Phillip H. Saddler, DDS – Saddler Family Dentistry

Oh insurance… You have finally lead me to the dentist that an old fling raved about when I first met him and told him to floss when I actually spent enough time with him to see his teeth brushing routine.
Dr. Saddler is an awesome guy. His office is welcoming and his staff are accommodating.
Seeing as he was the only local dentist my new insurance would cover and the rave reviews I randomly heard from someone whom I last spoke to over two years ago, I’d say he’s one of those random surprise happenstances.

Dr Saddler squeezed me in during an emergency and handled me with care when I was anxious and in a lot of pain. Thank you!

Love every single employee at this office! They are all very kind, helpful, and patient. Dr. Saddler is very funny and makes a visit to the dentist a pleasant one. There are TVs in every room, so if there is a wait, it doesn’t feel like that long!

More than a dentist. Dr. Saddler took special time to speak to my son about his hygiene and the importance of keeping clean. He also spent time mentoring. They say it takes a village and Dr. Saddler believes in his clients beyond just customers but investments. Thank Dr Saddler for being an extension of reason to a 17 year old who constantly hears from his pops.

Nothing but good things to say about this office (except maybe trying to find parking). I scheduled appointments for my husband and I back-​to-​back here as new patients, and they were very accommodating. They were able to fit us in within a few weeks.
The actual office is a nice space with television to watch in the waiting area and rooms. The staff is very friendly, both on the phone and in person, and made sure we were comfortable the whole time. I have jaw issues, so during my cleaning the tech made sure to let me take breaks to rest it and made sure I was okay with everything. Dr. Saddler himself is a very nice man, listened to my questions and explained everything in a non-​condescending or judgmental manner. Great experience. My husband and I will be repeat patients here.

Friendly staff and one of the best dental hygienist I’ve ever had. I was very pleasantly surprised with this place (which I have walked by on my commute for years but never thought twice about until my regular dentist was too busy to see me). Glad I did!

If the thought of going to the dentist frightens you, I recommend Saddler Family Dentistry. It’s a warm, friendly environment; both Dr. Saddler and his staff will make you feel immediately at ease. Phillip Saddler has been my dentist for more than 10 years, and I would never think of going anywhere else. The office may look small on the outside, but inside it’s modern, with the latest in dental technology/​equipment. No more waiting for a crown; Dr. Saddler and his team can x-​ray (digital), build and place the crown in one visit. I especially appreciate that I never wait more than 15 minutes from my scheduled appointment time to get into an exam room. I have a rule, if I am not seen by a doctor within 30 minute of my scheduled appointment time, I leave. This has NEVER been an issue with Dr. Saddler, even when I have an emergency and they’re «squeezing me in». The office is closed on Friday, not a negative comment, just a «for your information». Dr. Saddler’s only downside has nothing to do with his dental practice (which I highly recommend). He is an avid S.F. Giants fan; however, Dr. Saddler is such a good dentist I have long since forgiven him this unfortunate lapse in judgment.

I’ve had a fear of dental work for awhile due to a few bad experiences over the years. Dr. Saddler just might change that. He recently fixed 5 of my fillings and it was the best dental experience I’ve had in a long time. He is also great with those numbing shots. If you’re looking for a down to earth, professional, great neighborhood dentist… look no further. I’ve already recommended him to some of my friends.

Of course I had a dental emergency DAYS before my insurance was set to expire. Not only did they get me in (for a crown so not a short apt), the entire staff was incredibly nice & kept me informed about what was happening throughout the entire process. Dr Saddler was also super friendly and very personable. It was hands down the best dental experience I have ever had and I have really bad teeth so I have had more than my fair share.
I also hadn’t been to the dentist in a few years leading up to this and they were totally nice. NO JUDGEMENT about my terrible attention to my dental health.

Professional and honest with a top notch hygienist. Got a cleaning and xray and it was all pro quality and at a fair price. I will return no doubt. Plus Dr. Saddler is personable.

This Dental Office is amazing! State of the art equipment, very little discomfort if any! My crown came out on a Friday late afternoon I emailed Dr. Saddler with photos of my dilemma and he promptly emailed me back same day and made me an appointment for the next Tuesday as Monday was a holiday. Got a teeth cleaning and a new permanent crown all in one morning. Awesome place and when I need dental work done this is the first and only place I call!

Best Dentist Ever!!!

I was previously a patient of Dr. Saddler’s and not sure why I left but I came back because I felt like my other dentist was a crook; sure enough I was right’o. I had new X-​rays done today and only need 1 filing repair. The last dentist (who will remain nameless) whom I hadn’t seen in seems like forever had 6 – 8 things I needed to have fixed and was going to cost me over $ 2000; say what?! I am happy to be back here and appreciate reasonable rates, honest dentistry and new technology. I didn’t even have to bite on those ridiculous cardboard pieces to get my X-​rays– hallelujah!

I was terrified to go to the dentist after not having been through grad school. I was experiencing pain and found Saddler Family Dentistry on my insurance website. They fit me in that day and were very nice and informative. I went back a week later to have an old filling fixed and a cap put on. I was very nervous and Dr. Saddler and his staff were all very nice and put me at ease. Dr. Saddler is also very personable and funny, which really helped me to feel less concerned. The procedure was surprisingly painless and very efficient. They also took care of all of the insurance issues! I really appreciated the time Dr. Saddler and the dental hygienists took to explain the procedures and to help ease my anxiety. I would recommend the practice to anyone seeking a dentist in the area!

I went to a Philip Saddler, DDS in Berkeley, CA on December of 2010 because of a shooting pain in a tooth located in the upper-​right side of my mouth. He said I needed a root canal and had time to do it right then. I signed my consent forms and allowed the treatment. A few days later I had severe pain in the same tooth and returned to Dr. Saddlers office where he told me after he’d taken an X-​ray that he had missed a root and would take my temporary off and clean out that root as well. I did not return to Dr. Saddlers office to have a permanent cap placed on my tooth because I felt uncomfortable that I’d had to come in twice. I went and visited another DDS who looked at my tooth and said that the root had been exposed to bacteria and there was decay. She said my x-​ray looked unusual and referred me to an endodontist in Alameda, CA. The following day, the endodontist told me that a file was left in my root, it is significantly large and after a third root canal the endodontist told me that he could not reach the file and my tooth must be extracted to reach the file.
At the oral surgeons office, after my tooth was removed and an implant placed, I was told that the file he left in my gum nearly punctured my sinus cavity and Dr. Saddler was a breath away from filling my sinus cavity with liquid packing material. Imagine the extent of surgeries I would have needed to have…
Go to an endodontist for root canals.
You can also search your DDS’s license history at
to see whether or not their license is in good standing. Dr. Saddler has had his license suspended before.

It’s difficult to describe in words just how amazing my experience at Dr. Saddler’s office was, but I’m going to attempt to do so here.
It had been over four years since I’d last visited the dentist (and that was four years with no flossing!), so you can imagine my trepidation walking in through the door. But as soon as I came in and was greeted at the front desk, I knew I’d come to the right place (the inside of Dr. Saddler’s office resembles a beautiful day spa).
My Dental Hygienist, Mercedes, was one of the nicest ladies I’ve ever met. She came out to meet me, and we started on this amazing, state-​of-​the-​art x-​ray machine that got a full view of my teeth in about 30 seconds. I didn’t need to bite down on those annoying little mouth pieces and wait half an hour while someone moved around a machine at different angles.
I was worried that my teeth cleaning would be painful and bloody, especially since I had not been flossing, but Mercedes was incredibly gentle and considerate, and she would consistently make sure I felt comfortable. She cleaned and polished my teeth fantastically, and now they look better than ever!
Dr. Saddler came in to meet me shortly after, and I hardly had to wait at all, which I really appreciate. He was the nicest dentist I’ve ever met — he has a great big smile and jolly demeanor. He explained the condition of my teeth in very simple and clear terms, and although he told me I should be flossing, he wasn’t pretentious or patronizing in the least. I personally hate it when dentists give you a hard time about decisions you’ve already made, so this was greatly appreciated on my part.
I’ll definitely be visiting Dr. Saddler again, and I would suggest anybody to do the same — especially if they’re worried about not having visited the dentist in a while!

I am pretty picky about the dentist and I really want them to be nice, friendly, knowledgeable and to not cause any undue physical pain. If you are like me, then this is the place to go. My hygienist was nice and really helpful. She explained everything really clearly. Plus, Dr. Saddler was also nice. He took the time to meet me and ask me questions beyond just my dental resume. This is the place to go!
Now, why 4 and not 5 stars… the experience was mildly disorienting at first with minimal information of what to expect from the front desk staff. I actually felt like I was bothering them. But, when my appointment was over, the staff was crazy nice and helpful. They totally took the time to explain my dental insurance benefits to me so that I could be an informed consumer! ROCK ON!

I had quite an adventure with this dentist. I went in to have 2 minor cavities filled (apparently all the brushing and flossing in the world still doesn’t always prevent cavities). I was having some cold & slight pressure sensitivity in one of my upper molars. Upon examination, they found a cavity in one of my lower molars, and also decided to do a filling in the upper one with sensitivity as a preventative measure.
Afterward I was feeling more sensitivity in the upper tooth, and a terrible ache along my entire jaw on the side of the lower molar. I went back into the dentist, and this is where the debacle began, and when this dentist proved how incredible he was.
He redid the fillings. Twice. There was still pain. I went in for a second opinion at a different dentist (a little afraid of offending my current dentist because he and everyone in his office were SO nice, and knew me by name). The other dentist said that Dr. Saddler had done excellent work, and whatever was wrong with my teeth was something he couldn’t see (maybe it was the type of filling, maybe there was a hairline fracture undetectable by x-​ray).
I went back to Dr. Saddler (now that it was confirmed that he hadn’t done anything wrong). He knew I had gotten a second opinion, and rather than be offended, he actually encouraged it; whatever was necessary to get at the root (no pun intended) of the problem.
I had a list of recommendations from the other dentist, so we tried the first one: change the type of filling. So he redid the fillings again. This fixed the upper molar, but the horrible ache was still occurring in my jaw, indicating that the problem went down to the root. He did a crown on this tooth to see if that would fix it. Still didn’t. Skipping to the end (and a few more re-​done fillings later), what must have happened was the first session of drilling into that molar had created hairline fractures in what was already a ready-​to-​fracture tooth (probably because I clench my jaw & grind my teeth in my sleep). A root canal was necessary. Once it was performed and the excruciating pain that inevitably follows subsided, my tooth was finally better!
You should know that all of these re-​done fillings (I think about 7 visits in total) were done for FREE. Dr. Saddler didn’t charge me for one of them. He was never frustrated or impatient; he was only upset at himself because I continued to be in pain, and he was determined to solve the problem. The problem which could have been caused — accidentally — by any dentist, that no one could have avoided. He took great care of me and stuck with it until the problem was solved.
Dr. Saddler is an amazing dentist — he does great work and he actually cares about his patients. By trying to find a dentist for a second opinion I ran across a lot of reviews and realized how good I had it with him. All of the other 5-​star reviews for him are well-​earned, and I wish I could add more than just one to the bunch.
Also, when I’ve gone in without insurance (which I’m going to have to again), they give me the lower price (not the one they charge insurance companies with; the one they charge individuals with). So they really do care. Thanks for reading!

Dr. Saddler is the best dentist I have ever had the pleasure of knowing! Not only is he incredible at what he does, but he is also very personable and funny! I don’t do well with dentists or needles, and he made my filling a positive experience. The freezing and drilling was painless and quick. He was very gentle through the whole process. He is also a very kind and laid back person, which put me at ease right away. He sat down with me and explained everything that was going on in my mouth and what needed to be done before he even began working on my mouth, which I thoroughly appreciated.
The filling did end up being a little «high» after he had finished, but since I was frozen on that side, I couldn’t make a sound judgment on it at the time. He told me to come back if it bothered me as the day went on. As we had suspected, the height of the filling was affecting my bite through the day, so I popped back over to Dr. Saddler and got it filed down to size. They didn’t charge me any extra and were completely happy to fix me up!
Insurance was an absolute breeze. All I had to do was tell them who my provider was, and they literally took care of everything else. Since my insurance covers preventative care at 100% (ie: routine cleaning) and since it doesn’t have a rate for sealants (which I got done), they only charged me the $ 40.20 for the filling. Sealants on the house — woop woop!
The heigenist who did my cleaning (Mercedes was her name, I believe?) was such a sweetheart and so gentle. She showed me my x-​rays and explained exactly what it showed them about what needed to be fixed and future concerns. I’d never had anyone explain to me in such great — and helpful — detail! She also showed me proper flossing techniques to reduce gum recession.
Everyone from the receptionist to the x-​ray technician was friendly and very pleasant to deal with. Scheduling was easy and efficient, and they got me in right away both times I came in. They keep a good speed about the office, but I never once felt rushed.
Also, you gotta love the free toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss! I will definitely be back and I would encourage anyone — child or adult — to give Dr. Saddler a chance to change your opinion about dentists forever. Thanks Dr. Saddler and staff!

It seems curious and borderline supernatural that I could post a 5-​star rave review for somebody that I’ve always associated with the devil incarnate — a dentist — but do it I must, for Dr. Saddler is one of the best that I’ve ever encountered. A consummate professional and a genius at his craft, and super laid back and friendly to boot. Despite feeling both terror– and guilt-​stricken over not having been to a dentist in _​_​years, both he and his equally friendly staff put me at immediate ease and made the whole process a lot smoother than can be anticipated.
During my visits, I was consistently impressed with the timeliness and efficiency of the office staff. Gone were the days of languishing in crappy waiting rooms, leafing through page after page of Better Homes and Gardens. I was always summoned within 2 – 3 minutes of my designated appointment time.
Furthermore, they took into account that I’m still a student and were very accommodating of my financial situation, making sure to minimize costs whenever possible (even after my insurance had been maxed out). All in all, I ended up spending more than ¹⁄₃ less than what I initially thought I would have to spend on all of the dental work I ended up getting.
Also, I’m not sure what it is about Dr. Saddler. He is just the best. The man stuck a laser in my mouth (a LASER, you guys) and I still wanted to give him a hug after that. His kind, soothing voice and kooky sense of humor made everything bearable and almost fun.
Overall, this was a great experience and I would highly recommend Dr. Saddler’s establishment to anyone residing in the Berkeley/​Oakland area. P. S. they accept SHIP insurance.