Allan Pineda, DDS

If I could give Dr. Pineda and his office staff 0 stars based on the experience I have had the past month I would. I needed a crown and had maxed out my dental insurance for the year so I had to pay for the crown in full. No problem. I was told that he ONLY accepts cash or check and I needed to pay prior to the appointment. I thought it was strange but trusted that they were honest professionals. I ended up not needing the crown and asked for a refund. Dr. Pineda told me «No problem. The receptionist with follow up with you.» I never heard from her.
Months went by and nothing. In mid April I decided to go to his office to get the check. His receptionist acted put-​out that I was asking for my money back and gave me a check. Post dated. I deposited the check the day after the date on the check and went on my way.
IT BOUNCED DUE TO NON SUFFICIENT FUNDS!!!
For the past three weeks I have been calling his office and his voice mail is full. I have stopped by multiple times and the doors are locked. There has been no indication or communication that they were «going out of business». I have spent so much time trying to track him down to get my $ 850 back!!!
We found today that his office is up for lease.
I am so disappointed in the lack of professionalism and ethics. I would recommend steering clear if he opens up shop anywhere else.
UPDATE: After 2 ½ months of chasing Dr. Pineda, I finally got my money back. I have a HUGE sense of relief and am happy I don’t have to waste my time with this anymore :)

Oh Dr. Pineda, how I miss you! He is the best dentist I have ever been to (and I’ve been to so many…). It’s the little things that make Dr. Pineda and his staff stand out — like when he puts vaseline on the sides of your mouth before your procedure so that they don’t dry out and crack while he’s working away or when he sings to you to distract you from any pain. I have a lot of respect for this man and wish I could take him everywhere I go.

I came here to get a cleaning after switching to a new job in San Francisco and leaving my beloved Palo Alto dentist behind. The cleaning was routine, but Dr. Pineda said I needed 15 (fifteen!!!) fillings, essentially replacing every filling I’ve ever had and adding a couple new ones.
This was not based on xrays, which had been taken but not yet developed, but rather on the appearance of my teeth. I was horrified that so much had apparently gone wrong since my last cleaning 6 months before and went to get a second opinion (from Dr. Ornstil, at 450 Sutter — he is great, by the way).
The second dentist took one look at my xrays and said I only needed one filling replaced, and that the rest of the marks on my teeth were just surface stains. WOW. I almost had a huge amount of dental work (both in terms of pain and $$$) done unnecessarily.
Also, I was told by the woman at the front desk of Dr. Pineda’s office that I would have to pay in cash. What the heck? What dentist doesn’t take credit cards?
Save yourself the trouble and go to someone else.

I don’t normally like to write reviews like this and give such a low rating but I’m running low on patience. First let me say that Dr. Pineda is a great dentist and if it weren’t for his an issue with receiving a refund that is owed to me, I would gladly be giving him and his practice 5 stars.
In July of 2012, I went in for a routine checkup and cleaning as a new patient. There was an issue with verifying my insurance at the time so I had to pay out of pocket for the procedure. I was told by the office manager that once I verified my insurance that my credit card would be refunded for what I had to pay out of pocket. It has now been almost 9 months later and I still have yet to see this money returned. My insurance company has paid for the procedure so they have accepted money both from me and from the insurance company.
I have brought it up to the office manager several times and have called in just about every week now to check in on the status of my refund with no luck. She will either claim to not remember so I need to re-​explain the situation or will claim the check is in the mail. When I asked to talk to Dr. Pineda directly about it, she told me he would call me back. Several hours later she called back with an apology from the dentist and another failed promise that the check was in the mail. That was over two weeks ago.
I have a feeling that Dr. Pineda is unaware at how badly his office is being managed which is unfortunate as I was completely satisfied with his work. He has lost a patient over this incident.

Besides being the most proficient dentist I’ve ever had, Dr. Pineda is good-​humored and reassuring. He goes out of his way to explain things, accommodate my crazy work schedule, and gently take care of my problematic teeth. (I started seeing Dr. Pineda, four years ago for crowns, cleaning and referral for implants.)
Dr. Pineda’s office is modern and the staff are friendly. I actually look forward to seeing him, which is a far cry from how I’ve felt about dentists in the past. The office is an easy walk if you work in Downtown SF. I have nothing but good things to say about Dr. Pineda!

Today I was desperately need of a dentist, I waited too long to have this mouth looked at. A client of mine stopped by asked what was wrong. I confessed I was in desperate need a dentist, hopefully close and take me in or soon; NOW! She said loves her dentist and gave me his information. When I called the 1^st person I spoke with went out of her way to see if I could be fit into his schedule today. Awesome she got me in. When I arrived I was immediately put at ease. I was seen quickly and from the moment I sat in the chair I have never, seriously never been made to feel so comfortable! I have a deep routed fear of dentist and I didn’t have that fear when in the chair. Gentle, detailed, funny; just what a scared person like me needs for my dental care. I spoke (actually raved to anyone who would listen to me rave about my experience. Even shared his info with others at work. I really think this is one fantastic Dentist.

Fabulous Dentist and staff are super friendly and efficient. To top that, Dr. Pineda is very professional. Clean and modern facility.

I love Dr. Pineda! He’s so sweet and professional and fun! The dentist should be as fun as possible, right? He’s quick with the needle and my fillings are holding up so far. So much better than Gentle Dental.

Just got back from Dr. Pineda’s ofice. I’ve gone to him 2 – 3 times over the past 2 – 3 years, and he is awesome. He’s very nice, funny, and relaxed. His co-​workers are great too. Great location if you work downtown. His staff is good with scheduling appointments, giving you a reminder call, and making sure you come in when you should. If you ignore their phone call, they don’t start harassing you daily, but they’ll give you a friendly call every month or so. Great dentist!

Super friendly staff. I was actually recommended to Dr. Pineda by a coworker. I was greeted by smiling faces and the x-​rays were not painful at all! Yay! You can book appointments easily and not have to worry about a 1 month wait time! That was definitely a plus as my insurance will run out soon and I need to have everything done by then.

I love Dr. Pineda. He is a caring dentist that has taken care of my teeth for the last 3 or 4 years. I like how I can quickly step into his office during my lunch break and how he always works with my budget to give me the best quality treatment available. If for any reason there is something he can’t do he refers me to a high quality professional that can do it. Dr. Pineda is a very good dentist that loves people and takes care of his responsibilities to the best of his ability.
Visit this guy if you have the chance!

Dr. Pineda was my dentist for 2+ years when I worked in San Francisco. His office is extremely accessible if you work downtown.
Excellent bedside manner, explained all the cleaning procedures clearly, and how best to keep my teeth and gums healthy.
I had Cigna (DMA?) at the time, but he may also work with other types of dental insurance.

I LOOOOOOVE Dr. Pineda! He is so awesome. Especially because he’s Pilipino like ME! Hehe… he is super friendly and nice and sooo FUNNY! I can’t believe the person that said he was cold and unfriendly because he is completely opposite of that.
Besides his awesome personality, he is also a great dentist! Makes you feel very comfortably and I absolutely dread going to the dentist… seriously! But he’s great… I’ve already gone through two cleanings and countless fillings with him and I haven’t regretted a single time. 5 of my co workers also go to him and they love him too. We all think he’s just great.
His staff is also awesome, they’re super friendly and nice and there’s never a wait! The office is so personable. I would definitely recommend him to EVERYONE.

first off, let me say that I am terrified of the dentist. i had not been in 3 years, and finally dragged myself to dr. pineda’s office, my insurance recommended him.
OMG hes amazing! not only is he nice, but hes super fast, and was extremely patient with my periodic crying. i expected to have a miserable visit, but it was way better than what i expected.
the office is super clean, and the entire staff is friendly.

Dr. Pineda was referred by a coworker and I cannot thank her enough. I’ve been very happy with Dr. Pineda for the past two years and look forward to my cleanings and when needed, the dental work. which I might add is the most important aspect of evaluating a dentist. Anyone can clean, but how they perform large procedures is what you should be looking for.
The fillings I’ve received were great; well as great as drilling in ones mouth can be. He talks you through the procedures so you know what is happening the whole time– it’s very comforting.
The office is nice and staff pleasant and helpful I highly recommend going.

I found the doctor to be a bit cold and unfriendly. The office was nice though.

Dr Allan Pineda’s office, first of all, is beautiful! He is competent, approachable, friendly, and knowledgeable. I feel very at ease with Dr. Pineda. Check his office out… you will not be disappointed. He has weekend appointments and is available for all your dental needs. Go visit Dr. Pineda now!