Calvin Kim, DMD

I went through 3 dentist offices within a 2 year period and just when I was about to give up (because these dentists didn’t really care and were trying to suck whatever money they can get from my insurance), I called up Dr. Calvin Kim’s office and drove 2.5 hours to see him and his wife Dr. Sonia Kim. They were so patient and good with my young boys, they took their time to care for my family and helped explain my options for my dental plan. Their office was so modern, clean, organized and they had the most advanced equipment. They used modern technology for scheduling, billing, appointment reminders, and I can view my own account online. Their staff are all so friendly and sweet. I am hooked and am willing to drive 2.5 hrs for my dental cleaning; which says a lot! That downside is, not sure if I can ever really be happy if I were to go anywhere else.

Very clean. Very professional. Super easy convenient parking. I never felt rushed. Dr. Kim took time to explain everything and answer any questions I had.

I had a very happy & satisfied teeth cleaning experience with Dr. Kim and his fellows. They do really great job!

To sum it up: If you are looking for a top notch dentist with modern facilities and a gentle touch then Dr. Kim and Dr. Sonia are for you.
When I first moved to Santa Barbara I researched dentists on Unilocal very thoroughly because I had undergone a nightmare in SLO where my insurance mandated that I use one dentist that was very bad. In fact, at one point they asked me when I was coming back for more work and I lied and said I was moving out of the country because I was so afraid. So when I came to SB I wanted to be very careful and choose the best for me. I chose well because this office has a nice staff, the latest in technology, a gentle and responsive style, and the husband and wife team of Dr. Kim and Dr. Sonia whom are both meticulous, friendly, and professional.
Unfortunately for me I’ve always had dental issues like a sideways molar that wouldn’t rise, braces, and lots of cavities (my own fault). So I’ve seen a lot of dentists and an orthodontist in my day. These guys are the best I’ve seen so far and since I have dentist PTSD from my prior experiences it’s helpful that they are as gentle and comforting as possible.

Clean, helpful, fast, and solid service. Hard to find anything wrong with this place. I’d recommend them… oh, also seems to have all the latest technology.

After two years suffering at another dentist’s office down the road, I just switched to Dr. Kim. I got an appointment the same week and check in was a breeze with the friendly staff. After the x-​rays, Dr. Kim examined my teeth and surprised me by correctly guessing several minor things about my dental history. He was very knowledgeable and attentive to minor details that he noticed on my teeth. They really care about their patient’s health here. As others have noted, the dentist actually does the cleaning with assistance from a hygienist. I’ve never been wowed before by a dental cleaning, but this was a really excellent, meticulous one! I am definitely going back and am taking my son there next week.

I am quite happy about my experience with
Dr. Calvin S. Kim. He is very professional and had a very thorough examination for me in the first visit. He showed to me the X-​Ray pictures and real time video about my teeth and gum issues. His explanation about the treatment is clear and detailed and his recommendation about the water flosser is helpful too. I am quite clear about the treatment plan and related costs when I leave the dentistry. The appointment arrangement process is also very pleasant. They accept Aetna PPO.

I was amazed by my dentist experience with them! I moved back to LA after college and have not been able to find a dentist as good as this one. I am sad and highly considering a two hour drive just for a dentist appointment and maybe some freebirds lol.

Everyone was very friendly and honest. State-​of-​the-​art equipment and technology — even showed me the inside of my mouth with a tiny camera. 18 x-​rays — might be overkill, but no extra charge as it’s their standard. Dr. Calvin Kim did the cleaning/​polishing and brought me into his office to show me the two small cavities I have. Not pushy — even said I could try brushing with enamel strengthening toothpaste to see if that helps over the next 6 months. I will definitely go back.

Dr. Kim is the best dentist I have ever been to.
I have no complaints. The waiting room is very comfortable and classy, with plush furniture and a flat screen TV playing on a low volume. The check-​in process was painless and I was called in very quickly. They do all digital X-​rays, which means you don’t have that painful little plastic piece between your teeth and your cheeks, and you get to see the X-​ray in real time on the screen right in front of the chair!
After the X-​rays they played a video on proper brushing and flossing. Then, Dr. Kim came in, examined my teeth and talked to me about how things looked. Guess what happened next? He proceeded to do the cleaning himself! This is the ONLY time I have ever had a dentist (and not a dental assistant) clean my teeth. He was very gentle and thorough, spending more time than other dental offices I have been at, and his dental assistant was basically his unspoken right hand through the whole thing.
The whole office functioned like a well-​oiled machine. Dr. Kim is personable, present and seems very knowledgeable. I have found my Santa Barbara dentist.

Best dentist I’ve ever had, and best staff/​office/​location. I’ve been a patient for years here. Dr. Kim is a great choice especially if you’re wary of dentists. He’s so gentle, friendly, and smart. The staff is very knowledgable, quick to respond to insurance or other questions, etc. I will be bringing my daughter (toddler) here!

I have only positive things to say about this office; from making an appointment to getting my proposed treatment protocol.
The office staff were all very friendly and I waited for less time than I expected. I loved my hygienist, she was really nice and listened to my concerns and respected and helped me with my discomfort while getting x-​rays.
Dr. Kim is very nice, has a gentle way about her, and was really clear in her explanation of the proposed treatment plan.
I couldn’t be happier.

First I will start by saying my 9 year old daughter ASKS me to go the dentist just to get work done from these two. They are amazing dentists! I am very happy with them. I have referred over 30 patients to their office and are all amazingly happy.

Here again, just blown away at how good they are and attentive to the minor details that I’m concerned with cosmetically. True professionals in every way. Not to mention, they always work with insurance on my behalf to help negotiate cost coverage!

I carefully chose this dentist after researching many in the area and was extremely disappointed by my experience.
Strike 1: After asking the dental assistant to please keep the x-​rays to a minimum, she messed up on the set up so many times that I had more x-​rays in one sitting that I’ve had in my entire life put together. I know it was a mistake (or 5) but seriously? 15 x-​rays in one sitting?! Please train your employees to operate your equipment.
Strike 2: The doctor (Ms. Kim) convinced me I absolutely NEEDED a «night guard» even though I wear invisalign while sleeping which essentially does the same thing. She was so pushy I finally agreed. It wasn’t until I went to make my next appointment that they told me it’s not covered at all by insurance and they handed me a bill for over $ 300. Oh now I understand why it’s so necessary…
Strike 3: My second appointment (for a cavity found at the first appointment) was on my lunch break from work, which I made clear when scheduling the appointment. I showed up 5 minutes early, sat in the waiting room for 10 minutes, then sat in the chair for literally 35 minutes before the doctor even acknowledged my existence. She offered to do the filling «quickly» when I tried to get up and leave and blamed it on me for not telling her more clearly that I was on my lunch break. Even if I wasn’t, who has 45 minutes in the middle of the day to waste waiting for you?!
Needless to say, I have chosen to take my business elsewhere, where people know how to operate their own equipment and don’t try to steal your money or waste your time.

I have a confession. I have a mild fear of dentists. When I chipped my tooth from the sheer force from my nightly teeth-​grinding, I very seriously considered shaving it down myself before a good friend scolded and deterred me and good thing too. I sat fiddling with my fingers while Dr. Calvin Kim introduced himself, and I braced myself for the inevitable tools poking and prodding into my mouth and the little bit of uncertainty that came with not being able to see what’s going on in there.
However, Dr. Kim did not approach me in the familiar terse no-​nonsense manner in which doctors often assume when attacking a problem. He asked where I’m from, what I do, and told me a bit about his own life before proceeding to address the reason for my visit. He performed a thorough examination, and even pointed out a few more chips I didn’t notice. He suggested a night-​guard, then handed me a mirror. He then alternated between shaving down the chipped area, then asking me to look in the mirror and give him feedback. Would I like it shaved down more? Do I like it where it is? Now… perhaps I am not the best reference for determining normal dentist behavior seeing as I stuck with one dentist for 10+ years since I was 5 years old. But I’ve never had my dentist ask me for feedback midway through procedure in this casual and friendly way. All the uneasiness about the foreboding unknown-​happenings-​in-​my-​mouth flew away. Heck, even the terrifying chair seemed quite cushy and warm by now.
Needless to say, all my teeth concerns in the future will be directed to Dr. Kim’s office. I liked the pleasant administrative staff as well as the friendly dental assistants, and especially Dr. Kim’s sharp skills and friendly demeanor. I suppose I don’t fear dentists now.

Ever since I was a kid, I CRINGED at the thought of going to the dentist. From all the movies I saw, I could never get the image of an evil dentist subduing me drugs and attacking me with a loud, massive drill out of my head.
And then… one day, I came across this place. This place flipped my perception completely upside down.
The staff here is amazing. The reception and hygienists are so kind, helpful, and professional. They really all make the very short wait breeze by.
I also seriously can’t even describe in words how much I love Dr. Calvin and Sonia Kim. They’re such calm, truly genuine people that actually have a passion for their work.
I’ve been to this practice a number of times, and it’s always the same pleasant experience. Yup, I said it. PLEASANT. Who ever knew pleasant and dentist could be in the same paragraph? I certainly didn’t think it would be possible.
Either way, I highly recommend this office and will gladly continue coming here.

Dr. Calvin Kim and Dr. Sonia Kim are extraordinary dentists! They are very knowledgeable and very friendly dentists. There office is very welcoming and the staff is always very polite. There have been a few occasions where both doctors have actually given me a teeth cleaning which surprised me because every other dentist I’ve seen never cleaned my teeth themselves.
They have never tried to sell me on unnecessary dental work. They are always very honest with me about my dental health and give me necessary feedback without making me feel like a utter failure when I haven’t done everything I should. I like that they take their time and I never feel like they are rushing to get done. Usually my cleanings are between 20 — 40 mins. They are always willing to answer any questions I have and actually take the time to demonstrate anything I am still unclear on.
I have referred friends to them and will continue to do so. If I leave Santa Barbara, I would love to take them with me!

Amazing! Absolutely amazing.
After being told I would have to wait over a month to get an appointment at the UCSB dental center, I called Dr. Kim’s office and was able to get an appointment the next day. I downloaded the new patient paperwork off their website (no forms to fill out when I got there) and then relaxed.
When I got there, they completed a new patient intake interview to assess any concerns and get my history. The dentist was part of this interview too.
Then I went to a chair and got x-​rays done. Then Dr. Kim came back and checked the x-​rays and cleaned my teeth. THE DENTIST CLEANED MY TEETH. Not the hygienist or the assistant, the dentist.
He was careful to answer all of my questions and only made a little small talk (and not when his hands were in my mouth).
The front desk scheduled my next appointment and emailed me a confirmation.
Overall, I am more than impressed with this office. Its amazing. I will definitely be coming back and recommending them to others.

I have had the worst luck with dentists. Luckily, I looked up this practice on Unilocal and was glad to see that they lived up to their good reviews. There are two dentists here, Dr. Calvin Kim and Dr. Sonia Kim.
I’ve been twice now. The first time I saw Sonia for a regular check up. She was super friendly and made sure I knew what was going on with my teeth. She spotted a cavity, so she took a picture of it with their fancy mouth camera and showed it to me. I got a lot of face time with the actual dentist, instead of just the assistants… but even they are awesome, too!
I came back to get my cavity filled, and this time saw Calvin. He was also very nice, and explained everything as he went along to make sure I understood. Everything went smoothly and I could hardly even tell that I had a filling!
Overall this office is great. Everything is bright, clean, and modern. The receptionist is very nice and makes sure everything is running smoothly. I also like that this office is «high tech» by using e-​mail and text messages to remind you and confirm your appointments. I will definitely come back as long as I am in the area!