Derrick M Chan, DDS

Great dentist! Have been going through the invisalign process and it’s been a great experience. This largely has to do with Dr. Chan and his incredible staff.
Highly recommend!

I am truly so thankful that I found Dr. Chan and his office.
Just last week I had a filling done by Dr. Chan.
I’m probably the most anxious person there is for dentist appointments.
I didn’t feel anything. It was amazing.
And Dr. Chan always has me laughing while I’m in the chair.
Everyone in the office is so pleasant and friendly and helpful.
I couldn’t ask for a better experience at the dentist.
Thank you again for everything Dr. Chan and everyone at the office.

dr chan is awesome! i’ve been going to him for years for cleanings but once i went in after a nasty bike wreck. dr. chan saved my two front teeth which was a miracle. always kind, funny, and gearing out his office with the latest and greatest in dentistry toys, visiting him and his team is always a pleasure.

I have to drive across the bay and across the city to see Dr. Chan. I don’t mind doing that at all, since I love going there. In fact, I lived 2 hours outside of San Francisco for several years, and I kept traveling to Dr. Chan’s office for my dental needs. I’ve been their patient since 2001 and love their work. The staff is friendly and thorough, and the hygienist who sees me is a sweetheart. They always make me feel very comfortable whenever I go. Dr. Chan will often crack a joke in his slightly sarcastic tone, which keeps things light and relaxed. The office is very clean and well lit. It’s located in an easily accessible area of the city with parking almost always available in front of the office (though it’s metered, so bring quarters or a parking card).
I’ve wondered if I should recommend Dr. Chan to others or keep him to myself. I guess I’ll share.

I would not recommend this dentist. I was a patient for 3 or 4 years. I really should say I was a customer for that time since I don’t think I was ever regarded as anything more than that. Dr. Chan, his assistants, and the office staff are all really just sales people in my opinion. Yes, the office is nice and clean. Dr. Chan is friendly and so are his assistants but you can get the same thing elsewhere for significantly less. At least I have. And since I switched dentists probably 2 years ago I am no longer being told that I need to do extra cleanings or have previous work that has lasted for 10 years or more so far corrected. I can’t even remember all the things they used to try to sell me at an appointment. Even the electric toothbrush at the checkout desk! Go elsewhere.

I usually do not write reviews, and especially not one for a dentist.
Let me tell you, I NEVER like going to the dentist and cant imagine anyone who would. I hate the thought of someone working on my teeth, the noise of the drill bits, the long needles, and just the whole experience would stir me away from picking up the phone to make an appointment. After pregnancy I had a problem with my tooth, it was a route canal and is very painful especially if you let it go as long as I did thinking it will go away on its own. Well it didn’t…
I was recommend by a friend to come see Dr. Derrick Chan DDS. I made an appointment ASAP. The parking was a bit difficult on certain days so I ended up parking at one of the meters in front. As I walked into the office, the staff members greeted me. They also asked where I parked and even volunteered to keep track of my meter so the time doesn’t run out. What office does that! They are awesomely kind and so friendly!!! I came in on time, filled out my forms and was brought into the back right away. Dr. Chan and his wonderful back staff assistants was great! they explained each and every step to me. They use high tech equipment to view and communicate. They made my experience smooth and painless. After I was done I needed to make another follow up appointment. The front desk staff scheduled that for me and also went over my benefits as to what was covered and what my out of pocket fee would cost. This is also very thorough and gives me an idea how to plan. I believe one of the Unilocalers mistakenly took their kindness, thoroughness, and great detailed in explaining as high sales people. I highly recommend anyone in need of a great dentist, great staff and clean office environment to come and visit Dr. Derrick Chan DDS. because your smile deserves it!!! 5+ stars

Definitely the best dentist in San Francisco. Dr. Chan’s team members are all smart, efficient and super nice. He runs a well-​oiled practice.

I absolutely LOVE coming to Dr. Derrick Chan’s office. Not only is Dr. Chan extremely knowledgeable, honest, and trustworthy, but his work is always performed above par. Dr. Chan and the hygienist (don’t recall her name) take their time with you and explain things thoroughly. It’s definitely NOT one of those offices that rushes you in and out having performed less than satisfactory work.
The staff is very friendly, welcoming, and efficient.
What I like about this office so much compared to many others I’ve been to is that their work is so detailed. They go above and beyond what most dentists perform during a check-​up. The office is extremely well kept with the most modern equipment.
If you’re looking for quality work performed, this is the place to go to.

The greatest — and his staff are too.
Top notch advice, thoughtful and professional. I’ve seen some dental activity in my life, and I’m so happy to know Dr. Chan’s helping me fight genetic disposition ;)

My wife and I have been going to Dr. Chan for at least 6 years. Excellent knowledge, professional staff that have great bedside manner, and they stay on top of recent technologies without the hype (in pushing products or pricing).
Highly Recommend!

Dentistry is one of those fundamental services that should be consistently excellent. This is why my family have been clients of Dr. Chan and his staff for 10+ years now. His services have always been excellent… and as pleasant as a visit to the dentist can be.

Dr Chan and his staff are super friendly. The office is clean. State of the art technology. Wouldn’t go anywhere else!

Another great visit to Dr. Derrick Chan. Front staff is friendly. Hygienist was pregnant and didnt even show. She was very nice and did a great job cleaning my teeth. She also recommended me sensodyne toothpaste since my teeth are sensitive to cold drinks. Dr Chan only checked my teeth after the cleaning and panoramic x-​rays. He said everything looks good. What else could you ask for? Awesome practice!

Dr. Chan is thorough, meticulous, and definitely knows his stuff. He practices above the standard of care (and has a relatively aggressive/​preventative treatment philosophy). He appears «cutting edge”– with text message appointment reminders and electronic medical records installed well before necessary… I am easily wowed as a lowly patient.
He also runs a very clean office without feeling sterile (like so many dentists’ offices seem), and his team of hygienists + front desk are conversational, efficient, gentle, and knowledgeable. The fact that there doesn’t appear to be much staff turnover is definitely a nice sign. When I’m told my teeth are «fine”– I know that they definitely are!
I only wish he were also open Mondays, instead of Tues-​Fri! Also parking in this area of the Richmond is not as easy as I’d like, but hey, I live in the ‘burbs so I’m totally spoiled. :-P (I do not drive an SUV though!)

I haven’t been to the dentist in more than 2 years (we moved to CA and I got pregnant almost right away, then the baby takes up so much time, and really, isn’t it super easy to put it off?!) so I knew this wasn’t going to be a fun process to find and go to a new dentist, but WOW!
Dr. Chan and his staff are really fantastic. Probably the best dental experience I’ve had in my life. Really super thorough and while it’s going to be a grueling process to get all the hideous plaque removed via laser (and about 5 hours), I know it’s the right thing to do to prevent more bone loss and gum disease. He also did an impromptu root canal that was completely painless. They are very concerned for your comfort and super friendly. Most of all, one gets the sense they are competent and knowledgeable and have state-​of-​the-​art equipment. This is a dentist who has grown with the times. I’m going to recommend him to everyone I know. Best of all, I’m not going to put off going to the dentist ever again.

Here’s a quick quiz to help you pick the right dentist for you:
1. The day after working on your teeth, does your dentist:
a) Call you personally to follow up on how you’re doing
b) Have his staff email you a curt reminder about being on time for your next appointment
c) Forget your name
2. Does your dentist invest most of his earnings in:
a) Updating the practice with the latest tools and technology
b) Long vacations that render him unavailable for appointments
c) His cars and ex-​wives
3. If a procedure takes longer than expected, does your dentist:
a) Ask his staff to feed your meter
b) Abruptly stop in the middle and ask you to reschedule for a «second half»
c) Complain that he’s missing the lingerie fashion show happy hour at Sutter Station
4. If you were having your fillings changed out and the tooth sander nicked your tongue, would your dentist say:
a) N/​A!!! Would never happen
b) «Que sera, sera. Want a band-​aid?»
c) «I told you that would happen! Stop choking and sit still!»
5. While you are rendered speechless undergoing a procedure, does your dentist talk mostly about:
a) Your job, the things you have in common, and great restaurants
b) What a horrible flosser you are
c) His high school football career
If you answered anything but A to any of the above questions, you are missing out on the best dentist of your life. I’ve been a patient for 15 years, and I’d recommend Dr. Chan to anyone (and often do). He has an unbeatable bedside manner, a well-​run, state-​of-​the-​art practice and a helpful, polite front desk staff.
(If you answered C to any of these, I also went to this pud once because of some terrible insurance I had. There’s nothing quite like hearing all about a guy’s Porsche collection while your mutilated tongue floods blood in your mouth.)

If there is one undeniable truth about Dr. Derrick Chan DDS, it is that he is as thorough a dentist as they come. Never have I had a dentist spend so much time with my teeth! I know that sounds ironic but when visiting dental offices in the past, the dental hygenist has performed my cleaning (which takes up the majority of the visit), then the actual dentist came in, picked around a bit, and sent me on my way with a seal of approval.
Not so at Dr. Chan’s. After taking about 20 x-​rays, doing gum thickness tests, analyzing my previous sealants and fillings, and putting some pen-​sized camera in my mouth to show me on the flatscreen where I should brush more, Dr. Chan sat down with me himself and fielded my questions and concerns regarding my teeth.
Since it was my first visit to his office, Dr. Chan personally called me on the phone the next day to follow up. He wanted to make sure my mouth was feeling ok and check if I had any more questions now that I had time to process the visit. Also, he sent a hand-​written note in the mail thanking me for becoming a new patient at his office. His crew at the front desk was also very helpful in explaining what was covered/​not covered by my dental insurance and when I requested x-​rays be sent to my oral surgeon, they were on the ball with that too.
Dr. Chan came highly recommended (everyone I work with has seen him for decades) and I am very happy that I have him as my dentist.
My only concern about Dr. Chan is that his thoroughness can be a little shocking at first. On my first visit, he recommended a preventative procedure called «deep-​cleaning» that he said wasn’t necessary but something he really encouraged. My teeth have always been great– never had a cavity believe it or not– so I was a little surprised by this news. I definitely appreciated Dr. Chan letting me know all my options, but before I go ahead with that costly laser cleaning, I will definitely seek a second opinion first.

I been their patient for over 3 years, I just switch dentist last year. Tired of the BS. They seem to always encourage you to have more work than need. The receptionists are like high pressure sales people when they are scheduling you for another appointment. I got a second opinion from another dentist and it saved me mega $$$. Not going back!
Another negative is that they are never on time and it’s okay… but when you are late just once, you loose your appointment and get charged for disappoint. Highway robbery.
My husband’s experience was just as bad or worst. He convinced my husband to replace his one filling because he said it was cracked. And to this day my husband is not able to eat anything crunchy on the left side of his mouth. The following is a list of problems after the procedure.
1. A return visit was necessary because the filling was rough and needed to be smoothed out.
2. The filling was filled lower than the original filling. This gave it and a concaved shape.
3. The filling is so poorly done and sensitive, my husband hasn’t been using the left side of his mouth to eat.
We are working with another dentist to fix his one cavity. This experience discouraged him a little from going to the dentist.

This older Russian lady recommended Dr. Chan to me years ago. She saw him when her old dentist was incapcitated and she felt guilty by going back to her old dentist when he was better. But she did say that Dr. Chan was very, very good.
And guess what? She was right!
I have been coming to Dr. Chan for many years and he has been so helpful with my multitude of dental maladies. So (and this may be too personal) I had to have a bridge made and he did the work… perfectly, might I add. The workmanship gets compliments from other dental professionals, that’s how good that bridge is!
Oh, and he is a proud dog owner (of basenjis), but I haven’t stopped working on getting him to adopt a big ol’ pitbull.

Wow — I am so happy I found Dr. Chan’s office! I don’t know about you but I hate to go downtown if I don’t have to for any kind of personal care. I live out here in the Richmond and I like to keep things simple.
So I was just walking home yesterday, stopped in to get some bleach for my trays (since his place is right near my house) and was immediately pulled into the ambiance that is Dr. Chan’s office.
I’m talking about an ambiance of professionalism and trust… and it was all around me… So since it was time for my cleaning (And I needed to find a new dentist anyway) I felt I would give it a try and I was able to get in on a cancellation for a cleaning the next day.
Well after my cleaning today, can say I have found my new dentist and here’s why:
First of all, the front desk people are really friendly.
Second, the office is super clean and organized. (love the ducks)
Third, the Hygenist is so knowledgeable and thorough.
Finally, Dr. Chan is *great* — I feel like I am in very good hands.
I made another appointment — I am hooked!
Overall, very professional, warm and friendly.