Kidsmiles Pediatric Dentistry

While I like some of the staff at Kidsmiles, I am upset by Dr. Azama .

Reasons I am upset with the practice:
1) About 2 years ago, I should have listened to myself when I thought I should never return when an employee said, «We FIGURED OUT how to bill the insurance so you don’t get charged.»
2) Dr. Azama has had openings in the afternoon. Since I prefer my children not miss school, I try to have appointments in the afternoon. Dr. Azama caught wind that I scheduled an afternoon appointment and said «I don’t do those in the afternoon.» — no reason explained, she just doesn’t. Although this appointment was just days away she refused to accommodate my son’s school and made me feel guilty, «Well these are your kids teeth… we can give a letter and it will be an excused absence.» First, I hate that she uses my kids as guilt tactics. Second, she obviously had the opening, and cares more abut herself than the perception of the practice.
3) I removed the emergency billing part because we are clarifying this.
However, my son had to miss school twice because she won’t schedule appointments which are inconvenient to her. Also because she would not allow an afternoon appointment, my son was not accepted back to school because he had received nitrous oxide, so he missed an entire day.
I personally have NOT had a problem with Dr. Wong or Dr. Langworthy. There are also a few nice front office staff and hygienists. I feel badly that the staff has to hear from disgruntled parents (including myself) to defend scheduling that makes no sense at all.

My daughter won’t let us brush her teeth easily at home so I thought it was a fluke that she was so cooperative last year during her first ever visit to the dentist. I waited a whole year before writing this review and after seeing her behave so well during her second visit, I’m convinced it’s because the people here are skilled at working with children. Doesn’t hurt that they let kids choose a dvd to watch, they have cool things to look at on the ceiling and they, in general, have a very kid-​friendly atmosphere… toys, stickers and all.
During this second visit, Stanley cleaned and flossed (!) my daughter’s teeth and she just loved him. He used tricks like saying the rotating brush was tickling her teeth and introduced the tools to her in a way that satiated her curiosity. He was so awesome. Dr. Azama was also wonderful with her as well.
I don’t live nearby anymore but it’s worth making the trek to help my daughter know visiting the dentist can be a positive experience.
A big thanks to Dr. Azama, Stanley and all the staff at Kidsmiles. :)

Owning my own medical practice I know what it takes to deliver quality care.
This is the single greatest dental practice I have seen to date.
Makes me want to be a kid again.
I was referred to Kidsmiles by my dentist Dr Lew in Palo Alto. If I could I would use kidsmiles myself!
A year ago a brought my six year old son to a pediatric dental group in the Marina. They talked the talk but they did not walk the walk.
They had all the toys and videos but the care was rushed impersonal and not caring.
It left my son anxious about ever wanting to see a dentist again. I guess that may be par for the course.
Not so with Kidsmiles. They are gentle, thoughtful, caring. Genuinely caring!
They showed my son all the equipment, took their time and praised him continuously.
Just the best!!!
In my personal practice I do not give out referrals unless I can 100% vouch for whom I’m sending someone to.
I can without reservation say Kidsmiles is the gold standard of what a pediatric dental group should be.
To Aida and Dr Azama I have only one thing to say.
THANK YOU!!!
Mats Hagstrom, MD

So after 2 times being there, we are not seeing the dentist we went in to see. I’m debating about whether or not to go to a different dentist practice at this point. The other doctors seem nice at the practice, but is she really that busy?

So far so good. My son has had a cleaning and two filling appts with dr Kristina. Everything went smooth, she is truly wonderful and her assisting staff is wonderful too. Couldn’t be happier with this place.

It is was not for the receptionist Edna I would not have stayed for a while. The welcome is warm but the attention dr Wang gave to my children was a good. I selected the doctor, Dr. Wang seen us a couple of times and then all of a sudden I was seeing a different dentist and getting billed for seeing doctor Wang without my consent smh… my two year old was in pain for a weeks and he had hit his mouth, causing his tooth to get pushed in his gums. no X-ray.The woman dentist came in the office looked at his gum and that was it. The same thing the emergency kiaser department stated. After following their advice and following up with the dentist it was a waste of bridge toll, time and money. But for sure my insurance was billed. Double coverage, double co payment. I have nothing to say… But thanks Edna you really more aware and attentive to the needs of the patients. She no longer works there, they have a high turn over of receptionist’s now. But I was very upset about the services.

Oh how I love Kidsmiles! Why couldn’t we have these luxuries when we were kids? Dr. Kristina is amazing! Her goal is to make the dentist a comfortable and enjoyable experience. Aida is awesome too!

I love Kidsmiles, and more importantly, my kids do! Dr. Wong is seriously the nicest person I have ever met (and the front desk ladies are awesome, too). He makes both kids and parents feel at ease. The hygienist are very efficient/​gentle and the video selection and prize drawer can’t be beat. The only downside is that I can’t go here. A million stars and thumbs way up.

As I’m waiting for the hygienist to summon me into the treatment area, it occurs to me that I generally try to post reviews for places I really like-​and I have been negligent by not doing this sooner. I will compensate for the oversight by using enthusiastic all caps. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE KID SMILES!!!
Sadly, only my daughter can enjoy the excellent care and treatment of the lovely and talented Dr. Azama, but I am overjoyed that her dental care life experience has gotten off to such a great start. She loves the movies she gets to pick and watch during her appointment, as well as the prize drawer, sugar free lollipops and the dental goodie bag she gets at the end. I love the thorough review and update that Dr. Azama always gives to me at the end of the exam, and the reception staff are always a pleasure to chat with. I wish I had a dentist this cool.

My kids have been going to Kidsmiles for 10 years until I felt they can see my dentist instead. We love the dentist there, but over the years it has grown and felt like it became an assembly line. Making appts in the afternoon afterschool can only be done several months in advance. And which ever female who answers the phone was very rude. I had a stumble in trying to ask her a question and you can heard her impatient tone and rude response. It definitely left a sour taste in my mouth. If your kids doesn’t need to watch video or little prizes then I would suggest finding a more personal dentist.

My three children have been going to Kidsmiles for six years. I have always been greeted warmly at the front desk, the atmosphere is clean and cheerful, with great toys and current magazines in the waiting room. (Parking is easy too!) My children eagerly select a video from a large library for the flat-​screen televisions. If you do not want your children to watch a video, as I felt several years ago, the office is happy to put your child in a room with no TV playing.
The hygienists are excellent, thorough, and instructive, and when it’s x-​ray time they have great patience and dexterity.
Note to parents with children with special needs: this office totally «gets it,» and is very accommodating and patient with kids with sensory and other issues.
Dr. Azama is our dentist, and she is wonderful! Intelligent, skilled, warm, reassuring, and terrific with kids and their parents. We have seen other dentists there too, and everyone is top-​drawer. A+

Went back to Kidsmiles this year after using other pediatric dentist for a couple of years. Passed along new insurance information before appoiintment. Son needed three fillings so scheduled appointment and was given estimate for out of pocket cost.
After having paid estimate and had fillings done recieved a bill for about $ 750. Reason given is that our insurance was out of network and paid only a small portion. The rub here for me is that they had my insurance info and didn’t say anything about it being out of their network or of any extra financial possibilities.
Our experience with Dr Wong and the hygenists was good, however when my son had the fillings done the dentist did not use safety glasses and he ended up with a piece of enamel, presumably, in his eye. Not to use eye protection is a pretty shocking lapse of basic safety practices. If you take your kids to Kidsmiles make sure that glasses are used, it took a week or so to get the floating piece of whatever out of his eye and he was really uncomfortable.
Wish I could write a better review, they do a nice job of making the dentist experience positive for the kids, but the negatives out-​weigh that for us.

I am so impressed by Kidsmiles, from the staff at the front desk who are always so welcoming and friendly, to the dental assistants/​hygienists, to the amazing dentists. They are all so professional and terrific with my kids, who are now 4 and 6. We adore Dr. Azama who is, as the previous poster said, the nicest person and an even better dentist. Yesterday I watched Dr. Kristina put 4 fillings into my four-​year old and I was in awe. he was so calm and happy and hardly noticed a thing (the laughing gas helped but I think it was mostly because Dr. Kristina was so calming and wonderful with him)!

Dr. Azama is the nicest person and she’s an even better dentist. My kids still have a collection of toys.

Great first-​time experience for my little man. I was referred here by a good friend and am so glad I sought a referral, than go uninformed.
The interior is your basic dentist set-​up, but geared towards young kids. There is a general toy area to calm down little ones and it definitely helped put my son’s nerves at ease. Everyone is super friendly, unassuming and attentive to the little ones. Our first visit was accompanied with first-​visit photo to take home, an introduction to toddler dental car, a teeth cleaning, and a healthy dose of advice to help get us up to speed what what we should be doing (and not!).
Dr. Langworthy was our pediatric dentist and was so helpful, and accomodating to our little boy. The little monster did cry, but he didn’t struggle or run away — which is a good thing. The flat panels with Thomas the Train playing on repeat also helped. in front of the chair. and on the CEILING. Huge collection of DVDs, lots of other distractions, and guess what. little plastic toys that will make any little tot happy with joy to go home with.
«Hey Miss… can you throw on some Tudors while you’re picking out some Thomas the Train? Thanks!»

I had a terrible time getting my daughter to go to the dentist when she was young, so finally had to give up. I had to drag her kicking and screaming into Dr. Rothman’s office, and finally just couldn’t take it anymore.
We ended up at KidSmiles when she was 9 years old because she got an infection in her mouth that required immediate attention. The staff referred us to Dr. Langworthy, and I just can’t say enough good things about the entire practice: my daughter walked right into the office, calmly and confidently. Dr. Langworthy put her into a private room reserved for children w/​fear and sensory issues, like my daughter. She is very kind and gentle with my daughter, and even sings to the kids. My daughter kept going back willingly, even though she ended up having to have some painful treatments. After a few visits, they were able to stop the laughing gas, and she is able to tolerate the procedures on her own.
The atmosphere of the office is calm and clean and light, and apparently put my daughter at ease immediately. The staff is lovely, kind and gentle. The prices are high, but since I have little other experience and perfect teeth myself, I don’t really know what the norm is.
I highly recommend Dr. Langworthy and the KidSmiles office for anyone w/​kids like my own, and really can’t say enough good things about the practice.

Why wasn’t my dentist this cool when I was a kid? Computer xrays, flat screens in each treatment room for the kids to watch movies, different flavored floride!!! No wonder the kids look forward to seeing Dr. Wong and Dr. Azama every 6 months.
Most kid friendly dentist in SF.

This place is nice enough, however, it’s the only pediatric dentist office I’ve been to so there MUST be a better place. The impression I came away after my brief visit is that they have money as their priority, as in «your money». I understand that it’s a for-​profit business and they must make a healthy profit to stay in-​business, but I’m sure there’s a way to make me shell out ton’s of money without making me feel like shit afterwards…(ie Apple or Nordstrom or Tartine)
So my wife took the kids to get their first check-​up and had X-​rays taken. I was suppose to take them back for treatment. When I got there, they told me they need another set of X-​rays and lord be hold, more treatment is needed. The kicker is, they want to do the most expensive treatment first. Very disappointed.

My son and daughter both loves Dr. Ann and her team of assistants … that or they had good experiences because they were distracted by the dvds they were allowed to watch while in the chair.
I was so traumatized when my husband took my son (2 years old) to get an exam and found out he has 2 cavities. They had to return a few weeks later to see the restorative specialist for fillings. I was scared I would break down and cry at the appointment that I made my husband take my son for the follow-​up instead.
The restorative appointment took a little over an hour. My husband said the specialist was super gentle and great with my son that he wasn’t even scared. The little man thought he was getting another cleaning done! I’m still amazed … maybe because I was traumatized when I was little and thought he would have to go through the same thing.
I’m so glad we found kidsmile!

I decided to bring my 4 year old daughter here based on all the positive Unilocal reviews and also because they accepted my insurance, I was soooo very nervous and actually rescheduled her appointments twice because of her first experience with another dentist. it was something I didnt want to put my daughter through but knew I had too because she has cavities and they needed to be filled.
The dentist she seen prior to seeing Dr Azama wasnt a bad dentist, hes also a pediatric dentist with an office that looks like a humongous play house! But this didnt cut it for my daughter, in fact she cried and screamed the whole time which didnt surprise me, this experience was something new and no matter what nothing seemed to relax her… the staff, the dentist nor me. The dentist said on her next appointment he would have to give her nitrus just for a cleaning. He also said its clear that my daughter runs me and is in full control, which can be true at times when we try to confort our kids but WTF? that definitely came out of left field. I didnt go back because it turned out they were an out of network provider. Im so glad I didnt go back!
After my appointment today, I left with one happy little girl, who listened and was actually happy to get her teeth cleaned. The dental assistant was amazing, I actually thought she was the dentist until she said Dr Azama would be coming in for the last 15 mintes. Both assistant and Dr definitely put my daughter at ease and were so kind, funny and patient. They took their time and only focused on making her comfortable. Im so so happy this was a great success. The girls at the front desk were also very cool and friendly, yay! TG for Unilocal lol
BIG high 5 to this practice!