Daniel Cave, DMD

You cannot force me to come back to this place even with a cattle prod. Dr. Cave seemed nice until you see how he is he abusive to his staff. That occurred in the midst of him working on my teeth with high pitched sharp instruments. The staff was certainly poorly trained to be interrupting him about a phone call during a delicate procedure. This made me question the professionalism of the entire operation. Worst of all, he condescendingly demanded that I stop wincing even though he was causing me pain (my wisdom teeth removal was with local anesthesia only, so not exactly easily perturbed by dental procedures). There are many many ways to help ease a patient and that was the most insulting and least helpful.
All of this might be overlooked, if it were not for Dr. Cave recommended unnecessary dental work heaped on with fear of the worst case scenario. Who are we as layman to question a dentist’s professional judgement? Just look at Dr. Cave’s own teeth. I simply know that I don’t want mine to look like his.
Go to Dr. Cave if you want to be abused, your time wasted, wallet emptied and have weirdly lacquered teeth.

Abusive to his staff — it was uncomfortable and they seemed to quit a lot because it is a different hygienist every time. He is kind of the soup nazi of dentists

Like a picky friend of mine put it: «Don’t you love Dr Cave’s office? If you have to go to the dentist, that’s the way to do it.»
I love Dr Cave’s office. It is nice, welcoming, spotless, and the staff is beyond professional and nice. Dr. Cave is by far the best dentist I have ever had. He is kind, polite, careful, reliable, and skilled. He takes the time to explain what he is doing and what you may feel because of the procedure, and to answer any questions — with precision and without drama. But he does not waste any time (his, yours, or his staff’s). He is efficient. And you do not need to be referred to several different doctors for each procedure. He knows and understands your case, and he takes care of it.
In one of my first visits, Dr. Cave removed two of my wisdom teeth and I had no stress or pain before, during, or after. What a difference compared with the previous two removed by a different dentist! Since then, I have entrusted him with all my dental issues. I once had a problem with an implant and he was remarkable at fixing it. Despite all complications I was sure he was doing all humanly possible to resolve it. And he did, entirely to my satisfaction. I subsequently decided to entrust him with some esthetic treatments and the results are fantastic. His hygienist is amazing at cleaning teeth efficiently and painlessly, and at training on dental hygiene. His receptionist is wonderful. I feel like I am receiving an unusually personalized and extremely professional service.
I recommend Dr. Cave with my eyes closed as the dentist of choice. We all need to go to the dentist. It is possible to also love it.

I’ve only seen Dr. Kham and will continue to make my appointments with him. I go every 6 months for a cleaning, and have had a couple of dental fillings done as well. I really like Dr. Kham — he is friendly and warm, he remembers you, and he explains everything very clearly. I am always seen promptly and never have to wait for him. The front desk staff and hygienists have all been very nice as well. The office building is on the older side, but the location is very convenient to McPherson Square and Farragut North metro stops, and the 16^th Street bus lines.

Dr. Cave is a great dentist. I have been seeing him for at least eight years. He is knowledgeable, professional, friendly, gentle, and truly cares about his patients. If I have a problem, he explains everything very thoroughly, and he is always open to questions or requests for clarifications. His dental hygienist, whom I have also been seeing for about eight years, is just like Dr. Cave, very gentle, professional, and friendly. Dr. Cave’s front office staff are also professional. The office itself is extremely clean and organized. I would recommend, and have recommended, Dr. Cave to anyone looking for a great dentist.

I have had some terrible experiences with dentists, so I was nervous about getting my cavities filled, but Dr. Kham was AMAZING. He talked me through everything, made sure I was comfortable, and was very efficient. I didn’t have any pain during the procedure, and my teeth feel great right now. If you’ve ever had a bad dentist experience I would highly recommend Dr. Kham, he will put you at ease.

I had a good experience with Dr Cave. And Sophie is a perfect hygienist. She’s so nice and gentle.

This review is for Dr. Kham. I used to think I went to pretty great dentists. After going to Dr. Kham, I believe that they all pale in comparison.
I had a routine cleaning and x-​rays this morning. The experience was overall excellent. I am new to DC, so I had been calling around and researching different dentists. The receptionist I spoke with on the phone from Kham’s office when I first scheduled the appointment was the friendliest and most flexible I encountered. (Others from different offices whom I had spoken to were rude, annoyed by my questions, etc.) In person, the receptionists were also super friendly and helpful and offered to look up my insurance info as I was fumbling around in my phone to try and find my group #.
I was seen by Dr. Kham very quickly. I can’t speak highly enough about his professionalism and kindness. He literally explained every single thing he did, why he did it and what it tells us about my teeth. I learned more about dental health in those 30 minutes than in all of my previous dentist appointments in my 27 years on this earth. I finally know why they poke your gums (to measure the distance between your gum and teeth which indicates gum health). He also explained all of the x-​rays thoroughly. I told him I grind my teeth while sleeping; he is the first dentist who actually took time to explain the risks of grinding, but also didn’t try to sell me on one of the expensive custom made dental guards (which all of my previous dentists did). He explained that since my level of grinding hasn’t affected my jaw nor made my teeth flat, I don’t really have to wear anything at night (including the over-​the-​counter night guard I currently wear, from Target). Refreshing honesty!
I also found out that, despite the fact that I floss daily, I have been flossing wrong and so at the end of the appointment he walked me through the proper way to floss. Other hygienists and doctors who I’ve seen in the past just let me bleed and told me to floss more. Dr. Kham showed me with a mirror and actual floss the proper technique.
The final touch that I have to mention was that Dr. Kham put lip moisturizer on my lips mid-​cleaning because they were dry. Seriously?! Nicest person ever.
I highly recommend Dr. Kham and his whole staff (x-​ray technicians, receptionists, etc.). Everyone was great! I feel super informed and empowered about my dental health.

I’m 56 years old and have lived all over the country, so suffice it to say I’ve been to numerous dentists. Dr. Cave is my favorite. He’s so thorough, explains everything he plans to do in a non-​condescending manner, and all the work he’s ever done has been impeccable.
He even fixed my son’s teeth (which were pretty bad) and instilled in him the importance of proper dental hygiene. And through the years he always asked how he was doing. I referred so many friends and colleagues and they all had positive things to say about their experience.
Having to leave his practice due to a move to the West Coast is one of the few things I miss about D.C. (His staff is wonderful also.)

This is a review for Dr. Kham! Never met Dr. Cave.
I just moved to DC and was overdue for a cleaning. I was also worried about some problem spots that my dentist had been keeping an eye on the year before. So I was pretty nervous about my first visit… I was really paranoid that I had like, five cavities (never had one before in my life!) and so on.
The receptionist was great, and Dr. Kham saw me right away. He was incredibly kind and very thorough. Overall, just a really warm man and a very good dentist. He pointed out some problem areas without being obnoxious about it, and he spotted a cavity that hadn’t shown up on the x-​ray. It’s just my luck that my first and only cavity turned out to be hidden between two teeth and up under the gum! Dr. Kham offered to do the necessary gum removal right away, and he was done in 15 minutes with my filling scheduled for two weeks out.
My one and only complaint is the second receptionist I dealt with, who I think may be a hygienist? In scheduling my filling, she kept giving me times during the day and saying «you can take a lunch break» very forcefully. I was just like, uh, no? I cannot?
But that was just 30 awkward seconds, and my actual filling procedure went super well. Dr. Kham was quick and did an excellent job. I feel so lucky to have found such a great dentist on my first try!

If you really need to see dr. Cave, don’t let him do a root canal. Root canals should be done in endodontics ofiices. I had several done by him a few years ago and all of them had to be replaced and re-​treated. That cost a lot of money and pain. Plus, he is rude to patients and treats his staff like slaves.
Stay away

This review is for Dr. Kam and their staff only. I’ve never seen any one else there!
I have a huge fear of dentists, stemming from the fact that I have inherited really bad teeth. Seriously — anything that can go wrong will go wrong. If it’s a case of only «1 in 1000 people» get this… I’m that 1! I chose this dentist because I was looking for someone on my insurance of course, and also someone close to my office. When I made my appointment, they just put me with Dr. Kam.
His bedside manner is phenomenal. He’s so nice and always checking on you. He makes it a point to make small talk, which is great for me, because it makes me less nervous. I think he’s just a genuinely nice person. The staff is great as well. My appointment got mixed up once, and I actually showed up a day early for my appointment — not sure if it was my fault or theirs, but they were so accommodating. Someone else actually cleaned my teeth, but Dr. Kam still managed to do the exam, and everyone was really nice about the mix up.
My only gripe, which isn’t a huge one, is that my permanent retainer started to come loose, after several years now. Dr. Kam went ahead and reinforced the glue on it, and I had to pay like $ 75! I shouldn’t complain, because my insurance covered most of it, but then a few months later it came loose again, so I had to go back and have it redone, and was again charged full price.
Aside from that, I’m a happy patient, and will continue to see Dr. Kam every 6 months!

On Cave, by far the worst experiences I have ever had with someone in the healthcare industry, or any professional service industry.
He yelled at me for all manner of reasons. He improperly filled one cavity, and did not notice. He traumatized/​killed one of my teeth and then did an incomplete root canal. I was in pain for months, too scared to see another dentist.
But I did find someone NEW, and I am glad to be reminded that a dentist should not make you feel awful, as Cave did. There are happy dentists out there who enjoy their work, and care about the comfort of their patients; Cave is just not one of them.
If you enjoy being treated *disrespectfully*, you should pop right by, and hope he’s in a particularly bad mood.

This review is for Dr. Shyamsundar and the office in general. Dr. S is the best dentist I have ever seen, bar none. She’s professional in that she’s good at what she does, but she also takes the time to explain to you what she’s doing and what’s going on, without a hint of condescension. She’s also extremely personable and makes you feel welcome for the get go. The front desk staff has always been extremely friendly on the phone and in the office, as well. Five stars for Dr. S!

This is actually 4.4 stars review.
Dr. Cave has an interesting star mix on Unilocal,but I also have 3 real life testimonies that I could go with and out of those 3, only one is really favorable, so I was somewhat nervous. Especially with my luck with dentists; I have a knack for finding quacks. The apprehension built as this past Monday was my appointment at 2 pm. i arrived at 1:50 into a cute old building steps from the White House and was greeted warmly by the receptionist.
I filled out a quick paper and was promptly escorted to a seat in the back with Sophia, the world’s greatest dental hygienist. She took time to clean out my placque (yes, I have a Sonicare, yes I floss, but I still have the most food retaining gums in the world, uggghhhh) and then explained about EVERYTHING that could ever possibly happen in someone’s mouth. (I also came back on Wednesday for a finite scaling and she was still super awesome!!)
On to Dr. Cave. So he came in and was super polite, but all business. He asked me a few questions and when I responded, he said I gave him the subjective answer when he wanted to objective. My eyebrow went up. But he explained how my response didn’t help and the eyebrow went back down. He is extremely matter of fact, so much so that he reminded me of Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory. Another funny comment was when he asked me another question, but then mentioned that my response did not articulate what I was trying to say. Again, my eyebrow went up, but when he gave me options for the response, his answer was truly more exact to my issue.
What I appreciated most was that he kept speaking about building back my confidence in the dental profession. (I have quack stories for DAYS!!) He gave me a full facial examination which I had never actually had before. Additionally, he took time to really explain the misdiagnosis from the quacks and what he wanted to do moving forward. Very much appreciated.
The last touch that was outstanding was the card I received on Wednesday night, hand written by Dr. Cave himself that thanked me for choosing his practice and hoping that we would work together to alleviate my chewing pain on the lower right side of my mouth.
Ladies and gentlemen, I think I’ve found a dentist! Thanks Dr. Cave!!!

I’ve been going to Dr. Cave’s practice for over a year now. I’ve had limited interaction with Dr. Cave himself, but when I’ve seen him he’s been courteous and professional.
The office is well run, and the dental hygienist who does my cleanings is really wonderful. I’ve never had someone do such a thorough job on my teeth! Also, as someone without dental insurance I really, really appreciate the discount they give to uninsured patients. I spent a lot of time looking for a dentist who would do a good job without breaking the bank, and Dr. Cave’s practice fits the bill.
I’ve never had any major dental work done at this office, only one filling and some cleanings, so I can’t comment on the price and quality of more complicated procedures. That’s the only reason why I haven’t given 5 stars here.

This review is for Dr. Cave. I’ll echo several other reviewers’ comments and say: Do not go here. You can do better.
I made the change from Dr. Almo (who is great, by the way) because it was just too far of a schlep for me and he is not an in-​network provider. I chose Dr. Cave based on the 4-​star rating without really taking time to read the reviews. Big mistake. As others have noted, he is rude and arrogant. Yes, that’s certainly annoying when you are paying someone good money to care for your health. But the worst part by far is that he suggested that I needed tons of work done without, of course, explaining anything about it. And by suggested, I mean forcefully told me that we WILL do these procedures.
I thought that was a bit strange since I’ve been to the dentist every six months religiously for most of my life and have never been alerted to any of these serious problems.
I ended up going to Dr. Porvaznik, recommended by several of my coworkers. He was excellent – knowledgable, efficient, friendly, great staff. And much as I expected, I do not need any work done. Had I stayed with Dr. Cave, I would have signed myself up for about three procedures I do not need. And judging by some other reviews, I would not be the only one.
Long story short – check out Dr P, or Dr Almo, or just do more shopping around. Save yourself the traumatizing experience!

I am on my third trip to Dr. Kam and think I finally found the one! The true dentist of my dreams.
The entire experience from making the appointment (amazing front desk staff), to coming into the office (great space and awesome music) to my first check up was incredible smooth and painless (thankfully!)
I would recommend Dr. Kam (and have) to everyone because of his amazing «bedside manner» and his expertise!
Strange to say that I am actually looking forward to go back.

Overall I was very happy. And I’m a tough grader. Here’s my experience from start to finish.
I found them based on location and Unilocal ratings, which were pretty good. Making an appt on the phone was easy and professional, and they quoted me a rate that was reasonable for recementing my crown, with a 20% discount because I didn’t have insurance.
On the day off appt, I found the building perfectly nice and clean, with a good facility with new supplies/​equipment and a very clean, friendly, and happy atmosphere.
The medical professionals were all very good in every way. Just like all dentist offices, you make an appt with the name of the dentist on the group, but the dentist who saw me was his partner who was good, but did not introduce himself so I hardly knew how good or experienced he was. But again, this is something all dentists seem to do (slip in their junior partners without a clear introduction), and what saved him is he (Sai Kam) was very good.
They were prompt and took care of my problem with good attitudes, explanations, and constant concern for my comfort etc. I was really happy.
My bill ended up being more than I was quoted on the phone — they didn’t mention the limited oral exam and xrays — but I got the aforementioned discount and the service was so good, I can’t complain. I’d highly recommend this office — I have been in some awful dentist offices in DC and this is very good one.

Updating, as the filter hid the other review for some reason.
The staff is great, they were a great introduction to the office. Dr. Cave however has a horrible manner about him. Apparently coming across as cool and hip is more important than making patients feel comfortable about procedures.
Informing me about dental work that I need done, he immediately went into a press for appointments and scheduling the work without any explanation as to what was going to be involved. I feel that if you’re drilling holes in my face, I should have the opportunity to be walked through exactly what will be taking place. Walking him back to the actual work he was proposing, he curtly replied (I am seriously not making this up) «Don’t worry about it, you wouldn’t understand it anyway.» Again, you are drilling holes in my head. Humor me. He actually said this to me twice, in ducking requests to inform me about the procedures. More time was spent inquiring about my sunglasses and how they looked cool than on issues related to dentistry.