Marcus Ansari, DMD

My husband, children and I have been going to Dr. Ansari’s office in Hayward for a few years now. I’ve had very good care there by Dr. Ansari and more recently by Dr. Lak who works there on Saturdays. Michael, Dr. Ansari’s brother, and the office manager is very personable and has been honest in explaining our choices in treatment. I appreciate that it’s a family business. The location is great since it’s in the basement of the Sears building at Southland Mall when there have been more than one of us going, one can shop while the other is being cared for.

99% of these reviews are negative deserving-​ly so. They have a new webpage that lists every review at 5 stars! HAH! What a joke, It’s probably from all their employees.

Scam. Do not ever go here. The lady that works the front desk is a bitch.

the following happened at the hayward, ca location.
this ‘dentist’ tried to x-​ray my 7-​month pregnant friend.
she stated she didn’t want x-​rays & he persisted.
he told her ‘get out of my office’ & she left in shock.
he later also told her to ‘go to hell’.
if you like that kind of experience, this is your place!

Dr. Ansari is a wonderfully skilled dentist and he and his associates are warm and friendly. I began going to Dr. Ansari in 2003 and am glad I did, and so are my teeth. I’ve had new fillings, fillings replaced, deep cleaning, and a couple new crowns.
Initially, I had gone to a dentist thru the 1−800-Den-tist service, and was given an initial recommendation to a dentis in Hayward who recommended at least 5 root canals. I told that guy I’d need another opinion, and went to Dr. Ansari, then recommended by my neighbor. Dr. Ansari told me I didn’t need a single root canal, and sure enough it’s been 8 years and I still don’t need one. He did recommend a deep cleaning because of receding gums, and I’m glad I did, because once receded, they don’t come back, but deep cleanings can help clear up the bacteria and deposits that cause tooth loss. I did need a crown at the time, and Dr. Ansari took care of it. The other dentist, btw, had also recommended a deep cleaning, and there was measurable cause for such in terms of gum recession, which is a serious issue for tooth decay/​loss.
Over the years, I’ve been very satisfied with Dr. Ansari, and so have the friends that I’ve referred.

The doctor has a office in Hayward were I was a patient at. Due to my employer changing our insurance he was with in the network and my area. First visit xrays great… all of a sudden all my fillings needed to be changed even the ones that weren’t 2 yrs old keep in mind. Needed deep cleaning asap and replacement of crowns. Hmmm i wonder why the last dentist I was with for 3 yrs prior didn’t find $ 2000 dollars worth of work that needed to be done. With my last dentist I was on top of my cleanings and exams and within a two month gap I needed all this work done. Spk with the office manager who told me they are not making any money from all the work that needs to be done. If you don’t make money then why stay with that network go to another network then idiot! Other then the dental assistant there is no one worth having a conversation with. Both the doctor or his office manager do not have any etiquette on how to talk to a patient or hell even a human being.
I am very glad I changed my dentist

I really don’t understand all the negative reviews. I too was a patient of the former dentist and was a little uncomfortable with the change at first but Dr. Ansari and his entire staff have been really great. I am so scared of going to the dentist (even for simple fillings and teeth cleaning) and they are great with me. When he first thought I needed a crown, he actually reversed himself they I came in to have it done and said that we should put in a regular filling and wait and see before putting me and my checkbook through the agony of getting a root canal and a crown. He is very honest and I think people just don’t like hearing bad news about their teeth and work that needs to be done.

Dear Unilocalers,
I was recently politely contacted by the owner inquiring about my review and I wanted to share my feedback with you. I did not return and did seek another opinion before switching over to a different practice. Much of his advice was sound such as deep cleaning needs, a cavity needing filled or two. I have learned several interesting things since seeking a professional second opinion and through my own experience and I want to share them with you.
About the Cavities:
Some cavities did need filling, but we also learned about another option of keeping it clean and keeping an eye on it until it becomes slightly bigger when a filling can be done then. I personally like this option because it saves me money and it explains why previous dentists may have not mentioned about every single little cavity in the past.
About Filling type:
I found out that mercury concerns of Amalgam are valid. However, when mixed properly by the dentist, the mercury is arrested and is generally safe. I prefer a dentist that offers multiple forms of tooth filling methods especially since my insurance does not cover resin fillings like they do for Amalgam fillings. This was a big reason for not returning.
About Mouth Guards:
I did some online research and then spent $ 50 (less than $ 30 when on sale) dollars at the drug store for a off-​the-​shelf mouth guard on the gamble that it is cheaper and if it does not work for me, I can always go to the dentist for an professional mouth guard. I found a brand I really liked and it worked great because it felt good in my mouth and I could buy it off the shelf. After trying the mouth guard for a while, I tried sleeping without it I don’t believe it stopped my teeth grinding by altering my subconscious (as alluded to). I don’t believe a professional version could permanently stop my teeth grinding subconscious behavior either. I have been happily using «The Doctor’s Night Guard» available at any pharmacy and the box doesn’t even make the claim that it can help stop the grinding behavior. This was a big reason for not returning.
About the service:
The employees were very polite and professional but I did feel like being «sold» to at times and it made me very uncomfortable. The dentist I am seeing now has a team that I feel is more honest although may sometimes treat their practice more like an assembly line and lacks the friendly touch. It is a trade off I was willing to make.

I just went to another dentist for cleaning and they confirmed that I did not need deep cleaning and all my pockets were 2 and 3′ s which is normal.

Similar to other reviewers here, I went to Dr. Ansari for a routine cleaning and exam. After about 15 seconds of looking in my mouth, and two or three probings with a pick, he told me that my three fillings were «old» and that fillings were only good for 7 – 10 years (regardless of the fact that he hadn’t yet asked how old my fillings were), and that I should have them pulled and replaced. When I asked if they were loose or decayed, he said no, just that they were old and needed to be replaced.
He also told me that I needed a scaling and root planing in all four quadrants of the mouth, despite only probing two or three teeth. At the end of two minutes of examination, Dr. Ansari had diagnosed me with over $ 2,000 worth of dental exams requiring three more appointments.
After checking with a co-​worker, I got the name of a reputable dentist, who gave me a thorough examination. It turned out that I didn’t need any oral surgery, and had a healthy mouth. In fact, he said that my fillings looked fine, and since they were small and one-​surface, there is no reason to pull them unless the show signs of decay or deterioration.
I do not trust Mr. Ansari — unnecessary oral surgery in the pursuit of money — not the person I want working on me!

I’ve been failed big time twice by Dr. Ansari. The biggest fail was being told my mouth guard would only be $ 85.00 because my new insurance coverage was great…2 months later I get a phone call and they tell me insurance isn’t going to cover it and I owe $ 260.00 more. This happened after they «checked» with my insurance and quoted me the price. Second fail was when I showed up at the time and date my appointment card read, but was told I don’t have an appointment. Oh but wait, «it looks like you’re due for a cleaning now so let’s make an appointment for next week»…FAIL

I had a similar experience to the other reviewers. The dentist made up a $ 1000 treatment plan for what I don’t really need (i.e. replacing some old fillings). My old fillings are in good condition. They are just old and silver– colored… I had a good dentist a year ago, who never sold anything unnecesarry. She didn’t even mention about the necesity of filling replacemenet. Too bad that she quit. Anyway, in addition, I knew the replacement of filling would be 100% covered by my insurance if I am OK with silver-​colored filling again instead of white one, which will be only partially covered. They didn’t explain that I had that option… I just felt that they were just trying to sell and rip off. I wouldn’t recommend this dentist.

If yo’re thikning of going here DON’T
I should have read the reviews before I made my appointment; may be one day I will learn.
My experince was similar to others reviewed here– whilst I can not comment as to what Dr Andaris motivation was, I am certain it wasn’t my «oral health»!!
I was told I needed a total of 6 crowns as «my teeth were filled with old fillings” — the fact that I had one broken filling (ie I needed one crown) and I had no other problems astounded me.
I was also told I need a mouth guard to stop me grinding my teeth… can a dentist really tell if you grind your teeth?
When I qestioned his recommendation about needing so many crowns, he said it was a preventative measure! well at an estimate over $ 5000 I figured I would prevent myself from getting broke and decided to keep my old fillings and see someone else.

This guy is the worst. The dentist I’d been going to for years and loved, Dr. Danny Wong of Nob Hill Dental, did not accept my new insurance. So I decided I was going to try a new dentist as I was in need of a filling (Dr. Wong said he’d charge me $ 90 out of pocket if i wanted to do it with him) Thinking that I’d save more $$ I went to Dr. Ansari who was covered by my new insurance. He not only recommended a filling that would cost me $ 300 out of pocket (that was after my insurance paid for most) he also recommended almost $ 4000 in other services, some of which were optional but also completely unnecessary. I went to another dentist to verify that this was absurd. Then went back to Dr. Wong — $ 90 is worth it for a trustworthy dentist whom I like. What a waste of time and honestly now that I’ve seen the other reviews, I’m so glad it worked out this way. He’s terrible.

I went to his office for just a simple teeth cleaning. He end up trying to sell me over 1000 $ treatment after insurance discount. I insisted I only want a basic cleaning not a very expensive deep cleaning. He resisted at first and after I threat to cancel my appointment, he finally agree to give me a basic cleaning.

I had a very similar experience to H.L. I used to see the dentists who formerly occupied Dr. Ansari’s office space. After not going for a cleaning for about a year, I called the office to make an appointment with my old doctor, received a time, and arrived to find that my former doctor no longer occupied the space. There was no explanation provided.
I sat down in the chair and had an identical experience to H.L.
(1) Dr. Ansari told me my fillings were old and needed to be replaced, they don’t use traditional fillings because of the mercury concerns. This seemed strange to me as at least one of my fillings was less than four years old.
(2) Dr. Ansari then probed for pockets in my gums and came up with gigantic numbers (some «6+» and many «4“s and «5“s). I’ve never had high numbers in my life. He told me I needed a deep cleaning.
(3) I was told I also needed a night guard. That seemed highly dubious to me given that Dr. Ansari himself didn’t say anything about needing a night guard; instead his assistant told me I should get one because on my dental health survey I indicated that I grinded on occasion at night.
I walked away feeling like I was being up-​sold. I spoke to my grandfather, who is a dentist, and he confirmed that traditional amalgam is still being used, contrary to what Dr. Ansari had said.
I went ahead with the recommended treatments because, in the end, I decided to ignore my gut and trust the doctor. I wish I had gotten a second opinion instead. Given the other reviews I’ve read here, I won’t return.

He’s a very friendly guy, pretty professional. I had a lot of work done with him and i could tell he had precise hands. Was always very conscientious regarding my comfort during the procedure. I like him.

My worst experience with a dentist ever! I went to Dr. Ansari, it had been 2 years since my last visit to a dentist so I was worried. After being x-​rayed the doctor came in and BARELY poked around in my mouth. He quickly gave me a heart stopping number of things I needed to get done from crowns to a mouth guard to prevent my apparent grinding problem. I was supposed to get my teeth cleaned also but he said he didn’t have time because he was running late. I then waited about 10 – 15 minutes for them to calculate the cost and found out that I had $ 3000 worth of work to be done even after my insurance had paid their part! I instead got a second opinion from Dr. Shariat (500 Sutter) and had a great experience. They immediately cleaned my teeth, the doctor examined me thoroughly, I had 2 sets of x-​rays done and she told me I only had $ 150 worth of work to be done. I then called to cancel my appointment with Dr. Ansari 2 days before the appointment and he wanted to charge me for cancelling less that 48 hours before, $ 45 dollars for every hour! I refused to pay and he said he wouldn’t charge but we’ll see. I definitely would not advise anybody to go to this dentist