To those who have given Mr. Barkin (I refuse to use the title Dr. with him) a high rating. I'm happy you had a pleasant experience. But it's when things don't go so well that is most enlightening to the quality of care you will possibly receive from Mr. Barkin. So I hope this review will be helpful for those of you considering going under the care of him. I went to Mr. Barkin to remove a bone fragment where my wisdom tooth used to be. In the consultation he had explained to me that it might be the cause of the bone loss he saw in my x-rays, which is a result of infection. This is an important fact because after the surgery to 'remove' the bone fragment he did not give me anti-biotics or even discuss anti-biotics with me. Now I understand this may not be standard operating procedure for every dental surgeon to automatically prescribe anti-biotics, but when I asked him later why he did not, he simply said only 2% people people are at risk for infection...so instead of letting me decide whether I wanted to take the 2% risk, he made that decision for me, and that's where the problem comes in, he does not give you full information for you to make the best decision for your own care. Guess which side of the 2% I was in? After the surgery which was on March 17, 2011... 2 weeks passed as I healed. Around march 31 I'm still swollen and I did not feel my healing was progressing normally so I called Mr. Barkin leaving a message about my concern. I returned my call, and said to me that indeed my healing was not going normally and my swelling was not normal. His recommendation was to give it another week and and to make an appointment to see him then. This gave me a false sense of ease, which did not help because it stopped me from seeking out further help that might of helped my situation. The next day swelling and pain get worse so I call to make the earliest appoint possible to see him, since this was on a friday the earliest available time was Monday morning, so I just have to get through the weekend. Over the weekend, my swelling and pain get exponentially worse. It went from a more general swelling of the jaw area to an acute egg-sized pustule filled swell, and I could not open my mouth, with intense pain. I go to his office first thing monday morning and got seated immediately. On a side note, while im in his chair, he walks in he hasn't seen the giant puss filled ball on my face yet, asking me how I am. I said "I think it's infected". His immediate response was "did I prescribe you antibiotics?" That was pretty infuriating. So because of the infection Mr. Barkin has to cut and drain it by making an incision on my cheek. leaving me with a life long scar. He prescribes me antibiotics now....two kinds and tells me to come see him everyday that week to keep watch on the infection. He also took x-rays that day and found that his initial diagnosis may not have been accurate and that my molar may be the culprit in this infection flare up. He tells me my molar would need to be removed as soon as my infection is under control. I decide to get a 2nd and 3rd opinion. I went to see a new dental surgeon and they confirmed with new x-rays that my molar is infected and is cause of problems in that area, but to my horror another discovery was made, the tooth fragment Mr. Barkin was supposed remove was still there. I ask for the post-op x-ray Mr. Barkin took and it showed that the fragment was still there so he knew that he didn't remove it successfully. But he did not feel the need to give me that little bit of information. I have asked the office to return my money and my insurance paid for the procedure which they have. I have also tried to seek legal recourse and have found this to be an uphill task. So for anyone reading this deciding whether you want to take the risk to go under his care, if things go wrong it will be difficult to even find a lawyer to take your case. The dental malpractice lawyer many people will recommend to you in San Francisco already has a relationship with Mr. Barkin and will not take your case due to conflict of interest. There are not many dental mal practice lawyers to chose from. As some other reviewers describe, Mr. Barkin wants to get you in and out as fast as possible, which may be fine for most procedures. This makes him a mechanic not a doctor. read more

Brutal experience! Dr Barkin has the bedside manner of a prison guard. Basically instead of nurturing a patient he has a "suck it up and deal with it" kind of attitude. My procedure was rushed and extremely aggressive even though I expressed several times that I was in discomfort and nervous. I was disregarded and also allowed to gag over and over and over on blood and saliva with no suction while he ripped at my mouth. The normally 10-15 minute procedure lasted about 4 minutes because he was rushing so fast and in a hurry to start his next patients implant. Ive had this same procedure with several other dentist and this is by far the most horrifying and poorly performed. Definitely the most traumatic experience I've ever had at the dentist. On a high not the desk staff is nice and friendly. read more

I just had two wisdom teeth taken out. He was very down to business and not friendly. He pulled both teeth out within fifteen minutes though and sent me on my way. After care was very abrupt and when I called back about a possible complication he was very dismissive. So yeah, he's fast and maybe knows what he is doing. He told me he had sixteen years of schooling, but he is not someone I would go back to. Also I had local anesthetic and it was not fun to watch. He had no regard for me and was dismissive of the piece of tooth that I was almost choking on that he had shattered. read more

I had three wisdom teeth out recently with Michael Barkin and I must say I was dissatisfied to say the least. Upon arriving home from the procedure I slept for a couple of hours and awoke to blood pouring from my mouth and down my throat. I figured that bleeding from the operation area was normal after such an invasive procedure so instead of calling Dr. Barkin I simply applied more gauze to the surgery areas. Every piece of gauze i put in was soaked with blood within 5 minutes and after about two more hours of intense bleeding I decided to call the doctor. I explained that i was bleeding quite a bit and that i wasn't sure if the amount i was bleeding was normal (according to the aftercare instructions he had given me). Before I was able to finish my first sentence Mr. Barkin was short and rude with me, saying that it sounded as if i was having a panic and that i should call him back if the bleeding didn't stop. Three hours later with the same amount of bleeding I called him back and with more attitude and anger than i personally care for from someone who was just paid over $1000 to annihilate my mouth, he agreed to meet me back at his office to take a look. Upon arriving at the office Dr. Barkin was rude and short. Now for the worst part... in what seemed to me like an expression of his frustration with having to come back to his office after hours Dr. Barkin proceeded to roughly examine my surgery area. He literally shoved gauze into the back of my mouth with so much force and might that my eyes immediately started tearing. He continued to rub, poke, and irritate the area that he had just performed surgery on that morning with such force that I cant remember ever experiencing a pain so great.... my entire chest and torso was shaking at the trauma that Dr. Barkin was inflicting on my mouth, I have broken numerous bones, had stiches many times, had ulcers, and chronic back pain all of which combined doesn't even come close to the pain I felt in those moments... Now for the most sickening part... Once he was done putting me through all that he says your doing great and proceeds to shoot me up with so much novicane i cant feel anything anymore. I immediately couldn't help but wonder why he didn't numb me up before attacking my mouth with such force and the only answer that i can figure is that he was mad that I made him come back to work after I didn't stop bleeding from his initial extraction work. Finally the bleeding stopped and he sent me on my way, Four days later I am still in miserable pain as I sit here and write this review, but for obvious reasons there is no way i am calling Dr. Barkin's emergency line to see if the pain im in is normal.... Im quite sure its not.... and im also quite sure its a result of Dr. Barkin's terrible attitude, ego, work, and persona... If you need to get your wisdom teeth out i suggest doing it somewhere else.... read more

It is my opinion that Dr. Barkin cares only about money not about his patients. Lack of professional ethics. Highly don't recommend this dentist. I was referred to Dr. Barkin by my dentist to do bone graft before implants. Dr. Barkin warned me that my case was difficult and there was no guarantee of success. However, he persuaded me to extract one tooth and do bone graft on both sides at once. As I don't have medical background, I agreed and it was a HUGE mistake. First of all, I had horrible huge abscesses on both sides for 2 weeks. I was in pain and couldn't leave home for half a month! I really thought that I could die. Second, it didn't work at all, so I paid $4,000 for nothing and plus lost a tooth that I needed to hold an absent tooth between. That was quite predictable and no one professional dentist would ever recommend to do this. If Dr. Barkin was honest and not as greedy, he would do just one side to see if it works and not to put my life and health in risk. In this case I would save money and tooth plus 2 weeks of missing work plus no pain and sickness. read more

STAY AWAY!!! There are so many fine dentists in the area---sadly, barkin is not one of them. I recently had 4 wisdom teeth extracted by barkin. I was not thrilled with his attitude, but he was recommended, and I assumed that he would do a fine job for me. His office gave few instructions when leaving, no follow up appt, not even a call that evening to see how you are doing. Most professionals try and make that evening call--nothing! I developed an infection (which could happen to anyone-I understand that)-needed to return to him. I did not sleep and agonized over calling. I was very concerned with the area. He acted like I was bothering him and doing me a favor seeing me.-i just did not feel right about him with this type of attitude. I guess I am somewhat spoiled with having kind and gentile medical practitioners in my life.He was SO curt and SO abrupt. He did not listen well, spoke over me, made light of questions, pain issues, and concerns, spoke so fast that he, at times, was unintelligible, and discounted communication with his egomaniac attitude---rush rush rush--I guess time is money, right??? I went to another oral surgeon for a second opinion--The other surgeon confirmed an infection and was surprised at the lack of follow up care. He was very concerned, patient, and caring. He gave me precise, concise, and proper instructions, materials and tools needed to keep area clean, etc. He spent a great deal of time with me. I never felt rushed.---I was not informed of any of this aftercare with barkin's office. I could have become very ill due to lack of proper directives!!! I am sorry, but i cannot, in good conscience, recommend this indifferent, non-compassionate, egotistical "Little Shop of Horrors" doc--lol!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WISH I WOULD HAVE READ THESE REVIEWS BEFORE GOING TO HIM. His demeanor exhibits a total lack of consideration for the patient. I implore you to read all of these reviews---most have had the same miserable experience I encountered. However, this last review which gave stellar marks to barkin---must be a shill---no question this review was planted to try and refute all the rest of the honest ones... shame on you, barkin!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you are reading this, you now have a wonderful opportunity to learn from the error of your previous ways and CHANGE. Your patients would truly appreciate it. Also, returning patients calls in a timely fashion is now the norm---not the exception! read more

I had my two bottom wisdom teeth removed by Barkin. The procedure was not so bad, and the assistant was very nice. He seemed nice, but after wards all they gave me was a sheet on how to care for my gaping holes and a prescription. A week later I was still in pain, and went in for a check up because I was afraid infection or dry sockets. He checked in my mouth in a hurry and said everything was fine, didn't clean it or really check it. I had to ask him for a syringe to clean the food from my holes because a friend told me thats what they are suppose to give you. I told me I didn't need it but he would give me one anyway. When I got home and used it, so much crap came out of my holes. food from days before that had been too lodged to come out with my vigorous rinsing. And had he actually checked, he should of seen that my holes were deep and not clean after all. ugh. read more

Dr. Barkin extracted all 4 of my wisdom teeth. Frankly, I'm not sure if I'd go back to him for another extraction. To his credit, I went back for follow up twice since I wasn't healing well. Each time, he encouraged me to come back if I had any more concerns. Finally, after about two and a half months, my mouth is back to normal. It's clear that they want you in and out as quickly as possible. For my preop visit, it seemed they couldn't wait until an exam room became available; I met with the doctor in the lunch room. After the extraction, they ushered me into the same lunch room as soon as I woke up from the anesthesia. And, by the way, they really ought to have you pay before they drug you. I could barely sign my name on the credit card slip. For my first follow up visit, I told Dr Barkin that one of the wounds was healing more slowly than the others. He took a quick look, said there was no infection, and that all of the stitches had come out. That actually wasn't true; there was still a giant piece of thread sticking out of my upper left gum. For my second follow up visit, he was a bit more thorough and took an x-ray to make sure there was no infection. I think he would have been ok if I had been able to put a bit more trust in him, and if I hadn't had any complications. However, I continue to wonder if the reason one of my wounds healed so slowly was because he was a bit too hasty in digging out the impacted tooth. He drugged me, pulled all 4 teeth, and brought me out of the "twilight sleep" in well under an hour. read more

Ok, so I read the reviews about blood oozing from someone's mouth, and how fast Dr. Barkin was. Blood oozing is normal - that is your body's natural defenses at work; read the sheet that the Dr. sends you home with. Pain is normal - you just had teeth yanked out of your skull. I just had 2 wisdom teeth (the top ones) pulled yesterday and am feeling A-Ok. Yes, Dr. Barkin is fast, in adminstering the IV and pulling out teeth, but do you really want to endure a slow procedure? I was allowed to stay in the dentist's chair for as long as I needed to in order to regain consciousness. And once I got home, I was able to put myself to bed albeit having to change the gauze every 2 hours. Don't expect to eat a Big Mac after the procedure (common sense). Today, I am experiencing slight pain - which is normal. I had my bottom wisdom teeth removed 8 years ago, and had 1.5 weeks of pain, lost 10 lbs from not being able to eat, and had to call my oral surgeon to have my stitches removed. Dr. Barkin's skill should not be downplayed by the previous reviews. He gets down to business because that's his living! read more

I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed by Dr. Barkin about 5 years ago. I just had a chance to read over his reviews, and I am very shocked at the negative ones. Dr. Barkin was one of the best dentists I had been to, and took very good care of me during, before, and after my procedure. He knew I was very nervous, and calmed me down with great bedside manners. He was very sensitive to my fear and anxiety. I really appreciated that. Some people have no idea what a huge difference that makes when you're literally sweating from fear and shaking. He sat by my side as the anesthesiologist put me to sleep, held my arm, and chatting with me about traveling and other fun things. He was also sitting my side when I woke up. I was worried and told him "wait, I haven't fallen asleep yet, the anesthesia didn't work!!" and he let me know the entire procedure had gone perfectly. I don't know about you, but that ease and kindness was enough to make me love him! On top of that, he was also very sensitive to my financial situation at the time as I was unable to afford having all four of my wisdom teeth pulled with no dental insurance. His office kindly put me on a payment plan that worked for both of us. How awesome is that. Post-surgery, I barely had any swelling. If I did, no one could notice. The pain lasted for a day, at most, and I only had to take pain meds for the 24 hours. I would recommend Dr. Barkin to anyone. Thank you, Dr. Barkin!!! read more

I recently came here to take out a wisdom tooth and I had the best experience. The front desk was so friendly and helpful. The whole procedure took about 15 minutes, and I was done with my appointment in less than 30 minutes! The removal was that quick, and I didn't even experience much pain after the numbness went away. Just took a few Advil. Definitely recommend this place. read more

So, getting my wisdom teeth pulled has been on my "I should really do this" list for, oh, a decade and a half. I'd gotten as far as making an appointment with a surgeon in the early 2000's, but alas, had to cancel due to more urgent matters - you know, wash my hair, get groceries, pay the bills . . . ANYTHING but getting the teeth removed. Fast forward to this summer, when at the dentist, I was told that I really needed to get these teeth out, sooner rather than later. "ya, ya" I thought, I'd heard this before. However, I took the referral to Dr. Barkin, smiled my freshly, cleaned tooth smile at the dentist, and promised to give the good surgeon a call. A couple of months later, the left side of my mouth started to throb, like wake-me-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-and-can't-fall-back-to-sleep throb. I knew my wisdom teeth were on borrowed time. After a couple of days of self medicating, I called Dr. Barkin's office. I was told that I could come in the very next day. After reading some of the reviews here, I was very nervous about my appointment. On the day of the appointment, I anxiously walked into Dr. Barkin's office. I was immediately taken to a room, and in came Dr. Barkin. He told me that yes, indeed, the teeth did need to come out, and he would do it right then and there. The next hour or so is kinda fuzzy, and the next few days were pretty uncomfortable. But after seeing Dr. Barkin for my follow up appointment five days later, he told me I was well on my way to recovery. For quick, accommodating, professional service, I give Dr. Barkin a full five stars . . . Put his procedures into context, getting your wisdom teeth out definitely scores a zero out of five on the fun scale, but his office shouldn't be negatively reviewed because of it. read more

I just went yesterday (oct 13, 2014) to get three wisdom teeth pulled out. I definitely got a little nervous and weepy in the office and the front desk was beyond helpful and calming and sweet. Then out came Dr. Barkin who was also alleviating my nervousness by joking with me a little while I was in the chair. Note: I read the reviews and I think it was a bad idea bc it made me extra nervous. My mother recently had her wisdom teeth out and is always a nervous wreck about dentists and had the highest regard for her experience, and my grandma before her got all of her teeth pulled and felt great and recommended him to my mother who she knows is skiddish. With that said, he put me out, which I initially was apprehensive about bc I had never been "put under" - it's really a twilight sleep I learned - and woke up as loopy as ever and carried out by my boyfriend. A little tender afterwards with the side that had one on top and bottom, and no discomfort whatsoever on the right with just a bottom tooth out. Today (the day after) I'm not taking any meds so far (if I am it will most likely be an advil). I woke up feeling fantastic and impressed. I felt compelled to write this review bc to be honest the other ones scared the crap out of me. I had a wonderful experience, coming from someone who was quite nervous to begin with. Now I would just go in there calmy and eagerly if I had to again... Although hopefully I won't have any more teeth issues :) read more

Terrible bedside manner. I had to go to another surgeon for a follow up because Barkin could not get the job done the first time

Referred by my dentist, they scheduled me quickly and conveniently. Unlike A LOT of other businesses, they saw me on schedule! Even though it was just a consult, he was able to do the extraction at that time (big yay!) and scheduled the follow-up at a convenient time. He was good with the local, no problems breaking the tooth out, and it must have been done well because it's healed fine. I'll go back to him for the implant. Update: After further work by Dr. Barkin & his staff, I want to mention that I've never had such excellent customer service, let alone from a doctor or dentist! A big Yay! from me. read more

I met Dr Barkin for the first time on July 23 for an extraction. I was seated several minutes ahead of my scheduled appointment time and was given a very thorough explanation of the impending procedure and all of the options for post surgery. Dr Barkin administered the pain killer, waited for it to take affect, then extracted the tooth in what seamed like a split second, with only the slightest feeling of a jerking motion but no pain. His dental assistant explained in a very thorough manner all of the possible complications of post surgery and provided me with a written list of everything she has told me verbally, and Dr Barkin, without being asked, wrote a prescription for pain pills just in case I needed them. I was fortunate in that there was no excess bleeding or pain, however, when I stuck my tongue into the hole left by the tooth, I felt a sharp bone like structure that I thought might be a piece of the tooth. I phoned the office, and they got me right back in for a check. Dr Barkin examined the area and took an x-ray, only to discover that it was part of the jaw bone, a normal situation he said. They did not charge me for that exam and x-ray. Needless to say, I was very pleased with my visit to Dr Barkin, and I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone. read more

Dr. Barkin is an absolute saint. He has been my oral surgeon through 5 procedures and he has done an incredible job every single time. Thanks to bad genetics, I have a complicated mouth full of teeth that either grow in wrong or that are fused to my skull. This has meant countless surgeries to correct and fix everything wrong. Dr. Barkin has taken care of all of that. He is kind and patient, and he does an incredible job explaining what's happening in terms that a non-oral surgeon can understand. I have been a patient of his since 2015, and I wouldn't trust anyone else to operate on my mouth. I moved to LA in 2016, and I still have made the trip up to SF for surgeries THREE separate times because I wanted them to be done by Dr. Barkin. He takes incredibly good care of me, and I could not ask for more from a medical professional. Thankfully, I am at the end of my "mouth journey" but I will always be so grateful for the experience of working with Dr. Barkin. In addition, his staff (especially Michelle - I LOVE that woman) are sweet, helpful, and super attentive. I once fainted and then threw up blood in their lobby after I tried to get up too quickly post-surgery (very glamorous, I know) and 3 of the staff members physically picked me up and carried me to a bed to rest. You cannot put a price on that kind of care! Thank you Dr. Barkin & Staff - I love and appreciate you all!! read more

I dont like Dr. Barkin or his condescending staff one bit! I arrive for my extraction (1 tooth) I had already taken a prescribed sedative. Dr. Barkin takes me in a room and convinces me that I need General Anesthetic, which costs $300 more and is not covered by my insurance. Yeah, I'm doped up, he makes a good case for it I guess, so I go ahead with it. They completey dope me up, the extraction takes no more than 20 minutes. I cant walk or talk. They practically drag me out of the chair. I guess they needed it for the next patient and put me in a conference room? So I wait there while my husband goes to borrow a wheelchair from the building. I'm still totally doped. They demand payment, as I am sitting there in a wheel chair. I can barely hand them my credit card. Bottomline: These people are assholes. I would never recommend them to anyone. The worst treatment I have ever received from any doctor or dentist ever. read more

Update: After my procedure, I had a concern on a Saturday morning, phoned the answering service, and Dr. Barkin called me back almost immediately. He reassured me that what I was experiencing was perfectly normal. More importantly, it's awesome that he's so prompt about returning calls to patients even when it's not during normal business hours! read more

argh, boo, hiss, grrrrrrrr this man belongs in jail with a label of vicious and dangerous on the front of his cell. 10 thumbs down. He punched a hole in my nasal membrane during a simple tooth extraction. Didn't bother to sew it up or give me antibiotics. Next day, purile yellow pus FLOWING out my nose. I call and he prescribes antibiotics. When he punched through the membrane I felt it big time. Then he tries to convince me he did it on purpose, said he was giving me a sinus lift. NOT! It took over a month and 5 different antibiotics to clear up the infection. I was in excruciating pain. Had to stay in bed and pay someone to walk my dog, feed my cats, grocery shop etc. The worst part...When I called the day after surgery he couldn't even remember my name or the procedure he had done. This guy could care less about you. QUACK STAY AWAY. read more

I just had two wisdom teeth extracted by Dr. Barkin, and I have to say, it was not a pleasant experience. Not saying I expected having my teeth pulled would have been like my first trip to Disney Land. The procedure was fast and quick, but it was started before all of my questions could be answered. Dr. Barkin seemed way too anxious to get the pulling, cutting, and tearing started. I wanted to know about some of the after surgery care procedures, but I was too quickly sedated. As soon as he was done, my confused soul was taken to a staff break room and I was told to sit there. I thumbed through a newspaper not completely knowing what would happen to me next, let alone receive instructions on what the next steps were. Luckily, one of the receptionists stumbled across my drug induced body and asked Dr. Barkin if I was cleared to leave (I never saw the Robert Duvall looking tool since he kicked me out of his chair). She then escorted me into the lounge where my ride home was given a sheet of paper called "post-op instructions", and some extra pieces of gauze. Once I got home the bleeding continued. Every piece of gauze I put in my mouth immediately became soaked within five minutes of attempting to aid the wounds. After a couple of hours of endless bleeding, my girlfriend called Dr. Barkin's office for advice in stopping the bleeding. One receptionist obediently quoted everything from the "post-op care instructions". After a trip to the store for extra gauze and a couple of more gallons(i exaggerate, but just a little) of blood lost, my girlfriend called again. Another receptionist was put on the phone and her thoughts were that I needed to go to the ER, but first she suggested we consult with Dr. Barkin. My girlfriend was then connected to Dr. Barkin, where he was short with her and kept insisting that we were not treating the wounds correctly. Needless to say the bleeding did not stop and I went to the ER about 6 hours after the surgery (just imagine how much blood came out of my mouth by then). The ER doctor was able to stop the bleeding after about 2 hours of closely monitoring the wounds and applying medicated gauze. Thank you to her. Dr. Barkin is short, unfriendly, and easily annoyed with extra care. I don't know if it's just me, but that is not a dentist I strongly desire. I do not recommend Dr. Barkin to anyone! read more

*****Update: I wish you returned the phone calls from your sick patient as quick as you replied to the comments on yelp! read more

I am sorry I didn't check yelp before I went. Have a big problem after my operation but going to see another oral surgeon tomorrow. He is probably at the end of his career and doesn't care anymore. Sorry to say but those who left 5 stars here probably were never his patients. read more

I have 3 wisdom teeth extracted by Dr. Barkin. I was referred to him and that specific office, Pacific Dental Associates by my insurance because my regular dentist doesn't do wisdom teeth. In anycase, the extraction went well, very quick; they just gave me a bunch of novicane shots all over but not gas and they did not put me to sleep as i thought they would. Dr. Barkin explained to me that I did have the choice but it would cost a lot more but he definitaly didn't try to convince me to do anything as someone else mentioned on here. At the end of surgery I was briefed on the post op care, given some gauze, paid and was on my way. I just found it strange that I didn't receive those little squirt things to help keep the wounds clean as many other people have claimed to have been given after surgery. The office staff was very nice AT FIRST up until I had to call the "emergency" number they gave me and landed on some very rude lady. I had to call it because I had a piece of bone that cut through my inside gum and was very uncomfortable. So not knowing if it was serious, I called the number but this Lady really didn't care to help me or give me any advice as to what I should do regarding my situation and basically hung up on me. I did call back shortly after because I wanted answers....i'm not sure if I fell on the same lady but she took down my information and said I'd get a call back soon(this is where it gets interesting).... I get a call back maybe 15min's later from a guy claiming, yes, I said CLAIMING to be Dr. Barkin when in fact it clearly wasn't him due to the thick foreign accent i could hear because Barkin definitaly doesn't have an accent. I find that very unprofessional and unacceptable; I don't mind talking to a different Doctor/Dentist but don't claim to be someone else.....i would assume that doing so is borderline "illegal" or something in that profession? For all I know, the rude lady told the Janitor to call me back and pose as a doctor! In any case, this guy told me to call back the following day and make an appointment. So I called the next day, spoke with a very nice lady, scheduled an apt, went to my appt this morning and Dr Barking fixed my problem; and of course, it didn't seem like he recalled talking to me about my problem over phone naturally but he did fix it. The only thing I'm a little concerned about is the fact that he didn't really bother to look at anything else to make sure it was alright. I kind of felt like I was being rushed out of there since he was already out the door of the room before I could even get out of the chair and ask him anything. In any case, he said it all seems to be healing fine....and that's what I was left with. read more

I was referred to Michael Barkin for two extractions by my regular dentist. I've been so upset with the treatment I received at his office it's difficult for me to describe the experience in a couple paragraphs. In short, Dr. Michael Barkin was rude, arrogant, very rough, and acted as if he wanted to get me out of his office as quickly as possible. Two of his staff members with whom I had contact also treated me very rudely. At first I took the way they had treated me personally, but after reading the other reviews which have been posted I can see I am very much not alone. I would NEVER go back to their office. read more

I just had my wisdom teeth removed on Friday, Sept. 24th and I don't know what all the bad reviews are about? My consultation with Dr. Barkin was quick and easy - yes it was in a very small room but this is San Francisco and most offices/businesses/apartments and streets are small, right? :) Most importantly the surgery went so smoothly! I feel like Michelle is my BFF - she was so helpful with pre- and post-operation instructions, advice and placing my prescription orders, both on the phone and even over her personal email when the office was really busy. The operation to remove five, yes FIVE wisdom teeth (some people say that means I'm less evolved haha) took maybe 30 minutes? And my recovery has been painless, very little bleeding and no complications whatsoever. Michelle is a doll, Monica the assistant was so kind, and Michael Barkin is a pro! I love them and I trust them with my mouth and my wallet. read more

My daughter just had her wisdom teeth out. Dr. Barkin was great. Our initial consult was just OK. Some of what he told us should have been on pre-printed sheets. However, we went with our instancts about his many years of relevant experence. I did not want to risk my daughter with someone less experienced. Dr. Barkin was great on the day of the surgery.. Just what you would want - efficient,cheerful, and skilled. Our daughter sailed through. Dr. Barkin even escorted her out of the surgury room with his "Barkin Walk," a comicial walk where the patient holds on to Dr. Barkin and walks like a mummy. He did a great job with the anasthesia and her recovery was perfect. ( A different oral surgeon told us she could not have twilight sleep because she weighs only 120 pounds and is too small- Dr. Barkin didn't even blink an eye at properly sedating her with no side effects.) Dr. Barkin's front office staff is also wonderful. They worked with us and our insurance. We interviewed another oral surgeoun who was about 30% more expensive than Dr. Barkin AND the other doctor wanted to collect 50% of the fees even though our insurance pays 100%. So, Dr. Barkin does not overcharge AND is willing to collect just what your insurance will not pay. The front office works with patiients on the fees. So, go with Dr. Barkin. He knows his stuff, runs a fair practice, and gets the job done with no drama. read more

Oh my God! I wish I had read these reviews prior to my surgery last week. I hated my experience with Dr. Barkin and his obnoxious office manger, Michelle. Do yourself a favor and find another periodontist in SF. Don't go there. Why? My dentist (of more than 20 years) recommended me to Dr. Barkin. I found his "bedside manner" pretty crude. I enjoyed the 360 degree X-ray machine which found that I have major bone loss due to my problem of smoking in the 1970's/1980's. I really, really had problems with Michelle who I found to be abrupt and uncaring. I decided to go to UCSF and get a price analysis. Unfortunately, while I really liked the dental surgeon and his student teacher, they didn't have their act together. I couldn't get a price from them until they had the x-rays from Barkin's office. I asked Michelle to mail my x-rays to UCSF. I can't say with certainty if UCSF lost the x-rays or if Barkin's office failed to mail the x-rays. Anyway, it took so long without an answer - what's it going to cost that I went to Barkin. Barkin. A highly educated periodontist with 20 minutes to give you for spending $7500. Yes, he extracted 2 teeth and injected Infuse (check this out on the Internet). It took emails, phone calls and hand written notes to finally find out that he wanted $2500 up front and then $1000 a month. Was I asked my dental insurance plan? No. It's only because of a dentist - whose name I am not going to put on this site - that I went to his "buddy" Barkin. Like other patients on this site - I too was highly drugged up and Monica, the assistant, asked me every 10 minutes if I was "okay". I replied, "I am so drowsy". "Do you need the chair?" I felt like I was at a restaurant and they needed my table. She replied it was okay. However, in time (maybe an hour?) I was escorted off the chair and into the conference room. I put my head down and felt like I was going to sleep for hours. I was so drugged and drowsy. Did I know that I was not supposed to eat 6 hours prior to surgery? Did Michelle mail me any pre-operation instructions? No!!! Luckily I hadn;'t eaten. Did I have a prescription prior to my surgery? No. I had nothing written. $7500 for what? Poor service I tell you. So, prior to surgery Michelle made a good point in getting me to pay the $2500 fee. Luckily, I have a new AA charge card and I got 2500 miles. That's about the extent of my pleasure. Oh yes, when I arrived for surgery Michelle asked me if I was excited? "Excited?, how in the h--- would I be excited about Barkin taking out 2 teeth?" I replied. This office has major problems in dealing with the public. They need to take a workshop on "Kindness" because I didn't feel that they cared at all. I asked that Monica walk me down to get a taxi and she complied. I asked for a couple of pain pills prior to my departure and was given them. Pay attention to the reviews on this site. I wish I had read them weeks ago. We need to take care of each other. Liz read more

The staff was nice and caring. My treatment was easy. The extraction of my two wisdom teeth didnt hurt at all, except when I came home. I was in a lot of pain. But, Dr. Barkin prescribed vicodin to me, so my pain wasn't too bad. Jenny Wu read more

Dr. Barkin did not remove the root of the tooth he pulled. He did NOT x-ray after the "removal" (which is the protocol) to see that it was still in my jaw. I returned for my post op visit and said it still hurt and still no x-ray. After more weeks of pain (the infection was still there), I had to go to a regular dentist and she took an x-ray and saw the root was not removed. I would not return to him for the removal and he refused to pay the oral surgeon who did what he was supposed to have done. This is the second review I have written because the first review was removed and I hope this one is left so that people can have one more patient's experience with oral surgeon. read more

Dr. Barkin is AWESOME! I went in 2 months ago for all 4 wisdom teeth to be extracted. I had never been sedated before and I was so nervous but he was so calming and funny and nice that by the time I sat in the exam chair I felt great. Barely any swelling or bleeding! I was feeling great by the next day and was out shopping! I would definetly recommend Dr. Barkin to all! read more

I got my wisdom teeth pulled with Dr.Barkin a few weeks ago, and overall I can't complain. The front desk lady (Michelle) was very friendly, and I had no issues scheduling, insurance billing, etc. Dr.Barkin is a very straight-forward doctor, who pulled 3 of my wisdom teeth out in about 20 minutes. I left the office still in the "twilight" state after the volume, and experienced pain in only one of the areas which was very impacted (Barkin notified me that it would give me discomfort). I came back a week later for a post-op, and got out in under 5 minutes. The office is clean and moderately up to date. Parking of course is rather difficult in this neighborhood, but they do have one of those overpriced parking garages you can use downstairs. read more

I had my last wisdom tooth removed today. It was a very fast and smooth operation. So fa so good, but I'll have to go for a follow up and hopefully the next couple days will be as smooth as the operation. read more

I was referred to Dr. Barkin by my HMO so it wasn't a choice. I read all of the reviews on Yelp, and admittedly, was a little bit worried. The rundown: - fast - maybe too fast - short with patients - front office staff a little whacky However, I also read lots of general boards about having wisdom teeth removed. I needed all 4, and I believe 3 of 4 were impacted. The woman at the front desk was exceedingly nice, although she had a nice Freudian slip when she told me, "Don't worry... This will be a lot worse then you imagine it might be." After paying for the general ahead of time (apparently they've learned not to try to get drugged out people to sign bills), they hooked me up with an IV and then I was in "Twilight". This meant that I was pretty whacked out, going in and out of consciousness, and could often tell what they were doing. At one point, they had to really yank on my bottom left tooth, and I felt pain on my upper right side when they did this (even though I was sedated). It wasn't unbearable pain, and I was pretty novicained up, but I felt it. The after care was pretty excellent. They had nice folks checking up on me constantly, and they seemed to take a lot of care to make sure that I was going in and out of the general anesthesia correctly. All in all, I felt pretty good about the procedure, but the staff did warn me that my bottom left tooth was a trouble-maker and to pay extra special attention to that area with an ice-pack. When I got home, in a few hours the Novocaine started to wear off, and holy smokes, it got really painful, especially the upper right of my mouth where I had felt the pain during the surgery. I quickly took my two Vicodin, and the pain really didn't go away, but now I was just whacked out and in pain. However, by 6 o'clock (about 8 hours after my surgery) I had no such pain, and all in all everything was pretty comfortable. My other issue was bleeding. Even though the "trouble area" was my left side, the bleeding on the right was pretty constant. I probably changed guaze 5 or 6 times, and even slept with the gauze that night. Finally, this morning, about 24 hrs later, I no longer require gauze. Nausea for me was pretty minimal - this morning - but has since went away. Now I'm eating soup. The lingering problem is very pronounced swelling in the lymph node of my neck on the left side. All of the "chipmunk" stuff in my cheeks is now gone, but the neck remains a problem 24hrs later. Right now, I am having no acute pain, however, and not even taking aspirin, let alone vicodin. Let's face it... Getting your wisdom teeth pulled sucks, especially if it's all 4, and especially if they are impacted. Everything I've gone through is pretty common, and overall I was impressed by my experience. Would recommend. read more

Yes he's quick and efficient. I was prepared for the worst after reading some of the reviews. But I was anxious to have my broken painful wisdom teeth out ASAP. Nothing could be worst than the pain I endure. ( those of you who had the teeth pain, headache, fever, thoat and neck pain know what I mean) I would have yanked it out myself if I could. It turned out great. better than expected. after 3 full novacaine shots and 3 mini ones 5 to 10 minutes afterwards, he tugged 4 times and it came out. I was lucky with little bleeding. No pain afterwards and the numbness slowly went away. I did not even needed any painkillers. Better than getting a cavity filled and faster too. He doesn't make much small talk and just tells you where you wisdom teeth are on the X ray and ask you what you want to do in terms of which one and how many, which is refreashing since some dentist want you to take them all out to save them another appointment. His assistant tells you the pre and post precudures and he just goes in and does his job. I wished I went to him last year instead of prolonging my pain becuase I was afraid of the procedure after hearing lots of horror stories. It was painless compare to my tooth pain. Seriously he did a great job quick and efficient. Who the hell needs a prolong procedure for an extractiion I dont need the small talk or details. My procedure in and out of office including check in time and wait time for novacaine was 35 mins. read more

Yelp says five stars is as good as it gets. I had a tooth pulled by Dr. Barkin and the entire process was so simple I had to ask him if he had done it already. I had come in really rather anxious about how all this was going to go. But I had NO swelling or pain afterward and needed no pain killers. I highly recommend Dr. Barkin. As a comparison, I had a student dentist once who pulled a tooth and it took weeks to get back to normal. I think Dr. Barkin is the best dentist I can imagine. read more

I thought Dr. Barkin was really great. His first appointment was free and I believe that included the x-ray for free as well. His staff was really nice and they were cool with the fact that I didn't have my insurance info on me and let me call it in a few days later. He is a really nice guy and answered all my questions. I even left him a voice mail question and he called me back within an hour. The procedure it self was a piece of cake and took less then 20 mins. As a general rule take some Ibuprofen and if you can pain killers about an hour before any procedure like this and it should be really help full, you don't need general anesthesia for one just an extraction of one tooth. Also I though his prices were reasonable, for an extraction and bone graph it was $450 which is much less then I would have paid back in NYC. I believe I will be going back to him in 4 months for an implant of my new tooth. read more

I had 4 teeth pulled out at a time. Next day I could eat whatever I want and chew on hard food, which was surprising for me. In less then a week my gum healed and I feel fine. I recommend this doctor. read more

I had as good an experience I could have getting a bridge cut, a tooth pulled and a bone graft done. I was referred to Dr. Barkin by Dr. Blende (you can see my review on his page). I felt fine going in, since my experience with Dr. Blende went so well. After reading the reviews here about Dr. Barkin I was a bit hesitant. Michele (not sure what her title is), but she was wonderful! She answered all my questions a few days before my procedure and called in pain meds for me the day before so I won't have to pick it up the day of. Once in the office, Dr. Barkin was kind and patient and took plenty of time explaining to me what was happening, then he gave me my IV and I was out like a light. 45 min. later I woke up, no pain, and the rest of my day was fine. Today I have no swelling and the hole where my tooth was isn't bleeding, and feels fine. I'd use him again, and would recommend him to anyone that has had bad experiences in the past. read more

Dr. Barkin and staff were GREAT! I had my wisdom teeth pulled 11/29 an it was quick and easy as 123. I was on @ 8am an came out @8:30am. Many thanksto the crew! read more