Berkeley Dental Center

I was here a few months ago and this review is long overdue. So first, the pros: dental cleaning was great. I do not recall the name of the tall white lady that did my cleaning, but she was friendly, gentle and thorough. If you are looking for a place for routine cleanings, I think this office would be quite suitable (aside from the annoying parking situation – expect to pay $ or walk far)
Cons: My PERMANENT dental filling fell out 2X !! I did not eat anything hard or sticky – actually i barely even chewed on the side the work was done. And yet, the filling came out. So yes, I had to slog through traffic and come back to the office not once, but TWICE, due to their lack of know-​how. Yes, yes, they claim «Oh this has never happened before!» But really, the professional thing for them to have done would have been to offer a partial refund. Not just look surprised and only mildly apologetic for the inconvenience they caused me. Did i mention this happened TWICE?
Have i had worse dental experiences in my life? Yup. But I’ve also had a lot better.

I went in today because I had a severe toothache. Turns out, gum infection caused by wisdom tooth. OUCH.
The receptionists were nice; easy to talk to, not hurried, and casual. I liked them.
The doctor, Daniel Mingrone, was AWESOME. He is a kind man that talks like he cares, isn’t judgmental or pushy, and was really lovely. His assistant (forgot his name) was also a dentist but working as an assistant here, and he was great too at explaining everything. I won’t be going back however, because they are considered out of network for me, which is the reason they have a 3 star review.
When I called to make the appt, I told them I had the student insurance from UC Berkeley. She said, «they only cover minimum things, I think» which isn’t true, and that should have been a clue that they are out of network. Thing is, the receptionist *knew* I had metlife insurance, and had I known they were out of network I wouldn’t have gotten the full-​exam and instead just dealt with the one tooth. I got full x-​rays and everything. Granted, my insurance will still pay them and it’s not all out of pocket, but because of this mishap I will lose $ 300 in coverage.
Granted, this was semi-​emergency, and I guess I should have asked «are you IN NETWORK?». But I still think that if you are out of network, you should really tell the patient before they agree to do all the COVERED services that are now going to cost them something.

This is the best dental office I’ve ever been to. The staff (most have been there for many years) are warm, welcoming, sincere — and highly professional. The dentists are wonderful. Whateverthe need, they’re able to meet it. Ive been a patient for 40 years. The several friends I’ve referred are still patients!
Eva, Pat and Lisa were there today and were just great — as usual.

Very good, attentive service. Eva at the front desk was extremely helpful. Dr. Shah was exceptional and tough I only briefly consulted with Dr. Mingrone, he seemed very professional and on the ball.

I would have to say that this is the best cleaning I have ever received! Adrienne Holland, RDH, was absolutely amazing! She made sure that she educated me about my teeth and did an absolutely outstanding job! They were able to see me same day I cannot speak highly enough of Berkeley Dental Center! Thank you guys, great job!!!

Happy with dentist! I went to Berkeley dental center the other day to get a second opinion on treatment that another dentist told me I had to get done. I am glad that I came here before going through with hundreds of dollars worth of dental work. The previous dentist told me I needed 3 fillings done. I saw Dr. Mingrone for my exam after x-​rays were taken. He performed a very thorough exam including taking photographs of my teeth so I could see them on the computer screen. Dr. Mingrone said that I had NO cavities that needed to be filled! He showed me on the photos that I had some staining on my teeth but no decay/​cavities or anything that was «sticky».
Thank you Dr. Mingrone for your honest opinion and saving me $. Also the assistants and staff were wonderful. The assistant (Malek, I think) was very comforting and helpful. The x-​rays didn’t hurt at all! One thing to note: try parking on the street, as the garage charges for parking. Come to this office if you want to be treated right!

Love, s Loves, Loves this Dentist Office. I went for the first time last month and left quite happy.
1. I needed a appointment ASAP! For personal reasons, I literally needed a appointment within a week. I called the office praying for a miracle. The office heard about my emergency and kindly set up a early appoint at 7:00 am to help accommodate my needs. I am forever THANKFUL to the folks at the front desk for answering all my questions and setting up this special appointment!
2. Cathy Polansky is THE best dental hygienist. I know nothing about dentistry, but she help explain my situation and offer advice in a way any human can understand. Also, she is just LOVELY. Sweet, professional, and funny. I left with very clean teeth and a smile to go with it because of her!
3. The view! You will be sitting in a chair facing the beauty of Bay Area’s hills. Simply gorgeous!
4. The dentist, Dr. Daniel Mingrone, is professional and knows what he is doing. I felt comfortable the whole time and appreciated all the help.
I definitely recommend this place to people and I will for sure remain a patient: D

I also came to this dental clinic with a Groupon which itself was — wow — a fantastic deal! Adrienne was my dental hygienist and she was great. At my former dental office, the hygienist is super judgmental and really gets on your case for flossing issues and such. She makes you feel really awful about yourself.
Well Adrienne also encouraged me to floss but instead of reprimanding me, she taught me a gentle way to floss that doesn’t make my gums bleed. She also kept me apprised of everything she was doing during the process and was quoting me latest research on dental science so that’s cool. She even ultra sonic cleaned my nose ring after I had to take it out for the full jaw x-​ray. So thoughtful!
Dr. Mingrone did a great checkup and seems like a knowledgable, nice guy. No cavities for me!
The parking garage requires validation and they don’t accept credit/​debit cards under $ 5 so carry cash for parking.

Love this place everyone was so sweet! When I called Pat help me. When I walked in the office Eva was so sweet! Lupie help when I was in the chair was so nice even gave me a blanket when I got cold! Dr. D. Mingrone was so gentle! What a sweetheart! Thank you Dr. Richard Evangeliata your the BEST!!! Love this place!

Got a referral from my endo to get a root canal of which I’m freaked out about. My first one. When I came in I saw Eva & Pat at the counter. What an experience of such proportion in making me feel so comfortable and at ease! They assured me I’m in good hands and it goes without saying that I will be getting my root canal done here! Thank you ladies so much!

Great service. Cathy, my dental hygienist was great! She’s was thorough with my cleaning and made me feel very comfortable during my cleaning and exam.

This place is terrifying.
A couple years after losing my dental insurance, I finally got a Groupon deal for a dental exam and cleaning here. When I came in, they had me do the usual paperwork, including signing a form stating I agreed to their privacy practices. But when I asked for a copy of the privacy practices before I agreed to anything, the front desk staff couldn’t find one anywhere. Some of the staff didn’t even know what I was referring to. By the time I left over an hour later, apparently they had still not found the privacy practices notice. Red flag #1.
Once I was in the chair, I noticed a computer monitor displaying the appointment calendar, filled with confidential patient information, about 3 feet from my face and easily legible. The calendar stayed up during the entirety of my time in the chair. Pretty sure this is not a «privacy practice» I would have agreed to? Red flag #2.
After the (very friendly and competent) hygienist Cathy completed my cleaning and complimented the excellent condition of my teeth, especially given that I hadn’t had a cleaning in two years, Dr. Mingrone came in to see me. He told me that I had not one but TWO cavities that he offered to fill immediately. Mind you, I have never had a cavity in my life, and my previous dentist had told me that this was pretty clearly due to genetics, which meant that I could likely count on never having a cavity. So I was pretty shocked, especially after the hygienist’s report. The «shadow» on the X-​ray that Dr. Mingrone pointed to as sole evidence of one of the cavities was not even visible to me. Red flag #3.
I decided to go back to my former dentist for a second opinion. When I called the Berkeley Dental Center to get copies of my records, they told me it would cost $ 25. I immediately called the California Dental Association and confirmed that there is a legal limit to how much a dental office can charge for providing copies of records, which amounts to 25 cents per page, or 50 cents per page for microfilm copies. (
) I seriously doubted that after a one-​hour visit this place had 50 – 100 pages of records on me. I called them back to tell them it is ILLEGAL for them to charge me more than the above rates. After some initial defensiveness about their «policy» they backed down and sent me my «records» which just consisted of some emails that included digital scans of my x-​rays – no other documentation. Hella shady. Red flag #4.
Finally: When I saw my former dentist for a second opinion, he told me (as I expected) that he couldn’t detect any cavities on the x-​ray that Dr. Mingrone had pointed to, and so I was once again declared cavity-​free. Moreover, he said that in his opinion, generally for patients who have no history of cavities/​fillings, the appearance of a small cavity warrants watching and waiting to see if it progresses, since in all likelihood it will not progress quickly, if at all. My own obsessive cavity research following my initial dental exam supports this attitude as well, but it does not seem to be shared by Dr. Mingrone.
Other reviews suggest that some patients are quite happy here. I myself can’t comprehend why. I will not be coming back if I can help it, except maybe to get a cleaning from Cathy.

I have never experienced such unprofessionalism and ignorance when it comes to office professionals in a dental practice. From the first phone call until the last experience, they struggled.
Pat was rude and moody to begin with, which I was warned about when I was originally referred to this dental office. My first experience with her on the phone was abrupt and unprofessional. She immediately handed the phone to someone else without informing me someone else would be coming to the line. When Eva, the someone else, came to the line she seemed competent and informed me that they were in network providers for my insurance and she explained what my coverage would be. Several phone conversations and misinformation later in regards to my daughters name and my insurance I finally had my appointment. It was on a holiday in which no one informed me that the parking garage for the office would be closed due to the holiday. I spent over a half hour driving around just looking for a parking space. During my appointment the dentist was friendly, however the incompetence in the office didn’t seem to stop. They took over an hour preparing estimates for the work the dentist said I needed done. When the appointment was over I, again, spoke with Eva about the estimates and she informed me of what the insurance would pay for in regards to work performed in that visit and what would be covered on the work that was estimated. I left expecting to receive statements from my insurance matching what she stated. This is NOT what happened. I received a statement from my insurance stating that they were NOT in network for my insurance and that my insurance was only covering a very small portion of the services. I immediately called Eva and informed her of what the insurance stated, she told me that’s not what she stated previously and continued to argue with me that she apologizes but there must have been miscommunication. I requested for her to have the dentist call me but that never happened. After a bill from the office and a conversation with Pat today, who states she is writing off the additional charges, I am glad to not be doing business with them anymore. I have since had an exam with another dentist who informed me that 75% of the work that the dentist here stated I needed wasn’t accurate. I saved myself a lot of time, pain, and money going somewhere else. Save yourself the headache. This dental office is a mess.

This is one of the best dental experiences I’ve had. Everyone was professional, patient, and caring. My dental hygienist, Adrienne, was very thorough in the cleaning and explained everything clearly. I wouldn’t hesitate to go there again.

Bought a Groupon for a cleaning and I have been professionally received. On time and easeful. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Kathy was wonderful and so sweet.

Awesome Dental office! As soon as I walked in I was greeted by a friendly front office staff. Pat and Eva were very good at making me feel welcomed and comfortable before I even went to the back office! The front office staff is the first impression one has of the office and they made a great impression! Dr. Shah is a very talented, gentle dentist. She placed 3 implants in my lower jaw and they healed quickly and turned out amazing! The entire office was professional and friendly! I definitely recommend this dental office to anyone looking for beautiful dentistry, and a caring staff dedicated to making your dental experience a great one!

Arrived with Groupon in hand, and left with a second appt! Great care, great office vibe, a terrific cleaning by Cathy Polansky, (gentle yet completely thorough), and a great exam from Dr. Mingrone. The best!!!

Everyone I spoke to, the receptionist the nurse and the doctors where friendly and helpful. I hadn’t been to a dentist in some time, and had a lot of questions about my teeth. Dr. Tennant and Dr. Mingrone answered all of my questions with what seemed to me like honest, no BS answers. I was not a previous patient, and expected to jump through a lotta hoops and fill out a lot of paper work in order to be seen, but I was taken care of completely, quickly, and thoroughly.

Awesome office! Everyone was so nice. Eva at the front desk was so helpful and friendly. Dr. Mingrone and Malik are a great team and made sure I was comfortable throughout the appointment. Dr. Mingrone was very gentle! They are a top notch dental office!

If only I could give 10 stars!
The best dental experience I’ve had thus far. Dr. William Tennant, and all his great team from reception, assistants and the hygienists are wonderfully professional, timely, and personable.
I had teeth cleaning and couple of x-​rays, and I really very happy that now I have very healthy gums and I can smile confidently!
This office is not only always on-​time with appointments, but is also completely digital. Also, staff is extremely knowledgeable and explained, in layman’s terms, what is going on with your teeth. They answer all of your questions fully and clearly.
All in all I would definitely recommend this clinic. With that said check out brighter day dental. Reasonable cost and above all a dentist, and staff that you can trust.