Serenity Dental Spa

I was told that I had 4 – 5 cavities and I was shocked because that was so unusual. I got a second opinion, and my new dentist said I didn’t have any. The X-​rays sent over from Dr. Shahabi’s office were poor quality so she took new x-​rays and didn’t charge me just so she could confirm for sure that I didn’t have cavities. I’m very shocked by this. Friends are telling me this is medical fraud. I just hope people read these reviews and stay away.

This dental office pressures treatments other dentists would say are completely unnecessary. The one star reviews are 100% accurate and I should have listened before going in for a standard cleaning that turned out to be a TWO HOUR sales pitch. I was told I «need» (not just a recommended option) a long list of services (I had pretty good insurance apparently), which goes against my entire dental history so I was taken aback and got a second (and third) opinion. Both other dentists didn’t find a single problem that needed attention.

I 1^st came here last year after a poor experience at another dentist location. They really make the difference! The service is amazing (they have a flat-​screen TV in each service room with Netflix :) and they offer some chap sticks to moisture the lips!!), the location is very convenient for my work between Embarcadero and Montgomery BART station, their machines seem all brand new, they are all extremely professional and made me feel at ease and relaxed. They explain to you very well the work they have to do and all of the dentists and assistants seem to work very well together!
Anyways I recommended this place around me and now both my coworker and my friend come here :) !

This place is great. It is clean and very spa like. Staff is super helpful and friendly. Dr Shahabi truly cares about you having great teeth.

I’ve been a patient since 2009 and haven’t had any problems. I’ve seen the doctors, assistants and staff change over the years, but they’ve all always been professional and helpful. People compliment me on my smile and teeth all the time so my regular visits here must mean something. :D

Dr Shahabi is a scam artist. I’ve never met anyone that is so money hungry and will tell you false information regarding your insurance. Lovely staff, but you can tell that she’s only there for the profit rather than actually helping people out. Also, such mediocre dental work.

Oh man where to start? If you can– DON’T START.
Avoid this place, unless you wish to be constantly «REMINDED» (harassed) how you still have insurance benefits available and to USE them prior to the end of year!
The person who referred me here was told she had multiple cavities, she sought a second opinion– zero cavities.
I cancelled a few days prior to the 2^nd visit for a deep cleaning– they’re charging me $ 100 cancellation fee, which is fine if that’s whats in their policy. Oh but wait, per them they are willing to waive that fee, IF I’m willing to go back for more work, as I do have funds available to use or lose before 2016!
My visit–
Cleaning was fine, although the entire time they kept pushing invisalign. I declined. After my cleaning they cut me off from leaving and said they forgot to buff my teeth and put me back in a chair. Again they brought up fitting me/​taking teeth imprints ‘in case’ i decide to go for invisalign later. I said sure no cost, no harm. When i went to check out, AGAIN they not only brought up the invisalign, but also tried to charge me to order them? lmao. I said no firmly im not an idiot.
Any how end of year is coming and they must be (desperately) trying to milk insurances from all their clientele because they’ve called me 1 – 3 times a week since at least November.
Lol. So they let trying to collect $ 100 for missed appointment, that I cancelled well in advance. I asked their preference of review site, as they overpay demand force lol. No response to that from the guy calling and emailing for money rather the desk girl calls says oh sorry I know you cancelled we won’t charge you. No crap.
Also they called me yesterday wtf? Blocking them on my phone.

I went to see Dr. Shahabi the first time due to an emergency that had happened to me at work. An old filling from one of my molars had completely disintegrated, leaving a gaping cavern on my tooth that worried me greatly. I had no primary dentist at the time, but my girlfriend helped me find Serenity Dental Spa, who were able to see me that same day. My job allowed me to leave early so I could go see Dr. Shahabi.
Long story short, I needed a crown, but I had enough of a rescuable tooth, where a partial crown could be installed that same day. I was glad to know that I could get an imprint of my tooth, and have a new crown baked in-​house. I also had some fillings that needed to be done, and she booked me for a deep cleaning. Dr Shahabi also made sure that I was comfortable throughout the visit and procedures; from the first anesthesia shot to the last ‘You can rinse now’.
The staff was great, everyone’s bedside manner was excellent, and I would get frequent updates and explanations of what was going on in my mouth. I also watched two movies to keep me distracted… yes, I was there for quite a while.
I visited the office again for my deep cleaning, and adjustment filing for the crown. And have been back for regular cleanings, and check ups thereafter. It’s been great/​releaving to hear from the dentists and hygienists that I’m doing a good job of keeping up with my dental health. After a scare like the one I experienced, I’ve been taking my teeth’s heath more seriously than ever…
I took Dr. Shahabi’s instructions to heart, which included flossing regularly (don’t laugh…), what kind of mouthwash to use, getting a Sonicare, etc.
I’m not going to pretend like I haven’t read the negative reviews on here (the first time I went I hadn’t read anything about it, except that my girlfriend had told me that it had good ratings; I needed a dentist right away at the time, and didn’t have time to ‘shop around’ for one). Everybody’s case is unique. But mine was particularly good; maybe my case was relatively simple in comparison (personally it wasn’t simple, but having been through a root canal and full crown in the past, I think I can gauge ‘simple’ a that level). Who knows, but based on my experience, I would say that I can recommend Serenity Dental Spa for this kind of procedure.

This dentist is AWFUL! Do not go here! She will milk every little penny you have. I went in for 2 cavity fills and a «deep cleaning» she INSISTED that I needed (even though I got a cleaning 4 months prior by a different dentist). I left the office after paying $ 400 (on top of what my insurance already covered) THEN 20 months later, I get repeated emails and phone calls saying that I owe them another $ 500!!! Why did it take you over two years to realize ‘I owed you more money’??
She honestly will do services on you that you do not need just so she can get more money! It’s not a coincidence that several people have rated her poorly on Unilocal and said that she is dishonest and charges way more on services and try’s and convince you of services you don’t need.
She is a joke as a human being and as a dentist.
Save yourself time and money and go somewhere else!

I love coming here. I’ve been going to Dr. Shahabi for the last 6 years and I’ve had positive experience. I’ve had multiple dental work that needed to be done and she fixed them all. Every time I needed a last minute appointment, they’ve always been accommodating. The reason that sometimes my appointment takes longer than usual it’s because she does a thorough examination v and treats each of her patient individually. I don’t understand the negative comments on here, if your teeth are messed up, she’s only trying to help to fix it.

Horrible dental work. I had nothing but problems with the crown Dr Shahabi did. I went in three times and they «adjusted» it by drilling it down as it was not aligned with my bite. They «adjusted» it each time I went in and it is now basically flat. This is a molar?! Also, I was having so much pain as a result of this and Dr Shahabi kept telling me it was sinus problems. When she finally referred me to an endodontist, the endodontist confirmed the work was too close to the nerve and I had to have a root canal AND that it was seriously infected. My face was swollen as a result of the infection?! If you choose to go to Dr Shahabi, kept to the simple stuff like cleanings and maybe basic fillings. I would NOT recommend anything else.
They are all nice and friendly, but not quality dental work.

Had a positive experience here despite going thru 6 cavities (2 sessions), basic cleaning, deep cleaning, a crown (in-​progress) and Invisalign.
The total cost was in multiple thousands but they helped me work out a payment plan over 2 years and also found a way to leverage my FSA to cover as much cost as possible through that.
The actual dentists were really good, better than the ones I’ve had before. They explained a lot of things to me and most important were gentle on those sensitive teeth/​gum areas. Obviously some areas if you haven’t flossed are gonna kill, but I’ve basically started flossing everyday as a habit. Right after I brush, I immediately pickup the floss. That’s a habit that can be developed– especially when you have in mind that you want to avoid the pain on the next visit.
I’m one month into my Invisalign. Happened to have something called ice pick headache which I found out not to be related to Invisalign– but dentists were responsive and gave me good guidance when I needed it.
Have several more months to go and a crown. So we’ll see. But the service is good and I’d recommend them. Several different dentists on different visits for different focuses and all have been great!

This place is literally a joke of a medical institution. They removed 4 of my wisdom teeth in a procedure that landed me in the ER with a blood infection. I literally had to have my face drained (i know!) from the horrific work they did. This all after my spending an additional $ 1k on being put under to assure the work would go well. Then a year later it seems my insurance wouldn’t cover $ 45 of the procedure, they sent my unpaid balance to a debt collector for a procedure that kept me out of work for weeks and cost me hundreds of dollars of extra medical care. These people are truly crooks.

I went into serenity dental spa because I was new to town and had met the dentist at a nail salon. On a positive note everyone is extremely friendly and comfortable.
The negative comes form the fact that they are trying to push unnecessary treatments on you. I was panicked when I was told I had three fractured teeth with my front two teeth chipping because my bite was off and needed Invisalign to correct this so I agreed to sign up.
Here’s where things get even worse. They told me the Invisalign express would cost $ 6500 but they were giving me a discount at $ 3500 and it usually comes with 10 trays but I only needed 5. When I went home I did some research and Invisalign express which at max cost is $ 3500. Then I went to an orthodontist who said there was no way I needed Invisalign. That my bite was perfect but he could get me new retainers, since my old ones were broken, and this would straighten the slight misalignment of my lower teeth.
I am really disappointed this turned into more of a sales appointment then an actual concern for the patient as I had expected more. Don’t go here unless you want them to sell you a bunch of things you don’t actually need to spend money on.

I chose Serenity Dental Spa since it is close to my job in the financial district. I love the new bigger office! It is so modern and inviting. Got my filing done last week and here is my experience:
— I got friendly reminder of my appointment and warm greeting from reception desk
— got explanation of procedure & any costs involved
— showed my room right after I sign-​in
— offered water, massage chair, magazine & option to watch a movie (nothing like this was offered at my other dentists, instead of was in gloomy room full of people in-​line)
— I am scared of needles, but Dr. Shahabi walked me through it, so my filing was painless
— everyone was friendly & attentive
I was impressed that event my 2-​yr liked it, since they customize his check-​up so it was fun and fast and he allowed to touch some things and play a Dr.
My invisalign was worth it, my Dr. was right. We are definitely coming back!

If you want a dentist who truly cares about your health and well being, pick up the phone right now and make an appointment to see Dr. Shahabi. I am no stranger when it comes to going to the dentist, and I have had my fair share of bad ones in the past. In fact, the last dentist I went to, was 2 years prior when I was in college, who neglected to tell me about minor cavities. Well, time caught up with me and over the holidays I had a severe tooth ache. I went in to see Dr. Shahabi, who took some X — Rays and informed me I needed some serious work. Grand result — 3 root canals, some minor cavities and a serious cleaning… One of those root canals were so infected it gave me some serious pain. However, I felt completely comfortable under the care of Dr. Shahabi and her staff the entire time. Thank you Dr. Shahabi, I appreciate all you have done for me.

I wouldn’t recommend this place. While Dr. Shahabi and her staff were very sweet, I felt like they were more after my money than providing quality dental care. I booked a cleaning, came in, and had an initial «exam» that took an hour. After the hour was up, Dr. Shahabi told me that I should schedule my actual cleaning, because that was apparently just an exam. I appreciate if the doctor felt as though an hour «exam» is necessary to dental healthcare, but it just seemed like a way to attempt to sell me something on top of my typical cleaning. I’ve never had a doctor spend that much time just poking around my teeth and gums. Since I had booked a cleaning, she luckily ended up being able to set me up with someone who could do it that day. The entire process ended up taking 2.5 hours. In their defense, the cleaning was pretty standard.
Then, I came back to get a cavity filled, and during the procedure Dr. Shahabi began taking pictures of my gums (to show me that they are enflamed) and explaining to me that my bite is off. Context: I had braces for years, including rubber bands to fix my bite. Getting a cavity filled is already a miserable experience. Add on being told that you need Invisalign to fix your bite and it’s just awful. I gave the doctor no indication that I’d want Invisalign or that I agreed that my bite was a problem and she never asked me what I thought about it. After we wrapped up, she walked me to the front to pay. That’s when I found out she had already told the receptionist that I was «interested in» Invisalign and that they should walk me through pricing.
This experience seems to be in line with all of the other Unilocal reviews that I didn’t want to believe — I went in for a basic cleaning, ended up spending a total of almost 4 hours in that office, and walked out feeling pressured to purchase thousands of dollars worth of unnecessary dental care (which I obviously didn’t and will not). I will not be returning.

Let me just say that coming to see Dr. Shahabi was a nightmare. A huge, terrible and expensive mistake that I will not make again.
I told her I needed to get a cavity filled and I walked out with a quote of almost $ 11,000 in dental work that «had to be done», and she charged my insurance for 3 separate sets of x-​rays that I asked her not to do since I’d had them done recently. The comments on Unilocal about her scamming insurance are 100% correct and I plan on fighting it until it’s fully reimbursed.
Just save yourself time, money and hassle and do not come here.

Sheila Shahabi is an absolute crook. She fraudulent bills. You will be billed way more than your insurance covers. She’s aggressive & crooked. Don’t go here.
She recommended a deep cleaning i didn’t need. Her staff lied about my numbers. I went back to my old dentist who said they must have absolutely lied when measuring my gums. They lied for profit.

Plain and simple…
There is a reason she has so many 1 star reviews, and it has nothing to do with her «competitors» in the area.
There is a reason she is under constant investigation with the Dept. of Consumer Affairs Dental Board of California.
There is a reason AETNA, CIGNA and other insurance companies offering great dental PPOs will not refer you to her office (she’s flagged for fraudulent billing).
There are no coincidences, as much as Shahabi will try to convince you that the world is against her.
It is because she runs a fraudulent business, and is being coached on how to drain your dental benefits as soon as she find out how much is available to her, and especially if you apply for Care Credit (or she will have her staff do it behind your back and not tell you0 and you suddenly have a credit to use on your account.
She is toxic «doctor» and gives other doctors a bad name. Playing the dumb dumb card («oh I dont know what my front desk/​office manager does») is why she has been able to rip off as many people that she has.
If you have recently experience this, I highly recommend you contact the Dental Board of California office in Sacramento and file a grievance against her. The more people who speak up against her shady business, the more likely she is to get her license finally revoked.
If you need a contact at the DBC, message me and I will give you names and numbers.
Don’t ignore these reviews. Going to Serenity Dental without doing your research is like shooting yourself in the foot.