Robert Phong Ho Dentistry
Robert Phong Ho, DDS:
Practice Profile Page

★★★★★

DENTAL TREATMENTS OFFERED

Dental cleaning

White fillings

Crowns

Inlays & onlays

Bridges

Clear aligners

Porcelain veneers

Teeth whitening

Dentures & partials

Root canal treatment

Tooth extraction

TMJ treatment

Dental implants

CLEAR ALIGNER SERVICES

OFFICE HOURS

Monday: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

Tuesday: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

Friday: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed

SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT

BEFORE & AFTER PHOTO GALLERY

PATIENT REVIEWS

Dr. Ho is the most wonderful dentist I have ever met.  He is very kind and very gentle with his hands.   Iv’e been recommending him to all of my friends and family!!! My teeth was in bad shape and needed lots of attention.  Dr. Ho was very informative to each step of the proceedure and I was never left wondering what he was doing with my mouth.  He’s also very sensitive to his patience needs because I noticed my mouth wasn’t numb enough but  I wanted to be a good girl and tough out the pain so I laid very still.  But he noticed that my eyes were twitching and he stopped his work and said hmmm  ” I think you need to be a bit more numb”. That was awesome!!!  Usually my other dentists would just let me sit there thinking “well if she can tough it out then let it be” cause if he were to be giv me more numbing medicine then the he would have to stop mid work.  Dr. Ho didn’t mind that at all in fact he never hurries his procedures.  He’s very relaxed and his gentle tone of voice keeps me relaxed as well. He’s an awesome dentist and I know for a fact that he teaches Dentistry and volunteers his own time towards his community.  For a dentist to be able to juggle being an educator and volunteer on top of his profession you must possess qualities such as kindness, patience, love for the community and individuals.  And when you meet Dr. Ho you definately will see all of those qualities radiating off of him!!

Dr.Ho has been my dentist for what seems likes ages and he is absolutely professional, takes amazing care of my teeth and  does a wonderful job of making the experience a pleasant and warm one ( yes, a dentist visit that is actually very pleasant). Recently i was on a international trip and  flew back on a Sunday with a painful toothache.  I called  on Monday and Dr Ho was able to free up his lunch slot for me and then make a quick call to get a root canal scheduled ( Dr.Grenn) the same day ( also during lunch).  His network ( which i attribute to his positive energy and skills) was probably the only reason why i was out of pain by end of the business that day. He is such a great guy that i ended up sending a donation to his dental school to support his students ( awesome teacher too). Thank you Dr.Ho.!!!

Robert is an excellent dentist with an exceptionally light touch when it comes to keeping you confortable and administering Novocain and has always gone above an beyond. A few months after my second cleaning  I began to have a lot of pain in one of my molars that Robert had mentioned he was concerned about at my last visit. My girlfriend, who is also a patient, called for me and Robot knew the exact tooth that was bugging me and though he did not have any appointments that day he offered to open his office up that evening to take a look. It turned out there was a good chance I could need a root canal in the future and since I also needed my wisdom teeth pulled I opted to just have him do what he thought would likely be a temporary filling. He did it there on the spot and then refused any payment because he thought I would need that root canal and was worried I’d bust through my insurance limit that year. In conclusion  if you need a dentist in the Inner Richmond and you are lucky enough that Dr Robert is accepting new Patients he should be your no. 1 choice.

I was very hesitant to leave my current dentist, but when you commute to Napa for appoints that are only during the week, until 3pm, it all of a sudden becomes a hassle. I found Dr. Ho through my insurance provider first, then found some reviews about him on yelp. He is amazing. I am  very picky when it comes to my dentists, and he did a great job. His office is small and very personal. He is the first Dr. whom I have been to that does their own cleaning, no dental hygienist to do the work for him. He was also the one to call and remind me about my appointment. He is up to date with the industry, given that he has taught for the last 17 years at the dental school at USF. Over all great experience. He has appoints on Saturday, which is amazing in its self, and was a very warm nice individual. I plan on returning for all of my dental needs :o) (hopefully I don’t have too many!).

It’s all true, Dr. Ho is the best Dentist out there.  Believe it! Here’s one small example of how the good Doctor goes above and beyond to help: On Tuesday night I chipped my front tooth and called Dr. Ho the next day to get some advice.  The office is usually closed on Wednesdays, but he got my message and contacted me in the evening to send him a picture of the tooth.  A few minutes later I was thrilled to learn that he could help me and set up an appointment for Friday monrning! As if that wasnt enough, he called back again to say that he could see me immediately!  Note that this was even after normal business hours! Less than an hour later my tooth was like new with a fix that is impossible to detect!  It’s hard to believe you can have something fixed that well in that short amount of time, let alone something inside of your mouth! Many thanks Dr. Ho, you did a great job and went far beyond the call of duty.  I’m very glad to be your patient!

I found Dr. Robert Ho on Yelp for my 80 year old mother. I searched “DDS, Asian, Richmond  District, Seniors, Dementia” because my elderly Asian mother has dementia. Dr. Ho had the best Yelp comments. I recommended him based on the Yelp comments and my sister took our mother to him.  He was so good to my mother that my sister had her dental work done by Dr. Ho as well. Both of them said he was wonderful. I found out today just how wonderful he is. On Saturday the side of a much filled molar fell out. Sunday my sister texted Dr. Ho asking if I could be seen ASAP. He calls her and says he’ll see me at 7:30am on Monday. We show up, he says he can fix it three ways full crown, top and side filling – taking out the old filling, or put a temporary fix building up the wall of the molar. I needed to do the temporary fix because I have to gather up the money for the more involved remedies. Dr. Ho’s prices are similar to University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, where I went the day before my molar broke. I was treated rudely. I was told I would have to pay $120 before anything gets done and they were booked all through July and I would not be able to be seen until mid August! Dr. Ho was kind, sympathetic, understanding that I’m on a fixed income, and willing to work out a long term plan for my dental needs. He exudes peace. He built up the side of my molar WITHOUT Novocaine shots and pain free! He said I was very calm while he worked on my tooth. I was calm because he was so kind and gentle. Also he saw me before and after office hours, even though he was booked through out the day. I can’t say enough about him because I went from being frightened and depressed to being relieved and thankful that he is all that I had read and more.

Dr. Ho is a outstanding dentist  for three reasons. First, he’s very knowledgable. He is a professor at the UCSF Dentistry School. You can tell he really knows what he’s talking about, and he’s very upfront with you, and takes his time to explain everything to you, answering any questions that you have. I always trust the advice he gives me, and you can especially tell the difference if you’ve been to dentists that you don’t quite trust. Second, he never tries to sell you unneccesary procedures. In fact, he often tells me stories about dentists and the things they try to do to make extra money from their patients. He’s very open about it, and makes sure he’s providing you with the right service that matches your needs. Finally, he’s one of the nicest people I know. Even though I only see him twice a year, he seems to always remember everything I told him. He asks me how I’m doing and about the things in my life, and you can tell he’s genuinely interested. It makes going to see him a very comfortable experience. I recommend Dr. Ho to anyone.

Honestly, i’m extremely impressed..  i had a small chip on one of my front teeth, other dentists in the area wanted $300-350 for a consultation to give me an estimate for fixing said chip..  Dr Phong Ho just wanted me to come in for a “quick look” at no cost..  after checking it out he clearly explained my options, and asked me what i’d like to do..  once i told him that i’d like to get it fixed ASAP he checked his schedule and said he could do it right then and there because he had 20 min till his next appointment.  the job he did was flawless, and i am extremely happy with the results and his price..  all said and done, x-ray, fixed chip and everything for less than $250!!!  not to mention he is a really nice guy, with a very professional practice..  i will definitely go back for any and all of my dental needs.

I wanted to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Robert Ho for my all around exceptional experience under his care at his office over the last few months. Having had the privilege to train under him for four years at UCSF, I am well aware of his passion for teaching, extensive knowledge with preventative and restorative dentistry, high clinical standards and attention to detail, his unprecedented patience, calm and relaxed demeanor, and his sincere concern for others. So needless to say, I wasn’t surprised to find that my experience in his office as a patient was none other than a fantastically pleasant one. He is kind, gentle, caring and genuine. He is one of those rare individuals whose presence alone seems to have a natural calming and sedative effect. He knows how to make you feel relaxed and well care for, and definitely goes the extra mile to make you comfortable in and out of the chair. Being an instructor at UCSF allows him to stay ahead of the curve of the latest scientific innovations and advancements in dentistry. He then utilizes only the best of these techniques and materials to produce the highest quality, highest aesthetic, and longest lasting restorations that science of dentistry has to offer. Let me just say that with him there are no cutting corners. He takes his time and does it right. I strive to one day achieve his level of mastery. I would like to say that the entire experience, from setting up appointments and billing, to drilling and filling, was a pleasure. Having once again been reminded of what it is like to be on the receiving end of the syringe and drill, I can only hope that I am able to offer my patients something approaching the level of comfort that I encountered while under the care of Dr. Ho. Thank you. Sincerely, Paul A. Johnson DDS. Pediatric Dental Resident PGY2. Division of Pediatric Dentistry. University of California, San Francisco.

Dr. Ho is, simply put, stellar. I have unfortunately had a long history of dental work.  Since I’ve seen so many dentists (+10 throughout California) over the years, I’m certainly situated to echo the praise of other yelpers — Dr. Ho is truly the best. He is responsive, extremely gentle (the least painful anesthesia injection I have ever experienced!), thorough, and conscientious (for example, calling to follow up after procedures).  He is very generous with his time in handling insurance matters on behalf of his patients.  Most importantly, it’s abundantly clear how much he cares about his patients and his work! Since he’s also a prof at UCSF dental school, you also know he’s doing the most cutting edge work in terms of technique and technology. He’s truly remarkable.

I’ve been to see Dr. Ho twice in the past few weeks and it’s been the best experience I’ve had a dentist, hands down. Both times when I arrived Dr. Ho greeted me at the door and quickly brought me back to begin my appointment as he was fully prepared (even though I was early both times).  He also walked me through everything that he was doing and took the time to explain where he recognized problem areas with an old filling (which he repaired today, during my second visit). I walked out of his office in 30 minutes after he fixed my old filling with zero pain and his technique for local anesthesia only affected the specific tooth and not the rest of my jaw, face, tongue, etc. It was amazing!  AMAZING!  He has another dedicated client and will recommend his practice to my friends.  Going to another dentist would be akin to grabbing a bottle of whiskey and a pair of greasy pliers.

A couple of years ago I wrote a review here on YELP that I can’t seem to find. So I would like to see if I can create the enthusiasm and emotion at the time. So on a Friday night late I was eating some hard snack and broke the very front tooth. Yes the most visible one. On Saturday I proceeded to find a dentist and was having no such luck when I came across Doctor Ho’s number and called it and low and behold he actually answered the phone. I informed him of my concerns and that is was causing me a great deal of anxiety as it probably would anyone because we all like to look our best. Doctor Ho surprised me when he said he was willing to come in at 7:00 A.M. on a Sunday (the very next day) and relieve my anxiety. All of the procedures used state of the art techniques and were virtually painless. This doctor truly cares for his patients and it shows in everything he does. He genuinely cares! You wont find another like him and I have continued to use him throughout the years. Your happiness and well being are his primary concern. So impressed with him and his level of care and you will be as well. Be careful parking on Clement on Sunday  street because I believe its street cleaning and I was cited because I did not pay attention to the sign. Hope you get to meet him you will not be disappointed!

First of, let me say that I have had some bad luck in the dental department lately.  (Or maybe it’s my fault for not going to a dentist regularly enough since I don’t have insurance.)  Last December, I had a badly infected root canal on Christmas Eve before a flight to the east coast. my face looked like Mr Potato Head from the swelling on my face and neck ..  there was a blizzard ..  and even the emergency care place near my family who I was visiting was closed on Dec 27th.  I had the tooth pulled. . . I was in terrible pain for days ..  ruined my trip. Cut to THIS year and my trip back to NJ ..  and the OTHER side of my face starts hurting.  So . . the other side of my face grows a big lump and again, lots of pain.  (I went to an urgent care place to get antibiotics before returning to SF to find a dentist.) Upon returning to SF I call this place because of the great yelp reviews and proximity to my apartment.  He called me right back after I spoke with the very polite receptionist, and he had a little time in between patients and took me right away to do x rays and an exam.  He has also asked me over the phone if I was still in pain, and even though I said I wasn’t, he still took me right away.  I think it may have been his lunch break too, but he took the time for me. I really appreciated how he fit me in so fast.  He seemed to genuinely be concerned for my well being, and took his time and asked a lot of questions about my symptoms.  He didn’t make me feel like a jerk for not having been so good about regular dentist visits in the past (I get that a lot).  I am very happy to have found a dentist I like to add to my eye doctor & Healthy SF doctors I like so much as well!  Now I am all set. I just had a good feeling about Dr Phong Ho, and when I saw some Dalai Lama books on the shelf in the waiting room, it gave me another good feeling.  I have a soft spot for the Dalai Lama. . . who wouldn’t!

Top Ten Reasons You Should Consider Going to This Dental Practice 10. He is great with children and people who haven’t been to the dentist in a while! 09. Can take X-Rays in-house as needed and has an iPad – up-to-date technology! 08. Is a professor at UCSF Dental School! 07. Parking is free and covenant – 2 hour parking zone in Inner Richmond! 06. Checks in on patients to make sure everything is ok – called me on a weekend from his personal cell! 05. He’s fast – he can effortlessly fill 4 cavities in an hour. 04. Has an eye for detail – spent ten minutes refinishing a filling to make it fit just right! 03. Comes HIGHLY recommended – a MD referred me and he takes care of her entire family’s dental needs! 02. Is truly passionate about providing good dental care – I felt like he viewed me as a personal NOT a potential profit. 01. You’ll be comfortable the entire time – he did his best to cause me as little pain as possible, even though one cavity was quite deep! I wish more dentists were like Dr. Ho. Do yourself a favor and check out his practice next time you have any dental need. Just look at a few reviews on Yelp and you’ll soon realize he is the dentist for you.

Dr. Ho is the best dentist I have ever used. I echo every single other yelp review below and the issues they pointed out. Dr. Ho does not up-sell on unneeded procedures, he is upfront and clear, and his dentistry work is done with professionalism that is sorely lacking in today’s world. He doesn’t do his best, he does whats best for his clients.  He is keen on not inflicting pain and making the patient feel at ease both in the office and after work has been completed. I had four small fillings done and left in under 45 minutes from a procedure that was completely noninvasive with no drilling. The one huge distinguishing factor I want to call out, is Dr. Ho is very accepting of the vegan & vegetarian lifestyle. Having gone to numerous doctors/dentists for things during my life as a vegan, I am normally lectured about how I am supposedly depriving my body of protein, calcium, and other nutrients. Dr. Ho is the complete opposite. He celebrates and supports vegans and vegetarians in their dietary choices. This is a huge plus for me and my wife. I will be going to Dr. Ho for as long as I can. There is a reason why every single person on his yelp has sung his praises. Definitely go and see for yourself.

Dr. Ho is a wonderful dentist. He definitely does not subscribe to the school of “drill, drill drill.” He tailors dental care specifically for his patients and will work with you to create a realistic treatment plan on a reasonable timeline. None of this “i will completely 5 fillings in one sitting so you can forget about chewing on one side of your mouth for the next several week.” He also takes into consideration the best treatment plan for the type of insurance you have. Which is super helpful. I had a root canal performed on a problem tooth (Dr. Ho recommended a great colleague of his to do the procedure) and then Dr. Ho placed a crown on the tooth. He took great care in making both the temporary and the permanent crown, which now fits perfectly on the tooth. I have recently moved to the East Bay but will not hesitate in making the trip out to Richmond to see Dr. Ho. It’s totally worth it for such a great, caring dentist. I would recommend him to any of my family and friends.

Dr. Ho REALLY cares about all of his patients. I’ve been a patient here since I was 6 years old. We lost touch for a couple years when I went off to college…but I’m back and Dr. Ho is my primary dentist once again! It’s scary though…I can’t get this man out of my head! Sometimes when I’m lazy at night and I don’t feel like flossing….I think to myself…”Hmm…what would Dr. Ho say?”. Just so I won’t disappoint him…I floss. Thanks Dr. Ho! Anyways, my visit here has always been great. The only problem for me is that I don’t have any dental insurance. I needed to get a deep cleaning…and that costs $275 PER QUADRANT!! Oh man…my wallet took a huge hit! But I had to do it. If you are looking for a new dentist, I would highly recommend Dr. Ho. He teaches at UCSF and really knows his stuff. You will always feel comfortable here and leave feeling very healthy.

I’m thankful for Dr. Ho helping me across the country to get a dental care although we never met in person. I want to tell you a beautiful story about power of communication and networking. I called Dr. Ho office in desperation to schedule an appointment to fix a big filling falling out, leaving me with sharp tooth edges and chewing on on side. After couple unsuccessful attempts to find honest and reasonable specialist in hometown Nashville, TN I decided to try finding a dentist in San Francisco, where I planned to go for a week. Dr. Ho called me personally after his office hours, patiently listened to my problem and honestly advised to find a specialist in Nashville. I told him that I hadn’t been seeing dentist for a while and doesn’t know anyone here who would consider an income of full time graduate student. His respond to my problem went way over my best hopes. He asked me to reach out to his student, Dr. Poppy Blaseio who moved to Nashville not so long ago and ask her for recommendations. I was hesitant to call, because it felt awkward, but after Dr. Ho called to check on me the next day, I had no more doubts that a student of such doctor is trustworthy. I called Dr. Blaseio and she was as empathetic as her teacher. She recommend me to the specialist, Dr. Mark Whitefield, who happen to have an office across the street from my home. I reached out to him and voilà – I had it all fixed on Sat morning within 2 hrs! A problem I couldn’t solve in a last 3 months was solved in 3 days with help of Dr. Ho across the country. I am amazed and overwhelmed with gratitude for such compassion and professionalism.

You know, i used to work at a dentist office, and i feel guilty that i was too lazy to go 10 more blocks to see him…but dr. rob is so much closer to where i live….and he made me not regret my decision…he was a nice guy, and i felt totally guilty the first time i saw him, because i came in hungover and smelling like alcohol….not my most recent visit however!!! i even brushed my teeth before i saw him! he gave me a cleaning, drilled out a cavity without numbing me( that’s how savages do plus i chose not to. heard it builds character) and even cleaned me up with some extra work to prevent future mishaps…..great dude. 5 stars!

So…I read the reviews on Dr. Ho before deciding to go with him, and I took them with a grain of salt.  Really, aren’t dentists all the same?  I just came from my first appt with Dr. Ho and found that the reviews are absolutely accurate.  He’s totally the best dentist I’ve ever been to!!!  Definitely recommend! What I usually expect from dentists: – takes forever to schedule something (4+ weeks out), with separate appts for exam and dental cleaning – nice, but tends to nag or scold a bit about dental hygiene – comes by for a basic exam of x-rays, but then has dental cleanings done by a hygienist What I found with Dr. Ho: – super easy to schedule (2 weeks from when I called), with times as early as 8:15am!  Totally helpful in accommodating a difficult work schedule. – exam and cleaning in one appt – awesome! – super nice, no nagging or scolding!  He gives positive feedback on what I’m doing well but brings up issues on what I could do to improve. – does the whole sha-bang himself, and does a very thorough job.  This is a definite plus because you can tell he’s very experienced (and very gentle). This has definitely the most comfortable dental exam/cleaning I’ve ever had!  I tend to have rather painful cleanings because my gums are really sensitive, but Dr. Ho made it fairly painless. He uses a water pick for the cleaning, but does it masterfully so that I don’t end up with water all over my face (completely clean!  unlike my other water pick experiences).  Then he goes back with a dental tool to make sure to get all the crevices under the gums. Last note is that he truly believes in preventative dental care and avoiding work that may not be necessary.  Many dentists are “drill now, ask later”…he’s not this type of dentist.  We have a few things that he wants to monitor, but he says that he doesn’t want to weaken the tooth unnecessarily.  I’m glad to see he’s not just after my money!.

I can not say enough about how amazing Dr. Ho is. He took a guy who HATED going to the dentist and turned it around to the point where I not only wasn’t filled with fear about the experience, but I was actually happy going – sure that my experience was going to leave me feeling better all around. Dr. Ho uses state of the art equipment that makes the overall experience fantastic. He is a master at listening and checking in to see how you are feeling during the visit. He talks through what he’s going to do, what he’s doing and follows up afterwards to see how the visit went. When I mentioned that I had a low threshold for mouth pain, he listened, understood and provided a solution that had me feeling NO pain whatsoever. I even had a filling done and almost fell asleep during the process! It was an amazing process seeing as I was someone who avoided seeing a dentist for years because of the fear that I had about it. I’m currently living in Oakland, but I plan on continuing to make trips over to San Francisco for my dental visits! THANK YOU, Dr. Ho!

I was looking for a new dentist because I despised my old one, not the actual dentist but the company. And boy, is it scary to go to a new dentist! After looking everywhere, I realized I didn’t have to look any further. This guy is right down the block?! SOLD. I’ve been coming here for about three years now. Dr. Ho is really nice and friendly. I was really impressed by how clean this place is, that’s always a plus! The first time I came here I was shocked by how tech-savvy he was. There’s an xray machine hidden in the wall! He takes it out for your annual xray and you can see your images almost immediately. That totally decreases wait time. My old place was NOT like this. Also, he does his own charting, recording by I-phone. Pretty cool he’s super self-sufficient. You gotta love the goodie bag he gives you at the end. I am always supplied with a new toothbrush, floss, and toothpaste when I leave. Week before your checkup, they give you a courtesy reminder call.

Dr. Ho is simply amazing .I have never written any response on YELP but, in this case, the positive review is sooooooo deserved. Several months ago, I had a semi-emergency with a damaged crown that was done incorrectly by a previous dentist. Dr. Ho actually saw me before his regular business hours so that i could be seen right away the next morning. What a generous gesture! Just walking into his office, I immediately felt better. His attentive and compassionate bedside manner instantly put me at ease in a very painful and stressful time. He detailed every aspect of the examination and outlined a treatment plan. He is clearly passionate about dentistry and demonstrates a deep level of caring for his clients’ dental needs. He actually called me the day after i had been to his office to see if I was feeling better. I truly appreciated that he made me feel that he was genuinely concerned about me and my situation. Dr. Ho embodies exactly what every person wants in a dentist. His patients matter to him. His dedication to dentistry is evident in every aspect of his care. I have an appointment coming up soon and, for the first time in many years, I am not dreading it. He is the first dentist in decades that have made me feel this comfortable and confident in my dentist.

I am a practicing general dentist in Turlock, CA, and I am truly proud to say Dr. Robert Ho is my mentor, teacher, friend, colleague, and (on top of all of that) my dentist. I first met him when I first started to attend UCSF School of Dentistry both as a student and a patient of his. Ever since the first dental school orientation class where I heard Dr. Ho speak to our class about him following the “Calling to be a great dentist”, Dr. Ho set me an example to follow. Flash forward to year 2013 (how time flies!), Today, I drove all the way to San Francisco just for my dental appointment with Dr. Ho. My dental appointment which consisted of radiographic & clinical recall examination and adult prophylaxis (6 month preventive cleaning) went as smooth and enjoyable as always. It did not take long to notice that he is still setting example for all dentists to follow and living his life fullest to fulfill his “Calling to be a great dentist.” And I was once again happy to see that Dr. Ho and his staff are bringing the best dentistry possible with integrity in a loving and caring chair-side manner right at the heart of San Francisco, CA! I sincerely thank Dr. Ho for all that he did for me as a dentist. I give my highest recommendations to Dr. Robert Ho and the staff to all of you. After all, Dr. Ho is the Dentists’ DENTIST. Charles C. Kim DDS.

Dr. Ho cares for his patients in a way I’ve never experienced with other denitists.   Even though I live in San Jose, I decided to drive into San Francisco to give him a try as he was highly recommended by my daughter who happens to live in the City..  I was pleasantly surprised that throughout the visit, he kept me informed with every step he took along the way. A far difference from my last dentist where she would be chatting with the dental assistance about what she did over the weekend,, the books she read, etc., etc.  Dr. Ho used the latest techniques (he’s a dental school instructor) and my visits with him have been painless. He is worth the 1-1/2 hours drive to San Francisco. Wish I found him 10 years earlier!

I was running late for my first appointment with Dr. Ho and as I was literally running to get to his office and as I rounded the corner, there he was, standing there with a great big warm smile, enjoying the sunshine outside — no apologies necessary, as he shook my hand and asked me to call him Robert. Back up two or three days prior when I called and left a message to schedule an appointment… he personally returned my call and fit me into his (probably) busy schedule — no problem.  Other dental offices, and even the ones who have rave reviews on Yelp, were of little or no help to me as they simply appeared to not care. So I went to see Dr. Ho for a tooth that was bothering me.  Hate going to the dentist — same as most everyone else.  However, Dr. Ho has such a peaceful/serene demeanor and it really helped put me at ease.  Further, he’s totally hands on and very involved with his patient’s care and truly got a sense that I mattered and he wanted to help.  He was gentle and cautious — explained everything he was doing, every step of the way. Dr. Ho did not sugar coat anything and the prognosis was not great (I knew this going in). He was honest and explained everything with patience.  His advice and treatment plan was conservative and thoughtful.  I felt like he confirmed what I already knew but he also made me feel better in that he would help me get through the treatment.  He also didn’t have the God-like complex, as if he could and would do everything that needed to be done — like I said, he was conservative and thoughtful and explained he would refer me to a specialist when and if we crossed that bridge. My previous dentist performed root canals that failed time and time again — and even caused me to lose a tooth because he cracked a root while doing a root canal.  As I said, I hated going to the dentist — it was all based on bad experience.  However, I’m happy to have found Dr. Ho and I am grateful to all of the yelp-ers who raved about Dr. Ho (thank you!).  I’ve already booked my cleaning and exam appointment and am excited about having my teeth cleaned after staying away from the dentist for so long.  Thank you Dr. Ho!

Dr. Ho’s office is a peaceful, quite place. I asked for a cleaning and got just that. No hype, no fuss. Dr. Ho doe’s not work with an assistant ( at least he didn’t with me) and that makes a difference when all you want is a cleaning. One thing I will request on my next visit will be NO floride, yuck! I know it’s standard practice but I think he would leave that out if I ask him. I’m not subtracting any stars for that because I know many people like the floride. The only thing I didn’t like was that the parking spaces out front were already taken. I know that can’t be helped. I found a spot down the street near the pet store and did some shopping there after my appointment and got a short walk . So it all worked out nicely.

Hands down the best dental experience of my life. If you are looking for a new dentist in the SF area, Dr. Ho is your guy! He is extremely knowledgeable and friendly while at the same time highly efficient. I went in for a cleaning and Dr. Ho not only thoroughly cleaned my teeth, he walked me through my x-rays and gave tips on future health and maintenance of my teeth, all in under 45 minutes. About a month later, I returned to have a cavity filled and was pleasantly surprised when Dr. Ho was able to delicately drill and fill my cavity without any pain or discomfort. Dr. Ho is also supportive of the vegan and vegetarian lifestyles, which is definite plus for me.

I’m compelled to update my review: Dr. Ho has not missed a beat over the last few years as my dentist. He continues to deliver dental care with a level of skill, quality and expertise that is unmatched in my own experience as well as that of my family and friends who are patients of his. If there was a dentist’s Hall of Fame for after they retire, everybody would be saying “yep, he’s a first ballot shoe-in”! On a more serious note, what’s so striking in our world these days is to witness Dr. Ho’s sincere, patient-centric focus. Simply put, he truly cares about his patients and puts everything he has into delivering dental care of the highest standard. No wonder he teaches dental school in his “spare time”. Combine that with the fact that he’s one of the most generous-of-spirit and kind-hearted men you’ll meet and you can see why he’s earned the highest reviews from so many. On a funny side-note: my daughter moved to Seattle and my son is out of town as well … Both schedule visits to coincide with their appointments with Dr. Ho. Enough said!

Seriously 5 stars. I have never been afraid of going to the dentist, I am just terrible at going. I floss everyday, have a Sonicare, and never seem to have dental problems. But, when you can’t remember the last time you went to the dentist or where it was, it’s probably time to go. I was lucky enough to have the proper benefits (I would have paid cash to go here.) and made an appointment. I was lagging at getting updated xrays so he made my appointment for me and he got me into his xray place late and just a couple days before my appointment. When I finally got into the office, what a great experience it was. Dr. Ho is so fantastic and nice he makes me want to be a better person. Oh, yeah, best dental experience I have ever had. I am going ever six months and looking forward to it. He really does deserve all the 5 star reviews.

A very trustworthy, pleasant, and caring dentist that I finally found! You can tell Dr. Ho loves his job from your 1st visit. I’m cautious about dentists due to bad experiences in the past. Dr. Ho has done some small work and a crown for me. He was very patient and tried his best to make my new fillings fitting into the existing space. He did such a good job that I trusted him to do my crown. I have to say so far so many dentists I’ve experienced, Dr. Ho is the most skillful dentist so far in injecting anesthesia. I hardly felt a thing and believe that it has to do with the gentle nature of his, which carries into the style and effect of his work. Can’t say enough good things about him even though adding another 5-star review may jeopardize any of my future appointments into his already busy schedule.

Last year I wrote the review below and when coming to write another review after my appointment today, I discovered it didn’t go through for some reason or another. Oops! In any case my experience today warrants another stellar review so I’ll include both as Dr. Ho deserves nothing less. It’s now been 3 years of going to Dr. Ho for my dental work and I must say it keeps getting better and better. Today I got 3 cavities filled that sat in between 2 molars.. Yikes right? Not with Dr. Ho! He used a new technique of applying the anesthetics that didn’t require those painful syringes and I didn’t feel a thing. Best of all, I could still eat right after without including my cheeks in my meal. I mention this only because it goes to show that Dr. Ho is always trying to improve the experience for his customers and that he genuinely cares for their comfort. Going to the dentist has always been a bad experience for me before, but I don’t mind at all now. I always learn something new and leave with my teeth looking right! “I’ve been going to Dr. Ho for nearly 2 years now and my experience with him has been nothing but pleasant. Sure going to the dentist isn’t on my top things to so over the weekend, but Dr. Ho keeps the procedure both quick, painless, and believe it or not, fun! He explains what he’s doing while he’s working and makes me feel like I’m doing the procedure with him. He’s helped me with procedures both big and small and does a thorough job every time. He truly cares about his patients and I recommend him 100%. Ivan is wonderful to work with as well in scheduling appointments and making sure I don’t forget about them either!”.

Patient, caring, and thorough – words I don’t usually associate with a dentist. But with Dr. Ho, he is truly just that. Went in with a toothache a two weeks ago for a check up and consultation, Dr. Ho and his staff was courteous and helpful about getting my insurance in order, gave me a fair diagnosis of my condition and was able to refer me to get xrays that very day. Not only so, but kept in contact with me until I was able to sort through the insurance coverage, get my scheduled cleared, and finally make my appointment two days ago for today. Turns out, it’s two of my wisdom molars and needed a cleaning. Dr. Ho was very patient with questions and very attentive to my sensitive gums as he did the cleaning himself today. In just about an hour, I was done, my mouth felt fresh and teeth has a new life to them. Moving onto my needed extractions, he’s kindly offered referrals and any needed referrals for a doctor in my network. Dr. Ho has changed my opinion of going to the dentist – he makes it comforting to go. There are of office referrals for xrays and complex oral needs, but for a primary doctor I would highly recommend Dr. Ho to anyone. Plus he gave me a cute pink toothbrush to take home.

I found Dr. Robert Ho after a failed attempt at getting The School of Dentistry to even acknowledge that I had an emergency situation. Dr.Ho was professional, took me in with no appointment, and despite the fact that Dr. Ho couldn’t help all that much but diagnose me due to my need for an Oral Surgeon, Dr. Ho did just that. Before the 20 minutes ran out on my parking meter, Dr. Ho had an appointment set up for me for the SAME DAY with an oral surgeon and had me out the door with a referral. He was knowledgeable, professional and kind from the hellos to the goodbyes. I’d highly recommend Dr. Ho and fully intend on keeping him as my dentist.

I used to hate the dentist until i met dr. ho.  he is very nice and has a gentle touch.  as soon as you walk into his offices, it’s like a zen oasis.  he has aromatherapy and soothing water fountains everywhere. when i had major dental work done, over 2 hours in the chair, he would stop when i was getting nervous or panicky.  in fact he heated up a lavendar buckwheat neck pillow for me.  and he does ALL of the work, not a dental assistant. he’s very fast (cleaning and cavity filling in less than an hour), honest and make going to the dentist a not so horrible experience.  he has limited office hours since he teaches at ucsf as well.

A WORD FROM YOUR DOCTOR