I have to say, Dr. Ravi is simply the best endodontist! Root canals are his specialty, and the level of skill, patience, and attention to detail he brings to his work is truly remarkable. I had my very first root canal with Dr. Ravi many years ago. I honestly can't remember whether it was 14 or even 24 years ago! I just remember that he had a full head of hair back then! What I do remember clearly is how incredibly smooth and completely painless the entire experience was. I was so grateful to my dentist for referring me to him. Even back then, I could tell how careful, thorough, and patient he was. You could genuinely feel that you were in excellent hands. And here's the best part: all these years later, that tooth is still going strong, without a single problem! To me, that says everything about the quality of his work. Over the years, I've referred several friends to him. One friend had previously had a top dentist in China for three root canals, only to have it done so poorly that he needed it redone in the United States. After seeing Dr. Ravi, he couldn't believe how different the experience was. He was so pleased with the treatment and thanked me for the referral. Today, I brought my mother to Dr. Ravi. I'll admit, his fees aren't the cheapest, and my mom, being a typical Chinese mom, always likes to look for the best deal! I had to persuade her that when it comes to something as important as a root canal, you really want the best doctor, not necessarily the cheaper price. I'm so glad she listened! After today's procedure, she couldn't stop talking about how different the experience was from her previous root canals. In the past root canals, she had experienced pain, sensitivity, discomfort, and have to visit multiple time to dental office. This time, she was amazed by how comfortable and smooth everything was. She kept telling me besides of ZERO pain, how dr. Koka would take so many X-rays throughout the procedure, carefully check his work, proceed to the next step, and then take more X-rays to make sure everything was exactly right. He never seemed rushed. Every step was done with such precision and patience. I truly believe Dr. Ravi is a perfectionist in the very best sense of the word. He doesn't just want to finish a procedure; he wants to do it right, and do it exceptionally well. The office itself is also wonderful. It's spacious, spotless, comfortable, and relaxing. Everyone is friendly and professional, and the entire environment makes you feel well cared for. If I ever need another root canal, or if any of my family or friends need one, there's absolutely no question where I'll send them! read more

Dr. Ravi Koka provided immediate assistance for a painful root canal procedure on top of a root canal done on the same tooth previously some 10 years ago. No waiting. There was an infection requiring clearing and cleaning. He was calm, thorough, and well-versed about my situation within minutes of our meeting. Dr. Koka gave the full gamut of possibilities on how best to proceed. The very Zen quality about Dr. Koka evokes trust in his patients. We know we are in the best of care. The root canal had to be done 3 times and Dr. Koka was available by phone, called regularly, had appointments open within 24 hours. Taha, his office assistant is fabulous. A true gem. High recommendations here. read more

I was referred to Dr Koka by my general dentist. Had a complicated root canal and Dr Koka did a wonderful job. I really liked his office, modern and shick and a nice view from the tall dental tower. read more

Dr Ravi Koka is an excellent, professional, non rushing perfectionist and cares about his patients. I had a root canal on a front tooth. I would go back again for repeat service. Thank you, KT read more

Dr Koka is a Perfectionist. If there is any way to save you from needing Root Canal Procedure, he honestly will. Dr Koka and his Lovely team, Lisa and Laila have always treated me like family. It is always so nice to see them. If you need root canal, Dr Koka is known all over the world as one of Top Root Canal Specialist. If you are referred to someone else, make sure you see Dr Koka for consult. You will see what I mean. Dr Koka is a Master Artist in his area of specialty. Everyone we know with Root Canal, shares the most painful stories. With Dr Koka, I had the best root canal experience. Not only was I discomfort and pain free, no swelling or bruising, left smiling. When I came back for my follow ups, my fellow patients also very happy, smiling without bruising or swelling. He is so good at what he does he doesn't disturb the surrounding tissues. His work is so meticulous. Well appointed office with top tier equipment custom designed by Dr Koka. He does not rush his work, and really takes his time to do things right with so much care and artistry. By far, the Best dental care I have ever experienced read more

Dr. Koka is a perfectionist. When three dentists were hesitant to do a root canal on my mother in law, he was recommended by a family member. She said it was painless procedure. He did take his time and my mother was feeling like nothing had happened the next day. He also called her that night to check on her. There was no swelling or pain whatsoever in her mouth. Highly recommended!! read more

Dr. Koka gives exceptional care and is very invested in his patients. I had a very good experience getting complex root canals. All of the staff are very helpful and friendly. He also arranges free check ups in a year's time to make sure everything is healing properly. Strongly recommend! read more

Dr.Koka is a rare example of a Dr. who treats his patient like they really matter to him. He is incredibly responsive and proactively checks on his patients after treatment. You will notice his careful analysis of your particular dental issues and his ability to explain. He is super intelligent and I very much appreciate his overall demeanor. He does not try to throw a lot of chatter at you while he is working on your teeth and you are in no position to respond. He engenders a high level of trust and is super skillful. His office is immaculate and his staff is very professional, pleasant and accommodating. Lisa handles the front desk and is very kind and super efficient. I feel very fortunate to have found Dr. Koka. read more

Another female reviewer described his style as dismissive and I couldn't agree more. I walked out angry in tears with no conclusive treatment course after my consultation with Dr. Koka. I was insulted and gaslit by him and his staff. My dentist referred me to him, saying there was a rather concerning development with my front canine in X-rays. There was no pain or external signs, but over the course of 5 years it was getting worse in X-rays. My dentist said it could be a few different issues and it would be best to have an expert explain it than her. It was difficult to schedule my initial appointment with Dr. Koka. Their staff insists on phone calls, which didn't work well with my busy work schedule and we played a bunch of phone tag. I asked to schedule via email and they completely dropping the ball. I spent two months waiting for them to confirm an appointment. Since I was in the process of moving and getting married, I didn't notice how much time had passed until I had to contact them again. They sent over a ton of detailed information about costs and a medical questionnaire. However, they failed to provide me with critical information about how to wear my hair and clothing that as a woman or POC would be extremely helpful for ensuring a smooth consultation. I had a work event that same day, so had my hair set and heavily hair sprayed in a large bun and dangling earrings. The female staff member told me to remove my earrings and sit down under the machine. As the scanning machine rotated, it got caught on my bun and tugged painfully at my hair. I said "ow" several times and she replied "it would work better and wouldn't hurt if your hair wasn't up," essentially blaming me for my pain. She then asked if I could remove the bun, to which I asked if we could adjust the seat or machine height since I couldn't show up to a work event later with messy hair. She lowered the seat a bit and retook the scans. Never at any point in time did she share that the scans wouldn't come out right, so I had no idea how critical it was to take my hair down for the consultation. After the scans, I waited about 15 minutes (a good 30 minutes into my appointment time) to finally meet with Dr. Koka. He walked in without much of a hello or pleasantries and asked me why I was there. I told him I didn't know why my dentist sent me. His response was an incredulous "I don't believe that, how can you not know why you're here?" Then he proceeded to grill me with questions about my tooth, pain levels, dental history in a tone that was extremely condescending. Every answer was received with a response that conveyed disbelief and made me feel like I was being gaslit. So I mentioned that I was concerned about the way my consultation was going so far and that it didn't feel like they were listening to me as their patient. Oh boy, did his gloves came off immediately. He snapped into defensive mode, told me that he couldn't work with my scans because my hair and wardrobe choices were making it impossible to get a clear scan. He also said if I was going to criticize him that he didn't feel comfortable working with me as it would involve a risky procedure and possibly lots of surgeries where trust is critical. At this point he had never told me anything about what the problem was or that I needed surgeries, so it was not only a shock to have bad news delivered this way but he said it in a way that was vengeful. He suggested that we pause and I get another opinion with another endodontist. At that point, since I was out $180, had taken several hours off work for the appointment, I insisted that he at least complete the scans and provide the analysis I paid for or refund me my money. He hedged and decided to try and take another scan in order clearly to not lose money. The second scans came out clear enough, but by then he needed to go see his next patient and couldn't review them with me. He told me he'd call me within 48 hours to discuss the scans. No surprise, he never called me. I had to call back to get ahold of him. He then told me it was reabsorption, but he couldn't recommend treatment to try and save the tooth vs. full tooth extraction. Thanks to Dr. Koka, I ended up being out $500 because I had to go get a second consult. Additionally, I had to wait 6 months to get a second opinion since my insurance wouldn't cover another set of scans for that period, which delayed treatment and put my tooth and jaw's health at risk. If you are a woman or POC, I would be cautious and assess carefully if his level of care and style will work for you. Make sure you feel comfortable with him from the get-go. Not believing a patient and questioning their understanding of their pain levels or experiences is the reason many women face poor health outcomes. Blaming their hair as the cause for bad service is beyond unprofessional. read more

Ravi Koka is truly an amazing dentist. He is so professional and inspires trust. I went to him for a root canal due to a rare condition. It's been three years since the procedure and the tooth is in perfect condition. I couldn't recommend his work more highly. read more

I was referred to Dr. Koka for a decades-long issue with my front tooth. It was a complicated case that my current endodontist didn't think he could resolve. My main concern was losing my front tooth during the 2-part surgery. Lisa was very welcoming and helpful both via email and when I went in for my initial consult and continued to be as I visited three more times. Dr. Koka has a calming manner and assured me his goal was to save my tooth. I'm happy to report he did just that! I had my 6-month follow-up and the area is healing well. Thank you! read more

I have nothing but thanks and rave reviews for Dr. Koka and his team. He is a very kind, calm and reassuring professional. ...almost Zen like if you ask me. I had an upper back molar with very deep canals, Dr. Koka informed me it would be a more difficult procedure. He and his assistants worked together seamlessly. The whole experience was a very pleasant and painless one. read more

Dr. Koka is extremely skilled. I am very glad I was referred to him. My case was quite complex, and he explained the tradeoffs very clearly. I feel I can trust him to always do what's best. read more

Unfortunately I've had a lot of experience with getting root canals and dental issues. Never have I felt so dismissed and basically ended up almost second guessing myself. I decided not to "wait" to see if this procedure needed to be done with him. I realize practitioners don't necessarily want to do an urgent root canal fit in to their schedule but please don't insult my intelligence. I ended up getting it done at my original place SF Endodontics a couple days later (with pain relief) and I'm not going anywhere else for this procedure if needed in the future. read more

OK -- This is crazy late, I know, but I wanted to refer a friend to Dr. Koka and saw that I hadn't posted a review. Here's my review: The best! ;-)) All the other reviews say it. The kindest, gentlest, most polite, professional, bestest practitioner ever. I had my root canal done several years ago but never a problem after. If I have a problem, though, I'm coming back to Dr. Koka. read more

Dr. Koka did an amazing job saving a tooth I thought was lost. He was very gentle, careful, and thorough. Plus it's very conveniently located quite near the Sutter Stockton garage in that historic building @ 450 Sutter. I will always go to him if I need endodontic services again! read more

I was referred to Dr. Koka by my dentist and I attempted to call and make an appointment for a root canal / consultation and was greeted on the phone by an extremely unpleasant individual. There was no formal greeting, no statement of which number I had reached, nothing, just a "Hello?!?". I asked if it was Dr. Koka's office and the woman on the other end simply stated, "The office is closed!" and before I could inquire any further the line was dead. She hung up on me. Totally unprofessional for a service that demands professionalism. I immediately sought an alternative referral from my dentist. Bottom line, don't let inconsiderate and rude people operate in your mouth. They don't care about you so don't go to them. read more

Dr Koka is a very good endodontist. He took his time diagnosing what was wrong with my tooth and to figure out the reason for the pain. He took a scan and x-rays and was able to pinpoint the issue and treated it with professionalism and great attention to details. He is nice and not threatening, so such a stressful procedure as a root canal turned out to be an easy process even though it took several visits. I was referred to Dr Koca by my general dentist Dr Kogan, I trust Dr Kogan's opinion and I agree with him that Dr Koka is one of the best endodontists in San Francisco. read more

As a dentist myself, I can attest to Dr. Koka's skills in endodontics. Although I had no symptoms, my general dentist, Dr. Rob Soto, discovered a rare problem with one of my molars called Internal Resorption. Ravi saw me right away and painlessly completed the treatment on the molar with four canals in just two visits. Lisa, the receptionist, is warm and caring as are his dental assistants Leila and Mia. If I were not retired from dentistry, I would still continue to refer patients to Dr. Koka. read more

Dr Koka recently completed my Root canal and I can't recommend him highly enough. As someone who hates going to the dentist and has a borderline fear, it was a really pleasant surprise how smooth the process went. Lisa on reception is lovely and Dr Koka is very consultative, calm and walks you through everything. He gives almost painless injections and gets through the work with minimal fuss. I listened to podcasts whilst he performed the work, which he recommended doing, and this helped take my mind off things. Whilst a root canal is never nice, this was as good an experience as you could hope for. read more

Update 3.5 years later. Zero problems. Like literally zero.

Cannot say enough great things about this endodontist! He is simply the best there is. After another endodontist screwed up 3 (yes 3) root canals and I was going to lose these teeth, he diligently has worked and worked to save the most important two of them. read more

Was the very best. He was so professional and truly cared about my comfort. He was patient when I had questions. He even called me prior to leaving for a trip to ensure that I was okay before leaving the country. Very impressed by him and his staff. I have never made a Yelp review before but believe that he was so wonderful that his praise was worth my time. Thank you! read more

I was unfortunate enough to require a root canal, but fortunate enough to be referred to Dr. Koka by my general dentist. He saw me on the same day I was referred, and I was able to see him the very next day for part I of a root canal. It was a pleasant experience that I hope to avoid in the future! But, if I should require another root canal, then I truly hope it will be performed by Dr. Koka. His office only performs root canals, and he is a most excellent caregiver. Thank you Dr. Koka! read more

Fantastic dentist! Did a very thorough job on my root canal. Why do you ask I gave 4 stars? Well because I never in my life met anyone as cold and non personable as him. My appotments never started on time, at 15 -20 min wait. And the most uncomfortable experience was not as usually drilling sounds, but his interaction with his dental assistant. Constant picking on the old lady. Would go back for the orthodontic work? In a heart beat, but will wear earphones. read more

Had an emergency appointment with Dr. Koka (although I figure most visits to an endodontist are emergencies). He was very kind, thorough, and professional. I usually dread getting the anaesthesia shot but his technique makes it nearly painless. While I can say that the visit was as pleasurable as one could expect a trip here to be; I hope to never have to visit again :) In the event that I do need to visit am endodontist in the future, I would be more than willing to return to Dr. Koka. read more

I wish that Dr. Koka could be my doctor for everything. I think he is the nicest person that I have ever met. I don't recommend having a root canal, but if you have to have one...definitely go to Dr. Koka. Dr. Koka has excellent bedside manner, and he was very caring and reassuring during a long and painful procedure. He also told me to come in immediately when I was still having pain a few days later, and saw me right away at no charge. He then gave me his cell phone number and asked me to call him every day for the next few days and let him know whether things were getting better. One day, I forgot to call and he called me to check-in. I'm even sort of looking forward to my follow-up appointment in a few months. Dr. Koka is an example of what doctors were meant to be. read more

Do you need a root canal? Choose Dr. Koka!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing gives me the shivers more than a long thin dental syringe needle or makes me more uncomfortable than the smell of ground enamel. However, this was the most painless procedure (medical or dental) that I ever recall. Moreover, the hour and 1/2 procedure was less traumatic than my 5 minute lasik procedure. Dr. Koka and his staff are warm, attentive, efficient and effective. His equipment is state of the art and his office is very accessible from Public Transporation. The procedure was also very affordable and they took my Metlife which I was thrilled with as well. ADDED BONUS: His office provided me with his cell phone number just in case there were any complications. SUPER BONUS: The doctor called me at 9PM last night to make sure I was ok. I will have to rethink how I think of dentistry after having seen him. I cannot recommend him enough and this is my very first yelp review ever so that should tell you something about his services. Victor read more

My teeth died after being smashed by the ground via truck. They turned black and were cracked in half. Dr. Ravi Koka restored them almost back to normal... with help of Dr. Bridges...(see his review, he's amazing). I had internal whitening and 2 root canals, when one didn't quite work he fixed it for free. My teeth were very sensitive. Then today he told me he wants me to come in every year, for a while, for free, just so he can check the teeth and the roots to make sure everything is alright. He's so nice, I love him. His office isn't the coolest most updated place but it has a great view, and they have a good magazine selection. He also gives you plenty of novacaine and whatnot, I didn't feel anything for hours. He's also very quite and calming, NOT a loud and in your face kind of bedside manner... no one wants that in a dentist or doctor. read more

I must begin with how I wound up at Dr. Koka's office, only because I need to bitch about it , just a little.... Nothing sucks like learning that the root canal your dentist performed four years ago ("fairly simple, only one root!") has gone bad and that you have a long-festering infection growing in your gum that needs to be treated. By "treated" I mean re-opened and cleaned out, filled again, and then a crown placed on what's left of your tooth. Ugh. Thanks so much, Mr. Dentist- who I won't name here because they claim no root canal is ever "100% guaranteed" not to fail. When you are dealing with any serious dental problem that has the word "surgical" associated with it, go to a specialist! This is not a procedure you want to revisit (and pay for again) a few years later. I learned the hard way but it was my first root canal so I didn't realize what was involved. Unlike Dr. Koka, my regular dentist did not sit down and actually DRAW me a diagram of what was happening (or show me the x-ray). I went to Dr. Koka so he could correct the failed procedure. Dr. Koka took time to explain very clearly what was happening and what needed to be done to clear the infection and restore my poor tooth. He has a very calm, reassuring manner and will go out of his way to make sure you are comfortable. His lovely British accent is an added bonus. This man is so low-key and soft spoken and I really like that in a doctor. He does meticulous work and after viewing the final x-rays I am confident that there are no spaces left in the canal for new problems to develop. And how many doctors give you their cellphone number so you can call with any little freak-out or problem you might have? If you are facing the grim prospect of two hours in a dental chair with a rubber tooth isolating thingy stuffed in your mouth, you need to have confidence that they guy wielding the canal file (ack!) is the kindest, most competent person for the job. Choose Dr. Koka! read more

Dr. Koka is a DDS ninja--gets the job done quickly, efficiently and expertly with much less discomfort than I imagined with such a procedure. Great office staff--detail oriented and focused. The Dr.'s demeanor is very professional and friendly. I got good information on what was going on with my tooth and what to expect; he answered all my questions with great respect. Even the shot of Novocain was relatively painless, given with great & precise skill. The procedure itself was pain-free and fast...AND he took care to make the smallest hole necessary to get the job done, taking extra effort and care to work precisely, in a targeted way...I hope I never need another root canal, but I I do, I'm going back to Dr. Koka. read more

This review is for the consultation only, since I haven't got the procedure done yet. I had two crowns done 8 years ago and have had inflammation in the gum, near the roots for the past 5 years without pain. Dr. Koka really took time to understand the history and explained to me what's going on with my teeth, pointing it out in the film, and drawing it out on the paper. (I was very inquisitive as well). What I really like about Dr. Koka is that he clearly explained 3 different options of the procedures to me (how each procedure works, the pros and cons of each one) as well as what will happen if I do nothing since I don't feel any pain (again I was very inquisitive). This consultation experience was very different than the previous endodontist I went to see, who just told me one option and wanted me to schedule it as soon as possible. So I was very happy with Dr. Koka's highly-informative, non-pushy consultation. His office is not fancy, but I don't care. He has digital x-ray machine and a cool, modern microscope (which he was excited about when I was looking at it.). Dr. Koka has calm and collected personality, very professional, not trying to be friend with me, but smile often enough that I felt very comfortable. I really like his personality, which I thought was very different than most doctors I have seen in the US. I grew up in Asia where doctors are not chatty and look calm and professional. In the US, I found that the doctors are more chatty and trying to be friendly. A lot of doctor reviews on yelp rave about the doctors' friendliness, which I don't find them very useful. My parents are both doctors and we always went to see the #1 or #2 doctors in the country (Thailand) for each area when it came to surgeries. (Some of them treated the royal family), and I found no correlation between friendliness and the technical skills of the doctors. The estimated total cost for Anterior Root Canal Retreatment for one teeth, Anterior Retreatment for one teeth, and Apicoectomy Anterior for two teeth (he charges one price for two teeth) was ~$4,100 before insurance. read more

Very professional, explained everything to me, including my options and what I could do next. I liked the fact that he took his time with me and didn't rush (before and after the procedures). I am not sure what these other commenters mean about the assistant, my experiences with both of them were just fine. The surgeries went fine both times and discomfort was minimal. But the best part was that he wasn't trying to be a salesman with me (a lot of dentists smile and pretend to take care of you, but in reality their only goal is to rip you off). Dr Koka was focusing only on my tooth and how we could solve the problem. Yes, dental work in America is always expensive, and I hope I never have to visit another endodontist again, but if I do -- this is where I'm going. read more

I'm a huge baby when it comes to mouth pain, so I was really nervous when my dentist told me I needed a root canal. They referred me to Dr. Koka and assured me he 'had hands of an angel'. I visited Dr. Koka this afternoon and I'm pretty sure my nerves were showing. He was totally understanding when I told him how freaked out I was and gave me a pretty thorough explanation of my options (implant, which he doesn't do or a root canal) and some pros and cons for each. I liked that he even admitted he has an automatic bias since he specializes in root canals, but didn't want me to be upset with my decision in the end. I decided to go forward with the root canal and 10 minutes later I'm getting numbed up. He made sure I couldn't feel anything and explained things as he started setting up. I was shocked at how comfortable I was. I'm happy to say that the only 'pain' I felt was from my jaw staying open for a good 30 minutes (oh, and the standard pain after the novocain wears off ;p). I've got my second round next Friday and I'm definitely feeling less anxious knowing that I'm in good hands. I'd definitely recommend Dr. Koka to anyone that's in need of a root canal...scaredy cat or not. read more

Epitome of professionalism. My first root canal and I was just a little apprehensive. Could not have been more assured, relaxed and informed by my experience with Dr Koka. I actually fell asleep during my root canal. Relatively pain free procedure and next day. I'm ecstatic with the results. Could not recommend more highly. I was a late referral on a Friday morning and they were able to see me and do my root canal same day. Saved me from a long weekend of pain and discomfort. Likely the best experience I've ever had with a medical professional. read more

I just had a root canal with Dr. Koka. It was a wonderful experience, if that's possible getting such a procedure!! He was so kind, explained everything, drew a diagram, and was able to take me as an emergency patient. I was in so much pain the night before, I was crying. Thank god for yelp! That's how I chose him and the reviews were spot on. Sue and Dr. Koka's assistant were wonderful. They were so accomodating :) read more

Dr. Koka is incredible! My dentist referred me to Dr. Koka and his staff when I needed a root canal. He went out of his way to work with my schedule - even opening his office early so I could get in to see him! He was able to relieve me of serious pain in short order and get my root canal taken care of. To make this even better, he called me in the evening to see how I was doing! No one does dentistry like this! Needless to say, I'm a huge fan of Dr. Koka - if you're in pain and need something like a root canal, he's your man. read more

Dr Koka is THE BEST. I had lots of trauma from bad dentistry heading into a multiple root canal scenario with him and he was incredibly kind caring and patient -- not to mention technically skilled. A true delight to visit which is really saying something considering his profession!! Thank you Dr Koka. His team is great too! read more

So far so good... I had a fractured tooth for years with an infected nerve which was causing a lot of pain lately. I was referred to Dr. Koka after Dr. Watson checked it out and determined I needed a root canal. After scheduling a consultation, Dr. Koka told me it wouldn't take one session, but two. One for the initial drilling and adding anti-biotics with temporary cap, then another to rebuild the tooth afterwards. I was quoted one price before this visit, but was relieved to hear that, even though I was doubling my time in the chair, the two sessions would still cost the same. I was told that this would be better for my tooth in the long run. I don't have dental insurance, so it mattered to me. I've had the first session and am very pleased. As far as root canals go, it was quite easy. He called me the next day (a Saturday) just to check in on how I was feeling. Dr. Koka has been very pleasant and informative the entire time, so I'm looking forward to completing the "build" procedure next week. I'll post another review afterwards... I'm not too worried about it though. read more

Never in a million years would I think I would be so happy with any dentist that gave me a root canal..... then I met Dr.Koka!! He is amazing at what he does! He is genuinely caring and compassionate as well as gentle and professional. His staff is also very personable, helpful and courteous. When I was having discomfort over the holidays he saw me on his day off to help alleviate the problem. I feel so very lucky to have met Dr. Koka and I urge anyone who has to go through a root canal to look no further than Dr.Koka and his team! read more