Union Square Dental Arts
Chhy Mao, DMD:
Practice Profile Page

It’s important to have a dentist who can perform complex prosthodontic procedures that are virtually pain free. For 15 years, I was a patient of Dr. Noren, Dr. Mao’s predecessor. After being literally tortured by other dentists during a dental implant and other restorative work, Dr. Noren was a godsend. He was always calm; he thoroughly explained procedures and was technically outstanding while delivering a pain-free experience. When Dr. Noren retired and sold his practice to Dr.Mao four years ago, I was skeptical. I couldn’t imagine that a man who appeared so youthful would have Dr. Noren’s technical skills and presence of mind for complex dentistry. And because I would need to drive from Marin to San Francisco for appointments,  I was even more reluctant to see Dr. Mao. But Dr. Noren urged me to give Dr. Mao a try. And I’m glad I did.  Dr. Mao is very personable, technically savvy and his work has been pain-free. Aside from possessing all of Dr. Noren’s fine qualities, he also has transformed the office with the latest equipment — everything from high-resolution x-rays to massage chairs for his patients. He also really cares about his patients. One Sunday morning in the middle of a three-day weekend, I developed a toothache. I called his office and left a message, feeling certain I would not hear back until Tuesday. Yet 10 minutes after I hung up the phone, Dr. Mao called me back. I began to feel better just hearing the reassuring sound of his voice. If there were a six-star option, Dr. Mao would certainly deserve it.

My husband and I have been going to Dr. Mao for several years now. I’ve only had to have routine cleanings, but my husband has had several complicated procedures done and only had the best to say of Dr. Mao’s work. He is thorough yet gentle, careful while also confident in his recommendations and treatment, and very knowledgeable with a reassuring demeanor. All the staff are friendly and do great work. Rebecca is the office manager/receptionist and she is an absolute sweetheart. She always welcomes you warmly and enthusiastically and sends you reminders so you don’t forget your appointment. The office was remodeled a couple years ago with all new top-of-the-line equipment so everything feels modern and fresh, plus the dental chairs also massage! Don’t forget to ask for it to be turned on. No one likes going to the dentist, but Dr. Mao and his team really make the experience as pleasant and comfortable as possible.

Excellent dental experience! I’ve had two crowns put on and the results are on point. My husband recommended Dr.Mao as well as our previous dentist Dr. Noren. Mao has a great communication style and his right hand assistant knows how to fit and mold your crown properly! Furthermore Rebecca and Ally, the front office specialists are professional courteous and knowledgeable! Moreover, you must try his team of dental hygienists, they keep your smile brilliant and gums healthy! Mao’s dentistry combines technical knowledge and artistry. I highly recommend Dr. Mao and his team of professionals! Best regards, PJ

Hello. I would like to provide some feedback from my personal experience at the this dental office. First of all. The safety and precautions concerned with current situation. Coronavirus. Excellent. Extremely clean and sanitary. All precautions taken. Very professional. The care and attention I was provided was spectacular. My dental work was extremely well done. All of the staff were so friendly and helpful. My dentist was so kind and attentive. He quickly took care of the issues with my teeth. A truly professional experience. I’m so happy I finally found the dental office that is this great. May God bless you all. Thank you.

I’ve been seeing Dr. Mao for the last 2 years and will probably follow up with him for my current dental implants and general dental checkups for as long as we stay in Northern California. My experience with Dr. Mao started last July when I saw him for a consultation on dental implants.  At that time I finished up 2 years of extensive orthodontics work and was ready for dental implants.  I was looking to put in 4 prosthetic teeth, all canines (2 top, 2 bottom) which are some of the most difficult to place.  Dr. Mao’s communication was clear and personable in addition to his special residency and certification in dental prosthetics.  His price seemed reasonable respective to his qualifications.  We decided to go with him.  Due to the nature (titanium posts drilled into bone) and quantity (4x) of this procedure, we sought out someone specially trained and licensed to do this kind of work.  General practice dentists can do this as well but we wanted to seek a specialist for the expertise and to minimize risks for complications. (General dentists takes a few day CE course to learn to do implants, prosthodontists go to school for an extra few years). The whole course of therapy was long but smooth.  We did not run into any serious problems.  As a fellow medical professional (not dental), I can really appreciate the scope of Dr. Mao’s skills in my case.  I had a number of preexisting complications and Dr. Mao was able to tackle all of those with a great outcome.  I don’t think I could have attained any better results anywhere else. I strongly recommend Dr. Mao to anyone looking for a prosthodontic specialist or even a general dentist.  We live in Sacramento but we gladly make the commute to SF for followups and exams because of our confidence in him.

This is probably the best dentist I’ve ever had.  And I’ve had a lot. I have lots of dental issues, and my last dentist was always “lets get an x-ray”, “I’d like you to see our ortho specialist, our perio specialist, our blah blah blah specialist”.  This went on for 1.5 years, 4 “specialists” and 6 x-rays. But Dr. Mao, saw me once, came up with a workable dental plan and within 3 months I was pretty happy with his results. I can’t recommend him any higher. And his receptionist (Rebecca) is a great lady, always remembers your name and all the particulars of your case.  She helped me with deal with insurance companies that wouldn’t pay and this went on for almost a year, before the insurance company finally figured they were wrong and paid the bill.  Thanks Rebecca.

Dr. Mao is the best!! I moved back from Philly frantically looking for a dentist a couple of years ago.  I was worried about my implant I started in Philly (I had to move abruptly back to the West Coast) but Dr. Mao was able to finish the job with ease. I grind heavily at night and have pretty sensitive teeth that need extra care.  There’s been a couple of times when I’ve had to see Dr. Mao in emergency situations and he was able to fit me in his schedule right away.  He is very dependable and super knowledgeable; I trust my dental care under his supervision.  I’m pretty high maintenance and ask a lot of questions…I’m glad he’s patient!  If you are looking for a dentist, I highly recommended Dr. Mao.  His location is very convenient for appointments during work hours.  His front office and assistants are very sweet and attentive as well. Call Rebecca and she’ll fit you in the calendar.

I’ve been a patient with Dr. Mao since 2015. Care was consistently great, and everything had always been routine. And then November 3, 2018, I was in a freak accident. A pressurized cooking device spontaneously combusted in my hands shooting metal and plastic shrapnel at my face like bullets. The blow from the shrapnel shredded the center of my lower lip, mangled my two front teeth, and chipped several of the bottom. During the initial phases, my face was horrifically swollen. It was a terribly scary experience that was very emotionally traumatizing in the immediate aftermath. Aside from being in a fog with that, I must admit with my vanity that my primary concern (after checking surviving off the list) was restoring my face, most glaringly my teeth, IMMEDIATELY. I contacted Dr. Mao’s emergency number that Sunday. He responded that day, again the weekend, very shortly thereafter. His concern was obvious, and he scheduled me for an appointment first thing the next day. That was the beginning of my journey with Dr. Mao and his staff. He immediately put his plan of action into high gear recruiting a team of other reputable facial/dental surgeons, Dr. Reed Rayher and ultimately Dr. Darren Machule to ensure that my dental structure would be restored as close to its perfect form as possible.  Dr. Mao thankfully was able to save one front tooth with the whole crowns/cap process, Dr. Rayher performed the implant of my other front tooth which unfortunately could not be saved, while Dr. Machule handled a necessary root canal on the tooth saved by Dr. Mao. It was like a harmonic symphony of dental genius! All the while, Dr. Mao was good about encouraging me that ultimately the outcome would be just fine, while still being bluntly upfront about the process to ensure I did not create unrealistic expectations for how long the healing process would take. I learned from this that I am NOT Superwoman, nor do I have the body of a mutant.  Go figure . . . Healing simply takes time. Period. From the ladies who work the front counter with Dr. Mao, to those assisting in the back (a special nod to April who was incredibly comforting during procedures that were very difficult for me to get through), they all epitomize what it means to provide thoughtful and compassionate care. I was almost semi-sad at my last appointment when I finally got my new beautiful set of new pearlies knowing that I would not be seeing this group for quite awhile. I say “semi-sad” though, because I was just SOOOOO HAPPY to have my face back!! Of course all of this is thanks to Dr. Mao, Dr. Rayher, and Dr. Machule and their staff. Profoundly grateful for all you did and do! FIVE STARS.

I’ve been a patient with Dr. Mao since 2015. Care was consistently great, and everything had always been routine. And then November 3, 2018, I was in a freak accident. A pressurized cooking device spontaneously combusted in my hands shooting metal and plastic shrapnel at my face like bullets. The blow from the shrapnel shredded the center of my lower lip, mangled my two front teeth, and chipped several of the bottom. During the initial phases, my face was horrifically swollen. It was a terribly scary experience that was very emotionally traumatizing in the immediate aftermath. Aside from being in a fog with that, I must admit with my vanity that my primary concern (after checking surviving off the list) was restoring my face, most glaringly my teeth, IMMEDIATELY. I contacted Dr. Mao’s emergency number that Sunday. He responded that day, again the weekend, very shortly thereafter. His concern was obvious, and he scheduled me for an appointment first thing the next day. That was the beginning of my journey with Dr. Mao and his staff. He immediately put his plan of action into high gear recruiting a team of other reputable facial/dental surgeons, Dr. Reed Rayher and ultimately Dr. Darren Machule to ensure that my dental structure would be restored as close to its perfect form as possible. Dr. Mao thankfully was able to save one front tooth with the whole crowns/cap process, Dr. Rayher performed the implant of my other front tooth which unfortunately could not be saved, while Dr. Machule handled a necessary root canal on the tooth saved by Dr. Mao. It was like a harmonic symphony of dental genius! All the while, Dr. Mao was good about encouraging me that ultimately the outcome would be just fine, while still being bluntly upfront about the process to ensure I did not create unrealistic expectations for how long the healing process would take. I learned from this that I am NOT Superwoman, nor do I have the body of a mutant. Go figure . . . Healing simply takes time. Period. From the ladies who work the front counter with Dr. Mao, to those assisting in the back (a special nod to April who was incredibly comforting during procedures that were very difficult for me to get through), they all epitomize what it means to provide thoughtful and compassionate care. I was almost semi-sad at my last appointment when I finally got my new beautiful set of new pearlies knowing that I would not be seeing this group for quite awhile. I say “semi-sad” though, because I was just SOOOOO HAPPY to have my face back!!
Of course all of this is thanks to Dr. Mao, Dr. Rayher, and Dr. Machule and their staff. Profoundly grateful for all you did and do! FIVE STARS.

I’ve been going to Dr. Mao since he took over the practice of Dr. John Noren. I knew Dr. Noren would not turn over his practice to just anybody, and while I enjoyed a more than ten year patient-doctor relationship with Dr. Noren, I am equally thrilled with Dr. Mao. The whole office is committed to providing responsive care individualized to patient needs. When I’ve had emergencies (well, to me losing a filling was an emergency), Dr. Mao and Rebecca were quick to respond with an appointment, providing me the time, information and care I needed. Dr. Mao discussed options and made me comfortable before proceeding to fix the problem. The whole staff have been incredibly friendly, efficient and patient-focused. While going to the dentist can be an anxious affair, I actually look forward to getting a visit with my favorite hygeinists and dentist!