Arnold H Brokstein, DDS

About a month ago I received a letter from Dr. Brokstein along with a check stating how he could see how the confusion escalated. Although I was not expecting any refund, I will say I was surprised and the sheer acknowledgement of how he could see the issue really meant a lot.
Thank you, Dr. Brokstein for clearing up the situation.
Best,
Wings

I came across this dentist office on my own and I’m glade i did. Dr. Brokstein is very flexible and knows how to give you the care you need for your teeth. I can honestly say he is the best dentist I been to he not only engages you in conversation he makes sure you are fine even his staff is great Andrea is the best and Dr. Brokstein. I recommend him to anyone.

I have been going to Dr Brokstein for a few years now and have been extremely happy with his entire office. From the friendly receptionists, to Wallace who expertly cleans my teeth, I have had nothing but good experiences here. Billing has been fair and explained thoroughly before services are rendered. Highly recommended.

A friend recently recommended Dr. Brokstein to me, and I’m so glad she did.
I have several cavities that need filling and four wisdom teeth that probably need to come out, but I haven’t dealt with any of it because dental costs are usually so prohibitive.
My friend said that she’d been going to Dr. Brokstein for a while and that he’s flexible with people (he offered an initial visit/​consultations plus X-​rays for $ 50!), so I made an appointment. He was very nice, caring, and patiently explained to me everything that was going on with my teeth.
Dr. Brokstein recommended a Delta Dental plan (actually, it was his receptionist who recommended it), given the number of fillings I need. He analyzed my X-​rays (explaining them to me in the process), and determined that I only had one cavity that needed immediate attention (prior to the end of the 6 month waiting period dental insurance companies have before they cover fillings). His office offers a very lenient payment plan – they let me determine how much I could afford per month and set up the payment plan accordingly.
I had my urgent cavity filled today, and I was so impressed with Dr. Brokstein’s efficiency. He finished a relatively complicated cavity («three-​sided») in 30 minutes, regularly checked to make sure I was okay/​comfortable (I have dentist anxiety!), and honestly, the whole thing didn’t even hurt. He offered me sedatives, which I declined, though I am glad to know he has them in case I need anything in the future.
Dr. Brokstein’s staff is super nice and friendly. I highly recommend them all!

First and last person you see when you come into the office is the receptionist Jacqueline! She is the engine to this well oiled machine! She is a very pleasant and knowledgeable person whom you definitely want to assist you! Then there is Dr. Brokstein who is a wealth of knowledge and could probably do his job blindfolded he is so good at it! And if you are ever so lucky to choose a dental hygienist I can’t say enough great things about Ellen! She is also very pleasant and great at her job! This office is the best dentist community I’ve been to hands down! Check them out!

I am completely terrified of the dentist. I had very scary and painful experiences as a child. My fear of the dentist is a little deeper than most. I put off going to the dentist for years. When I had a dental emergency about 3 years ago my coworker recommended Dr. Brockstein. He was patient and calm and made my root canal and multiple fillings as bearable as I could have imagined. I’ve been a patient ever since. He takes his time with my treatments, talks me through the procedures and always makes sure I am as comfortable as I can be. The crown he did 2 years ago looks totally natural, it matches my teeth so well you would never know it is a crown. Dr. Brockstein’s staff is great. They are consistently nice and always professional. Jacqueline, who I believe is the office manager, is great at explaining insurance coverage and helped me work out a payment plan for what insurance didn’t cover. Andrea is knowledgable and so nice to work with. This dental office makes the unbearable bearable.

This is my new favorite dentist. I usually get very anxious and dread going to the dentist. But here you’re very welcomed and Dr. Brokstein offers sedatives to make sure you’re comfortable in a usually uncomfortable situation. Everyone at this dentist is very kind and attentive. They also offer payment plans which is great because my crown is going to cost over $ 1000, which they let me break up into 8 monthly payments. I love the anti anxiety I get from this dental experience, since usually I want nothing to do with the dentist let alone pay for it.

I have been seeing Dr. Arnold Brokstein for approximately 8 months. I received a referral from 1−800-DENTIST due to a very bad tooth. I was amazed he saw me because I have a very limited $ 1,000 dental insurance policy. I came from another dentist in berkeley who had no clue on pain management. Dr. Brokstein is the best. He treated me with nitrous and other pre-​dental pain medication. My dental treatment was astounding. I never had any pain.
His office staff Jacquelyn, Andrea and Elvia are also EXTREMELY the greatest. They also have always been very accommodating and patient and pleasant.
At one time after my first visit with Dr. Brokstein I had to file bankruptcy ch 7 and had to include my $ 250 balance with Dr. Brokstein’s office and didn’t pay him due to problem finances.
However three months after my bankruptcy discharged, I called Dr. Brokstein and asked if he would treat my other very painful tooth. He said absolutely yes. This is very bizarre. Most dentists that you owe money to will not see you until you pay them off.
I am having driving difficulty and am using paratransit. Recently, I scheduled a visit with Dr. Brokstein. At the visit, he reminded me that my visit would take 1−½ — 2 hrs. to insert a crown and because of the pre-​dental pain management I needed like i did in previous appointment. He recommended that I make other transportation arrangements to get home so that I could benefit from the best dental treatment.
I made other transportation arrangements. Dr. Brokstein expertly performed the pre-​dental pain management needed, and inserted the crown. I didn’t experience any pain at any point during or after that procedure.
Dr. Brokstein allows me to make very easy payment arrangements and I will never have any reason to look elsewhere. He will always be my dentist. I highly recommend Dr. Brokstein and his staff.

Dr. Brokstein is AWESOME! One of The ONLY dentists that actually try to make the whole experience less painful!

I am one of those wait till it gets bad because I can’t afford to have it done kind of people. I had work done at Oakland Dental near summit health, thought I was getting a good deal because they made payment arrangements and everything! NOPE! I got a total of 2 crowns done both needed a root canal. Ughhhh HATE root canals! After the work was done my gums near the root canal kept getting infected with on and off swelling. I contacted my dentist at the time and she gave me something for the swelling but it only temporarily fixed it, so I let her know that my tooth felt loose like it wasn’t cemented right. Came in for another visit, by now I had nothing left on my insurance and she was telling me that the tooth wasn’t working out and my only option was to REMOVE IT and get a fakey replacement which would cost me an arm and a leg out of pocket! I was hesitant about completely removing the tooth but she kept PUSHING me to make an a appointment for removal. Like a freakin car salesmen!
Pump The Brakes! Time for a second opinion. Turns out that she did a horrible job on my root canal and only finished half the root! I couldnt believe it, I was SHEISTED BY MY DENTIST?! She was trying to convince me to pull the tooth so that there would be no evidence of how poorly she treated my tooth. So now gotta get it redone, SUX!

Fortunately for me I found Dr. Brockstein! He is gentle, very professional and always makes you feel comfortable. His staff is fabulous, they always try and make payment plans that work for you. So you can actually pay them. lol
Dr. Brockstein is a very honest dentist, and you can be sure to get great service every time! I didnt know I had to watch out for bad dentists too! Dr. Brockstein is one of the good ones so go check him out! Its located in the Montclair area of Oakland. A little bit of a drive, since i’ve moved out of Oakland, but well worth it every time! And the great view doesn’t hurt ;)

Frankly, when going to the dentist, I look for three things: Generous anesthetic, Quality work, and Speed. Dr. Brokstein gives me all three. I’ve been going for several years now and have never been disappointed with the service he provides. I had a tooth crowned recently and I’m very satisfied.

I’ve been using Dr. Brokstein for years now. I first went to him through a referral from 1−800-Dentist on a Sunday afternoon when I had a tooth abscess. Dr. Brokstein actually called me that day to make an appointment. Money was a huge issue for me at that time and I did not have insurance. He was able to work with my budget so that I was able to get the treatment I needed. I haven’t used another dentist since.
He does fantastic work and when things do go wrong he works with you and makes sure that you are happy with the treatment.
I have been very happy and satisfied with this office and I recommend him whenever I can.

I called Dr. Brokstein with a massive toothache. They got me in the office the very same day considering me an emergency case, which I really appreciated after the lackluster attention I got from the previous dentist I tried. They put me on an antibiotic and some pills for pain and got my agony under control first and foremost.
I had a very bad tooth in need of a root canal. I explained to the doctor that the issue of cost was paramount, and it turned out that he is very affordable for uninsured people. I called around and grilled people for prices of different treatments and his prices are fairly good, certainly good for being in the hills. They let me split my payment into installments for which I am eternally grateful.
One of the things I really liked about Doc Brok is how transparent he was with me. He patiently addressed all my questions and concerns with certainty. He took time to show me the x-​rays of my teeth on his computer, occasionally drawing lines on them as a visual aid as he explained my problems and the work to be done.
Apparently he uses an uncommon but cutting-​edge imaging procedure with which to examine his x-​ray images. I had just gotten x-​rays 3 days prior and his results came out the same so I believe his diagnoses were trustworthy.
In the end I opted for an extraction, a request he honored even though his desire was to save the tooth, as I suppose any good dentist should do.
The extraction went routinely. I have to give the doctor credit for his feather-​light touch. I only barely felt needles in my gums for the local, and a couple minutes later he had the tooth out. At my request he showed me extracted tooth, first cleaning it out of tasteful discretion. Fun fact — a normal molar has 2 roots, mine had 3. That was pretty cool. My follow up is in a week and it’s free of charge.
To sum up the pros —
* pay in installments
* competent and friendly staff
* experienced and ethical surgeon
* didn’t give me the hard sell and addressed my immediate needs within my constraints.
* state-​of-​the-​art technology
* close to the exit, 10 — 15 minute drive from anywhere in the Oakland area
cons —
* I didn’t get a lolly pop.
* It’s not gloomy at all but they could cheer up the environment with a little light music.
* The bakery downstairs is way too tempting.
I still have much dental work to be done. Once it is within my means I will be coming here. They did right by me when no one else seemed to be willing, thereby earning a loyal patient.

I’ve been going to Dr Brokstein for years (15?), and I’m grateful to him for helping me overcome my (ridiculous) dental-​phobia w/​patience and gentle encouragement. I appreciate that he makes Valium available, and when I needed a crown recently, he added nitrous oxide. I feel as if I get great, professional care in his office (LOVE Wallace the hygienist).
For some reason, this review was «filtered» and didn’t appear w/​Dr. Brokstein’s Unilocal reviews. Why? Want me to find issues to complain about? OK. I wish he’d recarpet his waiting area, and he and I don’t agree on some political issues (I asked him to drop the subject, and he has).

I’ve been getting my dental work done at Dr Brokstein for almost three years now and have been pleased with the results. The problem I had with other dentists was the lack of communication. I rely on he and his staff to tell me what my dental benefits are and he accomodates those to my needs often at almost no cost to me after benefits.
During my first few visits, I really did think he was trying to upsell his services like replacing old cavities when I thought there was more urgent work to be done. But as I asked and he explained, my needs were accommodated to my budget (as a college student at the time). In the end, his recommendations fit with the long term wellness of my teeth.
As an aside, I first went to Dr Brokstein because I thought he performed wisdom teeth extractions. Instead, he referred me to another firm that he thought did good work. But they seemed to be upselling me their services as well, furthering my initial skepticism of Dr Brokstein. He has since stopped referring patients to them.
In short, it was a rough start, but as I understood dental insurance and dental health, I grew fond of Dr Brokstein’s dental services.

I have been a patient of Dr. Brokstein for a while. I am always pleased with his work. I also want to comment on his staff, they are just awesome! They are friendly, attentive, and accommodating. I have had several dentists before, and never seemed to feel quite comfortable with them. Dr. Brokstein is definitely someone I trust.

I have been going to Dr. Brokstein since I was a teenager. I have always felt more comfortable in the small, homey space they provide. The dental assistants are personable and honest. Wallace always pays special attention to cleaning my teeth thoroughly. That being said, I had braces for 2 years in high school and they never corrected two small, crooked teeth in the front of my mouth. This past week, Dr. Brokstein corrected one of my teeth and I cannot stop looking in the mirror! I recommend this place especially if you want to take a preventable care approach to your teeth.

And to add to this I went to another dentist 6 months after Dr. Brockstein and I was told I had NO cavities. None! I even made the dentist check twice. Still nothing. Don’t waste your time with this so-​called professional.

He is great. I went to him after twelve years of not having any cleanings or dentist visits, and he took great care of me. The crown fit perfectly, and he explained everything that was going on with my teeth while showing me the x-​rays. He also didn’t exaggerate what I needed, even though he knew I hadn’t been to a dentist for so long… he did not take advantage of me, or pretend I needed work I didn’t need, which happened in my childhood.
And they serve Peet’s Coffee in the little lobby!

I’ve been going to Dr. B all my life, and yeah I’m a fan.
The people and the office are nice and clean.
Dr. B can be a little hard on his staff from what I’ve seen and there is a bit of turn over but the real treat is the Dental Hygienist, Wallace, sweet and a smile. Having a cleaning with Wallace is like going to the small town doctor where he will laugh and give you that tooth brush and tooth paste like a loopy pop.
Yes, I admit it. If you have insurance, Dr. B will find a way to use it up, but I have some of the best teeth I’ve ever seen because he catches stuff early. If you don’t want to use up your insurance, just tell him you can’t do the prevention approach and he will wait for it to get bad if that is what you want — but I think it’s great that he wants to do the absolute best.
Yes, he sticks tools in his pocket sometimes — I’ve only seen him do it once in all my years and yes it was when I was getting a filling. But unless you live in a plastic bubble you should be fine. You probably have gotten worst from your local restaurant.

I really like Dr. Brokstein. He is very friendly and helpful and flexible with his payments which is really nice when you need to pay for a crown on a budget.
He is very gentle and uses plenty of Novocaine so you don’t feel anything.