Bella Shen Garnett, DMD, MMSc, PC

Dr. Shen Garnett is the best orthodontist in town, hands down. I accompanied my friend’s teenage daughter to her initial consultation appointment with Bella and was totally impressed. Bella is extremely knowledgeable and explained the treatment plan well. Another orthodontist had suggested extraction of two teeth, but Bella explained why this was unnecessary and even undesirable. Instead, my friend had an expander and braces. Throughout the process, we found Dr. Bella to be kind and attentive. After two years she has a stunning smile and enormous confidence. Bella’s office and staff are totally professional. When my own children are old enough to need braces I won’t need to shop around, Dr. Bella is the best!

Bella is awesome! My daughter just had her braces off and her teeth look amazing. Everyone there is very friendly and professional. They do a great job of scheduling, reminders for appointments and following up. They pay particular attention to little details like letting your child design their retainer and pick the color of the band on their braces. Highly recommended.

It looks like my concerns are reiterated in other reviews. hopefully this confirms those.
First, I want to say this establishment has a tastefully designed office and a friendly staff. The assistants were extremely amiable and made great conversation! This review is aimed at critiquing the service given by the orthodontist herself. In my personal experience, i found that Dr. Shen’s work was hastily done. And when I expressed concerns that my two front teeth still looked like they were protruding, she quickly hushed me and said something like, «it keeps you looking young»??? I can understand that she has to work with multiple patients at once, but perhaps it is a mistake to book too many people at once. Quality of service should always trump bulldozing through as many patients in one day as possible. When i finally finished treatment, she chipped away at my brackets so quickly and vigorously to the point of discomfort. Then, right afterwards, she sent me on my way without even asking me if i was happy with the end result. the end result looked below par, to say the least. There was a triangular gap between my two front teeth which was obvious and when i asked her if there was anything i could do to fix it, she replied «no, that’s just lost tooth». seeing that i am not an orthodontist, i took her unreliable word for it, thinking that it was a lost cause. also one tooth was still slightly rotated, and my overjet was not completely fixed. I went home and my family was surprised that i was done with my braces already because it didn’t look like i should have been. Then my sister told me that the gap, the turned tooth, and the overjet were issues that she had when she had braces, and they were fixed to perfection by her orthodontist (she had a different orthodontist who was thorough about his work and her teeth are immaculate!). Now, i am not usually nitpicky about these kind of things, but when other people are able to notice it, then i figure it is something worth addressing. while any person in any line of work should always be meticulous about his/​her work, an orthodontist of all professionals should be completely thorough and apprehensive of their service because their patients are dishing out THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS! How is it that a person working at Mcdonalds has the courtesy to say to me «will that be all for today?» but an orthodontist does not? Beats me. And then, to top it off, the permanent retainer they applied (which is supposed to last for several years) popped off a year later while i was eating eggs. I called to ask for a replacement. I was told I had to pay hundreds of dollars to replace it. Obviously, I hard passed on that one. Writ large, the impression i got from Dr. Shen was that her main objective during my whole process was to get me out as fast as possible; she did not care about the thoroughness and quality of my teeth; and she was actually a little snooty if you ask me… Anyways, I’m seeing my sister’s orthodontist now for the unfinished business. hopefully this review saves someone thousands of dollars!

I don’t think Dr. Shen Garnett needs another glowing review but she and her team deserves one. As an adult, I have been self conscious about my teeth. Unfortunately this was my own doing — not caring for them properly in my youth when I had braces. I asked my dentist and started looking into invisalign options in SF. My dentist was initially wary, thinking I would need to go with traditional braces. I went on a few consultations — — some offering deals but also seeming to have limited experience. After meeting and consulting with Dr. Shen Garnett, I knew immediately no one else would do. She is highly rated for a reason because she know how to not just make your teeth look pretty but also fix actual orthodontic problems (like my bite). When I told my dentist who I chose to go with, he immediately said she was the best and if she felt invisalign was a good way to go, then trust her.
I just completed the process in ~9 months. Yes I had to wear buttons and rubber bands but the results are great. Her team is so well put together. They run smoothly and I always felt comfortable with my care. If you have a problem, just bring it up and they will work with you to solve it. I often had weird scheduling restrictions working as a resident in a hospital but they worked with me.
Yes, you also get a lot of little goodies which is nice and makes you feel valued. They make the experience easy. Look no further!

Dr. Bella Shen Garnett and all the ladies are awesome. I couldn’t be happier with the result with my invisalign treatment. Two years ago, I was told that invisalign was not an option for me from other orthodontists, but they were wrong. Dr. Shen Garnett treated my condition with invisalign and I am so happy with the result. After the first initial consultation, I was completely in awe of the time and effort that she took to come up with the best treatment for my case. The length of treatment is longer than we originally planned, but I am glad that I found an orthodontist that cares enough to make sure my teeth are as great as possible. Thank you, Dr. Bella Shen Garnett and all the ladies in the office for giving me a beautiful smile.

Incredible customer service and bedside manner. I finished my treatment years ago and loved it. I made a decision, based solely on geography, to take my son to another orthodontist closer to our home. (We no longer live in SF)
What is awesome about her practice that I’m not getting where I am:
–Communicates everything clearly. Let’s you know what to expect. What the options are.
–Warm, friendly and caring
–Makes scheduling easy and carefree
It is worth driving over an hour to come back to this practice. I highly recommend her. (and of course my teeth amazing from her work years ago)
I just called her to ask advice and she spent so much time on the phone with me to help my son feel more comfortable. (and suggested I talk the situation through with the doctor before leaving –so I can keep my convenience factor) She is truly someone who cares about people.

I’m currently doing the Invisalign treatment program and loving it!
I love coming every six weeks to get new trays.
Everyone is warm and friendly.
The office holds contests to win cool prizes, but I have never played.
Bella knows her stuff and I feel so confident being in hers and her staff’s hands.
I can’t wait to finish this program and ring the gong in the office.

Dr. Garnett has an amazingly friendly staff who are invariably positive in every interaction. It’s truly amazing.
However, be aware what you are getting into as you engage in straightening your teeth. It’s an expensive, long term endeavor.
Our first appointment was great. Dr. Shen was friendly and spent the time to understand my needs. We agreed on an approach and got started.
I am an adult who needed their teeth straightened a bit (not much to do by everyone’s agreement). I paid $ 300-​ish for a retainer. It was not manufactured correctly, costing two more visits (aka leave work early). When it did not fit correctly, the doctor wanted $ 160+ for an adjustment. To a comment further down, Dr. Shen’s assembly line means that I had three minutes with her for adjustment visits, and unfortunately that meant the fit was not correct for several visits.
Be aware of what you’re getting in to because the stated policy is that ‘upon walking out the door of the office, I am certifying that the fit is good.’ If, as happened to me, you realize the next morning (after wearing the retainer for the first time overnight) that the fit is off (so off that I was spitting through my front), you are responsible for another $ 160+ fee for another three minutes. This practice is optimized for production, so make sure to ask Dr. Shen for a few extra minutes to really work through your issues — and make sure you like your fit BEFORE you leave the office.
Dr. Shen’s office tends to run quite late later in the day — 30 minutes is typical and they acknowledge as much. The contradiction in the approach is that you get charged for an entire visit if you don’t cancel before closing time the day before (closing time is different throughout the week)… so you must cancel on time. However, if your appointment is later in the day (eg if you work), you will typically wait 30 minutes for a 3 minute appointment — and that delay is your problem to live with.
If there was any assurance or confidence that one more visit would solve the problem, I would gladly pay $ 160+ again. With three minute appointments that tend not to solve the problem and end up charging me again (I’ve been 5+ times now), I am unfortunately frustrated.
Great team and attitude, but painful business model and financial policies (at least for me)

Dr. Shen Garnett is awesome! I had an open bite forever and was told since I was young surgery and another round of braces was only hope. I started invisilign with Dr. Shen Garnett in April 2014 and I am just finishing. And… NO MORE OPEN BITE! I have a perfect bite and I am thrilled with results. I needed this more for function than aesthetics.
I cannot thank Dr. Shen Garnett enough and she is very talented and one of the few people in the US who can fix an open bite with invisilign. I would highly recommend her to any adult who has been told surgery is the only option. She is top notch in her field!

I am getting married in June and decided to get my two front teeth that stuck out slightly fixed. I figured that if I was ever going to fix this thing that bothers me, I might as well do it before the big day.
I went into my consultation meeting in September and was told that worst case scenario we could take off my Invisalign the week before the wedding… Point being, it was going to be a 9 month process.
Fast forward to February — technically less than 5 months after I started Invisalign (!!!) and I was able to take them off permanently! Because I was DONE!!!
I’m loving the results and the whole process from beginning to end was seamless! I live in Palo Alto which is a good hour to hour and a half away from Dr. Shen (especially during morning weekday traffic), but it was WORTH IT. :)

I’ve never written a Unilocal review before but I felt compelled to describe my amazing experience with Dr. Bella Shen Garnett and her staff after completing my Invisalign treatment today.
I chose Dr. Shen Garnett because of her excellent credentials, but after seeing her professional and high tech office in the Presidio, I knew I made the right choice. The whole experience is pleasant: the waiting room has Wifi (though I never waited longer than 5 minutes), there seems to be new equipment every time I visit (molds of teeth done with tooth by tooth scanner, for example), there are cable TVs and headphones at every chair, and the team here is a professional, friendly, efficient and well oiled machine that understands and addresses your concerns immediately.
I started my Invisalign a couple years ago and since then moved to both Kenya and Israel, only able to drop by the office on my trips to visit my family in San Francisco, several months apart. Not only did Dr. Shen Garnett tailor my treatment to my crazy schedule, they humored my last minute appointment changes, rushed services like making my final retainers, express mailed trays internationally when my dog ate them, etc. When I had a filling that slightly altered the fit of my retainer, they made me a new one. When my bottom teeth failed to straighten entirely, they ordered an additional set of trays to get them perfectly straight. When my dentist saw how straight my teeth had become, he called his assistant in to admire my arch.
Dr. Shen Garnett is a perfectionist, which is exactly what you want in an orthodontist. You may be able to find a slightly cheaper orthodontist elsewhere, but you would be doing yourself a disservice. I can’t recommend this place enough.

I have never had such a wonderful experience with a dental service provider ever. Beside being a fabulous orthodontist, she helped me with the very difficult situation of finding an orthodontist in Berlin, Germany when we moved while my daughter had just begun her braces wearing experience. She is caring, professional, and a leader in her field. Top marks all around!

This review is long overdue. I’m currently undergoing Invisalign refinement.
Probably one of the best experiences I’ve had going to a medical professional.
The staff here are personable and overall awesome! Dr. Shen Garnett and Dr. Hannon are both patient, accommodating, and meticulous.
Of all the times I have been there, I barely have had to wait over 5 minutes past my designated appointment time. (very rare for most medical offices, in my opinion)
If you want top-​notch service and a great smile, definitely check this place out.

If you want a beautiful smile from a top notch doctor, you have found what you’re looking for with Dr. Bella Shen-​Garnett. My journey to find the right orthodontist started in 2008. After going through a couple consultations, the process scared me enough that I had given up hope and didn’t want to look further. Fast forward to 2012, I decided I wasn’t getting any younger and didn’t want my current bite to deteriorate any other aspects of my teeth. When I met Dr. Shen-​Garnett, I could tell she was a smart and no nonsense doctor. Her no pressure approach is what I really liked about her office. I had seen a couple orthodontist before I came to see her and some would just tell me what I wanted to hear and others just didn’t give me the vibe I was looking for. Mind you, I live an hour away from her practice, but that couldn’t sway me away from her. She was well worth it. She completed my treatment in 16 months while other orthodontist said they would take 24 months.
Her office is modern, clean, and sophisticated. The office is equipped with latest technology to make office visits easy and efficient. Her staff is very attentive to your needs and they try to assist you with whatever they can. My treatment is over and I can proudly say that I have a «Bella Smile». Thank you Dr. Shen-​Garnett and the most awesome team for everything! I wish I had found you 6 years ago!

Excellent, five stars. Bella Shen Garnett and her stellar staff have provided great service through the years for me. Everything about her and her team is friendly, professional, top notch, and totally dedicated to success. I especially appreciate her ability to work well with my travel schedule and in concert with my other doctors. My smile is so much better!

I went to Bella for a free consultation and was very impressed with Dr. Shen Garnett as well as the office. It’s a very clean environment with a very friendly staff.
My main reason for going was because I wanted Invisalign to fix minor crowding, but already got a quote from my dentist that was sky high when I didn’t even need that long of a treatment. So I decided to look elsewhere.
The reviews were fantastic and Dr. Shen Garnett is an Elite provider for Invisalign so I decided to get another quote! She could not have been more helpful as she provided me with another treatment option that was a better fit for my specific needs — and very affordable! I didn’t even hesitate and booked my appointment for my trays.
Here we are 2.5 months later and my treatment is complete! I had to post a review because I am absolutely obsessed with my smile now :) Dr. Shen Garnett is such a perfectionist and will make sure to make your teeth and smile look their best. You will not be disappointed!!!
Thank you Dr. Shen Garnett!

The rating is for the work received. They fixed what I allege some other dude messed up — can’t event call the other guy a doctor — it was a nightmare.
When I first arrived at Dr. Shen-Garnett’s, it was a disaster. I pretty much had an open bite that wasn’t there before. I don’t want to talk too much about it as it was literally kind of traumatic. Anyways! Moving on…
Dr. Shen-​Garnett and the team here are wonderful people. They work hard at what they do and really try to be as accommodating as possible — I really appreciate all their work. When I first arrived at their office, I was traumatized and high strung from the former experience — they held out hope for me and the work I needed done.
It isn’t cheap but you get what you pay for. You can’t skimp on stuff like this (eg health-​ish stuff) — I learned this the hard way.
Thanks Dr. Shen-​Garnett and team!
Highly recommended if you’re thinking about orthodontic work. If someone tells you Invisalign can’t fix your situation, get a consultation with Dr. Shen first. They’re free, least when I started (2012). She’s so talented!
Most of the other orthodontists I went to said my case had to be corrected with braces or surgery — they couldn’t see what she had faith in and was willing to try. She is knowledgeable, talented, and good hearted.
Talk to her. You won’t regret it.

I spent a long time deciding on Invisalign — visited a few orthos, got multiple quotes but just never felt quite right and postponed it, until my dentist referred me to Dr. Bella Shen.
Everything so far has been excellent — their office is bright and modern, staff is friendly and accommodating and of course Dr. Shen is The Ortho to go to if you want Invisaligh — she is an Invisalign Super Elite Provider (top 1% in a all of North America) in the Bay Area, for a reason.
You’d think she charges an arm and a leg, but the quote I got was in line with far less experienced orthos that I visited. My teeth are getting straighter by the day and I am very happy with the progress!

If you need to get braces/​invisalign, DO shop around. I found two great places in the city. Dr. Shen was one of the two. This is not the most convenient location for me, but after about five visits… I have NO regrets. The doctor is friendly and personable. The place is very high tech and i was worried that it was going to be a lot more expensive than other offices. I was wrong and they offered a very competitive price compared to others near my house.
When I emailed her with concerns/​questions, she got back to me during her time off. She let me know that it was OK to contact her if I had any more concerns. I think it’s huge for the patients when you know that the doctor cares. Thank you, Dr. Shen!

Dr. Bella Shen Garnett was referred to me by my primary dentist Oliver Fernandez (whom I love love love). Because of this — I was willing to drive in from Albany — deep into Laurel (yes, this means going through the maze, over the Bay Bridge and through the city for every Invisalign appointment.).
She’s got a great staff, lovely lovely offices and of the over dozen+ times that I’ve visited — each appointment was efficient, professional and comfortable. I paid a lot for my teeth — but I am very happy with the results. Also her staff did their best to help me with statements for my flexible healthcare spending.
I would recommend Dr. Garnett’s offices to anyone interested in Invisalign — particularly people who are afraid of dentists! Her offices are very kid friendly, I do think I bring the average age of her clients up …
But be warned that parking in the area can sometimes be challenging (depends on the time of day) and be sure to bring LOTS of quarters for the meter.