Baldwin J Hoo, DDS

I first started seeing Dr. Hoo when we lived in San Bruno. Over the last 10 years we’ve moved to a few different cities in the Bay Area and I’ve had other dentists, but have gone back to him because he is the best. We currently live 20 miles away but the trek is very much worth it. Plus I get to have some Jollibee at Tanforan afterwards.
Dr. Hoo is very friendly and thorough. He does the teeth cleanings himself and is not judgmental. One time he extracted a loose wisdom tooth (I had 3 of them surgically removed a long time ago before, and I guess this one was just really late to the party). I thought I might get a big bill for it since it wasn’t part of a normal cleaning, but it was extremely reasonable.
It’s very easy to schedule appointments and they call you with a reminder. I’ve gone through quite a few insurance plans as a patient here and never had any billing issues.

I came to Dr. Hoo because I had bad experience with my previous dentist.
Dr. Hoo did a thorough dental exam at no cost to me. Instead of telling me what’s wrong with my teeth, he explained why I didn’t need the fillings and deep cleaning recommended by my other dentist.
He clearly answered my questions such as why I have black marks on my teeth and why my gum bleeds when being pressed. The other dentist just told me I had a lot of cavities which are actually food stain.
This dentist really knows what he is doing and is not trying to rip you off. Highly recommend him!

So friendly and honest. They are not money hungry like other dentists I’ve been to. I might need a tooth pulled but have a cavity. There was no pressure to get all four teeth pulled, not even the one since it didn’t bother me much. Thank goodness for downright honest service. I would def recommend!

This is a good, gentle, honest dentist. Not that getting your teeth prodded and scraped and cleaned is just the most enjoyable thing in the world to do after work, but what great hours he provides.
He’s accepted both insurance plans that I’ve had, and I came to him based completely off recommendations from Unilocal and my wife, who had nothing but good things to say to him.
Their office is low stress, with a gorgeous, soothing, salt water aquarium and a friendly staff, including Andrea and Michelle, and others.
I’ve been a chicken-sh*t about getting myself into a dentist over the years but his staff gently sends you reminders to come in every 6 months, and, with his soft style, really makes this as good as it gets (next to not having to go in the first place).

I had a pretty intense toothache and went searching for a dentist near my work on Unilocal.After calling a few places, I called Tanforan Dental Care and they got me in on the same day! They were super nice and helpful and Dr. Hoo took care to explain everything thoroughly. I was in and out of the office in 30 minutes. Another plus is all the easy parking as the office is right next to Sears and under Hooters :)

I really have to thank Dr. Baldwin Hoo!
He was very polite and professional making me feel comfortable. I haven’t gone to the dentist in a long time so I really wanted to go to someone who can do a good job and make me feel relaxed. My friend recommended me to him and she was right with everything she said. He was very knowledgeable and really takes time in observation and he is gentle when cleaning your teeth. He also was very helpful in providing instructions for dental care as well as good recommendations to orthodontists.
The dental office is clean and spacious. There are varieties of magazines for you to browse while you wait.
The Receptionist, Dental Assistant — they all are super friendly and polite!
+ Easy Location (at Tanforan Mall by Sears)
+ Bountiful parking
+ Appts are on time
+ Takes different insurances — you’ll probably have to consult with them on this one.
I even travelled out of my way to come here and so worth it to know your pearly whites are in good, caring, honest hands.

I really am very pleased with Dr. Hoo and his staff at Tanforan Dental. Dr. Hoo is very knowledgeable, diligent and takes the time to listen to my concerns and answer questions in an understandable manner. His staff is polite, organized and accommodating. From booking an appointment to having the procedure done, it’s pretty much seamless and painless. I don’t think he’s ever kept me waiting, which I really appreciate. The office setting is clean and pleasant (even the bathroom is), and parking in the mall lot is generally easy to find. I really like the day-​before phone confirmation, as many medical offices don’t do this (or they say they will but don’t); and the fact that they’re open on Saturdays is a convenient plus. It’s been well over a decade that my family and I have been going to Dr. Hoo, and we’d recommend him to anyone looking for a good, quality dentist.

I have been a patient with Dr. Baldwin Hoo for twenty years now. He is professional, punctual, and very knowledgeable. His office staff is friendly and helpful. He has a gentle manner and knows what he is doing. His experience shows. I’ve had a few crowns put in by Dr. Hoo, and each came out great. He will follow up to see how you are doing, which is a really nice touch. The tone of the office is quiet and relaxed, and you feel confident knowing your teeth are in good hands (literally!).
Parking is easy, and you can even get some shopping done at the Tanforan Mall before or after your appointment (very convenient).
Although I live a bit further away, it is worth the drive to San Bruno to continue with Dr. Hoo. He definitely is my dentist of choice, and I highly recommend his services.

Dr. Balwin Hoo and his dental assistant, Angela, provide stealth dentistry. The office is pretty calm and low key, just the way I like it. An overly excited and noisy dental office would make me nervous… Before you know it, my teeth are cleaned, gums inspected, and X-​rays taken. As close to painless as it gets.

Poetry in motion; that is what this practice is all about.
*Appts are made at your convenience by friendly & polite staff.
*Your appts are on time or very little waiting in a relaxing office with a great fish tank to keep you calm.
*Established patients (and perhaps new ones) will be seen for emergencies.
*Dr. Hoo & his assistant perform like a well rehearsed orchestra which makes you know you are in professional hands.
*Information is given in easy to understand language and options of treatment are openly discussed.
*Many insurance plans are accepted
*Cleanings, fillings and crown work is done expertly, painlessly and quickly!
*Dr Hoo & staff are so friendly and entertaining you look forward to your bi-​annual check ups — which they kindly remind you when they are due.
My family & I have been to many dentists through the years and Dr Hoo is by far the best I’ve ever known. (Hey I’m actually writing a review about a DENTIST! You KNOW he’s GREAT!)

Firstly, Dr Chan is as wonderful a dentist as he is a friend. He is extremely professional, knowledgeable, genuine, gentle and very friendly. Perfect for a scaredy-​cat like myself. His staff is 1^st rate. I’ve been seeing Dr Darwin Chan for over 10 years with no complaints. His way with handling patients like myself, helped me overcome the fear of dentists!

It’s pretty hard to find a good dentist that fulfills your requirements. Some dentists are always booked up while some only offer the most inconvenient times. I found Dr Hoo after going to a few different dentists on my dental plan.
Unfortunately for me, these two dentists claimed that i needed deep gum surgery. One even rejected the idea of a simple teeth cleaning after I said no to the $ 700 deep gum cleaning. If a patient rejects the deep gum cleaning then isn’t the next best thing to do is give them a regular cleaning?
Anyways, luckily I found Dr. Hoo. The location is great and there is always parking. Luckily it’s at Tanforan mall, so I can go shopping after a teeth cleaning. Dr. Hoo told me I didn’t need a deep gum cleaning and that I was taking care of my teeth. I knew all that tooth brushing would help me in the end! Dr. Hoo is very friendly and knows what he’s doing.
The beauty of Tanforan dental is that it’s open pretty late. I was surprised when I was able to book a 7p appointment. All you people who don’t want to take off work to go to the dentist should come to Tanforan Dental because they can acommodate the after work crowd.
The receptionists are good and always give me a call to confirm my dental appointment. I haven’t missed one yet!
Anywhoo, check it out if you are unhappy with your dentist. A lot of dentists out there are no good. Dr. Hoo is great so check him out instead.

Those that know me might think its funny that I am writing a review for this dental office. But since I had two cavities filled today, I am going to give it an honest review like I do all the other establishments.
So first of all, it was a surprise that I had two cavities, not just one. I guess I’ve been eating too many sweets and not flossing enough. Anywho, I was even more surprised that I needed to be injected with numbing drugs in order to do the fillings. I tried to bargain with them «Come on… we don’t need those. Put those away and I swear it won’t hurt when you drill away bits of my teeth. Promise.» But Dr. Hoo was adamant about it… on with the needles. Did I mention that I had cavities on BOTH sides of my mouth? So exactly HOW MANY injections did I get?
SIX. yes six. And surprisingly it didn’t hurt. I must say I was anxious, needles into other people yes, needles into me, no. It was comforting how his dental assistant ANGELA held my hand and told me it was nearly over.
While my face was heavy and completely numbed, Dr. Hoo must have told me to «Open» at least 50 times. I guess I was chomping down on his fingers since I couldn’t feel my face.
An hour later, and one silver and one white filling later… I felt like Two-​Face (from Batman anyone?) because when I talked only one side of my mouth moved and the other was just lazy. SUPER RETARDED/​UGLY/​EMBARASSED TO BE IN PUBLIC TILL I CAN FEEL MY FACE.
But that was the drugs, the appointment, the execution of the fillings were all perfect. I loved what a great team Dr. Hoo and his assistant Angela were. I think they might have high-​fived each other after I left.
YAY! Now where did I leave those chocolate filled pastries?!

It’s great here. Convenient & the staff is both patient & knowledgeable about insurance. They’re so professional.

Dr. Hoo is awesome. His hours fit well with my hectic work schedule. I can usually call in and make a Saturday or weeknight appointment not too far in the distant future. They close at 9pm on some nights. There is plenty of parking at his office since it’s located at Tanforan Mall.
Inside, he’s probably cursing away at the sight of the disaster that is my mouth, but on the outside, he doesn’t show that at all. Instead, there are gentle reminders to floss, use a Water Pik, or rinse with Listerine, as he works carefully through the cleaning. He is always considerate and extra gentle if you let him know that your teeth are feeling rather sensitive for whatever reason.
I repeat, Dr. Hoo is awesome. Freaking out/​getting into panic mode about going to the dentist now is truly unnecessary. If you’re seeking out an office in SF, he has one in Laurel Heights [
!

Dr Hoo provide most excellent service. Been going to see him back when his office was inside the shopping mall. He and his staff are friendly and always look out for your comfort during his exams. Unlike other place where they have hygiene’s doing the cleaning before the dentist looks at your teeth Dr Hoo does the work.

I avoided going to the dentist for a very long time. mainly due to the fear/​hate of sharp metal objects that would have to be used to clean said teeth. *digs toe into ground, looks down innocently.* of course, i was also avoiding them, because i knew i would be chastised for not going to the dentist for so long. Dr Hoo was recommended to me by some relatives, so I just chose him, no questions asked. He was in my insurance network, so that was a plus. I mean, it would be seriously hard to choose a dentist randomly… [SO not calling 1800 dentist. i hate those commercials]
On the first visit, I was surprised to find that i had no cavities since my last dentist visit. woohoo! Dr. Hoo was really helpful and gave a more informative lecture versus shaking his finger at me. He’s very thorough and is good at what he does… i’ve had a previous dentist who made me dread/​hate those painful cleanings. *hiss*
Service is pretty good. considering. they will HUNT you down… im not kidding… after my wisdom teeth removal with the oral surgeon from the same practice, i didn’t call them back about a deep cleaning that i was supposed to schedule. When i finally did contact them back, it turns out that Dr Hoo forgot that i already had my wisdom teeth removed. He was trying to make sure that I had my procedure within those 6 months, so that i could have my removal right after. apparently it was due to my insurance policy that allows for only one major procedure each 6 months. So that is above and beyond what i expected from a dentist. he rocks!
In the last year, I’ve been there at least 5 times [cleanings, deep cleanings, wisdom teeth removal]. i guess it makes up for all the lost time. see you in 6 months!