Mario E Tai, DMD DMSc

FRIENDLY, THOROUGH, EFFECTIVE!!!
I searched thoroughly for an orthodontist to treat my daughter with braces. I settled on Dr. Tai for several reasons:
Staff: His staff is EXTREMELY friendly and helpful. His office manager was very thorough on what our insurance would cover and they had a couple of options that were very suitable for our liking. Grade A++
Office: The office is very clean, the waiting room can become busy, but I would prefere a busy office than an empty one (a sign of how well the business is doing). They have: plenty of seating (I have seen it get full, but never over-​booked), a large-​screen television playing movies for the kiddies; a coffee maker and water for guests. A+
Patients: Everyone is smiling. Even the children… in a dental office… where pain is usually served on tap. And yet, zee cheeldren, zay smile! Adults alike.
Doctor: Dr. Tai’s staff is a reflection of him in regards to friendliness and caring. He took his time on our first visit and does so every time we see him, to address all of our concerns and answer all of our questions.
True story: During our consultation, I shared with him a differing approach to treatment that another orthodontist had (who I was considering). Instead of bashing his fellow orthodontist, he stated his reasons based on his experience. And he was humble enough to say, «maybe the other orthodontist has had different results that I have had using ‘that’ method… I would call him and ask him these questions…» And they were honest questions, not constructed to «stump» the doctor, but rather to assist me make a decision on which treatment worked best for us. I found his humility, honesty and kindness (again) very refreshing. Grade A++
My daughter has been a patient of his for over three months now and every time, his administrative staff and his dental assistants have been the most pleasant people to deal with. They remember my daughter by name and I feel that they have established a relationship with her. It is a «happy office» and we look forward to each visit.
Technically, my daughter’s treatments are coming along very nicely! We are all so pleased with the progress of her teeth straightening.
Dr. Tai and staff have my highest recommendation!

Another update for the guy who fixed my occlusion! I was on a short visit back to Cali and I came back to visit Dr. Tai three years post-​treatment! Awesome orthodontist! He wanted to do a quick check-​up, so he asked me to bite down. open. bite down again and he said «well done, Alvin!» Thanks for the quick p/​t check-​up! I don’t think I would ever need another treatment! Thanks to his meticulous and strategic treatment plan! Once again, I am forever indebted to you for my amazing smiles!

If you’re looking to get your teeth fixed with invisalign and are comparing orthodontists, stop searching! I am so happy I chose Dr. Tai as my orthodontist. I originally had braces when I was in high school but my top retainer broke causing my top teeth to move. Ive always wanted to get it fixed again but as a young adult and college student, I always felt like I wouldn’t be able to afford it anytime soon. However, one day I decided «hey what the hell, lets just see how much it would cost» I researched a ton of orthodontists in my area, scrolling through the reviews, looking at the before and after gallery, etc. etc. Eventually, I scheduled an appointment with about 5 orthodontists. The first one I went to was an elite provider, had amazing results, very close to wear I live, however during the consultation I didn’t feel like I was welcomed and comfortable which definitely had an effect on my final decision, also they apparently did not accept my dental insurance so the price was pretty high for me. My next consultation was with Dr. Tai’s office, another elite invisalign provider. The moment I walked in, not even lying, I already could sense there was a huge difference between this consultation and my last consultation. The office feels very homey, the staff was unbelievably friendly, they had brand new technology, and they were playing fixer upper on the TV (which I took as a sign because I love that show). I was introduced to Dr. Tai and his wife Dr. Chen and they are the most lovely people ever. They are extremely knowledge about their field considering they both graduated from Ivy league schools, but at the same time they were both very down to earth and made you feel at home. My experience kept getting better when they even offered to show me what my results would look like after Invisalign using their modern digital impression system. The girls that work there also make you feel like you’re just hanging out with your friends and really made it a comfortable, friendly environment while also being very professional as well. At the end of my consultation, they finally gave me a folder with all the invisalign information as well as the expected cost it would be. Considering my experience was so amazing with them from my initial consultation, I thought it was going to be too good to be true but as I opened the folder, I was extremely surprised at the price. Extremely reasonable and also they took my dental insurance which cut it down a lot and then they offer a 5% discount if you pay in in full. I realized I could start my treatment immediately if I wanted to, so thats what I did and I recently came in last week to sign the contract and pay in full and am now ready to start my progress! I will update this review with my end results in a year’s time. If that review did not sell you, then I don’t know what will because this place is beyond extraordinary. The least you could do is schedule a free consultation and give it a shot :)

My recommendations, his treatments are very high quality and not super expensive (about $ 200/​mo.). It worth going for 2 years, my recommendations.
He cares a lot about patients, even a single cancer sore not caused by brackets! And he gives cancer sore medications as soon as he finds sore! I never see a doctor that cares about patients more than Dr. Tai.
Very easy to take appointments, even Saturdays.
He told me that I’m going to take off braces after 2.5 years of treatment, but it ended up 5 months faster than expected. Very glad to hear that.

Dr. Tai is an amazing orthodontist! One time, on Saturday I had my braces taken off and Dr. Tai came in on a Sunday especially for me to give me my newly molded retainers to make sure my teeth hadn’t moved back. This example really demonstrates the consistent care and dedication Dr. Tai shows to all of his clients.

Approachable, caring, and stellar service!
I used to work for a retailer that prides itself in customer service and I have to say Dr. Tai is truly exemplary of that! I finished my orthodontic treatment in San Diego, but I have relocated to Irvine. I needed another orthodontist to occasionally check the fit of my retainers. I called, he was able to fit me in the same day within an hour! I came in, he checked the fit of my retainers and assured me I was doing a great job of taking care of my teeth. He answered all my questions and concerns. I feel extremely fortunate to stumble upon him on Unilocal and I am glad I walked into this office. I almost wish he was my orthodontist from the beginning. He even gave me a pink, sparkly retainer case as a Christmas present :).
All-​in-​all, AMAZING service. Please go see him to fix your smile.

Our dentist referred my son to Dr. Tai in 2013 and he is currently receiving treatment. I also started seeing Dr. Tai due to my fixed retainers. I’ve had braces twice (first as a teenager and later as an adult– both times lasting between 2 – 4 years). My dental cleaning last week pulled the wire out slightly, which caused a space to open between my upper front teeth and the wire broke yesterday. I called Dr. Tai’s office and got an appointment for early this morning. Dr. Tai was busy but he took the time to examine the problem, removed the old wire and glue and created a new fixed retainer– all the while concerned about my time schedule. Wow!
If you’re looking for a knowledgeable, very competent, caring and patient orthodontist– Dr. Tai is your man! Dr. Tai and his staff are absolutely wonderful!

This is my first review. I felt it was worth the time to sign up on Unilocal and share my family and my experience at Dr. Mario Tai’s Orthodontics with the families that are truly in need of a great orthodontist.
I highly recommend Dr. Tai for your orthodontic needs and the staffs are wonderful too!
Our friends highly recommended him when our son needed braces. My husband and I brought our kids in for free consultation. Dr. Tai was very honest and professional. He was the second orthodontist we had seen for our son. The first orthodontist was expensive and had the high tech office. However, Dr. Tai is very reasonable with also his high tech and innovative machines. Our son ended up getting braces at Dr. Tai’s Orthodontics, but our daughter had to wait. Thereafter, our daughter had gone in for 3 more free consultation. Finally, she was ready to begin her treatment. We persisted on having Dr. Tai treat our daughter, because we felt he was very knowledgeable with his treatment plan for each of our kids and thoroughly explained what needed to be done and the reason why he takes the certain approach.
When my dentist told me that I needed to change my bite due to repeated crack on the same tooth, I also went with Dr. Tai. It was not just for the convenience since our kids were treated there, but I knew I would be in great hands.
It won’t hurt to get Dr. Tai’s opinion on your orthodontic needs. Call for a free consultation. You won’t regret it!

I highly recommend Dr. Tai. Dr. Tai takes great pride in the results of your treatment. He wants to make sure that your smile is the best that it can be. When I saw the results of my teeth during the first treatment, it looked great; however, he saw that it could be 5% better and decided to fix that percentage as part of the original treatment. Also, I lost a few retainers and he was very good about the cost of additional retainers to make sure it was affordable to me. The staff is very friendly and helpful. If you needed an appointment, you are able to get an appointment within a week. You definitely get more than you pay for.

I was referred to Dr Tai by a friend and I couldn’t be more happy with the result. You know when your insurance doesn’t cover orthodontic works and you will not settle for any orthodontist unless you know for sure he will give you a good smile. I have to say I got my money worth.
Dr Tai is very attentive and nice, and he has been patient with me since Day 1. He will explain with details to every questions you have. I remembered the first day of consultation, he laid everything out to me. I told him I wanted invisalign instead of braces, but of course braces adjust alot of faster than invisalign. His price is very reasonable compare to other places I’ve done my research on. He was very accommodating and gave me a payment plan since my insurance doesn’t cover orthodontic work (but the insurance covers my kids-​if I have kids… which is stupid because I am the one paying for dental insurance). Dr Tai explained to me the process based on how my teeth were. For the first few months, I had to put braces on to adjust my overbite. Painful but it’s worth it. After a few months successfully adjusting my bite, I was stuck with the invisalign. I had a total of 62 invisalign trays (10 days for each trays). Do the math (it took forever) but it went by really quick. The pros to having invisalign are the trays are clear (you can’t even tell I have a tray on my teeth) & you developed very good dental hygiene (you intake less sugar & you cut down junk food) because you don’t want to go brush your teeth every hour. But keep in mind, you will need to develop really good habit of brushing and wearing the invisalign trays throughout the whole day for a better result. if you don’t, you can’t blame the doctor for bad result. If you’re a lazy person, then I wouldn’t suggest invisalign, go with the braces.
Since I finished my last invisalign tray back in July 2015, there were minor adjustments that invisalign couldn’t fix (because of a huge gap that I had long time ago). Dr Tai proposed to put braces on for about 3 – 4 months and that should fix the minor stuff. So I moved up to Northern Cal about a year ago, and since I had the braces, I had to fly back every month to get the braces adjusted. which I didn’t mind because I trust Dr Tai that he will fix everything and I didn’t want to go to another orthodontist up in NorCal. I am so happy that Dr Tai accommodate my appointments when I get a chance to fly back to LA. Dr Tai and his staff were able to accommodate saturday appointments and it made my life so much easier and less stressful.
His office is very nice, clean, modern, and comfortable. The lobby is equipped with k-​cups coffee, tea, and water. The only bad thing I encountered is my cell phone reception is kinda weak. I have verizon, not sure about other provider though. Parking is not an issue here (at least on the wknd), there is a huge lot for this medical center.
Overall, I highly recommend Dr Mario Tai, he is a honest and trustworthy doctor that doesn’t rip you off or make you feel uncomfortable. I love it when Dr Tai gets super duper excited that my teeth are shifting beautifully. and he figures out all these different ways to adjust my teeth, it’s like his new innovation. He can do whatever he wants as long as it works for a better result and IT DOES WORK!!! Thank you Dr Tai for fixing my teeth. I am one satisfied patient.

My friend and I, were in search of a local orthodontist and came upon Dr. Tai’s Unilocal review. After skimming through a few, we decided to stop in for a consultation. We were sold!
This is my 2^nd go for orthodontic care, and I’m very happy with his «master piece», thus far. Him and his amazing team are very polite and personable that they have me looking forward to my next appointment (oddly enough).
The treatment is reasonably priced, and is worth every penny of it!

I would recommend Dr. Tai if you are planning to get Invisalign. He is a very honest doctor and explains the procedure in details so you feel comfortable. I went to other orthodontist and they all tried to convince me that I needed braces but I knew my mind was set to invisalign since I already had braces before. During my consultation, Dr. Tai listened and was very honest with his answers.
Also, his staff are very friendly and greets you when u walk in. Since Dr. Tai only specializes in braces and Invisalign, I assumed that it will cost a lot but I was wrong. He makes Invisalign affordable and offers a reasonable payment plan. I am looking forward to getting my treatment and to see the final result in a year.

Dr. Tai is the best! I started going there when I was around 10 years old. At that time, I had a crossbite, meaning that I smiled with my lower teeth in front of my top teeth. Later on, we also discovered that my canines were growing inwards and would required surgery to expose and straighten them. But even with all these complications, Dr. Tai was very patient and gave me a perfect smile! He is very knowledgeable (Harvard education!), amicable, thoughtful, and meticulous. His clinic is very clean and welcoming, and everyone on staff is very pleasant and friendly.

Nice people, however sub-​par communication that was not in the best interest of my teeth. Might save you some stress going to another practice. Or maybe I just fell through the cracks. Who knows, nonetheless do you research.

I absolutely recommend Dr. Tai Orthodontics to anyone and everyone! Whether it is your first time needing braces or you need to revisit previous treatments from other offices, Dr Mario Tai is the BEST! I came to Dr. Tai based on a recommendation from a coworker of mine (who has braces and was very happy with Dr. Tai). I already have been through two rounds of metal braces with two other doctors (one when I was a teen –no complaints) and the other recently that was a nightmare.
Dr. Tai is a master, he takes great pride in his work. Dr. Tai is incredibly intelligent and personable, he is very realistic in what treatment will look like for you as a patient. For me I feel he absolutely over delivered keeping the expectations with me very realistic. I appreciate his honesty and his level of artistic perfectionism to create the smile I desire. Dr. Tai is committed to making me happy and providing me with a result I am pleased with, I cannot thank him enough for the end result! I am so relieved I chose to move forward with Dr. Tai, I could’t be happier (and I am a perfectionist) :)
Dr. Tai and his entire staff are extremely polite, professional and understanding. It was very easy for me to book my first consultation appointment and every appointment following (added bonus, they are open on Saturdays!). It is refreshing to be greeted with positivity, feeling welcomed and be surrounded with staff that is knowledgeable, I feel very confident at Dr. Tai’s office. Office atmosphere is always clean and inviting. Appointments always run on time, I never have to wait more than a few minutes in the lobby. Office is easy to get to and parking is ample. Communication in regards to appointments and care of braces is clear and polite. Paperwork with insurance and payment is clear and pleasant, fair and reasonable pricing.
Sincerest thanks to Dr. Tai his entire staff for making the entire process for me so easy and pleasant. I love my new smile!

Location: i had thought their office before was just fine. Spacious, clean and filled with friendly people. They recently moved to a brand new office though and everything looks so sparkly! They always have water, coffee or tea in the waiting area for patients. But, I’m never waiting long enough to take advantage of it! There’s always lots of parking at their new place too.
Staff: The staff here is awesome. They are organized, helpful and friendly. All of them are so cute! I love chatting with them and seeing the office ladies every time i’m due for an adjustment. They’re always cheerful and help make each visit a great experience. I always look forward to seeing what kind of holiday decorations they have in the office!
Dr. Tai and Dr. Chen: I was able to see both Dr. Tai and Dr. Chen for my case. They’re both so knowledgeable and detailed about their work. I felt very at ease in either of their care! Dr. Tai has a degree from Harvard, and Dr. Chen from Columbia., so you know they’ve had only the best training, education and experience in the world. However, it’s both of their personalities, approach, experience and genuine care for their patients that make going to them so amazing. They will always use the most efficient, effective, and safe way to get the results that look the best. They also have the best aesthetic sense for a smile that’s suitable to your face. Not many orthodontists have the best sensibility about that! I felt comfortable with Dr. Tai and Dr. Chen and trust them completely with my teeth. They’re not just professional and highly skilled, they’re also really wonderful people!
I’ve had braces previously in grade-​school and junior high, but my orthodontist at that time did not pay attention to aesthetics. The main problem was resolved through braces, however, the alignment and bite was not the best. At an older age, I then went to another orthodontist that tried to adjust my teeth with retainers. It improved the situation but did not resolve it. Then, one of my good friends suggested I see Dr. Tai and Dr. Chen about it. That was the best thing that could have happened! After about a year, just had my braces removed yesterday. Now, everything is perfect and i feel great about my teeth. Also, I don’t get TMJ anymore since my bite has improved. Everything is wonderful from their patient care, facilities, staff, to the end-​result. I have a great smile now thanks to them!
I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for an orthodontist! i am definitely referring all my friends and family to them. :)

There is no question about Dr Tai’s exellent skill. He is very knowledgeable and helpful. One time, my child’s wire broke and we called almost 6:00 pm. He waited for us to get there and fixed my child’s wire after all his employees were gone.
The girls in his office are all very sweet.
The reason I do not give 5 stars is because of his new clinic is smaller than his old clinic. Some time, there is enough room for patients to all sit dhow in the waiting area.

This is my second time in life getting braces. I had them when I was a teen. I am now an adult.
Needless to say I had a lot of reservations about getting braces again as an adult and did a lot of crazy research before deciding on who would work my treatment. Dr. Tai was the bomb and I am so glad I picked him.
The staff is also grade A. Everyone is friendly and does what they can to work with you. I adore everyone in this office.
What’s so great about Dr. Tai?
1. He knows his stuff with respect to orthodontia and is happy to share his knowledge with you when you ask questions. He seems like a teaching spirit. especially when you watch him with his staff
2. he’s passionate about orthodontia. He’d look at my X-​rays and say stuff under his breath like «Nice» and «yess» hahaha. Right on! Love to see people who love what they do so much
3. He thinks outside of the box and uses critical thinking. he’s not just regurgitate old stodgy methods. He stays current and you see the benefit of that.
4. HARVARD. and normally I hate ivy entitlement. he has none of that entitlement problem but he does have the elite education
5. Friendly guy.
So if you are an adult in the OC and need braces, see this guy and his family of staff.

I found Dr. Tai through Unilocal two years ago. I was seeking a specialist to straighten my teeth and fix my bite. During my initial Unilocal search, I looked for orthodontists with the highest ratings in Orange County. I contacted the top five and scheduled appointments. During each of my consultations, there were certain things that I like about each of the specialists, but there were also some things that caused me hesitation in moving forward. When I met with Dr. Tai, he was precise and adequately answered all of my of questions. At the conclusion of my consultation, I signed the paperwork and I was eager to move forward with treatment. Dr. Tai has outstanding credentials and he has an excellent reputation among his peers.
Dr. Tai recommended Invisalign for my treatment. The plan was highly individualized and he utilized 3-​D computer modeling to design and predict my treatment plan. After x-​rays, photographs and impressions were taken, a series of customized invisible aligners were created. During each visit I received a new series of aligners. I switched aligners every 2 weeks and had follow up appointments every 6 weeks. My treatment plan was nearly effortless, duration was minimal and the ease of the plan exceeded my expectations.
Dr. Tai is dedicated to his practice and truly provides impeccable individualized service. Dr. Tai and his staff are professional, efficient, punctual, friendly and accommodating. I was able to schedule all of my appointments on Saturday. My experience with Dr. Tai’s office has been exceptional and my results are outstanding. I absolutely recommend Dr. Tai.

Dr. Tai is an excellent Orthodontist! He is professional, competent, trustworthy and an all around easy-​going person. His credentials are more than what you can ask for… a degree from Harvard.
Like an artist, he can take a look at your teeth and know 20 steps ahead what exactly to do. He not only is in the business of making your teeth straight, but he will also correct your bite… thus changing the appearance of your face (in a positive way). He is very busy man, but he will make time for you. He has trained his staff competently to perform with excellence.
Not only do you want an excellent Orthodontist, you also want an excellent staff. Believe it or not, his staff makes him ever better! The team work efficiently, fast and thorough. If you have a problem with one of your bands or brackets, they will try to squeeze you into their busy schedule and fix you up in no time. I’ve had a few instances where my brackets have fallen off and they fixed me up with no charge. I hear other places charging $ 50 each broken bracket. Forget that! They are that good.
Dr. Tai’s prices are fair as well, which makes this place even better.
I recommend Dr. Tai and have referred two of my coworkers already.
***UPDATE 2−5−16
Well, it’s been over 2 years at Dr. Tai’s office. Since my review back in 2014, I’ve taken off my braces and let me tell you, I am very happy with how Dr. Tai straightened my teeth and fixed my bite. My smile has never been bigger. I want to show everyone my teeth when I talk to them, because I am happy with how it turned out. People in turn are happier when they are around me. They tend to even smile more.
Dr. Tai’s work is worth every penny because your smile says so much about you and how your smile can positively make others feel. I wish I would have done this earlier!
Towards the end of my treatment (around 22 months), Dr Tai was also able to look out for some minor details that I mentioned to him. He listened to me and did not dismiss it as «extra work» and explained carefully if my requests were possible and/​or beneficial to my teeth/​smile. I wanted an honest opinion and Dr. Tai gave me his honest answer. What more can you ask for in a doctor, right?
The staff, after two years is still amazing. They are 1) competent, 2) fast, 3) professional, 4) orderly and 5) pleasing to talk to. What more can you ask for in a staff?
If you’re on the fence whether you should check out Dr. Tai or not, I would say to simply schedule a free consultation. It doesn’t hurt to get an opinion from a trustworthy doctor who looks at his customers as more than just teeth, but people who have wonderful plans in their lives, wanting their smile to carry them along in their journey.
So it’s not just teeth.