Doina M Panaite, DDS MS

This review is long overdue, and I want to say it has been an amazing experience working with Dr. Panaite and her staff.
Before working with Dr. Panaite, I had extremely sensitive teeth. I have had some pretty terrible experiences at the dentist in the past because of the sensitivity. When I explained my extreme anxieties to her, she was so supportive and calming. I knew I had found the right periodontist.
She has always been so calming and gentle with all her procedures, I wish she could be my dentist as well. After successful gum surgeries, amazing teeth cleanings by her patient hygienist Daniela, and diligent home care, I can honestly say, it has changed my life.
I am going to their office today for a teeth cleaning, without numbing or fear! If you need a periodontist, go see her.

If only I had searched periodontists on Unilocal years ago when I was first told that I needed gum surgery.
Dr. Panaite is the the professional I was hoping for, and it looks like everyone here has had similarly amazing experiences with her.
My initial appointment stretched into 3 hours — she was thorough in the assessment, examination and communication of what’s happening, what there is to find out in joint treatment with a TMJ dentist, and what I can do to improve my gum and jaw health.
I have a surgery on Nov 18^th and I find myself excited for it instead of dreading it as I had done for years.
I feel very connected to and supported by Dr. Panaite and the staff– they welcome all my questions and resolve them quickly.

I want to give a shout-​out to Doina and her team, who are the best, through and through, from beginning to end! My tooth broke at the gum line while travelling abroad, and I needed periodontal surgery right away. Doina dutifully evaluated my situation, and patiently explained all facets of the surgical procedure and reassured me that my smile would be as good as new. The surgery was invasive, but since Doina was gentle, I felt very little pain. Several days after the surgery, she called to follow-​up and make sure that I was doing fine. I also go to her dental hygienist, Daniela, who does an impeccable job at cleaning my teeth and gums, and during these visits Doina would pop in to see how my surgery site was healing. Rosalyn always calls a day before to remind me of my appointments, and Noemi made sure that I was able to get reimbursed from my multiple insurance carriers. My teeth and gums are looking their very best, now and forever, and it’s all thanks to Doina and team! :)

When it comes to oral surgery (once in a lifetime maybe twice?) I was looking for the best since this is a very delicate procedure. She was highly recommended and as soon as I meet her during the first office visit, I knew she is the best in her class…
The way she explained the entire process from the X-​rays to the surgery she gained my confidence.
I was in her office 4 times during the last 10 months. Each time she treated me as I was her only client. Every visit was like seeing a good friend who always wants the best for me.
The surgery was successful (almost three hours long — no pain) and I recovered quickly. Today I have two implants, feeling great and very pleased that I made the right decision going with Dr Panaite all the way through .
I would highly recommend her services to my family and friends and Unilocal family.
By the way, the office stuff was great too…
Lastly about the cost of her services. I learned long ago you get what you paid for .
When it comes to my own health and tooth I want the best doctor for a fair price .
She will not disappoint you.

I hadn’t seen a dentist from 2005 – 2008 after a bad experience.
In 2009, I was referred to Dr Panaite for periodontal evaluation. Dr. Panaite and her staff are great. They are professional, knowledgeable and caring. My gums had deep pockets. Besides not seeing a dentist for years, I have smoked and chewed tobacco for years. Because of my gum disease, I was on a path to tooth loss.
Dr. Panaite was patient with me and explained that the deep pockets, once created, are difficult to clean and just get worse. We talked about the periodontal gum reduction procedures that could help reduce the pockets. My insurance only covers so much per year, so Dr. Panaite and I worked out plan to one quadrant per year. Post-​surgery, Dr. Panaite was walked me through the do’s and don’ts and answered all my questions. I am happy with the results. My deep pockets have diminished and I even quit chewing tobacco. Bottom-​line is I want to keep my teeth for as long as I can into my old age.
Dr. Panaite is professional, highly-​skilled and personable.
Thank you Dr. Panaite.

Dr Panaite had her work cut out for her with my case. I had been to another oral surgeon prior who really did a number on me and left me with an implant in my right front tooth that was exposed from the bone and badly infected. I had lost a lot of gum tissue and it was continuing to be deteriorated by the infection. Dr Panaite talked me through her very thoughtful treatment plan drawing me pictures and showing me photographs and making sure I understood everything. She is very thorough.
She completed my very complicated involved surgery cleaning up the terrible (and tragic because I would have avoided it all together by going to see Dr Panaite in the first place) mess my previous periodontist left me with. She may be a little more expensive than some other doctors but if you want this level of care, which I assure you you do if you are having surgery in your mouth then she is well worth it. I wound up paying many multiples of what I should have because I went to a sub par periodontist who cut corners. Dr Panaite put me back on track and I am grateful to her for all her care and attention to detail.
If you want a periodontist who is skillful, smart and truly cares about you as a person, then Doina Panaite is the periodontist for you.

Dr Panaite performed some pretty extensive and difficult surgery on my gums. My experience with her was excellent. She was super easy to work with, transparent with everything that she was doing, and paid very close attention to detail. I did speak to a number of other dentists and periodontists, and she and her staff were by far the friendliest and easiest to work with.
The cost of my surgery from Dr Panaite’s office was comparable to some of the other quotes I received from periodontists in the area. At the end of the day, I have a high bar for my healthcare and to find a provider who is as detailed oriented and as patient with answering my questions as Dr Panaite is probably impossible. She genuinely cared about my experience before, during, and after the surgery. She followed up and consistently checked in with me to make sure everything was healing properly. She was as concerned about me as members of my family were. I cannot thank her enough for the great job that she did. I’d recommend her to anyone.

I agree with Lindsey B. Dr. Panaite is very expensive compared to other Periodontists in the city. Great service just make sure you do your homework in terms of getting competitive pricing for similar work.

Please note that this review is for a periodontal consultation.
I will begin with the positives: Dr. Panaite has excellent bedside manner, conducted a comprehensive exam, and is clearly well versed and passionate about her field. My gums seemed to be in good hands and although the total price was steep for the surgeries that I needed, there was no doubt in my mind that the procedures would have been done well. She even has a portfolio in which you can see past work, which was much appreciated. All the details of the surgery and what to expect afterward were spelled out to me. A detailed report was also emailed to me for future reference. I would have likely committed to having my surgery at the office had I not experienced.
The negatives: I will admit that the beginning and conclusion of my consultation made me feel like a walking dollar sign. The booking and billing staff are friendly, but pushy. Initially setting up the appointment was a frustrating experience. Granted, I am a young person so I do not sound the most articulate or professional on the phone. This may have led to the initial hostility I felt. Once I was able to make an appointment, all seemed to be going well until the end of the consultation. Again, staffing made my experience more stressful that I believe it had to or should have been. I was seated down in front of a computer and encouraged to provide a down payment for surgery (which would have maxed out my credit card on the spot!), and set up a date ASAP. For booking, the surgery dates I was provided with were inflexible, yet were ~2 weeks from my consultation date. Surely I could look at my schedule, give all this a second thought, and make sure I had the ability to essentially hand over a year’s worth of college tuition in two appointments. Everything felt so rushed and critical, I didn’t even know where to start (aside from paying for my consultation and taking flight downstairs).
Overall, this would be an excellent place in San Francisco to get periodontal work done. If you need that extra push from the staff, my negatives might also be positive for you. I truly believe in the power of Unilocal,as that is how I found Dr. Panaite in the first place. It seems wrong of me not to leave my experience for fear that it will somehow put me in bad standing with the office itself. I hope my review helps you in your selection of periodontist, whether it is Dr. Panaite or another.
In the end, I got a second opinion from another periodontist and had a thoroughly supportive experience (and the surgery was half the cost, along with them being pushy on my insurance company rather than my pocketbook). I booked the surgeries with them, and will have one done this year and another done the next (another strategy they helped me come up with to get the most insurance coverage).

I am so thankful to have been referred by a friend of Valerie, a patient of Dr. Doina Panaite. I came to her office after two months of hiding out, fearful of professional help because of previous heavy handed negligence by my dentist. I had signs (i.e. pus, weak immune system etc) and symptoms (i.e. pain, fatigue, sinus congestion etc) of a dental infection due to a broken down, fractured root, which had been ignored for a year and then exacerbated by callous drilling by my old dentist.
With time, this had led to severe bone loss around not only the infected tooth but neighboring teeth, which also spread into the sinus. Because of my unnecessarily excruciating experience with my prior general dentist, I was looking for someone who could take care of the infection and restore my oral health, as well as a professional I could trust with such an important task. I’d never feared dentistry before, but once burned… so, Dr. Panaite had a skeptical patient before her.
I was immediately put at ease and surprisingly comfortable, impressed by her caring and comprehensive approach. I also appreciate that Dr. Panaite took time and listened to my medical and dental concerns and addressed and explained everything in great detail. How rare to find a highly communicative medical professional, who listens carefully and responds clearly. Even rarer it is to meet with such sincere kindness.
Everything that we discussed during our consultation made sense. It is that level of expertise and attention to detail in a Doctor and specialist that made me feel at ease and comfortable to proceed with getting the much needed surgical treatment. Her unique, gentle and non-​invasive oral surgical techniques, assisted by a highly trained and responsive surgical assistant, made me heal and recuperate faster.
Part of my extraction procedure included removal of the infection from the surrounding bone and sinus as well as much needed bone grafting in order to regenerate the bone lost due to infection. After several months of healing, we proceeded with our second oral surgical procedure that involved first performing a minimally traumatic, micro-​surgical sinus lift with sinus bone grafting, followed by dental implant placement. After surgery last week, I was astonished how this surgery was surprisingly easy and completely painless. All of this was done with minimal incisions which did not even require stitches.
I had not known that micro-​surgical, minimally invasive oral surgery procedures at such a high level of quality were available, let alone so effective and the opposite of traumatic. I doubt there are many if any or few Periodontists or Oral Surgeons who can perform this. Consider yourself fortunate indeed to be Dr. Panaite’s patient. I do.
Dr. Panaite is the most talented, skilled, subtle, soft-​handed dentist (actually, surgeon) I’ve ever been to. She’s exceptionally kind, thoughtful and scrupulously attentive to every detail of the interaction between patient and doctor. Her surgical treatment was minimally invasive (miraculously, it seems to me) and healed effectively and quickly. Mostly due to the highest caliber of communication and thoroughness, post-​surgically, of any doctor I’ve ever been to.
I cannot even imagine a better Periodontist. When she’s finished two difficult procedures with her excellent surgical assistant Holly, I remarked, «all dentistry should be done by women like you.»
How rare to find a doctor or even more so a surgeon who is so personable, compassionate AND most highly skilled. She’s at the top of the cream of the cream of her profession.

When choosing a doctor for my dental implant I was very selective. I wanted to go to the best of the best. I chose Dr. Panaite because I was very impressed with her training and accomplishments.
My experience with Dr. Panaite was fantastic. She was very thorough with explaining the process, how long it would take, and how much it would cost. She was also very good about working with me to reduce my fears. In the end, the procedures were easy and not very stressful at all.
I also get my regular cleanings done at her office. I definitely recommend Dr. Panaite without hesitation.

I consulted Dr. Panaite about my gum recession at the recommendation of my dentist and am so glad I did. Dr. Panaite is THE best. I wish she specialized in every type of dentistry. Hell, I wish she was a doctor and could always take care of me. I’d be the healthiest person around.
As suspected, Dr. Panaite confirmed that several of my gums had unusually large amounts of recession, and that I needed gum replacement to prevent additional bone loss. It was an expensive procedure ($ 1600 per gum), but Dr. Panaite was worth the price. Not only is she one of the genuinely nicest people I have ever met, you can tell she really cares about her work, cares about her patients, and is extremely talented. That attitude extends to her staff as well — every person there was attentive, helpful, and incredibly welcoming. I always felt like I was meeting family every time I walked through the doors of the office. When you’re undergoing invasive mouth surgery, it’s an invaluable feeling to have.
As for the actual surgery, everything went as smoothly as one could hope. Panaite and her staff prepped me sufficiently, gave me plenty of drugs, made sure I was comfortable during the procedure, and scheduled quite a few follow-​up appointments to make sure everything healed as it should. It’s now been three months since my procedure and my gums are looking almost completely healed!
I know I’ll have to have more gum surgeries in my near future, and as much as I’m not looking forward the natural discomfort of the healing process, I feel 159% better knowing that my mouth will be in Dr. Panaite’s hands.

In a word: WOW. My regular dentist referred me to a periodontist for a consultation regarding my receding gums. I was in and out of that woman’s office in less than 20 minutes. All she did, basically, was confirm my dentist’s concern that gum grafting was in my near future. Fortunately, a friend mentioned Dr. Panaite around that time. I went to Dr. P to get a second opinion and man, what a difference! I was in her office for at least and hour and a half for that initial consult. From the get-​go it was clear that she knew her stuff. Not only did she take the time to explain the procedure I was looking at having to do, she talked to me about how I got into this mess first place and how to prevent further recession in the future. NO ONE ELSE HAD TAKEN THAT KIND OF TIME OR CARE. There was no comparison. I knew quickly that I would be in good hands (literally!) if I went with Dr. P. I did the procedure with her and her care and that of her staff has been great. The procedure itself was pretty much painless, the recovery smooth, the aftercare really stellar and the billing/​insurance well-​handled. I don’t know about you, but it’s hard these days to find that magic combo of health care providers who really, really know what they are doing and really care at the same time. She’s a delight and a pro and I’ve already recommended her to a couple of friends.

I would highly recommend Dr. Panaite. I went in with a severe toothache and got expert care. Every member of her staff was helpful, kind and went out of their way to make me feel as comfortable as possible. All of my treatment options were explained to me thoroughly and patiently with no pressure to choose one over the other. I have the highest regard for Dr. Panaite and all the members of her team.

My mom was looking for a Periodontist or an Oral Surgeon in the San Francisco area that could replace my missing front tooth with a dental implant. She found Dr. Panaite through the internet and Unilocal and got impressed with the genuine comments from existing patients.
The reason I lost my tooth was because of a traumatic bike accident when I was 9. The tooth was removed and since it was not replaced, with time I lost a lot of bone. When I went to Dr. Panaite for the initial implant consultation I was wearing a bridge that kept on breaking and falling. I had arrived to San Francisco for the first time about one week before, in order to start school. I was terrified that my bridge would break or fall during school.
During my first initial implant consultation, Dr. Panaite talked to my mom by phone, explaining step by step how the procedure would be and what needed to be done.Dr. Panaite has been extremely wonderful since the first appointment. She is really professional and always makes sure you feel comfortable with everything. I also want to mention that in every surgery that I had, I NEVER felt pain (at all!!)
Another thing worthy of mentioning is her staff. She has the BEST staff ever. All of them are wonderful! I have nothing but great things to say about this experience. I am really happy with the process and results.

I recently completed the second phase of the implant process. In keeping with my first experience in her office, Dr. Panaite provided a meticulous explanation, minimal surgical trauma, and tremendous emotional support.
Her expertise is beyond reproach. I highly recommend her for your oral surgical and periodontal needs.

I have been working professionally with Dr. Panaite for close to three years now. She has excellent bedside manner and her skills are unmatched. Like me, once she is engaged with your case, she will work tirelessly on developing the best and most comprehensive plan for you! Once her treatment plan is developed, accepted, and approved by you, Dr. Panaite keeps her promise and finishes on-​time and hits the bulls-​eye with her promised results. Most recently I paid Dr. Panaite the ultimate professional compliment– I referred a staff member to her for a difficult treatment. As expected, after undergoing treatment and witnessing countless numbers of patients positive feedback, my staff mirrored the same and expressed: «Now I know why you believe and trust in Dr Panaite so much!!!»

I cannot not fully describe the excellent care that I found at Dr. Panaite’s office. She is respectful, performs excellent work while carefully explaining what she is doing to the patient, and makes you feel comfortable while in her office and during post-​op care. Her office staff was friendly, and worked with me to schedule appointments at convenient times.
Dr. Panaite was recommended highly by my dentist after a traumatic bike accident resulting in severe injuries to the front teeth and outer jaw bone. I needed emergency work to treat infection and repair the shattered teeth. I had never had any serious dental work done before and this was my first experience with a traumatic injury.
Dr. Panaite is the ideal periodontist. She carefully explained all my options multiple times to myself and my mother who accompanied me. I never felt rushed or pressured. She answered my questions clearly.
After experiencing trauma, nothing is more comforting than knowing that you have a doctor that will go out of her way to make you feel confident and comfortable in the care you receive. Procedures of this nature can be overwhelming and confusing, and having a doctor like Dr. Panaite to guide one through it and make sure the patient is well-​informed is critical.
Her and her assistant Holly were efficient, and the procedure was done quickly and smoothly. They provide everything in their office to make you feel comfortable during a procedure — right down to a blanket in case you are feeling cold.
Dr. Panaite called to follow-​up with me personally several times. She provided clear instructions for post-​op care and made herself available if I had any questions about further treatment.
Her extraordinary efforts to help a patient to recover go well beyond the normal call of duty. I sincerely hope that anyone in need of an oral surgeon may find his or her way to her.

I highly, highly recommend Dr. Panaite. I was referred by my good friend, who was her patient and spoke very highly of her. I have had many years of orthodontic treatment, some good and some bad. Which is why I was very particular about finding a good doctor. I was referred to a doctor initially in Palo Alto, but after speaking with my friend I found Dr. Panaite to be much more accomplished and my initial calls to her/​visits to her website were more informative. I am very grateful that I chose her in the end because my experience was excellent.
I had paper-​thin, frail, delicate gum tissue for my six front lower front teeth with a lot of gum recession and root exposure which with braces, genetics and time had gotten worse. I also had significant bone loss (over 50% for bone and tissue). At the time of this review I am only 28.
I had a successful gum graft with Dr. Panaite that thickened the tissue and completely covered the roots. The surgery was in fact almost painless for me, contrary to all the blogs/​videos I read before. Dr. Panaite and her staff took extra care to make sure I was very comfortable, and was unbelievably be responsive after the surgery. Anytime I had questions, she was ready to take the call and explained everything very thoroughly and make sure that I was supported all the way until the healing was complete.
If you’re looking for a top-​of-​the-​line experience, Dr. Panaite is for you. I’m so happy to see her in the Bay Area.

You know the expression «long in the tooth?» Well, that was me until recently. I had quite a bit of root exposure in the front and didn’t like smiling in pictures anymore.
I had no idea I was a candidate for soft tissue regeneration until I met Dr. Panaite. I’ve had gum augmentation before and excellent periodontal care to make sure I could keep my teeth in my head, but I had no idea that this procedure even existed.
I do now. Lucky me. I’m still healing but my gums look amazing. Dr. Panaite is not only a great surgeon, she’s an artist. She’s also incredibly sweet and kind.
Do yourself a favor. If you are looking for a great periodontist, definitely go see her. I’m glad I did.