Image Orthodontics
Yan Kalika, DMD, MS:
Practice Profile Page

★★★★★

DENTAL TREATMENTS OFFERED

Braces

Clear aligners

Retainers

Comprehensive orthodontics

Space maintainers

Palatal expanders

Headgears

Interceptive orthodontics

CLEAR ALIGNER SERVICES

OFFICE HOURS

Monday: Closed

Tuesday: 7:15 am to 5:00 pm

Wednesday: 7:15 am to 5:00 pm

Thursday: 7:15 am to 5:00 pm

Friday: 7:15 am to 10:30 am

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed

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BEFORE & AFTER PHOTO GALLERY

PATIENT REVIEWS

Dr. Kalika and the entire staff here are incredible, they really care about your progress and always go the extra mile. I am so grateful that I found them for my Invisalign treatment, I literally couldn’t have asked for any better. My treatment was flawless and I’m so happy with the results. If you are looking for a dependable, affordable (they have tons of promotions, payment plans, etc), effective, and caring orthodontist, look no further!

I love this place! Every time I would go in, I would leave feeling satisfied. Whether it was killing the zombies on the Xbox, getting orthobucks for brushing my teeth, or having my braces tightened, there was a goal accomplished. Having straight teeth has gotten me many compliments. Image Orthodontics is the best!

I had a wonderful experience at Image Orthodontics, and wouldn’t hesitate to give them my highest recommendation. Dr. Kalika’s impressive resume and years of experience are unrivaled, and I found him warm and easy to talk to. The staff explained the payment options clearly, and the social distancing measures and use of PPE made me feel comfortable seeking treatment during the pandemic. Five stars!

I was thinking for a while about straightening my teeth and after making my research I went to Image Orthodontics. I was pleasantly surprised with the ease of scheduling an appointment and friendliness of the staff members. Harvard graduate Doctor Yan Kalika clearly explained to me the treatment process and despite his busy schedule was always dedicated. He was personally leading me through every step. I am very satisfied with a result and simply love my smile now. Finally, I would strongly suggest Image Orthodontics to anybody who considers orthodontic treatments in San Francisco Bay Area, they are the best!

This office is just great! Dr. Kalika treats patients as human beings who need the best advise and not like an opportunuty to make profit. If you don’t need anything done, he will tell you so. If you need treatment, you will surely get utmost expertize, the best possible professional help, and great friendly attitude from everyone at the office. They are just all so stress free and nice! But the most important thing is the result – you will get great dream SMILE!

We (my daughter and I) have had a wonderful experience at Image Orthodontics Geary Great place, very organized GERMANIA and the entire staff are wonderful. They’re very friendly and the office is just a great environment. We are very happy that we made a decision to come to Dr. Kalika’s office. The braces weren’t fun, but Dr. Kalika was great and I would and do recommend you go meet with him if you are thinking of getting braces. they are the BEST at what they do! THANK YOU! BEST Sil & Mar

My son, age 10, and daughter, age 11, have received excellent treatment from Dr. Kalika and Dr. Kavrev, top notch orthodontists, who have always been friendly, thorough, trustworthy, and professional.  All of the staff are passionate about orthodontics and my children feel so special with each visit. The toothbrush kits were an added bonus. Both my children had expanders for phase 1, and the staff instruction made it easy for my children and me to do the nightly turning required for the few weeks. The results have been remarkable. My son looks forward to seeing Dr. Kalika and staff and gets excited about the wonderful promotions which have helped my son stay compliant with his at home flossing and taking extra care of his teeth while wearing braces. Customer service has been exceptional!

Dr. Kalika and his staff are the best, I would highly recommend him if your thinking about getting braces. My teeth were extremely overcrowded, I decided to get braces and that was one of the best decisions of my life! I just recently had my braces taken off and my teeth look perfect. I’m so excited, my retainer feels comfortable everything is perfect. The over all experience from the moment I walked in his Geary Blvd office how friendly his staff is was great! I’m overwhelmed with joy and my confidence  is strong. Thank you Dr. Kalika

Dr. Kalika put in place a wonderful treatment plan! Many thanks to him. But I have to say Sarah is just great…as many SOS calls as I had (faults of my own), she never once made me feel like I was a bad patient. In addition, she always greets me with her warm, bright smile. And though I have just recently been interacting with Milos, I can already see that he knows process and procedure well enough to simply run a few words by the doctor, and we are good to go! And Dr. Stavrev is just great! Don’t get the wrong impression about Dr. Kalika: he too is a wonderful orthodontist. But Dr. Stavrev is absolutely great at his job, quite funny, and understands the needs of his patients. Thanks to the whole team. You guys are all wonderful. Really–they have to be, because I NEVER write Yelp r views.

I am writing this review as a current invisalign client at another orthodontic office. I came to see Dr. Kalika because my current orthodontist was not able to move my teeth to perfection. I was looking for a new orthodontist where I can transfer to and complete my final stages of treatment. I had my complimentary consultation with Dr. Kalika this past Monday, and I was absolutely blown away by him! He understood immediately that I was looking for perfection when he comes to my teeth. I am impressed with his knowledge, patience, and compassion- all qualities one should look for in an orthodontist! I enjoyed listening to his suggestions on how to improve my teeth and he addressed all of my questions thoroughly. Orthodontic treatment is a big investment. It is important that you find an orthodontist who is not only an expert but that he or she is not just treating you as a number. During my one hour visit at Dr. Kalika’s office, I witnessed Dr. Kalika offering each of his clients personalized attention. He made sure each and every one of his clients are happy before they left. Although I made the decision to continue my treatment at my current orthodontic office, I will make sure that I will refer my friends and family to Dr. Kalika if they are in need of ortho treatment. If my teeth shifts in the near future, I will come back to see Dr. Kalika. Thank you so much Dr. Kalika! I wish I found you earlier for my invisalign treatment!

Dr.Kalika and his staff treated me and my brother. I couldn’t be happier with the treatment and results. I came in with very crooked teeth, and a couple of years later, I was very happy to see them completely straight after my braces were taken off. I never felt like Dr.Kalika or his staff were rushing when working on my teeth; they always took as much time as they needed with me. Occasionally, I still come for checkups to Dr.Kalika’s office, and he and his staff always welcome me with a smile, and tweak my retainer whenever that’s needed. I would recommend this office to anyone looking for quality treatment!

Mind= Blown. I’ve interned a couple of times at the office and the atmosphere was not only friendly and uplifting but also welcoming. The patients varied in ages but a majority of them were either youth and transitional youth. The Dental Assistants explained to each and every patient what they were going to be doing in regard to their treatment and what it’s purpose was. EVERYONE was constantly flashing their gorgeous smiles, and when it turned out to be that lucky and awaited “we’re taking your braces off day”, patients were greeted with music, furry boas, balloons, and an opportunity to spin the wheel of fortune and receive extra gifts such as movie gift cards, champagne (if you’re over 21 etc). The one thing that stuck out in my head most at this practice, was that although they are an Orthodontic practice they still place emphasis on the health and care of your teeth. Dr. Kalika gives his patients electric toothbrushes and many other hygiene tools just for signing in. He’s really about health and beautiful smiles – not just treating patients. IF YOU NEED BRACES, OR EVEN IF YOU JUST THINK YOU’RE INTERESTED. Image Orthodontics is the place to go!

I’ve been a patient of Dr.Kalika’s for many years already and I’ve never been disappointed. I first came to him a few years ago when my teeth desperately needed fixing and he set up a great plan for me to get my teeth perfect. We worked on a comfortable payment plan and then I was on my way to getting my teeth straight! The staff is always very friendly, organized, and never late. They get the job done efficiently and quickly and send me on my way till the next appointment. My teeth always get compliments compared to how they used to look before and I can only thank Dr. Kalika for that!

WOW is all I and everyone that see’s my teeth are saying. I was lucky to have found the office thanks to a lead. I was very happy with the approach Dr. Kalika and his staff took when it came to my teeth. Just when I was ready to give up and have them removed they talked me through the benefit and to have patience. I must admit I was a brat about my wearing my elastics but they were patient and knew what was best for my teeth and SMILE. Now on to the staff, as soon as I walk in I would be greeted with a smile and immediately seated assigned to a technician. The stations where relaxing and a way to catch up on movies. The technicians are hilarious and very professional. Sandy was the best at explaining the treatment and giving me goals (back to the elastics). On to the best part, during the last 4 months of my treatment I was able to visit their new Embarcadero office and all I can say is that the place is FIRST CLASS! Image Orthodontics has impressed me and my family and I can’t wait to get my nephews in there. Moral of the story…Go to Image to get your teeth fixed and WEAR YOUR ELASTICS!

A couple of years ago, I started to notice that I was developing a slight gap between me bottom teeth. I really didn’t pay it an attention until the gap started to get bigger and bigger. I spoke with my regular dentist about my concerns and she recommended that I go to Image Orthodontics. To be honest, I was hestitant to go to an orthodontist, but i just know that the gap would get bigger if I didn’t do something about it. I went in for a consultation last year which was free ( i like free) and they gave me a few options for treatment. I sat in a room with Brenda, who I have gotten to know very well since I started treatment and she was very helpful, and understanding of my concerns. Dr. Kalika was a great help as well. He educated me about my teeth and made me feel really good about coming to his office. The ladies at the front desk are also very nice, and they always remember my name when I come in for an appointment. Its been about 6 months so far and my teeth look great. I have another month or two until i’m done with my invisalign and I’m really happy with my results so far. Even my girlfriend says my teeth are so much straighter. One more thing, the gap that i had between my teeth has closed completely. I highly recommend.

I have only good things to say about Dr. Kalika and his staff! I am an adult who needed braces again and was referred to Dr. Kalika because he offered invisalign treatment. He told me straight off the bat that it would be a much faster process if I had normal braces. But being an adult patient, this was not an option for me. Point being is he worked with me with invisalign and now my teeth are perfect again! And I have Dr. Kalika to thank. I would also like to mention that he works late certain nights and Saturday’s in order to accommodate all his patients. I would definitely recommend this Dr and his staff!

It’s not easy needing orthodontics when you’re over 60. But I did and didn’t know where to go or what to do. Dr. Kalika understood. And since I’ve completed Invislign my teeth are so much better. My mouth is more comfortable. I’m very thankful. I had a severe overbite and needed to do something. Kalika was patient and understood that at 62 it’s not the same as when you’re a teenager.

Image Ortho ROCKS! Seriously. After having a really terrible experience with my son’s orthodontist I decided to check out the competition for my daughter – and I am so so happy I did. Image Ortho is absolutely wonderful. Okay, we are only 2 months in but I think that is the toughest time – with getting the braces on and managing broken brackets etc. So, the staff is lovely – and the doctors are nice, but I’m a single mom and what I appreciate most is their flexibility. My daughter got her braces on at 6pm ~ that’s right, I didn’t have to pull her from school and take a day off to have them put on. When we’ve had a problem they accommodate us around OUR schedule. It’s been very nice. The one minor complaint i have is that they were unable to set up separate billing for my ex to pay half ~ so I get all of the bills, but I can deal with that because they are great!

Dr. Kalika is truly a master of his profession, he is knowledgeable, and polite. His staff are very professional and friendly. I’ve been a patient for only a short while, but really appreciated their services and systems in place for reminders, health screens and so on. They also have a brand new swanky office, which makes the overall experience even better.

At image orthodontics, I had a treatment for about 1.5 year doing orthodontics. Throughout 1.5 years, Dr. Todor Stavrev and Dr. Yan Kalika were the best orthodontists and doctors I have met. They had warm and kind personalities that I felt they were doing this to serve people. From the start, I got detailed examination of my mouth, jaw and teeth and examined my habits. I felt it was personal and customized treatment. During the whole process for 1.5 years, I felt they were not only excellent orthodontists, but also very ethical people with great virtues. They had the right character so I could trust them. I visited several other orthodontists before I choose one, and Dr. Kalika was the best one for sure. Everytime I visited him, he made me feel comfortable and he knew exactly what to do. I now have the best smile and really appreciate Image orthodontics for their hard work. They upgraded my smile and my confidence.

Image Orthodontics on Geary has been great from day one. Dr. Stavrev and his team have been very accommodating with our needs. They were able work with us financially to arrange payments that fit our budget. The staff members are very friendly and knowledgeable. Their assistant Germania worked well with our family and made us feel comfortable. I would recommend Image Orthodontics to anyone. Keep up the nice wo

Dr. Kalika really knows his stuff.  I’m a pretty picky person when it comes to aesthetics, but Dr. Kalika relieved my doubts and assured me of my expected results.  My case was finished ahead of time and I now have an amazing smile.  His office is really high tech with the latest video games and movies while you wait.  You can even watch a movie while you get examined.  This is one dental office NOT to be afraid of.

I went to see Dr. Kalika for an orthodontic consultation. The office was very well-run and the entire consultation took about thirty minutes to complete. The process of taking x-rays and photographs was fairly seamless and I was moved from one station to the next until I finally saw Dr. Kalika and was informed of my options, and then payment plans were laid out for me to consider. The process was efficient to say the least, and I felt no pressure to make a decision.

I’m attending Image Orthodontics for my Invisalign treatment and, I must say I’ve had a great experience so far. Dr. Germania Zambrano is the best. She’s always on time and treats patients with kindness and respect. She’s always willing to answer all questions and provide the best service and energy possible. I was hesitating between getting Invisalign, or regular braces and she and the team explained everything with such detail in order for me to make the best decision. All the staff is really thoughtful and professional. I would absolutely recommend this office.

I’ve been taking my kids to this office for almost 4 years now! Dr. Yan Kalika is clearly an expert and I wouldn’t trust my kid’s teeth with anyone else. I’ve taken my kids to consultation at other orthodontic practices throughout the city, and even with my limited understanding of orthodontics I can see than Dr. Kalika surpasses his competitors by leaps and bounds! Now that my second kid is wrapping up treatment I’m considering Invisalign for myself…  . I highly recommend Image Orthodontics! Also I hear they have a few other practices in the city if Geary isn’t conveniently located!

If you’re looking for a great orthodontist, go to Dr.Kalika at Image Orthodontics. I first came into the Geary office 18 months ago looking for treatment for my (at the time) very crowded teeth. Dr.Kalika and his whole team are a very joyful bunch with smiles on their faces 24/7! They always greet their patients and never neglect them. Dr.Kalika quickly took me in for X-rays and said I could get braces on in a week. We arranged a flexible payment plan that was easy to adjust to. Getting my braces put on only took about an hour. The whole process was painless, I almost fell asleep! Dr.Kalika’s assistants are very gentle with your teeth and are always asking if something is causing discomfort. After putting braces on, we set up my next appointment for my very first tightening. The workers at the front desk are very focused and always messaged me in advance about my appointments. At first I was a little hesitant about my first tightening. The smell of dentistry and tools usually scares me. However, every time I came to the Geary office, it always smelled really nice, and their weekly decorations distracted from my internal fear making the overall experience very enjoyable. The tightenings were very easy, little pain for a few days after but it soon went away. Dr.Kalika estimated for my treatment to be around 18 months, which is a lot less than what other orthodontists told me. The 18 months flew by really fast, I could barely feel that I have metal in my mouth and if anything ever poked me, the assistants were always happy to fix it. I recently got my braces off January 9th, and I am so pleased with the result. My teeth seemed a bit misshapen while I had the braces on, but Dr.Kalika filed them and now they are absolutely perfect! Getting my braces off was quick and easy. The clay impressions were my biggest worry, since I have a very strong gag reflex. We managed to get it done and the whole crew was very patient with me. This has been a wonderful experience, I’m so extremely happy I chose Dr.Kalika and Image Orthodontics. If I could give 10 stars I would. Absolutely amazing work!!!

I came in for an Invisalign consultation after seeing 2 other orthodontists, where it just didn’t feel right. I finally felt comfortable with Dr. Kalika. Let me start off by saying that Dr. Kalika is a wonderful orthodontist! I met him during the initial consultation and he was very professional, well-informed, and kind. During my consultation, Sanja is very personable, patient, kind, knowledgeable and truly cares. We went through all the possible methods of treatment and also insurance information. THANK YOU! I love this place. Very flexible with hours. The staff is wonderful and very friendly.

Went to Image to work on some major teeth spacing but needed it all done before my wedding. Worked with Amanda Cheng at the Embacardero office who saw me quite frequently to be able to expedite things. Was able to close most of the gaps with metal braces in 6 months, de-banded and got hitched – wedding pictures looked great! Came back afterwards to finish up with Invisalign. Was told Dr Cheng had left, so saw Dr Kalika who was great and very personable. Just finished Invisalign and doing full time retainers now. Staff is great and they were very accommodating of my work schedule and time crunch. Would definitely recommend!

Signed up for yelp just so I could write a review about these guys! Travelliing around America and had a slight issue with my braces, went in to image and not only was the receptionist absolutely lovely but they didn’t charge me for anything. Being a backpacker this was wonderful and unexpected. The lady who looked after me went to Harvard, wish I could remember her name! Thank you so much guys, I recommend anyone looking for an orthodontist, this is number one. Good karma will get you back 🙂

Ever heard of the saying “The Dr. has Golden Hands”? Dr.Kalika fits perfectly under that saying. Not to mention that he was the only Dr, that could change my smile around. Everyone that I had visited or consulted with was really in for the money. Where as Dr.Kalika really does want to help, he will try his hardest until he gets your teeth looking they belong in a toothpaste commercial. (SERIOUSLY, and who doesn’t want that type of smile?) I didn’t have bad teeth nor were they good, however I did need a screw in my gum to move the back of my teeth to close the hole I had when I had Oral Surgery. (This wasn’t an everyday procedure.) As I am a wimp when it comes down to medical procedures, I possibly was Dr. Kalikas’s “challenge of the day”. He knew I was scared of shots and the only way to get the screw in my gums was with it. I had a choice to either get Anaesthesia or a shot. I wanted to save my parents money so my only choice was a…. shot. Until Dr. Kalika tried a method on me. He had went to a conference to learn all about how to use this “shot” as I would like to call it however it had no needle. Strange right? Just the medicine would shoot out into my mouth when he pressed down. We then managed to get the screw in my gums WITHOUT PAIN and then put on the braces WITHOUT PAIN. Notice how he did all this for me? He truly does care for his patients and is willing to do basically anything so that they aren’t in pain. The office is VERY clean, and the staff is so polite and helpful. I live in Concord also, I would travel from Concord to SF just for my appointments. Why? Well because I didn’t trust any other doctor with my teeth. Waiting time is approx 5-10 Min’s, but have you ever gone somewhere where you don’t have to wait? He is definitely worth the wait, as he puts all his effort into your smile. I was so pleased with my smile, that I now smile with my teeth. I NEVER would smile exposing them. Dr.Kalika is definitely THE Dr, with Golden hands. A Big Thank you, to the staff and Dr.Kalika!

So here is my story and my review… I recently just got my braces off and WOWW! I just have to say i made a really good investment. I get a good deal and a great smile. What? Theres more? A friendly and very helpful staff? Smart Doctors? Yes sir! Its amazing how they do their treatment planning and how they estimate the treatment time! My treatment was about 12 months. A little over a year actually, but hey Im not complaining. I had the clear braces which i never thought would actually be unnoticeable. LOL just like Invisalign! Oh yeah, if your interested in invisalign they offer that too. They also have the traditional metal braces if you guys want to bring it back old school. OVERALL 10 out of 10, 5 stars and 2 thumbs up to the sky! I also referred one of my buddies to Dr. Kalika and he says nothing but good things about him and the staff. So thanks to Dr. Kalika and the Wonderful staff of Image Orthodontics for my great new sexy smile! LOL. PEACE!

My daughter just got her braces off and we are thrilled with the results. The orthodontic treatment turned out to be a pleasant experience! Dr. Kalika is very competent, the treatment lasted exactly as he promised and the results are amazing. His staff is friendly and efficient; they genuinely care about their patents; flexible hours are a blessing for working parents. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for braces.

There are times and situations in life that despite all of one’s best efforts, good fortune, and proper prudence that simply and completely overwhelm and overcome us. This was exactly the situation with my wife’s braces before we met Dr. Kalika. My wife had seen 3 different Prominent Orthodontist who were exceedingly polite, well regarded, and enthusiastic about their practice and thankfully my wife’s case in particular. Despite their best efforts and intentions however, they were not able to successfully treat her. They simply did not have the skill or patience. This was actually heartbreaking as my wife had spent a fortune both monetarily and in precious time. We were exhausted and had for the most part resolved ourselves to give up hope of the perfect bite, the perfect teeth, the perfect smile. Then, by almost happenstance, we changed primary care dentist and he very matter-of-factly referred us to Dr. Kalika. We explained that my wife had already seen 3 different very capable Orthodontist to no avail. One even went so far as to have her extract a perfectly good tooth! Still, he just as calmly encouraged us to go and see what Dr. Kalika could do for us. As you might have already guessed, we went and consulted with Dr. Kalika. Simply put, this is undoubtedly one of the best decisions of our lives. Dr. Kalika pulled no punches. He said that it would be a difficult case and that to him the prior work was well meaning but not the right course of action by any means. At the end of our rope, we agreed to restart treatment with Dr. Kalika. All I can say is that miracles can and do happen. My wife’s teeth, her bite, and most importantly her smile are beyond amazing! She is such a beautiful girl that she truly deserves such a wonderful outcome after so much. Dr. Kalika was the only Orthodontist that was able to make this happen and in relatively short order. He is a very kind, funny, and up front man. He doesn’t pull punches but you always know that first and foremost he has your best interest at heart in each and everything he does. If one even takes a cursory look at Dr. Kalika it is very easy to see how he could be so talented and hardworking. After all, he is a graduate of Cal, Harvard, and UCSF! Not too shabby! In closing I would like to completely and without reservation recommend Dr. Kalika and all the staff at Image Orthodontics. They are simply top notch. So much so that I have went on to have Dr. Kalika treat all 5 members of my immediate family including me! Hey, a guy has to try and look his best too doesn’t he? 😉 ! P.S. They have at three offices here in the City so you are almost always nearby for your appointment!

I had had braces as a kid and found myself in need of help again as an adult. I got preliminary consultations with a few orthodontists who were recommended to me before I found Dr. Kalika. At that first meeting I appreciated his patience with all my questions and that he explained to me the technology of the braces. And that seemed to offer a really reasonable and realistic course of action for me. The braces weren’t fun, but Dr. Kalika was great — always continuing to answer all my many questions — and his staff is fantastic. His office is welcoming of kids and adults, which I like. And I got my braces off with a corrected bite exactly on the day he said my treatment would be done. I would and do recommend you go meet with him if you are thinking of getting braces.

Dr. Kalika and his staff have provided me with the best ortho experience ever. I came to him with a case that many orthodontists before him claimed i would need surgery for. As soon as i stepped foot into the office, i was treated like an absolute princess. All of the staff members were incredibly welcoming and friendly, and made me feel right at home. They offered me tea, coffee, and a variety of magazines to read while i waited ( although i was taken in as soon as i sat down to read one!) When they brought me to the back room where they work on their patients, Dr. Kalika greeted me with a warm smile and a eager attitude. He sat me down, and while he worked on my teeth, he talked me through it every step of the way. All of his equipment was extraordinarily high-tech, clean, and completely painless. I even had the choice of listening to music or watching tv while he worked on my teeth. However, he chose to strike up a conversation with me, which made me connect with him on a personal level and made my overall orthodontic experience alot more enjoyable. Dr. Kalika has mastered the balance of the sweet funny guy, fused with the utmost level of professionalism and precision. It was hard for me to believe that he could fix my teeth after the negative feedback i had gotten from previous orthodontists, but to my pleasant surprise, and he was successful. I can honestly say that I don’t think he’s in it for the money, he’s in it for your oral health, and it was clear to me that he cares alot for his patients and wants to provide them with the best possible treatment. Luckily, I got to experience that, and I am so thankful for the work he has done. The rest of the staff gets kudos as well. They remember you, are always concerned with your well-being, and are kind and patient. They are like friends I never knew I had. Overall, everything about this doctor, office, and staff is wonderful. They have 3 locations, with one always open for my convenience, and i recommend Image Orthodontics to anyone and everyone who wants to experience the best orthodontic treatment in the city.

A WORD FROM YOUR DOCTOR