Wong Family Dentistry, Richmond

2970 Hilltop Mall Road, Suite 212, Richmond, CA 94806, Phone: 510-222-4178

Do you have a dentist you absolutely love? One that you would travel 40 or more miles to every six months because they are that good and you don’t want to risk trying a local one? We do.

For over 15 years or so I have been going to Wong Family Dentistry with Martin and Stephen Wong in Richmond, CA. It’s not a scary area in the daytime so don’t worry about that. I know of their practice because they are actually family, related to my mom. Still we go there, not because of family ties, but because they are fabulous dentists!

They are located in an office complex across from the Hilltop Mall. From the outside you would never guess that a full dentist office was inside. The facility is old but is kept up well, except for the elevator which is horribly slow.

The office is located on the second floor and to the right (or is it left? I have no sense of direction…) when you exit the elevator hall. The waiting room is simple but very clean. There’s an older television that they use to play movies for the kiddies. They have a movie list behind the counter so if it’s not busy, feel free to request a different movie. For some reason my daughter always asks for ‘Cars’ – probably because she only ever gets to watch the first 30 minutes of it at each visit.

Dr. Martin (who we call ‘Marty’) and Dr. Stephen are the kindest dentists you will meet. That’s not to say that they are pushovers. Both will definitely tell you when you need to work on your dental care routine. Yet, their manner is very pleasant and puts everyone at ease including children. Though each has a different style, they are both extremely good and sometimes we go to one if the other is not available. The whole office staff feels like family. Several of the employees are related to me but that’s not, well, related. They do tend to have conversations with you as your mouth is full of tools and suction tubes but at least they’re not boring. Last time there was a full discussion on the Gilroy Garlic Festival that began that weekend.

While the practice is a no-frills kind place, it is not outdated. Stephen and Marty take good care of their patients by utilizing newer technology. I love their digital x-ray machine that is quick and easy. The sensor you need to bite down on is a hundred time less uncomfortable than those old pieces that dug into the roof and sides of my mouth, making my eyes water to no end. Plus, it allows for the images to come up almost instantly so that you know exactly where they are working on your teeth and why. That is, of course, only one instrument they use.

All procedures are thoroughly discussed and unnecessary ones are never pushed or even encouraged. The rates they charge are very reasonable and comparable to other dentists. We have never found ‘surprise’ charges on our bills.

As a family dentistry, the Wong brothers do an amazing job maintaining high standards. They are competent and thorough. The assistants are equally trustworthy and none of us have ever had anything less than a great experience, that is subjective though as we don’t expect a filling or extraction to be a fun day out.

One time, several years ago, they put together a quick retainer for me. It was so well-made that the dentist we went to while in the Netherlands took pictures to learn from it. That was pretty funny. He was the head of some dental association over there so it was a big deal that he was so impressed by what Drs. Wong had made.

At the end of our appointments we are all sent home with a little goodie bag and my daughter gets a balloon of her choice. Every six months we get a postcard reminder and last time we even received an email reminder. If you live in the area and want a great dentist, try Stephen and/or Martin Wong. Trust me, you won’t regret it!