I had braces myself, was on it for around 1.5 years. I had dental implants too and my husband had his root canal. My little boy was also see regularly for dental cleaning. Dental works require investment in time and money. I have a very good insurance through my employer so it helped a lot with the financing but even during those times when I had an employer with the basic plan, Dr Lee was able to provide the best service as she was able to work with me on a payment plan. When it comes to investment on time, you will agree with me that these visits to the orthodontist is no joke for a working mother. So many visits but it's all worth it in the end especially if you want to get a schedule with one of their best dental hygienist Richard Plamenco. He is very skilled, very professional and I know I can trust him with my life when I'm on that dental chair and he's in charge. I've referred several friends to Dr Lee for their orthodontist needs and all of them have good things to say about her dental practice. Dr Julia Lee and husband/dentist Dr Lee are the perfect dental partners. More power to their practice! read more