Bay Area Dentist Serving San Francisco, Berkeley, Piedmont, Oakland
January 16th, 2012
Four years ago, I had a skin cancer removed from the very edge of my lower eyelid. The surgeon who removed it was/is widely regarded as the best surgeon in the area for this type of procedure. At the time, I was not quite as impressed as everyone else was. Her bedside manner was abrupt, she was rough, and seemed uncaring. During the procedure I actually woke up from the IV sedation feeling the pain of sharp surgical instruments, which should never happen with the right combination of local and IV anesthesia. While I was recovering, aside from looking like I had seen the business end of a boxer’s fist, I felt like I had a small pebble in my eye for 2 weeks from a suture she had tied in such a way as to irritate my eye. When it came time to remove the sutures–a procedure generally regarded as painless–she was so rough that I asked her to stop, and I went to my office and removed the last sutures myself–painlessly.
When a recurrent lesion developed in the same exact spot this year, I was again referred to the same specialist. My consultation with her reminded me of all that went wrong last time, with one additional consideration–she didn’t remove all the cancer. Despite my reservations, my doctor assured me that she was the best in the area, that “these things happen,” and that I should proceed. When the specialist’s office took a month to get back to me to schedule the surgery, I had already asked my doctor if there was someone else I could see. With a few emails, my doctor arranged for me to see 2 top specialists at Stanford Medical Center.
The two experiences were as different as could be. The Stanford Dermatology Center made me feel like a VIP. They arranged things so that the cancer surgeon and the plastic surgeon would coordinate their procedures on the same day. I didn’t feel a thing during the procedures or after. And I didn’t look like Joe Frazier after the “Thrilla in Manila.”
These 2 episodes remind me that there are often local professionals who have become the go-to experts, not because they deserve it, but because they have a local niche, skillful marketing, a confident disposition, or because they have managed to ride on an old reputation rather than consistently excellent performance. One of the wealthiest, most successful orthodontists in our area is like this. He boasts about his international reputation, his keynote addresses at national meetings, and his published articles. I have had the uncomfortable experience of explaining to some of his patients, without disparaging him, why they now have headaches and jaw joint noise that they did not have before his treatment. Another local dentist described the orthodontist like this, “If he were half as good as he says he is, he would wouldn’t be half bad.” One time he called me on the phone to complain that when his patients come to my office that they never come back, and he had a collection of articles in front of him to support why they should. Not being someone to criticize another dentist’s work because I never know the whole story, I didn’t really have a good explanation for why his patients didn’t come back except that “It’s certainly not my communication skills, so maybe my treatment approach simply makes more sense to them.”
There is another local “expert” in implants I used to refer patients to before I received my own training in implants. When one of his implants failed on a patient of mine and I asked to meet with him about it, he came into my office angry and hostile, unwilling to entertain the thought that he had made a legitimate, understandable mistake that my patient wasn’t going to tolerate.
Who says that these people have to remain the go-to experts? As far as I can tell, my reputation is only as good as the last painless injection I gave, the last bite problem I solved, or the last toothache I cured. Everyday, it is incumbent upon so-called “experts” to re-earn their reputations with solid results on real, live patients. No amount of published articles, patient referrals, or keynote addresses can compensate for clinical failure. Clinicians are not perfect. We all make mistakes. This is why every day we have to balance confidence with humility, professionalism with humanity, reputation with performance.
As patients and as consumers, we do not have to tolerate sub par professional care by local “experts.” To me, it is worth it to travel as far as necessary to get the best possible care from a real expert. When my mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, traveling to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota gave her 3 years she might not have otherwise had and allowed her to see 2 grandchildren born that she might have never known. When I needed my own teeth and bite addressed, I traveled to one of the top dentists in the country who not only fixed my teeth but cured me of my lifelong migraines and relieved me of the debilitating vertigo that I believe was caused by our “expert” local orthodontist. And now I know that Stanford has far more competent specialists in skin cancer and plastic surgery of the eye than the highly regarded local expert.
In some instances, the best professional may be just around the corner, but when it comes to your health, it is worth the minor inconvenience to travel to a real expert.
Posted in Insights, Outstanding Client Care | Comments Off
December 29th, 2011
A picture is worth a thousand words… Here is one of today’s patients–still numb, but happy!
Best wishes to all of our referring professionals for the holidays. It is our privilege and pleasure to assist you throughout the year with your patients who need sedation, complex restorative and TMD treatment.
 Before Smile Makeover - Full Face View  Before Smile Makeover - Close Up View  After Smile Makeover - Full Face View View  After Smile Makeover - Close Up View
Posted in Smile Makeovers | Comments Off
November 8th, 2011
Estelle is a critical care nurse who wanted to finally have a nice smile. Her midline was off and she previously had bonding to correct it as much as possible. Using 8 porcelain veneers on her upper and 8 on her lower teeth, we were able to give Estelle the smile she has been wanting for a long time.
 Before Smile Makeover - Full Face View  Before Smile Makeover - Close Up View  After Smile Makeover - Full Face View View  After Smile Makeover - Close Up View
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
August 25th, 2011
- Brush, floss, and use a Water Pik. Our patients who follow this simple regimen have the fewest problems. Just do it!
- Regular check-ups, x-rays and cleanings. Cleanings help keep gum disease in check, while x-rays and check ups help to find problems while they are still small.
- When your dentist recommends treatment, take the advice. Dental problems get worse with time (and more expensive).
- When you are given a choice of treatment options, choose the most long-lasting solution. It may be more expensive in the short term, but it is usually less expensive and time consuming in the long run.
- If you have a number of dental problems, get them all taken care of in as few visits as possible. Doing one tooth at a time costs a lot in terms of time away from your regular life or missing work. And waiting to fix a problem allows that problem to get worse.
- Don’t be too concerned if your insurance won’t cover your treatment. Insurance reimbursements have not kept pace with dental fees and typically cover $1,000 to 1,500 per year, the same dollar amount they covered in the 1960’s. It’s nice to get some insurance benefits, but these plans are designed for minimal maintenance only. If you care about your teeth, you may have to pay out of pocket to keep them healthy.
- Make sure you are seeing an experienced, gentle, highly trained dentist, who has many satisfied patients.
Posted in Good Dental Hygiene | No Comments »
August 2nd, 2011
One of the best-kept secrets in my practice is that for decades we have been providing dental house calls. Most house calls are to visit seniors who have health, mobility, or transportation issues.
What kind of dental treatment can we provide during a house call?
- Dental Exams
- Diagnostic Photographs
- X-rays and CT scans
- Minor dental repairs
- Denture fabrication
- Oral hygiene
House calls often save a dental patient and their caregiver the inconvenience of an office visit. However, when a dental office visit is needed, we can arrange transportation if necessary. Many seniors are afraid of the dentist. As the Founder and President of The Dental Comfort Academy, it is very important to me to make sure that all of our dental patients are as comfortable as possible. Oftentimes this means that we sedate our nervous dental patients, either with a pill or with I.V. sedation administered by an anesthesiologist.
Seniors have been using their teeth for a long time and often need dental work such as:
- Cleanings
- Fillings
- Crowns and bridges
- Partial dentures
- Dental Implants
- Implant-supported dentures.
Patients with loose dentures particularly appreciate the added security that dental implants can provide for better chewing and less embarrassment. All of the senior services that we provide are, of course, available to all of our seniors, not just those who need house calls and transportation.
If you or someone you know needs a house call or our senior services, please email us at allnewsmiles@hotmail.com or call us at 510-601-7645.
Posted in Dental Implants, Good Dental Hygiene, Sedation Dentistry, Senior Dental Patients | No Comments »
July 6th, 2011
Laser Dentistry has been a part of my practice for a long time. Using my laser is as common as picking up my high speed and I don’t think I could practice without either. After attending a laser course recently, I thought I should bring to everyone’s attention some of the things that we do with lasers to help our patients. First of all, we have two lasers in our office so that both myself and my hygienist, Leah, can help our patients with lasers.
Here are some ways lasers can help you:
1. Avoiding gum surgery. In some cases, gum surgery is necessary, but oftentimes gum surgery can be avoided by treating gum disease conservatively with a laser. Many research articles have shown lasers to decrease the deep, infected pockets of gum tissue around a tooth that often lead to losing the tooth. By painlessly removing diseased gum tissue inside the pockets, bone has also been reported in the literature to grow back where it has previously been lost, helping to tighten up loose teeth.
2. Uncovering dental implants without surgery. After a dental implant has integrated into the jaw for several months, it has to be uncovered so that a tooth can be attached for chewing. In the past, this was a surgical procedure involving stitches. With a laser, a small opening is created in the gums to expose the implant painlessly and without stitches.
3. Better fitting crowns and fillings. Sometimes, a tooth will decay (rot) below the gumline. In order to make a restoration that fits the tooth precisely, it is important to expose strong healthy tooth structure. This is successfully accomplished by using the laser to painlessly create a small trough of space between the gums and the tooth. Research articles show that this method creates better fitting/more successful crowns and fillings.
4. Treatment for cold sores and canker sores. In the past, treatment options were limited for cold sores and canker sores. Lasers can significantly improve the uncomfortable symptoms and speed healing. No injections are needed for this treatment.
5. De-sensitize exposed roots at the gumline. Patients who use Sensodyne may appreciate that their sensitive roots can be successfully treated with lasers. No injections are needed for this. The tip of the laser does not even touch the sensitive area. A warm laser beam is shined on the area like a flashlight and gently de-sensitizes the tooth.
6. Treatment for “gummy” smiles. Lasers work nicely for painlessly sculpting excess gum tissue for a more esthetically pleasing smile. We routinely use a laser on almost every smile makeover case we do to turn a good case into a great case.
For more information on how we can help you with our lasers, just call us or ask at your next visit.
Posted in Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Implants, Laser Dentistry, Restorative Dentistry, Technology | No Comments »
July 5th, 2011
Do you suffer from headaches? Do your jaw muscles feel overworked? Do you have a clicking sound in your TMJ (the joint just in front of your ear)? Does your bite feel strained? Are your teeth wearing out?
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions you may have TMD, more commonly known as TMJ.
TMJ can also cause dizziness, ear congestion, neck pain, and other symptoms not commonly considered “dental.” Dr. Josh Bernstein is one of the few dentists in the San Francisco Bay Area that treats TMJ. In his Piedmont, California office, Dr. Bernstein will help you determine if you have TMJ and help you understand what you can do about it. Sometimes a simple bite adjustment is all that is needed. Other times orthodontics is the solution, and Dr. Bernstein frequently uses Invisalign orthodontics to help his Bay Area TMJ patients.
When teeth are severly worn, some patients need to have their mouths completely restored to solve the TMJ problems. Occasionally, braces and even jaw surgery are needed.
Whatever the problem, Dr. Bernstein can help you get on the right track for a solution. With over 25 years of experience and as a Clinical Instructor in Full Mouth Reconstruction, Dr. Bernstein is well equipped to address your dental problems. Dr. Bernstein is a TMJ patient himself who was successfully treated with the techniques he now uses in his Bay Area dental office.
Physicians and other dentists often refer their TMJ cases to Dr. Bernstein from all over, but typically Dr. Bernstein treats TMJ patients from the following zip codes: 94129, 94123, 94109, 94133, 94111, 94108, 94104, 94109, 94105, 94121, 94118, 94115, 94102,94103, 94117,94122, 94131, 94114, 94110, 94107, 94116, 94127, 94124, 94132, 94112, 94134, 94618, 94609, 94611, 94608, 94662, 94612, 94610, 94602, 94606, 94619, 94605, 94707, 94708, 94709, 94710, 94704, 94702, 94703, 94705.
Posted in Invisalign, TMJ/TMD | No Comments »
June 23rd, 2011
Nobody wants to lose even one tooth, let alone a number of teeth. Traditional options for replacing missing teeth have been dentures, partial dentures, bridges, or sometimes people just choose to live with the empty space. These historical options are still available but today dental implants present a far more natural option. Dental implants literally replace the tooth, meaning that even the root of the missing tooth is replaced. Teeth replaced with dental implants are the strongest, longest lasting and most realistic. They are also the most expensive but patients who replace their missing teeth with dental implants are typically very happy with the choice they have made.
Dr. Josh Bernstein provides dental implants services to patients in the Piedmont, California and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Patients sometimes travel from across California and the United States to visit Dr. Bernstein, but most of his patients come from the following zip codes: 94129, 94123, 94109, 94133, 94111, 94108, 94104, 94109, 94105, 94121, 94118, 94115, 94102,94103, 94117,94122, 94131, 94114, 94110, 94107, 94116, 94127, 94124, 94132, 94112, 94134, 94618, 94609, 94611, 94612, 94610, 94602, 94606, 94619, 94605, 94608, 94662, 94707, 94708, 94709, 94710, 94704, 94702, 94703, 94705.
Posted in Dental Implants | No Comments »
June 19th, 2011
Everyone wants straight white teeth. Invisalign orthodontics is a great way to straighten your teeth without braces. Using thin clear plastic aligners, which are changed every two weeks to gradually move your teeth, Invisalign allows patients to get the straight teeth they’ve always wanted without braces. Bay Area Invisalign dentist Dr. Bernstein treats patients from all over the world, but most of his Invisalign patients come from the following zip codes: 94129, 94123, 94109, 94133, 94111, 94108, 94104, 94109, 94105, 94121, 94118, 94115, 94102,94103, 94117,94122, 94131, 94114, 94110, 94107, 94116, 94127, 94124, 94132, 94112, 94134, 94618, 94609, 94611, 94612, 94610, 94602, 94606, 94619, 94605, 94707, 94708, 94709, 94710, 94704, 94702, 94703, 94705, 94608, and 94662.
Posted in Invisalign | No Comments »
May 19th, 2011
File this one in the “truth is stranger than fiction” file! We made a Somnodent appliance for one of our patients who snores and has sleep apnea (he stops breathing many times while he sleeps). Almost immediately after we made is for him, he lost it and could not find it anywhere. So we made him another one. Well, he finally found the first one. In a flower pot. On top of the refrigerator! As it turns out, he put his Somnodent in a glass of water on the dining room table. His wife came along to water the plants, including the one on top of the refrigerator. And they never would have found it except that they just bought a new refrigerator! All’s well that ends well. They got a new refrigerator. He has a spare Somnodent. And they’re both sleeping a whole lot better!
Posted in Sleep Apnea, Uncategorized | No Comments »
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