Scott McKinzie,DMD

The always text me a reminder, And they even provide their home number in case of emergency, their caring is personal. I love family businesses

I found Dr. McKinzie via Unilocal.He has his high rating because he and his staff totally deserve it. I feel like I am going to the Ritz of dentists from the delightful phone call for my appointment to the time I get into the chair. If you are a dental conference planner, please consider Dr. McKinzie and his wife as speakers on how to do customer service right. They are experts.

Very nice office staff.

A quick update. I overdid it on some popcorn and ended up with a sore gum. This persisted for a couple of weeks until it finally turned into a gum abscess over last weekend. Kate got me in immediately on Monday and after doing some x-​rays Dr. McKinzie noted that I did have a small cavity on my tooth but couldn’t tell if that caused the abscess (meaning I might need a root canal) or if it was just in my gum. He referred me to a specialist and his office called and got me an appointment that afternoon. The specialist was great and they determined that I did not need a root canal and they gave me a treatment plan and antibiotics. Two days later I feel almost back to 100%. Amazing! What is more Dr. McKinzie sent me a follow up email this morning to make sure I was feeling better and to tell me that Kate would follow up with me next week to get me scheduled for the filling. Simply the best!

was here for many years when he inherited /​purchased practise from old dentist. care was always good enough (except. can’t remember her name. that one hygienist several years ago who thought she was grinding tartar off the side of my molar– but instead was creating a new canal in my tooth bone! :(ugh!)
kate (dr. mckinzie’s wifey) is cavity-​sweet & intensely fanatical about getting you scheduled in, but don’t cancel or need to reschedule one too many appointments or she will initiate the Big Divorce, but– at least she was nice enough when breaking up with me too. :0) i get it. they need to make their money $$$!! lesson: keep your appointments peoples (ahem, me) or put on your walking shoes!

The McKinzie team is amazing! Nothing puts me at ease more than a calm voice on the phone. That is what happens every time I call or am there. I have never felt comfortable at the dentist until I found them about 3 years ago. My husband and I will never switch dentists!

This office should win awards for their care and customer service. From the moment you walk in the door, you are taken care of and all of my questions were thoroughly answered by phone and/​or email in a prompt and professional manner. The services, insurance coverage, and length of the appointments is spelled out clearly to the patients which is miles above what other offices offer. You have raised my expectation for what to expect in a dental office. Well done!

I pulled up my stakes from Oakland a few months ago, and can’t seem to face the idea of finding a new dentist. Scott and Kate are a perfect team. I appreciate all the things they do to make you more comfortable: bubbly water and lavender washcloths. The hygienists are especially gentle. Kate also went out of her way to help me when I switched dental coverage.

This is the best dentist I have ever been to. Dr. McKinzie and Kate are friendly, personable, and always make the extra effort to make you feel comfortable. I’ve never had a bad experience here and would recommend them to all my friends and family.

Here is a show stopper
First, Kate followed up with me diligently to get my kids booked in for an appointment. I am very busy and I appreciate how they accommodated me during a holiday week.
They have a toy room, snacks, drinks and all amenities (are we at the spa or the dentist??? I asked myself). My children had their appointments, got the most gentle and caring attention, then got to choose from the treasure chest.
Now get this — they both cried because they had to LEAVE the dentist. They continue to say «i want to go back to the dentist»
They are 2 and 4.
Highly recommend this dentist to be different than our generation that feared the dentist.

Dr. McKinzie and Kate are just awesome. Scott (as he likes to be called) was always super gentle and easy with me. He also has a great sense of humor. It was so easy to forget I was at the dentists office!
Kate is incredible at the front office, and is just a wonderful human being. I moved so seeing them was no longer practical, but she got my records and X-​rays wherever I needed them to be.
When I think back to my visits with them I don’t regret a single penny spent. I know it sounds weird to say, but I only have fond memories.

Great staff! Everyone was very kind and patient. The hygienist took great care of me; the cleaning went really well – painless! I was very impressed with Dr. McKinzie’s follow-​up too.

Once again I’m moved to recommend Scott and Kate McKinzie and everyone in the office! Marjan’s cleaning was the first time I remember going without local anaesthetic; she used a bit of numbing goo that lasted only a few minutes but no injections needed. Always wonderful Kate got me in quickly for a broken tooth; I was lucky someone had canceled and they had a slot. Scott truly listened and explained, and I feel cared for rather than processed.
They’re considerate, they deal with you as an individual, and they treat you like long-​lost family. They have all the modern equipment and training, and they’re extremely gentle, which is a huge plus for those of us with particularly sensitive gums and other such issues.
I’ve read some of the negative reviews and I feel sure those reviews truly reflect the experiences those people had. My experience has been different, unfailingly positive. All I can offer as explanation is that no situation works for every set of people; interpersonal chemistry, circumstances, and unexpected events shift rapidly and relationships are affected. For me it’s been an experience beyond excellent, really surprising, and I feel lucky to have these folks in my contacts list. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

**Update**
After an amazing remote customer-​service experience (below), I went in for a cleaning. I am an annoyingly sensitive and anxious dental patient after a childhood of orthodontia and botched oral surgeries– but Scott, Kate and the professional staff were all wonderful. Friendly, efficient, careful and painless — and absolutely no up-​selling. Highly recommended.
**Original Review**
I have yet to step foot in the office. This four-​star review is for Kate, who couldn’t get me in until next week (they’re closed Fridays) but was concerned that my sore tooth could have an infection. So she scheduled me another appointment, with another dentist. She even checked on my insurance, with that dentist, and with my insurance company.
My husband is a very satisfied patient here already. Suffice it to say, I’ll be happy to become a regular, too — after my root canal consultation.
Give ‘em a call!

I LOST TEETH BECAUSE OF THIS GUY. I was the guy AP review talked about. Scott was working on my teeth and I had a tooth next to the one he was working on. So I said this filling fell out a little bit and what should i do? Scott said don’t worry ill fill it in. No drilling he said,

” I’ll just fill it in”, which he did. But his filling was too big which caused the tooth to totally crack and be removed. He sent me to a another place which charged me around 2 grand to remove the tooth. Of course I had no more insurance that year since my deductible was $ 1k for the year. Thinking i had to repair what i had, i finished out my work with Scott. So because of his judgment i lost my teeth.

I spent many happy years here, then last week, received a letter that I had to find a new dentist. My last appt, that I never booked, never confirmed, I was a no show for — go figure.

My SO was experiencing a lot of pain from a root canal that got infected. We tried contacting the dentist who performed the procedure, but did not get a call back from her for over two days. The pain keeps getting worse, and now the swelling is so bad she can barely open her mouth.
Out of desperation, I call Dr. McKinzie’s office, even though I know they’re closed, and they’re not my SO’s dentist but mine. His answering machine says to call his home number for emergencies, so I call that as well. At the house number, the answering machine starts to play, and as I’m leaving a message explaining that my SO is not actually a patient of his, but the pain and swelling are getting worse, Dr. McKinzie picks up.
20 minutes later: we have a prescription for vicodin and antibiotics called into Walgreens, the dentist who performed the root canal has been updated on the status, and, our small world is set right again.
Dr. McKinzie is simply the most generous medical professional I have ever met.

It’s been over a little over year since my first review and I’ve since had 2 crowns, 4 fillings replaced, 3 cleanings, and a checkup for a chipped tooth. So I feel I can say with complete confidence that he’s the best dentist I’ve ever had and would recommend him to anyone looking (children included).
His works is fantastic and he and his entire staff have been professional, caring, and totally transparent when it comes to treatment as well as payment options. It feels like I’ve found a well kept Oakland secret!

I had a dentist in Santa Rosa that I really loved. When I moved to the East Bay, I kept making the trip north to my trusty ol’ tooth doctor because I couldn’t bear the thought of starting from scratch. Then one day, I had an epiphany: if I can find a good burrito, nail salon, bird costume, and professional unicyclist on Unilocal… surely I could find a decent dentist.
Well, I didn’t just find a decent dentist, I found the PERFECT dentist (thanks in part to John Z). Everything about the experience at Dr. McKinzie’s is beyond pleasant — the friendly welcome and cold Perrier at reception, the heated blankets you can wear during your cleaning, the gentle technicians constantly checking in on your comfort, the accommodating receptionist who will gladly call your insurance co. to make sure your services are covered before you commit… it’s pretty amazing. I didn’t think they made people this nice anymore!
Another bonus, the office is in a pretty old building that feels more homey than clinical, and there’s plenty of street parking in the neighborhood.
I’m very happy to have found «my» dentist in the East Bay, and have already referred another friend who was procrastinating on his dental hygiene. If you’re nervous about dentist hunting, save some time and stress and call up Dr McKinzie’s — you’ll be in great hands.

For my 100^th review (or as known to many of my Unilocal friends, a «drop in the bucket»), let’s talk about something fun, something sexy, something glamorous. Yes, let’s talk about … my dental office ?
Well, let’s also not diminish the power and poise of good, regular dental work — a good smile is your best first impression. But, in my 14+ years living in the East Bay, my dental experiences have ranged from ‘ok’ to disastrous. When I moved from SF to Oakland, I Unilocaled for a general dental practice and found Dr. McKinzie at the top of the list, and called their office for a cleaning.
Kate, with whom I made the appointment, was as helpful, and as sweet in person as she was one the phone. Like, one-​of-​the-​nicest-​persons-​on-​the-​planet sweet. She also happens to be married to Dr. Scott, who’s not just a great guy, but a terrific dentist. I was having concurrent problems, mid-​procedure, with a very questionable endodontist in SF (long story, and if I related it she’d probably threaten a libel suit) — but got a great referral by Dr. Scott for a new endodontist in Oakland to finish the procedure. And Marjan, their regular dental hygienist, makes semi-​annual cleanings almost a joy.
I thank Unilocal for finding me this gem of an office. Moreso, I thank Dr. Scott and his staff. Not just for excellent dental care, but for a caring and friendly relationship that makes the phrase «customer service» seem trite. A visit to their office offers not just healthier teeth, but an earnest smile too … that just makes you think how potent the power of care and positivity in human interaction can be. If more businesses were like this place, we’d be a few steps closer to utopia.