Amy M Woo, DDS

When I first came here a few years ago, I absolutely love this place. The staff was great, they were friendly and gave you reminder phone calls, etc. the place is beautifully decorated and their equipment is unto date and they will make you feel comfortable. HOWEVER, I don’t knowing business been rough or what not, but they are becoming ridiculous of trying to over charge their customers or get them to come in for dental works that is not even required. They will always tell you that this need to get done or you need additional cleaning but in reality you don’t. I started to have my doubt and decided to go else where. I was right, I did not need the additional work done or those additional cleaning they claimed I need. I always like to get this confirmed so I went to another dentist again and got it reconfirmed. I would never ever come to this place again. Watch out for your wallet.

There were major traffic delays this morning due to the weather that pushed all of the appointments back. I ended up waiting for 30 minutes and needed to get back to a meeting. I told the front desk receptionist and she sincerely apologized and gave me a $ 25 gift card for my inconvenience and rescheduled. They could have done nothing, but they really do care about their customers. I love this place!

When I first became their patient they were very kind and professional. After a while I started to notice that they wanted to continue to charge me for checkups every single time I went in. After speaking with my insurance company they are only allowed to charge you a check up twice a year. This office continues to inflate bills to charge your insurance company more money. I finally ended my relationship with this office when a dentist told me that I needed to come back to get a filling on the tooth that didn’t need it. My wife left this office my mother-​in-​law left his office and several friends have left this office due to overcharging. There are many dentist out there that are honest and fair, this is not one of them.

Everyone at this office is exceptional from the administrative staff to the dentists. They hire individuals who are extremely professional, courteous, and informed. I went here with low-​quality, out-​of-​network insurance and my final cost was actually great for the service I received. We called them several times to figure out exactly what my insurance covered and they were so patient. They let you see photos of your teeth (and cavities :) before they do work.

I am very skeptical when it comes to dental work, and trust me, I know dental work. With teeth as soft as crayons and grinding at night I have had almost every tooth worked on.
I came here for a diagnosis since one of my crowns was hurting. The sign in staff was super friendly as always, thank you ladies, and the waiting room was comforting instead of impersonal. I was greeted right away by the woman who took my x-​rays, and even gave me water for a pill I needed to take at a specific time. She was kind and did not rush which was really nice. The doctor then came in and did some tests on the tooth which was a lot less painful than I thought it would be.
I was then quoted for half the amount I originally thought it was going to be since they did not have to replace the crown to do a root canal. SCORE. This is really important to me with such a strict budget!
Thank you everyone, I will be calling in a few months to schedule my root canal. It may be unpleasant, but at least I know that in your office it will be the least painful, physically and emotionally!

I came to this office because it was recommended by a friend, so I had high hopes that this was my Dentist for a long time. Unfortunately, I was treated by a hygienist named Denise. She was so rough, and more concerned about her own life than my mouth and care. I had to hear her life problems during the whole appointment. «Why do people think everybody wants to hear their story?» I just wanted my teeth cleaned, not a therapy appointment. Dr. Balcom was great on the other hand, nice and gentle which I really appreciated. I will not be coming back. I just want gentle dental care, and not to hear from the hygienist and her life. It’s too bad because I really trusted my friend opinions. Not this time.

My girls and I have been going there for nearly a decade. Great service, knowledgable people and super friendly. Dr. Woo and her crew have kept smiling for years… literally.

I’m sorry to say I have to leave this Dr.‘s office. I love the receptionists, and dental hygienists who have all taken very good care of me. But the main person I’m there for is the dentist. She’s very nice person, but she didn’t supply the quality of care I needed.
I was away from the dentist for one year when I arrived at this place. I was told I had three really deep cavities. I had never had a bad cavity in my life, but I thought well, okay… I trust that that’s what’s going on. I got it done in two visits. The cost was doable but afterward I was upset with the work. Two of my teeth were almost cemented together. I could barely get between those two teeth anymore. I needed them to be separated more on my next visit. Then on my top cavity fix, I kept experiencing pain for many months afterward. She said this was normal because of the location of the cavity and how deep of a cavity it was.
After all that work got done, I came back for my next cleaning six months later and was told I had another cavity starting. That’s when I started getting suspicious. I never had cavity problems in my life, and now all of sudden there’s issue after issue with cavities. My gut was telling me to find a second opinion.
Well, I’m relieved and sad to report that the second dentist says no cavities! The second dentist says its possible that looking at one set of X-ray’s can give that impression but when you combine the two angles, and given my history of healthy teeth, that that’s just not the case.
So, I must sadly go. I hate saying good bye. Everyone was really great to me. But I really need a dentist who’s able to spot where the real issues are or, in my case, are not…

The music they play is terrible and makes me want to pull my teeth out so I don’t have to come back. Kerri S and Dr Balcolm are great!

I had 3 regular checkups with Dr. Woo in 1999 – 2000. At each of those check-​ups, she identified a new cavity (or as she put it, a «tiny soft spot – not visible by x-​ray – that catches when I probe with my tool»). I got each filled in turn, and had an easy, pleasant experience each time.
However, in the 23 years before and 12 years after, I’ve seen about 10 other dentists, and not a single one has found another cavity. I find it highly suspect that she found a new place to fill every time I visited, and that she’s the only one who ever did.
The work seems fine, and appears to be holding up well so far, but I believe it was unnecessary. This means wasted money for me, but more importantly, because filled teeth are more likely to develop problems than intact ones, I’ve actually made my mouth less healthy than before I saw Dr. Woo.
I would strongly recommend avoiding this office. For more general advice, whenever you see a new dentist who recommends work, *always* get a second opinion before getting it done.

There are two characteristics of this practice that distinguish it from any other dentist I’ve ever been to: 1) the lavishness of the facility, and 2) the obvious source of money for this lavishness — you and me! I refer to both the office and the practice as «The Palace of Dr. Woo.»
When I moved to Sacramento four years ago I chose Dr. Woo mostly for her proximity to my home and her impressive digs which were expanded even more lavishly shortly afterward. It was and I imagine still is an all-​female practice with everyone wearing matching uni’s and Oh-​So-​Nice. The niceness, which had a robotic feel to it, put me on alert as well. I felt I was being set up, especially as a male. The nice term for Dr. Woo’s dental treatment is «aggressive.» The more accurate description is «recommending expensive work that doesn’t really have to be done.» Although I had been under the care of various dentists in places I had lived for almost 30 straight years it seems that Dr. Woo saw all sorts of problems never mentioned by these other doctors. The one that really got me was the alleged «hole in your crown» where she showed me the «hole» on the overhead screen as if I could read such images. I ended up getting a second opinion which discounted virtually everything she was recommending and which found no hole. I had not told this second dentist what Dr. Woo had found until his exam was completed. Then I told him about the hole and asked him to check again — still no hole. I never saw Dr. Woo again.

I would give Dr. Woo five stars if you could just sit in her office and read on a hot day. But you can only sit there if you have an appointment, which will cost you about a million dollars.

8÷5÷11: I have to add an important update that I thought had been added but I must have missed it. This dental office actually made an error in my billing sometime in 2010. I was to be charged something like $ 100 or $ 150 dollars. Something to do with the insurance deductible, etc. Anyhow, they fixed the error almost immediately and I didn’t have to pay. I didn’t have to make any calls to my insurance provider, I didn’t have to do any legwork, no faxing over of any paperwork. I had to do nothing. They took care of everything. I firmly believe that sometimes the best tests of customer service and loyalty is how a company corrects an error they’ve made. I am still with Dr. Balcom, and I just love the office and staff. Highly recommended — STILL a very happy customer!

When I started going to this office I hadn’t been to the dentist in years for preventative dentistry of any type. I had last been to a dentist about 3 years earlier when I had broken a tooth right before Christmas.
The office was very nice and clean. Parking around the building was easy and they were prompt and courteous. There are the local transients colonies around that are typical of every downtown/​midtown office.
I found the magazine selection to be a bit eclectic– unless you own a million dollar yacht, a mansion, or are an architect you probably won’t find anything to read in the waiting room.
My prior dentist office was at UCD– I could never park anywhere, the waiting room was always packed with obnoxious people, and I felt like I was being run through there on a cattle train.
I got into the dental exam chair and was introduced to Dr. Balcom (sp?). She and the hygienist were extremely nice.
I ended up needing a filling which I eventually got in the area where I had previously broken a tooth. Everything worked out great in the end.
People keep mentioning cost but it seemed like I paid more when I went to UCD. The office staff are pretty smart about scheduling appointments in a manner that doesn’t max out my dental plan per year.
I would give the place 5 stars but I am yet to have any more serious dental work done– the real test for the place.
Most of the complaints I’ve seen come from root canal/​crown work– I’ve never had either of those done.
However my wife had a problem tooth and they advised her she would need a root canal for a molar that was cracked in half. My wife chose to try to put on a crown instead. About a year later she is going back for the root canal they recommended in the first place as she is still having pain. I’m guessing if she had followed there advice to start with this problem would have been solved a year ago.

I was tired of creepy dentists and dentist offices.
One time I asked my dentist how he was. He said his mom had died the day before and asked me to open my mouth. Kreeee-​peeee!
So I decided that any dentist to have a solid following on Unilocal and a website would be worth checking out since it meant 1) they were likely in the neighborhood of my generation, and 2) they cared about how they were perceived.
This place saved me from incredible pain. Your teeth are an investment. I don’t care what people say about the overhead – sure, it’s more expensive, but this is the first place that has fixed my dental problems. EVER. Not only that, but my teeth LOOK a lot better (and no, I haven’t done whitening nor has it ever been pushed on me).
This is also the first dentist office where I feel like they truly listen to you. They let me look at anything on my record or my x-​rays, they take a lot of time to answer all of my questions, they have even worked around some of my fears or dislikes. I’m not going to single anyone out because all the staff members, from front desk to dentist to specialists, are wonderful.
p. s. If you can’t find a space in your lot, they will give you change or cash to park on the street, and even feed your meter if your appointment runs long!
p. p. s. I finished one puzzle in the lobby except for one piece… if you have a puzzle piece with a flower on it, please return it. It’s like the only time I ever came close to finishing something like those…

I went to Amy Woo’s office because I live and work in midtown and it was about a block away from my house. My husband and I both went in for xrays and a cleaning.
All in all, they sent us packing with a combined bill of about $ 8000. They told me I had fractured teeth, broken fillings, and about 6 cavities.
The hygenists were fantastic, and at first I liked my dentist — that was, until I went in for my first «treatment» and she changed up the plan and told me it was a priority for me to get a crown, when she had previously told me that it was «possible, but not likely.» It was at that point where I lost all trust in them and walked out of my appointment.
I just got back from the exam with my new dentist. He did the exact same tests that Amy Woo’s office did, and used their xrays for the consult. Guess what. I have ZERO cavities and need ZERO crowns.
He confirmed the work that they had previously told my husband he needed — but it cost about 5500 dollars less than what Amy Woo’s office quoted.
If you need a recommendation for a dentist, I would suggest NOT going to a place that sucks you dry and charges your insurance the max that they will pay. Unbelievable.

Many helpful descions I make for new anything are from ‘yelp​.com’
But, I wanted to be extra careful. Its not like I am looking for a new mexican joint to eat at or a hole in the wall thrift outlet.
I am not rolling in the $$ at all, but when it comes to my health, I want the best. Even if I have to pay extra (which I do with Dr. Woos)
I absolutley love the patient, helpful receptionist and calm atmosphere.
I am currently going thru alot of mouth issues, and they are right by my side to help me thru it.

Um, I love the hygienists… they are professional and friendly. That’s what gave them the two stars here. Oh, and the receptionists – efficient and super nice, maybe even saccharine sweet. And I still do think Dr. Crippen is great. I think it more the overarching umbrella of the practice and its integrity is at the heart of the problem.
It’s a real swank fest over there – complete with video games in the parlor, hot cider, and individualized TV screens above your dental chair.
It took me having several procedures done over there that weren’t necessary for me to put two and two together (I know, silly me). Who the hell is paying for all of that overhead – you, me and the other sap who is totally being fooled by this practice.
I got a crown in January, and still can’t even chew on that side. Went in to have them ‘adjust’ it, and they said, well, sorry, you probably have root/​nerve damage now because of us doing the work in there, it happens, you might need a root canal in the future. AND they wanted me to pay for the x-​ray when I came in because my tooth hurt. LAME.
So, yeah, not going back EVER to this rip-​off spa dentist operation. My lovely spouse also went there, was told she had 7 cavities, and needed 2 root canals and 2 crowns. She went elsewhere, took real x-​rays (not the electronic kind that they can’t see bleep off of) and the dentist said, «Yeah, you only have one cavity. Oh, and the place where your tooth hurts from that last filling at Dr. Woo’s place, let me just file it down a bit.» Turns out, she can chew just fine now on that side, with NO pain!
These jerks – I do miss those hygienists though! Sweethearts they are.

I’ve seen Dr. Balcolm and Dr.Yee. Everyone there I have interacted with is helpful and knowledgeable. They do a really good job cleaning and checking. Their cleaning appointments are scheduled out long, they said because some people have more plaque than others, and removing it sometimes takes more than an hour! I had never heard of a dentist being so complete before. One of my friends went and had numbing gel put on her gums to make it more comfortable.
Also, staff will not only call with reminders, but they will often call a week or so in advance to see if you would prefer a sooner time. Typically I don’t because my schedule is to tight, but I appreciate that kind of service in case I have a free moment at the last minute.
Their newly renovated office is gorgeous, and makes it seem like an ultra-​fancy place to have your dentistry done. They have state of the art equipment. They even have flat screen TV with basic cable on the ceiling that you can watch with headphones when you are laying back!
But its covered by my insurance, so its not more expensive to me than an older, less attractive place. This is where the staff is so helpful – when I want to know if I can get procedures done and how much is covered, the girls up front know right away!
parking in a private lot around the back – always been room.
I’ve recommended it to multiple friends.
I also like it because they have a good number of female dentists there, which I hadn’t had before.

This dentist, I grew up with. They are very nice and I used to live right down the street.
They have a very comfortable and relaxed atmosphere and are always encouraging patients to floss, they give free toothbrushes and floss as well. They truly care about their patients.
I highly recommend them to anyone and everyone:)

So I finally went back for my cleaning! And I made it through!
It wasn’t as bad as I expected … my gums were in sort of sad shape so they had to do some extra work. The extra work it wasn’t exactly pleasant, but Dr. Yee made sure to stop every time I raised my hand and was really good about working with me. I’m not going to go as far as to say I had fun, but in the scheme of dental work, it was as good as it’s going to be!
The hygienist’s name I believe was Terra, and she was a total sweetheart. She listened to me ramble about my freak-​out over my wisdom teeth and later in the appt. even handed me a tissue when I totally became a tragic 23 year old crying in the chair (Don’t blame me, blame the *really* crappy dentists I went to in the past who scarred me!)