Alhambra

"The front desk and hygienists are super nice and welcoming every time. You can really tell the team here cares about their patients. The office is very clean and they take great care with infection control, which makes me feel comfortable every visit. Because l am also working at a health care facil..."

The front desk and hygienists are super nice and welcoming every time. You can really tell the team here cares about their patients. The office is very clean and they take great care with infection control, which makes me feel comfortable every visit. Because l am also working at a health care facility that’s why l am extremely concerned about the infection control.

My mom had her implant, cleaning, and filling done here, and Dr. John Chao and his team did an amazing job. I even brought my nieces and siblings here for their check-ups, and everyone was so happy with the care they received.

If you’re looking for a good-hearted, passionate, and professional dental team, this is definitely the place to go. Highly recommend Dr. John Chao and his team!

It is very difficult for immigrants to find a dentist in the United States who is culturally competent and agrees with clients at saving original teeth whenever possible. My definition for a GOOD dentist is that he/she can observe clients’ perspectives, communicate health concepts effectively, and propose practical solutions. Dr. Chao is, by far, the BEST (most exquisite and artistic) dentist I have ever seen! Or my version of tooth fairy :-)

This past August, while getting an X-ray done at another office, due to a dental assistant's malpractice, my lower front teeth were almost chipped by the instrument. For nearly a month, I tried my best to preserve my original teeth by consuming only liquid foods, using mouth rinses, and visiting various Western and Chinese dental clinics for solutions. The results were extremely disappointing so I couldn’t sleep well. In summary, Western dentists tended to blame my loose teeth on periodontitis, insisting that full-mouth implants is the ONLY solution and even suggesting pulling my existing teeth for that. I asked them if the solution of periodontitis equals implants, dental school could just be called the School of Extraction and Implants, and you could graduate in a year instead of studying 4-5 years! One young periodontist even challenged me, suggesting that if a dentist could save my front teeth while treating my periodontitis, that dentist should sign to keep his promise and commitment. How arrogant!

A couple of Chinese dentists seemed more pragmatic, focusing primarily on cost-benefit and the reliability of new technology. They appeared concerned for me, but unwilling to provide a feasible plan or simply had no solution. Finally, with the help of Google, I found Dr. Chao. He is very knowledgeable, fearless, humble, and practical. He immediately analyzed my 3D and MRI scans, made assessments, and proposed a plan, clarifying which habits I needed to change versus those which are out of my control, leading to his proposed treatment plan, and what post-treatment follow-ups would be needed. Everything was organized and easy to understand. The subsequent deep cleaning, replantation of my original front tooth, and the correction with a night retainer were all done in one seamless process.

All I am suggesting here is that dentistry should work with clients as a team for mutual goals. Clients deserve to know what solutions AVAILABLE, not be threatened to adopt any ONE SINGLE SOLUTION presented.

Currently, my full set of ORIGINAL teeth are still serving me, and I, along with Chao’s dental clinic, are doing our best to keep these guardians...

HUGE MONEY + INTEGRITY ISSUES!!

I sought help from Dr. Chao because my dentist referred me to get a gum graft to solve tooth inflammation and pus. Dr. Chao said he could help me and that I was a candidate for the Pinhole treatment.

He presented me an $16K treatment plan to get Pinhole which included a mandatory deep clean, Perio Protect trays, and occlusion device. He gave me a 50% discount and required that I pay everything upfront. It seemed like an odd way to do business, but he was confident in his ability to help me.

He ordered the Perio Protect trays and occlusion device for the day of my deep clean. But unfortunately nothing went any further.

His office did one deep clean and then Dr. Chao refused to move forward with the surgery. Nothing changed from our first session, so I have literally no idea why he suddenly couldn't treat me when he said that he could. He just kept sending me out to specialists.

I ended up seeing two periodontists and they both told me I my tooth needs to be surgically cleaned.

When I went back to Dr. Chao with the information from the periodontists, he offered me $2,700 for the surgery he never performed (a small fraction of my original $8K+ investment).

I came to find out later that some of his fees (even with the 50% "discount") were more than DOUBLE the industry standard.

* $2,400 for a deep clean (industry standard = $1,200)
* $1,750 for Perio Protect trays (with the 50% "discount") Industry standard = $650.
* $350 for a bacteria test. The same test is $130 online. Or you can get the same exact results for $90 online with SimplyPerio Saliva Test (i.e. Osseodent.com).
* $900 per tooth for the Pinhole. I was quoted $625 per tooth by a microsurgery periodontist.
* $1,800 for occlusion device (I was quoted $1,200 by another dentist)

Paying too much sucks, but the worst part was that Dr. Chao wasn't even able to help me and I'm fighting to get my money back. No medical practitioner should ever treat people who are seeking healing this way. The way he runs his business is everything that is wrong with the business or private medicine in this country.

I HIGHLY SUGGEST THINKING TWICE BEFORE MIXING YOUR MONEY UP WITH DR. CHAO.

After many months of searching, I ended up getting Regenerative Periodontal Endoscopy treatment with Judy Carroll at PerioPeak in WA - a deep non-surgical treatment to microscopically remove tooth debris. She also used Emdogain to help regrow bone naturally. After 7 months of struggling for help (which Dr. Chao couldn't do), this woman cleared my infection in one treatment.

For those of us who don't want traditional gum grafting, I recommend finding a periodontist who does microsurgery (if you're in LA, Dr. Ricardo Raschkovsky offers this. Or ask Google/ChatGPT for someone in your area). It's less invasive than traditional gum grafting and then you're working with a real periodontist on deeper issues.

Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't work with anyone who isn't using a microscope. There is a lot going on that can't be seen with basic magnification that most dentists use (including Dr. Chao's office).

Gum recession is often a result of bone loss, which is often a result of occlusion. All of that needs to be worked on, not just lifting the gums up.

As an added bonus - Dr. Chao makes patients sign a document stating they will not leave any online reviews - which is ILLEGAL in the state of California. Another red flag.

I will say that the ladies in his office are very kind and warm. Joy, Meredith, Gia, Cynthia, and others were very caring to me. I give them my thanks. It's not their fault that Dr. Chao struggles with greed and runs a bad, unethical business.

Dr. Chao - I am working to find it in my heart to forgive you for whatever happened in this life to create this greed in your spirit. I can only imagine what that has really cost you in this life. And I say this - it's never too late to turn it around and let the real beauty of your heart be what guides you.

I have been a loyal patient at Dr. Chao's office since 2015, and I
must say, my experience has been nothing short of exceptional. Back
then, I was quite apprehensive about visiting a dentist, especially
with a painful tooth that might have required an immediate root canal.
It was through an ad that I discovered Dr. Chao and decided to take a
chance – a decision I'm incredibly grateful for.

Dr. Chao not only addressed the pain in my tooth with precision and
care but also performed a crown procedure that exceeded my
expectations. The relief from the pain was immediate, and the crown
has been a durable solution. Despite moving to Fontana, I continue to
make the journey to see Dr. Chao regularly for cleanings.

His professionalism, expertise, and genuine concern for his patients
have made me a steadfast supporter of his practice. I can confidently
say that Dr. Chao's office is the go-to place for anyone seeking
top-notch dental care. I am no longer fearful of dental visits, thanks
to Dr. Chao and his wonderful team. I highly recommend their services
to anyone in need of a reliable and skilled dentist.

First the good news: I have never been to a more thorough dentist. Dr. Turi went through each tooth, and shared helpful knowledge and suggestions. Her assistant took pictures from all angles, and they had advanced imaging technology. Friendly, knowledgable, efficient. After my first visit, I gave them a five-star review. However, in my follow-up visit, another person there told me I needed a filling, which was not covered by my insurance. So I gave the money, but then the dentist said that the person was wrong, I did not need the filling. But I was told they could not return the money to me. They wanted me to do an expensive deep cleaning I couldn't really afford and they said they would apply it to that and that I could make payments for the expensive cleaning ($700 or so vs the $1500 they said I really should have). After the follow-up for that cleaning they said I needed to spend more since it didn't take. I asked about the regular non-deep cleaning and they said it didn't come with my insurance (which it does--I verified that with my provider).

So the dentist is thorough and knowledgable and her main assistant is a very nice fellow, but the woman who gouged me, denied my full insurance, used scare language to try to get me to do expensive procedures, and was insensitive to my finances, made me never want to go back. I am surprised the dentist tolerates her, and it gave me the idea that they must like the money she brings them.

Alhambra Dental

🎉 50% OFF All Plans

Are you the owner of Alhambra Dental?

About This Clinic

📍 Alhambra Dental

Book Appointment

Own this clinic?