Merilynn Yamada, DDS

I had a wonderful dental experience with Dr. Yamada and her entire staff. I never felt pressured to do or buy anything. They were extremely helpful every single visit. Her staff is very knowledgeable and Dr. Yamada is both kind and professional. I originally started with invisalign and then switched to orthodontics to address another problem. In both cases the outcome was great. Dr. Yamada and her staff were always professional, helpful and pleasant. The treatments were thorough. I had many photos taken before and after treatment. I had never had this done before at any dentist’s office. Parking was always validated which was a big plus. I would not hesitate to recommend Dr. Yamada and her staff for any of your orthodontic needs. They made nice looking teeth easy to achieve.

I’m disappointed with this place. Please do your homework thoroughly: know the differences between invisalign and braces before you get rob! Price is too much. Too much pressure from staff.

Over inflated prices for the assistants doing all the work. Dr. Yamada strolls by patients like a person walking through a park looking at roses. You will wait hours at times for your scheduled appointment. All the patients are packed into one room, no dividers, zero privacy and zero conversation on what each step is for your kid.
If you are an adult this might be a place for you to go but for a first time parent with a first time kid for ortho work, I say it’s not worth it.
The only time the billing office (Gloria) will communicate with you is when they feel you owe them money. If you show they in fact owe you money because insurance has paid out they are quiet as a mouse. You will do all the work in this joint from contacting your insurance to making sure the doctor actually sees your kid at the appointment. Sometimes she is not even there.
Here’s the breakdown of cost:
$ 350 for a 360 x ray that they make everyone take — Not covered by most ins
$ 4,000 for expansion plate (top and bottom) when you pay cash BUT$ 3,880 if the insurance pays — still trying to figure that one out
Approx $ 6,000 for braces
I got suckered for the first 2 but I won’t be taking my child there for braces.
Lastly, I have spoken to another 2 parents using Yamada and they can’t stand it there either and plan to take their children somewhere else after the expansion process.
3 parents, 3 different kids all having a bad experience and paying a lot of money for it.

I enjoyed being a patient at Dr. Yamada’s office. She was so pleasant to work with and addressed all of my concerns. Her staff is also wonderful. I would definitely recommend visiting this office if you’re in the market for a beautiful smile :)

Experience was great with Dr Yamada and teeth look fantastic! Her staff is awesome too.

I was very disappointed with the high pressure sales tactics used by the office manager. She was very interested in what I did for a living. I felt that was used as a gage to what I could afford. I was pressured into paying $ 400 out of pocket for diagnostics to get the Invisalign process started. And was told they would bill my insurance later and refund me the difference. This never happened, they took my money and I saw no refund. Dr. Yamada stayed out of this discussion which was interesting. After being quoted $ 5500 for Invisalign, I stated that quote seemed on the high end of the current market rate and I was told my teeth would only need 6 –9 months of trays. After that, the office manager wouldn’t return my calls or see me. I called numerous times to get my records and the diagnostics I paid for. I was given the run around by 3 different employees. I showed up at the office to get my records to get a second opinion and Dr. Yamada pulled me aside and very awkwardly opened my mouth to look at my teeth again. She made me a «verbal» offer considerably lower than what I had originally been quoted. AND she said we’d have to do another mouth mold and send it in to see if I was even an Invisalign candidate. I questioned the need for another mouth mold, why couldn’t they use the first one? I asked if her offer included my $ 400 that I paid out of pocket? I received no answer and walked out of their office without any records. I was so disgusted with how unprofessional things were handled. If I could give zero stars I would. My advice is to go elsewhere!

Dr. Yamada and her staff are amazing! I was referred here by my dentist for braces. Dr. Yamada got me into Invisalign after I was told by a few others that it wasn’t possible. I was thrilled! The whole process was super easy and Dr. Yamada and her staff were incredibly helpful and supportive throughout it all. I am so happy with my smile now!!!

When searching for an orthodontist it took me a while to find the right one that was right for me until I found Dr. Yamada. She and her staff were wonderful. They were very accommodating and nice throughout my whole experience with getting Invisalign. I would recommend Dr. Yamada to anyone.

Dr. Yamada and her team are amazing! I’m located in the South Bay and drive all the way out to Burbank. I am very happy with the results they have provided. I would highly recommend their team!

I recently had corrective jaw surgery, and I almost didn’t go through with it because I was told I’d need braces. I did not want braces. Luckily, Dr. Yamada is a sorceress with Invisalign and she worked her magic on me and I couldn’t be happier. She worked closely with my surgeon every step of the way, and by the time surgery day rolled around my top and bottom teeth were set up to fit perfectly together. I’d definitely recommend Dr. Yamada and her wonderful team to anyone, and especially to adults who are hesitant to get braces again and want to try out Invisalign.

Dr. Yamada is the kindest person I have ever met. Her staff is amazing. Due to a car accident, I lost two of my front teeth. I was devastated. My dentist recommended that I get braces before I get my dental implants. That’s when I came to dr Yamada. She and her staff put me at ease every time I had an emergency. They would always fit me into their schedule. I finally have my smile back. Thank you Buena Vista Orthodontics!!!

Great staff and I love Dr Yamada, even if she tortures me every month. I had many consults with other orthodontists before choosing Dr Yamada. I am an adult with full on metal braces, they suck, but I am confident in Dr Yamada’s skills. Her staff is very friendly and greet me with smiles each time I go in. They always remember me and make you feel very comfortable before they wrench on your mouth. lol
One thing to know is that no matter how great your dental insurance is, braces are EXPENSIVE. A bonus of Dr Yamada’s office is that they will work with you on payment plans to help make your treatments affordable. I personally couldn’t have done it without that. They did way underestimate the time frame it was going to take for my treatments, but I have a unique case and sometimes it’s not always easy to predict. I am realllllly looking forward to the end of it though.
Ohhhhhhh and I cannot figure out why, maybe it’s a joke, but they are always playing the Food Network on the tv’s. It’s like a silent torture! hahaha
I do highly recommend Dr Yamada and her staff, they genuinely care about you and making your smile perfect.

I just finished my invisalign treatment and I am completely satisfied with the result.
I was extremely nervous about orthodontic treatment mainly because of the cost and because I am an adult. My initial consultation with Dr. Yamada was very helpful, she laid out all the possible treatments and cost associated and the best part was they put no pressure to begin treatment right away since I needed to save money. They called me back an agreed upon 4 months later and I decided the time was right.
I don’t think I could ask for more on how Yamada’s team treated me, everything was clearly explained in advance from time estimates and what to expect along the way. Perhaps most importantly I realized that braces/​invisalign is really like an art form and Dr. Yamada was a master. She modeled out exactly what my finished teeth would look like and showed me how we would get there. Once we were close to the end she was not satisfied until everything was perfect and I really appreciated that perfectionism.
I was also concerned that with typical patients being kids, I might feel out of place in the office or worse that the staff wouldn’t be used to treating adults but I can confirm this was not an issue at all. Yes, most of the patients are kids but there were many other adults and Dr. Yamada was fantastic.
The con that sticks out in my mind is that you need to be aware that orthodontic treatment requires many appointments throughout and afterwards. Since I moved to the west side during my treatment the frequent appointments became difficult for me to make. Office hours are weekdays so if you work a M-​F 9−5ish job I would suggest you consider the travel time if you do not live in the Burbank or Valley area. That said, I do think my treatment was top notch so if I had to do it over I think I would sacrifice the commute time and still pick Dr. Yamada.

My two brothers and have been coming here ever since we were little, and all three of us now have beautiful smiles!!! We really do have the people here at Buena Vista Orthodontics for our lifelong smiles! Thanks guys, we’ll miss you!

My daughter and I both go to Dr. Yamada and her staff at Buena Vista Orthodontics. I am more than satisfied with my results and my daughter is close to getting her braces off too. I would highly recommend them if you are looking for great orthodontic care for yourself and your family. Dr. Yamada and her staff do a great job of taking care of their patients and treat you like family, yet are real professionals at what they do.
My sister also had gotten braces around the same time, but she went to orthodontists near her house in OC. Not just one, but two and she had horror stories to tell about both of them. Moral to the story: Don’t waste your time looking any further than Dr. Yamada if you want to go somewhere friendly and professional that will get you the results that you want and expect.

Dr. Yamada was recommended by my regular dentist. My front teeth were beginning to cave in. Dr. Yamada and staff are so awesome, thorough and patient. Totally painless. Thank you so much!

Yes, there can be a bit of a wait for the appointment, but it’s because of everything they’re doing right. The staff was friendly and helpful, and maintained a sense of urgency and care when dealing with my Invisalign treatment.
Although it can be pricey, I can assure you that you get what you pay for. After years of orthodontic work, I didn’t think that my lingering underbite and crooked teeth could be fixed. But now that I’m finished over a year of treatment at BVO, I stand corrected. I couldn’t be happier with what Dr. Yamada and her team were able to do.
Comfortable atmosphere, good people, validated parking. Well worth the trip into the valley.

Last year, I was referred by my dentist to Dr. Yamada for Invisalign care. The process has been easy and it took about 12 months for the entire process. I am very pleased with the friendly staff and service, not once did I ever have a problem! The cost for Invisalign was pricy but it did include the retainers and follow up appointments with her. However, they will work with you on monthly payment plans. Dr. Yamada is very popular for the reason that she knows what she is doing. Therefore, when making appointments, expect delays because she books fast!
The office is very well organize, clean, & efficient. I am very happy with Dr. Yamada.

I was referred to Dr. Yamada by my regular dentist and am so pleased with the care I’ve received. Having had braces twice as kid and still living with crooked teeth, I wanted to give it one last try with Invisalign. Even with a pending wedding and time constraints she was able to work with me to achieve the desired results and on my schedule. Which wasn’t easy since it included a two month hiatus from treatment that involved removing all the Invisalign attachments so I’d have a pretty smile for my wedding day. Dr. Yamada couldn’t have been more understanding in accommodating my request. The office staff is efficient and friendly. Appointments are easy to book and parking is validated. Office is a win win!

Both of our children go to Dr. Yamada. She is a very caring consciencious orthodontist. Maybe it’s not the most inexpensive,
But well worth the care and of course the results. Being a healthcare
Professional myself, I understand paying well for excellent care.