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.

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 Yelp, 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).

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.

I highly recommend Dr. Panaite, as many others here on Yelp do, and agree with all 5 star reviews. I had great teeth all my life, my sort of "ace-in-the-hole." Yet because of the unique structure of a left front tooth, both the gums and tooth became infected, requiring extensive gum surgery, bone graft and tooth extraction. Needless to say, since I believed my teeth would last my life-time, I was in shock. I found Dr. Panaite just in time. She is gifted in many ways, most importantly as a skilled periodontist and surgeon, but also as a kind, concerned human who listens to concerns and questions (many questions from me). She and her staff put your needs first, and Dr. Panaite answers every question. I so appreciate her attention to "zero pain". After two surgeries - initial gum surgery with tooth extraction and a second surgery for more bone graft and an implant - I cannot recommend her highly enough. UPDATE 10.25.17 - Dr. Panaite sold her practice to Dr. Christina Gasper, a long-time colleague. I will miss Dr. Panaite's great care, but continue with Dr. Gasper in the same practice.

If I could give Dr. P twenty million stars, I would. She has literally saved my mess of a mouth. After visiting 3 other oral surgeons, I walked into Dr. P's office not knowing what to expect and after speaking with her for 10 minutes, I knew she was the winner. Not only was she extremely comforting and sweet, but she was also the most knowledgable doctor I spoke to. She truly invested in me as a patient, which is why I believed that she was a doctor worth investing in. She just placed an implant for me last month and everything went perfectly. People usually take 1 week+ to heal, and I was back in the office the following day with such little pain I couldn't even believe that I got surgery the day before. She explained every detail of the procedure in advance to make sure that I understood what EXACTLY was going to be done. From the technology that she uses to the medical results she expects, everything is articulated to ensure no surprises whatsoever. She gives you ALL options so that you can make a decision best for you. Not only am I dealing with an implant on one side of my mouth, but also a Maryland bridge on the other side of my mouth (I wasn't able to get an implant there because I didn't have enough space between my roots). She set me up with an orthodontist that can fix it with Invisalign so I don't have to get braces (as a mid twenty year old). She will eventually place a permanent implant there too. She is the only oral surgeon/ periodontist I would ever trust moving forward! Thank you a million times, Dr. P!

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.

Dr. Panaite is the best physician I have been to in my life. She is fiercely intelligent, precise, caring and extremely talented. Frankly, I was terrified of the expense & pain associated with my prognosis and I can honestly say I have never been happier with any healthcare provider. I would pay completely out of pocket for the level of care I received during my implant surgery. The surgery was flawless, painless and she called post-op to see how I was. She sets the standard in healthcare! Her staff is also really sweet and accomodating. Thank you so much Dr. Panaite & staff!!!

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.

If you're reading this review, you may be in the same position I was a few weeks ago, having been told your dentist that you need the services of a periodontist and now you're reading reviews trying to decide which one. In my case, I had broken a tooth and my dentist, the incomparable Dr. Sima Salami, let me know that due to the way the tooth had broken, I would first need to have something called crown lengthening done before she could restore it with a crown. Of course, being the major dental phobe that I am, I was hardly thrilled. While I was provided with a referral to Dr. Christina Gasper, like you, I also did a lot of homework before making a final decision. Having now completed the procedure, I can enthusiastically say that I could not be happier with my decision to have Dr. Gasper perform the surgery for me. As others have mentioned, Dr. Gasper and her staff are warm, professional and will set even the most anxious person at ease. During my initial consult, she did a full exam and explained all of her findings to me. She also explained what she would be doing to prepare my tooth for a crown and made sure to address all questions/concerns that I had. The crown lengthening procedure itself went incredibly smoothly. Dr. Gasper is amazingly skilled and has an incredibly light touch. She was extremely gentle throughout the procedure, explained what was happening along the way and before I knew it, she was done. Before I left, I was given detailed instructions on how to care for my mouth post-surgery as well as Dr. Gasper's email and cell phone number in case I had any issues or questions. She even called me a couple days later to check-in and make sure I was doing alright. While I hope to not need her services again, I would happily come back if I do and highly recommend Dr. Gasper to anyone needing a periodontal surgery. The quality of care and level of service you receive from Dr. Gasper and her team are top notch!

I've been with Dr. Panaite nine years. If you could see the list of her educational and professional achievements it is very, very impressive. I'm not a Periodontist so my opinion of her work would be meaningless so it's a matter of trust. I do trust she knows what she is doing without any doubt. She and the staff are always professional. I drive seventy miles round trip to come to her but it is worth it to know I'm going to someone that is expert and trustworthy. There are folks in this field that will do things you don't need and I've had that experience so the trust thing is big for me.

Simply put, Dr. Gasper has hands of gold. She came highly recommended by my general dentist for a crown lengthening procedure. From start to finish, my experience with Dr. Gasper was wonderful! Going to the dentist in general is a very anxiety provoking experience for me, however, Dr. Gasper was extremely knowledgeable, professional, competent, caring and immediately put me at ease. She explained the procedure and post-op instructions to me at the very start and kept me in the loop the entire time. She also had the most gentle hand during the injection of the anesthetic that I have ever experienced. I think at one point during the surgery, I even closed my eyes and dozed off for a few minutes. After the surgery, Dr. Gasper ensured I understood the post-op care instructions and told me to contact her if I had any questions or issues. I highly recommend Dr. Gasper to anyone who needs any sort of periodontal work, you will not be disappointed! I hope to never again need her services, however, if I do, I would not for one minute hesitate to come back! Thank you Dr. Gasper for taking such great care of me and my teeth!

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.

Dr. Panaite is an amazing dentist - very professional, highly competent and extraordinarily nice and kind. There is no better place to go to if you have a serious tooth problem. I have had severe gum recession due to orthodontic treatments in the past and 2 failed gum grafts, so I was searching for a specialist in this area since one of my teeth was already loose! Dr. Panaite conducted a comprehensive exam, explained everything to me, told me my options, and showed me (with photos of her own previous work) what results I could realistically expect with which option. I decided to try to save my tooth - and we went that way. Her staff was very helpful in coordinating appointments (I needed to go to another dentist first to prepare for the graft and the communication/cooperation worked perfectly) and with financial assistance set up. The surgery went very well, and also the post-surgical pain management was very good. Dr. Panaite was always available for any questions and took excellent care of me. I would recommend her to anyone who needs such a (for me terrifying) procedure, and of course I'd go to Dr. Panaite again if I needed it again. She is really great at what she is doing.

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 Yelp 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.

Dr. Christina Gasper is an outstanding medical professional. She's someone you can completely trust. Recently, my dentist referred me to a local periodontist in Southern California because I was experiencing pain in one of my back molars. The periodontist reviewed the x-rays and informed me there was bone deterioration below the gum that would require a graft and there was a strong possibility I would lose the tooth if I didn't act quickly. I didn't know this person and I felt the diagnosis sounded extreme so I decided to get a second opinion. The last thing I wanted was to endure was an expensive and painful surgery, especially if it was unnecessary! I had plans to travel to SF for business the following week so I contacted Dr. Gasper and shared my concern. She was already completely booked, but she still went out of her way to accommodate my schedule and find an opening for me. Lucky for me! I met with Dr. Gasper and she determined surgery was unnecessary. It turns out the bone loss was minimal and all I needed was a deep cleaning so the affected area could heal on its own. I'm so thankful for Dr. Gasper. It's reassuring to find a doctor who takes a conservative and thoughtful approach by putting her patients' interests first. I couldn't recommend Dr. Christina Gasper more strongly.

Though unlucky enough to need 2 periodontal surgeries, I was extremely lucky to find this practice! My second surgery was late last year with Dr. Gasper. I continue to visit for follow-ups and bi-annual cleanings and have recommended Dr. Gasper to several friends who are in search of a periodontist. The office staff is wonderful. They are timely, considerate, and awesome communicators. In addition to walking me through various financing options and dealing with insurance, they were great about ensuring that I understood pre- and post-operative care and that all of my questions were addressed. Dr. Gasper had a short window of time to come up to speed on my case going into the second surgery as the practice had just changed hands. She was amazing! She fit me into the schedule so we had the opportunity to meet and get to know each other and we were able to talk through my surgery so I knew exactly what to expect. The surgery itself could not have gone better. She was extremely gentle and her attention to the aesthetics was very much appreciated. She also personally kept in touch with me during the week following the surgery to make sure my recovery was going well. She made a generally unpleasant experience as easy as could be! Four months post-surgery and I couldn't be happier with the results.

I was expecting a painful procedure when I first booked an appointment with Dr. Gasper to address some gum issues which entailed a skin graft. Upon meeting her my anxiety was put at ease by her calmness. Her professionalism and gentleness during the procedure made it painless and worthwhile. I could not recommend Dr. Gasper more highly. I've referred 3 other members of my family to her.

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.

If only I had searched periodontists on yelp 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 18th 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.

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.