Gregory Tseng, DDS

Such a nice dentist! Everyone here is so friendly and efficient. Today I watched a movie while I got a filling. And it was all painless and simple. I also love that he shows you with a camera what your teeth look like, how your tooth compares to fillings, etc. I like being informed. They also give out great toothbrushes.

Been a customer at Dr. Tseng’s for years. Great service, great dentists; they give proper advice and are as friendly as it gets. Would certainly recommend!

First time here and the receptionists at the front seemed to give off unacceptable rudeness. I asked to use the bathroom and the receptionist points her finger at me. Very unprofessional.

Have been seeing Dr. Tseng’s practice for a few years now. Not being from the area, I really struggled to find a good dentist… it’s not that they’re in short supply, but that it seemed to be particularly difficult find a practice with a reputation built around experience.
I initially found other (‘highly rated’ on Unilocal) dentists in the area who were chock full of office amenities and flashy technology, but inherently inexperienced, impersonal, and worst of all — sales/​revenue oriented, which I still can’t quite wrap my mind around as the ‘patient.’ Dr. Tseng’s practice was refreshing in that it’s none of these things — but is so many other things that money can’t buy. True, as a new patient with Dr. Tseng, it took a while to get an appointment which is understandable as it’s a small practice with the right priorities for quality and patient care, but I’m really glad I planned ahead… since then, I’ve never had any issues with visits, everyone is always friendly and professional. Moreover, I always like how evident the entire office been a team for a while with very good chemistry, which speaks volumes itself.
As a bonus, right after my cleanings I partially offset all the good they’ve done for my teeth by treating myself to [many] cupcakes at Susie Cakes in nearby Menlo Park.

I’ve been coming here for over 4 years and the service is so consistently good. The hygienists are great. She told me the correct way to brush my teeth after my previous dentist had instructed me wrongly. I fully recommend Dr. Tseng.

I saw Dr. Tseng for many years and still think he’s a great guy and usually a good dentist, but I sadly have to update my previous 5-​star review. The biggest problem is that I paid thousands of dollars for two crowns which caused gum bleeding and one of the teeth needed a root canal shortly after the crown was placed. I went to a second well-​regarded dentist who told me the crowns were defective and should be replaced. He wrote a letter to Dr. Tseng describing the flaws and including x-​ray evidence. Dr. Tseng didn’t think the problems were all that bad and said I would need to pay all over again to replace the crowns (both were less than 2 years old). I ended up paying the new dentist $ 3,005 to replace both crowns. There were other problems with this dental office too, but they were minor compared to the faulty crowns which cost me so much.

I’ve been going to Dr. Tseng for the past 7 years or so and have been really satisfied with the dental care I get there.
— Staff there is incredibly helpful and friendly.
— My hygienist provides great feedback on how I’m doing in between cleanings and how I can improve if needed.
— Dr. Tseng himself is very jovial and provides explanations on why or why not he wants to say, do a filling, and I’ve been confident in his reasoning.
— If you do have to get something done, they have these DVD glasses you can wear so you can watch a movie during the procedure. Anything to make getting a filling a little less annoying.
Something to note though:
— Like other people have said, you do have to book far in advance to get onto the schedule, I’m not sure if they are still taking new patients, but you definitely can’t call and get a cleaning in the next month. I’ve been on a regular schedule with them for awhile so it hasn’t been a huge issue yet. I do hope it doesn’t get worse though.

Brought in whole family based on Unilocal reviews. They didn’t clean my children’s teeth and stated that they typically won’t clean a child’s teeth until they are about 14 years of age. Seems odd, since they have had full cleanings at their last dentist in another state and have no issues with the dentist. My younger child had a weird spot in his tooth — it looked like a cavity to me, but I’m no expert, plus my child was in no pain. They said it looked like it needed a filling be replaced, and to come back to have it filled — an appointment was available two months later to do so. Later I also found out that they don’t do x-​rays on kids even when there is an issue or concern — only photos.
The spot on my child’s tooth seemed odd, so I took a friend’s advice and got a second opinion, despite the fact my child was in no pain. They got him in right away and pulled the tooth on the spot! :(They said it was so badly infected that it almost spread to his brain… the x ray showed the spot of decay internally.
Look, everyone makes mistakes, and I’m certainly not out to destroy this office. But I kept reading all the rave reviews and thought that while this may be a great office if your teeth are perfect, you might want to seek another opinion elsewhere if you have any concerns at all. And you may want to find another dentist for your children, or at least get second opinions.
Thanks for reading!

I just met With Dr. Tseng. I had been to a different dentist who had recommended I replace my bridge, put in 3 or 4 crowns, replace many old fillings and do root planing. Over $ 10, I’m sure. Dr. Tseng looked very carefully, politely and thoroughly through my mouth and concluded I only needed a fluoride treatment on my teeth and some flouride brushing gel. Both were included in the very reasonable exam fee. He said he would keep an eye on a couple spots in my teeth, but nothing needed immediate attention. Every one I met in his office was a complete joy to deal with. I think his reputation of being an excellent dentist who is conservative in his approach is very true. I’m sticking with him!

What I really like about Dr. Tseng is that his approach is not to touch your teeth (in terms of fillings, drilling, etc.) unless it’s absolutely necessary. In addition, I appreciate that he takes the time to explain everything, and is happy to talk about the pros and cons of every option. All of this gives me the utmost confidence in his recommendations, so that’s why I’m happy putting my dental health in his hands.

I have been going to Dr. Tseng since I was eight years old and I am now 23. He is a wonderful very friendly dentist and his staff is wonderful!
You do have to schedule way in advance but it’s worth it and if you have to cancel an appointment they will do their best to try to call you when new appointments come up.
Dr. Tseng saved my mom a lot of money growing up as he was honest with me about my teeth when an orthodontist tried to get me to get a full set of braces and Dr. Tseng said that I was fine. It’s over ten years later and my teeth are perfectly straight. He never tries to get you to do expensive or painful procedures and gives you the same advice he would give his own daughter :).
They also send really cute Christmas cards!

This is your new dentist. End of story.
We’ll skip the part where for 26 years I have hated the dentist and this man changed my mind about the whole industry and skip how awesome he is.
Despite never having any contact with me before, when I called them and explained I was in serious pain from my wisdom teeth coming in, they arranged to see me that day so I could be diagnosed and transferred to an oral surgeon promptly.
Upon arriving I was promptly and courteously greeted by the staff, and then given x-​rays. The technician (apologies if I did not get her title right) proudly explained how their technology exposes me to 80% less radiation than normal xrays, and when I asked if that number summed up to about 55% of the normal radiation or 20% of the normal radiation, she admitted she didn’t know and said she would ask and tell me next time I visited. I love medical professionals who admit when they do not know an answer. It makes all of the other answers they give that much more trustworthy.
The xrays did not take long, and Dr. Tseng arrived shortly thereafter. I was walked through everything in a logical manner and my options were clearly explained. For the first time, I felt I was being invited to enter a discussion about my dental health and treated like I was an intelligent adult who just didn’t happen to know anything about the domain of teeth. I was shown pictures of concern areas and invited to hold a mirror and participate in the discussion, so that I would understand what was happening with my teeth and how to properly care for them.
In order to alleviate the pain, Dr. Tseng cleaned the area around the tooth which was coming through, and then taught me how to prepare and care for the tooth until I could go to surgery. This included a syringe and making homemade cleaning solutions and things to help reduce swelling.
Since we had a chance, he also checked me over for cavities and explained simple measures on how I could improve my oral health. This man is not drill-​happy, and was honest with me that my previous dentist perhaps had been.
I had called complaining of pain at 3:15PM and my appointment was at 4PM. I left the office before 5PM. The pain was completely gone, and they had not given me any drugs. I had been literally seeing cross-​eyed previously that day from pain.
It was explained that the pain would probably return within a week and that I will still need to see an oral surgeon ASAP. They explained my care options, gave me the name of the oral surgeon who works on Dr. Tseng’s family, and offered to review a list of oral surgeons covered by my HMO to help me select the best one. This is all despite the fact that Dr. Tseng is not in my HMO network and so they had no expectation to ever have me as an ongoing patient: they are just nice.
As Dr. Tseng is not in my HMO’s network, I will be canceling my current dental insurance policy and buying a new one with him in network. That is how much I like this dentist, his staff, and his practice. I have never been so excited about a dentist, and for the first time, I will not be dreading my next appointment.
They are accepting new patients, despite what the (only) 1-​star review (which is also right now the only non-​5-​star review) says. Hopefully my review has convinced you to go to him. It is the least I can do after how much he helped me.

This dental office does not accept new patients.
I had a new patient appointment scheduled for 6 months out. After cancelling other dentist appointments and looking forward to it based on the reviews, I ended up with an emergency trip and needed to reschedule. One month before the appointment, I tried to call and reschedule, but they said I will have to wait another 6 months. No flexibility
.ever.
Maybe it’s for the best… I wouldn’t want to have a dental emergency and be asked to come back in 2013.

Dr. Tseng is great and his office staff and hygienists are also wonderful. Don’t get scared away when you find out that he only takes the premier version of a dental insurance. So far I haven’t seen a bill or invoice and I have regular dental insurance. Even if I did, he would be worth the additional 10−20% out-​of-​pocket per visit for the quality of care.
He is honest, he doesn’t exaggerate any situation, nor does he try to upsell you on some dental services. His hygienests are that way as well. They are very gentile, take their time and are respectful of your space and budget.
The only drawback to Dr. Tseng is that if you have to change an appointment, it can take many weeks, if not a few months before you can find another appointment.

Every time I hear someone say «You have beautiful teeth!» I can’t help but smile bigger and think of the wonderful man who helped make it all possible, Dr. Tseng.
I’ve been going to Dr. Tseng for 15 years after being recommended by a co-​worker. Over the years, he’s helped me straighten out my teeth with retainers, gave me a root canal, crowns, bi-​yearly cleanings… and his staff are a bunch of wonderful girls who treat you like family. They have known all about my life and have shared with me theirs throughout the years and they feel like family! Each year they send a funny Christmas Card with some cute theme with each of his staff members on it! Very personable!
His appointments are always on time. His staff remembers my allergies on every visit. They call you by name and are super friendly. Each time I changed jobs, they made sure to call my insurance ahead of time to let me know how much my insurance would cover and how much I would be responsible for BEFORE I came in. The cleanings are thorough. Dr. Tseng would come in afterwards and take pictures of your teeth so you can see it on-​screen what is going on with each one that is a concern. It’s great to see what’s going on in your own mouth! The place is clean, the staff is friendly. They have videos for you to watch for long procedures. This place is so great! I have nothing but great things to say about Dr. Tseng and his staff!
And your teeth, if you’re like me, who’s reminded every so often of what a great job Dr. Tseng has done… they come out perfect!
I can’t recommend Dr. Tseng and his amazing staff enough!!!

I just starting going to a great dentist in Palo Alto. His name is Gregory Tseng. I found him on Unilocal and saw all the great reviews he got. My mother in law first went to him for a checkup and a cleaning. I just went for a check up and cleaning also. The hygienist was able to remove some very stubborn stains that I’ve had on my teeth for years! She was the only one who bothered to try removing them. I love his hygienists. And Dr. Tseng has a great bedside manner and uses very up to date technology. He explains things very well.
All the staff are very friendly and patient. And the office is run quite efficiently so you don’t have to wait too long. And even though it is close to downtown Palo Alto, they always have parking in their personal parking lot. I highly recommend Dr. Tseng’s office.

I went to Dr. Tseng from the late 1970’s (probably when he started) through the mid-80’s, and again from 1999 until today. I have to finally move on because I live and work in San Francisco, and yet I felt Dr. Tseng was still worth commuting 40 miles for over the past six years. Now that’s a big endorsement for a dentist. Here’s what I like about him:
+ Springs for the latest technology: He had the ToothCam, the digital x-​rays, and even the headset video viewer pretty soon after all those things came out. He always had a great sound system and music collection and has always been open to playlist suggestions.
+ Despite the obvious expense of that gear and Palo Alto rent, he resists pushing unnecessary ($$$) work, and his philosophy is to preserve natural tooth structure as much as possible.
+ He stays up to date on dental advancements and training, and is more than willing to explain and discuss everything with you. Here’s a good test for any dentist: Google «amalgam vs. composite,» read up on the subject, and then ask him about it.
+ He has a fun-​loving approach to work, and builds his team with similar work and fun ethics. His Christmas cards have you waiting with anticipation what the costume will be each year.
+ His hygienists are friendly and knowledgeable. Here’s another tip I have figured out, and will probably use for all hygienists: If her small talk is not to your liking, ask her to explain something about teeth, and you will be entertained and learn something.
See you later, Dr. Tseng. Take good care of my Mom and sister’s teeth!

I second the high recommendation for Cindy, the hygienist. I have had two teeth cleanings with her, and now won’t go to anyone else!
She is kind, thorough, and very patient. At the end of my most recent cleaning, when I was getting ready to leave, I asked her how high up the gumline I should floss.
She could have just responded to me verbally, and I would have been fine with that, but instead, she sat me back down in the chair, put on a fresh pair of gloves, and demonstrated proper flossing technique while I observed with a mirror!
She takes the time to do things right, and is very warm and gentle in getting her patients to do the same.

Dr. Tseng and his team are impeccable. They have helped me regain control of my dental health for the first time in years, and I am no longer afraid to have my teeth cleaned and examined. For the first time in my life, I feel like my dental health is something I have control over, and that I have wonderful partners in caring for my teeth. I no longer feel like a victim.
Cindy is an informative, patient, kind, and caring hygienist. She is also incredibly invested in her patients’ well-​being. I have begun using her phrase «disturbing the bacteria» as a euphemism for «flossing.» (i.e. «Honey, I’m going to disturb my bacteria now.» We always have a good laugh about how gross that sounds.)
This is a team of teachers. They teach and empower you about your dental care and they help you feel informed and knowledgeable about your dental health.
Disclaimer: if you are squeamish, do not read on. Due to a bad filling in my pre-​teens that turned into a painful root canal, (they injected me over 20 times but my teeth would not go numb, so they finally went ahead and performed the root canal anyway! Ouch!). I felt every second of it. I’ve had dentophobia for almost 20 years. 20 years is a long time to be afraid of the dentist.
I’d go to the dentist every year (sometimes longer) in between visits, fearing that my teeth would experience more pain or that they’d discover cavities. A vicious circle, this exacerbated my dental problems. I don’t have too many cavities but my gums need attention. Now I am flossing daily, sometimes twice a day.
Their movie goggles are also a big perk. He has a great film collection. A filmmaker and actress, this was a huge draw for coming to his office. I watched «Marley and Me» and was laughing throughout getting my cavity filled. I asked him «Guuhs it hokkay for me to laugh while goo fill my cavity?» He laughed and said it was even better for him if I did, and that he enjoys the laughter. The only drawback is that he works so quickly, the filling ended before the movie did!
Dr. Tseng and company, thanks for everything! I feel so much better; I can’t even begin to tell you! You’ve thought of everything, and you’re giving true customer service.
Thank you!

Dr. Tseng and his staff are second to none!
I have been going to this office since I first needed braces in the third grade. Even then, at 8 years old, his staff was courteous, kind, gentle and caring. I can’t tell you how happy I am, now 25, to still have a dentist that is so reliable and recognizable! Most of the original staff is still there. Claudia is absolutely amazing, she has such a gift for making people feel welcome and comfortable. She always takes the time to explain what is going on, and Dr. Tseng always check in at the end. And the up-​to-​date technology is fantastic. You can actually see inside your mouth on a television screen so that they can point out exactly what is happening. And, as others have mentioned, the movie goggles are definitely a plus!
I live in the north bay now, but I refuse to go anywhere else. This office actually found a way to make going to the dentist enjoyable. Its unbelievable. There are not enough stars on the scale to rate how much I love them!