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Polly D Rivas, DDS

4.5 star rating
based on 65 reviews

Category: Dentists  [Edit]

Neighborhood: Union Square
133 Kearny St
Suite 201
(between Post St & Vermehr Pl)
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 296-9111
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  • Hours:
    Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
  • By Appointment Only: Yes

65 Reviews for Polly D Rivas, DDS

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One of Polly D Rivas, DDS's Favorite Reviews

Photo of Jean K.

Elite '08

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552

Jean K.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
09/24/2008

Dr. Rivas rocks!  Before going to Dr Rivas I actively disliked my old dentist and now after seeing her, I really hate him and hate that my old company did not carry the correct insurance to let me see Dr Rivas instead.

The office is very welcoming and the dental assistants are all great.  

I liked how dental hygienist cleaned my teeth the old fashioned way, manually with a pick.  I hate the lazy dentists who use that machine that sprays water and really hurts my teeth and gums.  No wonder so many people hate the dentist!  But no fear with the people at Dr Rivas - they're very gentle.

I also liked how they asked me first if I wanted to get X-rays before just going ahead and doing them like some other dentists (I'm assuming because they just want your insurance money and don't care about your exposure to x-rays or actual need for them).  They explained the entire process and I could watch my x-rays show up on the monitor.

Dr. Rivas does a cool exam with a camera where the two of you discuss together the health of your teeth and gums.  She also does a gum check to see how how much they may have receded.  I've never had any dentist do that before and I appreciated it.

But probably the best thing about Dr Rivas is that she seemed to actually care about me the patient and not just about the money.  I scheduled a cleaning for my first visit and I got a cleaning first before they did any fancy stuff.  Compared with my other dentist who refused to actually clean my teeth without taking x-rays and making me schedule another appt (and another co-pay).  She also didn't push any treatments on me.  She wanted to get a better idea of my history and behavior before recommending any preventative treatments.  Compared with my other dentist who right away wanted to do a bunch of unnecessary fillings so he could charge me $$$ for them.

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71

94

squinka c.

San Francisco, CA

1 star rating
Updated - 10/06/2008

The temporary filling that according to her treatment plan was supposed to stay in until mid- November fell out tonight. NOT a good thing

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 2 star rating 09/05/2008

    I didn't drink the dental kool-aid, so no 5 stars here.

    A four star diamond dentist super-glued… Read more »

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Alesha G.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
09/30/2008

I love Dr. Rivas, I have been going to her for about 8 years now. She is so nice and her staff is great also. I highly recommend her.

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3

14

Erin D.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
08/22/2008

Love Dr. Rivas!  She was recommended by my best friend and I am grateful.  The office has these funny big grey leather couches that look like they came from an 80s business man's penthouse.  She does great work and both Polly and her staff are incredibly nice.  She's got all the latest fancy pants technology to let you look at your own teeth while she explains what's going on in that mysterious dark face hole.

She got my x-rays on the first visit and showed me everything.  Super cool!  I love that she takes the mystery out of cavities and fillings and junk.  While I'm terrible at flossing, she doesn't make me feel like a total asshole for it.  Just gives really good advice in a way that makes you want to please her.  That's the sign of a great dentist.  I floss now!

i floss now.

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Laroodle E.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
08/23/2008

I'm a bad boy. I haven't taken my grill to the shop in over four years. It's not that I even dislike the dentist. I just feel that going to the dentist will cut into my drinking and eating time.

As for this dentist i have made 3 appointments since January. Mrs Rivas canceled on me twice in a row and the appointments are about 3 months out each time for new patients. I canceled on her once after that and I almost decided to go with another dentist because it was halfway through the year.

So now it's late August and I finally made it to her office. Boy was I glad I went to her.
Doctor Rivas was the best dentist I have ever had. (I used to go regularly before the four years). She took the ex-rays and went through them and told me all about my teeth. She let me examine my teeth on a tv sceren and showed me things that I was doing right and things that I was doing wrong. She was explained everything about my teeth step by step. Luckily i have no cavities and good teeth but they were nasty and she cleaned them up and they are pretty again.

She had every opportunity to nickle and dime me and she didn't. i asked If i needed my wisdom teeth pulled and she said no that my teeth have stopped growing. I asked if I needed a sonicare and she said I already did a great job of brushing. I also asked if I could have another mouthguard because I grind my teeth when I sleep. She told me to bring my old one in to see if it still worked because it cracked and said a new one might not be necessary. She was super nice.

She definitely took the pain out of going to the dentist.

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Elite '08

42

159

Brandon B.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
Updated - 08/16/2008

Dr. Rivas is a great dentist but unfortunately, they abruptly stop taking my insurance, so I had to go elsewhere for my dental needs.

1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 5 star rating 11/29/2006

    ***UPDATED REVIEW***

    I'm upgrading my previous review which was based solely on a consult and giving… Read more »

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Curt W.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
06/26/2008

GREAT DENTIST.

I've never had a cavity, and before I moved to SF I had gone to the same dentist my whole life. My standards for dentists are fairly high.  Dr. Rivas far exceeded those standards...

She makes teeth interesting.  She has an interactive computer program about dental hygiene, and she used a camera on a stick to enlarge close ups of my teeth on a tv monitor.  Too Cool!

The best part is that SHE performed most of the work, instead of an assistant.  I felt like she dedicated time for me which was very different, considering my old dentist, although a genius in his own way, only spent about 5 minutes with me after the assistant did all the work.  

Make an appointment now, as she is very popular.

Highly recommend!

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Stephen K.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
06/09/2008

I had to do the dreaded, and get a new dentist. It's a huge pain in the ass to find the right person to stick their hands in your mouth. like most everyone i don't particularly like going to the dentist, i actually really don't like going to the dentist. in the past i felt like i was being sent to the principals office, getting ready to be scolded for not flossing twice a day.
**Side note. do you get whole speech where they use a climbing rope to floss your teeth making sure to nail your gums and then ask why your gums are bleeding??? is that just me?
Anyway. I went to Dr. Rivas based on her reviews on Yelp and everyone on here is right. She is AWESOME!!! Very caring and attentive. She makes the whole experience very enjoyable which is not a small feat considering it's the dentist. She ROCKS.

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Elite '08

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Natalie G.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
05/16/2008

Going to the dentist can be no fun, especially a new dentist. You never know if they are going to leave you with a mouth full of sore teeth and gums. I was lucky enough to find this office on yelp and trust ALL the others that say its the best office.

From the minute I walked in they were organized, and even though I was a new patient (because I faxed over my paperwork) I literally only waited 5 min. in the waiting room. Being the working girl I am, this was great cause I was only allotted a certain amount of time to be out.

I had Kimberly, not Polly, for my dentist and she was great. She was more informative than my old dentist and told me all the dirty details that you maybe don't want to know, but should. The whole experience left me smilin'.

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3

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t p.

San Francisco, CA

1 star rating
07/29/2008

I just called here to try to make an appointment and the receptionist was super rude. First, she didn't believe I had insurance. Then, when I told her the name of my insurance just because she has never heard of it she acted like it didn't exist. I read her the name again and the mailing address and the phone number to convince her it wasn't bogus. She still wouldn't buy it. Then she advised to call them to make sure they would cover my visit at their office which I had just done earlier today. She advised me "for my own good" to call them again. And then said 'which doctor did you want to see anyway? We have three doctors here." This dentist may be awesome but she obviously needs to pay more attention to who she hires to work the desk up front.

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2

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Erin B.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
04/18/2008

I am a huge Polly Rivas fan. Believe the hype, she is that good. She is incredibly thorough and carefully examined each one of my teeth, showing me what she was doing on a monitor. Totally fascinating. She also said one of my teeth is "cute." I ate it up. Her staff were equally warm and friendly and the hygenist even gave me shoe-shopping recommendations in the area. As great as a trip to the dentist could ever be.

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irene k.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
05/02/2008

Dr. Rivas and her staff are very professional and friendly.  I was impressed right away because Dr. Rivas introduced herself to me right a the beginning of my appointment, which is vastly different than seeing your dentist face to face when you're already prepped for the exam at the end.  

The cleaning was fine, as was the x-ray process, but the exam was the best part (which, yes, is a strange thing to say about a dentist visit).  Dr. Rivas used a camera in my mouth to show me what was going on with my teeth, and explained things very thoroughly.  She used interactive software on a computer to help explain things visually, including two cavities (my firsts!!).  

I told her that I didn't have insurance, and she was very keen to lay out my options and discuss how I could work things within a budget (i.e., what I have to do now, what I could really put off for a while, what precautions I would have to take if I did put it off, etc.).  

Overall, Dr. Rivas and her staff are very nice, and seemed genuinely concerned about my dental wellbeing and about me having a good experience during the visit.  All of which is good, considering that I will have to return for a filling.....

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Tracy B.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
12/28/2007

She is by far the best dentist in San Francisco.  Can't speak highly enough, and it seems everyone else here agrees.

Maybe we should have kept her a secret... it's getting harder to get appointments!

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Lord G.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
01/24/2008

Yup, I have to piggy back on all of the previous accolades for Dr. Rivas. She's very professional and will answer all of your questions. I liked her demeanor and her office.

I'll be seeing her again in six months.

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Brandy S.

San Jose, CA

5 star rating
12/13/2007

Yep.  Another glowing review not unlike the rest.  Here's what sold me:

I haven't been to the dentist in (gasp!) 6 years.  I've always had great teeth/hygiene and was frightened away at my last appt. by the gory description of surgery I would need to correct my TMJ problem that has caused numerous tiny cracks in my rear molars.  I was told that if I didn't have the surgery, these cracks would become the bane of my existence.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I realized that one of my rear molars felt chipped and rough.  I called Dr. Rivas' office to make an appt and couldn't get in for a first-time visit until January 2008.  "No problem," I said, deciding that because I wasn't having pain, I could wait.  Two days later, the pain began.  I called again, asking for a referral to deal with this pesky tooth until I could see Dr. Rivas in January.  I was placed on hold for a moment and was greeted, word for word, with "Hello! This is Dr. Rivas. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?"  She had come to the phone herself to find out about my problem and even worked me in to her schedule for the next day without every having met me.  Sold!

Now, I sit, typing away with a beautiful little composite filling where my otherwise troublesome tooth once had a little fracture.  Dr. Rivas and I both had feared that I may need the dreaded root canal, but after a little painless exploration, she found that it would simply require a filling.  What's that you say?  A dentist I can trust?!   I can't wait to see her again in January.

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Christy S.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
12/06/2007

While reading reviews for other dentists because I have a new insurer, I am horrified to try anyone else after having gone to Polly for so long. Thought I should chime in about how awesome she is, and how disappointed I am that I have to leave her. They seem to have the latest in dental technology, and I've never felt haggled or suckered into any unnecessary dental work. Highly recommend her, but book ahead, she's a busy lady.

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48

Stephan W.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
05/21/2007

Darnit - Dawn already used the word "trepidation".  Fine - I'll get out the thesaurus.  I'm not proud.

With feelings of: "(Synonyms): FEAR 1, alarm, consternation, dismay, dread, fright, horror, panic, terror, trepidity"

I made my appointment.  This is what you get for staying away from a dentist for ... well, a *while*.  That is what you get when you're self-employed, and other things take precidence over medical & dental insurance.

Anyhow, all of my above synonyms were unjustified.

As everyone has said, Dr. Rivas really knows her stuff.  She's *super* communicative about what she is doing, why she is doing it - and so on.  She kept asking me if she was poking or hurting me.  (not even close).

Since this was my first visit, I needed X-Rays -- and the last time those were done it was back in the days of little bits of film.  Dr. Rivas has a nifty cool digital x-ray system.  It takes a tiny bit longer than normal x-rays (there is one sensor that they re-position inside your mouth, taking x-ray snaps as they go), but the payoff comes when she can zoom in to the digital xray of your teeth and show you all the nifty details.

Thanks Dr. Rivas -- see you in a few months!

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rob c.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
11/27/2007

The staff and Dr. Rivas are all great.  The parking is always an issue for me since i am a transplant into the city and used to parking in the suburban dental office parking spots....FREE.   The parking at Sutter and Stockton is the best deal and only a few blocks.

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Colleen M.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
11/12/2007

Dr. Rivas is the best dentist I have ever seen, I think. She's the first one who's spent so much time with me, assessing my concerns and my needs, telling me about my teeth, and even showing me that crud with a close-up camera shot. Oh god if I knew that's how the surfaces of my teeth really looked, I would've started taking better care 10 years ago! Gross.
Anyway, she is gentle, knowledgeable, approachable, down-to-earth, slow and deliberate, and VERY HARD TO GET INTO. I just called their office to change my appointment, and found out they're booked till after Christmas, so be prepared to wait.
That being said, it's worth it. And she takes insurance! Woohoo!

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Karen J.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
03/31/2008

Polly Rivas 4 life! or as long as I live in the Yay area.

I have now gone to see Polly for a check-up/cleaning and then returned again to get a couple of fillings (Floss people! lest you face my fate...) Both times, I've been very happy with my visit.

Polly is:
1) very friendly in a personable way. Not the generic fake, i'm your dentist i'm going to pretend to be nice while I cut through your mouth kind of way. Throughout my procedure, she made sure I was okay and not in pain, we even chitchatted about Jennifer Lopez while my mouth went numb (did you know she's going to run a triathlon in October?? crazy jlo...)

2) very informative. She really explains to you what's going on with your mouth, and truly why you need to floss, and it's very convincing! I've flossed everyday since seeing Polly hoping to get in the habit and I think it's working!

3) has a camera so you can see the frightening insides of your mouth and teeth on a tv screen. It's a little gross to see, but again, another way to really understand what's up with your teeth and gums

4) takes my dental insurance. Sweet! (I have Guardian btw)

5) Gave me Pina Colada analgesic gel cuz "It's happy hour" ha, oh Polly. you slay me.

Anyway, I highly recommend Dr. Rivas, though I think she's very very popular. I had to schedule at least a month in advance if not more.

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50

94

Ted M.

San Bruno, CA

5 star rating
10/08/2007

Excellent Dentist. Very friendly, knowledgeable, and easy to discuss dental issues with. Highly Recommended.

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Joon Y.

Alameda, CA

5 star rating
06/21/2007

I was drinking a Jamba smoothie one day when I had a horrible teeth ache from the cool drink.  A very sweet starbucks kid/employee with braces made the diagnosis that the aches were probably due to cavities--she was passing out free samples...I'm a friendly talkative person...blah blah.  

Now, I never had cavities on my adult teeth, so the idea kind of freaked me out.  I try an inspection of my teeth and low and behold, I see a brown spot on the back of one of my incisors.  

An emotional mess, I turned to Yelp for a dentist and found Rivas, whose office is not two blocks from where I work.  Awesome.  I try to book an appointment in October but they are booked till January.  Not so awesome.  But, I make the appointment anyway.

A few months, a couple of nightmares and an investment in sonicare later, I meet Rivas.  Honestly, she is one cool gal.  Extremely friendly.  She did a cool examination of each tooth which I was able to follow on the monitor.   Finally, I asked about the cavity and she said, "What cavity?"

"This cavity."  I gestured at the offending tooth.

"Oh?  that is only a stain.  Coffee I think, here let me scrape it off for you."  

Morale of the story: don't trust kids with braces.  I don't care if they read it on wikipedia.

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Yan M.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
02/26/2007

Thanks to Jeremy for recommending Dr Rivas.
Dental visits are never fun therefore it helps whenever the dentist is friendly, patient and understanding and doesn't sell you on unnecessary "services". I arrived and was greeted by the very friendly receptionist (kudos to her, she already took down all my insurance information previously and there wasn't a need to reproduce all the info or to check my insurance coverage = that is efficiency!!
After Dr Rivas checked my teeth and then I was handed over to the dental hygienest who was again a very friendly and amazing woman!
She made sure multiple times that I was ok, that I wasn't hurting, etc.

A pleasant visit today. Btw, she is popular and appts for cleaning are all booked out to mid April and it's only end of Feb!!

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Jen C.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
04/14/2008

Thanks to all the previous reviewers who led me here.  Very professional staff, from the front desk personnel to the assistant who performed x-rays, and certainly Dr. Rivas.  From an administrative perspective, I was particularly impressed that they had documented my insurance carrier when I called to make the appointment, and therefore did not ask me to provide that information again.  

I disagree with the reviewer who said that she is 'very hard to get an appointment with', I know of multiple dentists that book 6 months in advance.  I thought the wait time (~7-8 weeks for a normal cleaning for a new patient) was reasonable given her obvious popularity.  She was thorough - used a tiny video camera to check the surfaces of my teeth and had digital x-rays that could also be zoomed in to examine specific areas.

I would certainly recommend her.

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johnny l.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
02/15/2007

I hate the power imbalance in the dentist chair.  Not so much because I'm on my back with power tools in my mouth, but because dentists often take advantage by talking your ear off about their boring lives and opinions and you can't walk away or tell them to shut up.  You just have to nod, grunt occassionally, and act genuinely interested so they don't get pissed and drill holes in your gums.

Anyway, Dr. Rivas still talks, but she's so damn nice and she actually talks about stuff that I care about.  Like CAL hoops and Jason Kidd.  Plus, she's a Mission District homegirl holding it down!  She's the best.

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claudia o.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
09/04/2007

i just want to come on and confirm that everything great that people are saying is TRUE!!! I went for my first appointment on Thursday and I was surprised with how much i had learned about my teeth and teeth in general. Dr. Rivas was so nice and didnt make me feel bad for any of my faults and came over while i was getting my teeth cleaned to just check up on me. HOW NICE!!!! she is great!

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allison s.

Greenwood, IN

2 star rating
03/27/2007

I am sure she is great, and I really want to see her but they are not taking new patients until June. I chipped my tooth and my boyfriend needs to have a cleaning but we have to be seen at the same time (due to working, being new in town and having no one to baby sit)so one of us can hold our son while the other gets work done.

I called Dr. Velasco (also in Union Square and he has outstanding reviews on Yelp)  instead and they were also booked out until June but after explaining the situation they fit us in next week.

THIS REVIEW IS NOT BASED ON SERVICE PERFORMED BY THE DOCTOR AND I DON'T WANT TO TARNISH HER 5 STAR RECORD. SO THIS IS JUST A RATING OF THE AVAILABILITY.

update: after a comment from another yelper who wanted me to remove my review, I thought I should add some more info about my initial call to the office. I was really never given a chance to explain what I needed done and why I wanted to schedule 2 appts. at once. I believe customer service is key, and how even the person who answers the phone represents the entire business.

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n s.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
09/19/2007

Dr. Polly Rivas, 5 stars. From the beginning, she's been incredibly sweet and nice - would be that perfect aunt that tells you funny stories and brings you candy - which make it so much easier for me to actually schedule appointments with her despite still having that feeling in the pit of my stomach from childhood about going to the DENTIST. She's informative but not condescending and offers alternative options to possibly expensive procedures - I mean, there's nothing you can do about root canals or surgeries, but I loved the fact she recommended Walgreens to get a night mouth guard "it's only $25!" instead of other dentists I've been to who offered to order me a "fitted, professional $400 version."

The minus 1 star comes from the mean dental hygenist who made me feel like I have the worst teeth ever (and I honestly brush/floss everyday, no cavities, no blood!) and chided me for waiting to do my routine cleaning 1 year after my last appointment (instead of 6 months). Do you know who I'm talking about? She's like that mean English teacher in 7th grade who you knew hated kids, but had to work there to get that pension - but took out her aggression on all kids, and we never knew why she decided to be a teacher in the first place... except this woman is young and probably new to this profession, but why does she think she can talk down to her patients? If she was my actual dentist, there's no way I would ever go back to her.

After being scolded and not being able to talk back (how do you with those scary pokey things in your mouth and the scary woman handling it), I felt like a complete loser. I'm glad I got to see Polly after that because she came with a big smile and prizes (which consisted of a toothbrush and floss - worst Halloween treats ever - but from Polly, they were like balloons and lollipops) and I've scheduled my appointment 6 months later.

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Jeremy S.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
09/27/2005

Fantastic! Dr. Rivas started our appointment off with a visual tour of my mouth and then executed a meticulous and painless cleaning.

For the first time I didn't feel like I was being rushed through a patient factory. Polly took the time to make sure I understood everything she was seeing and doing and made sure I was completely comfortable every step of the way.

My visit was a refreshing experience, I'd like to thank the previous reviewers here for pointing me to a great dentist!

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N. S.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
07/14/2007

Dr. Polly Rivas really is as great as the other 45 Yelpers say she is! After reading all your reviews,  I saw her for a second opinion and it was the first time in my life that I have seen a dentist that I fully trusted. She is warm, friendly, and treats you like an equal.  Her staff is excellent as well. She also gave me a second opinion that saved me a lot of money (even though I told her I was willing to pay for whatever she said I needed done.) I'm so happy that I've finally found a good dentist!

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Tony P.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
04/07/2006

Dr. Rivas offers 5 star service in a welcoming and warm atmosphere.  So what if her office may not have LCD screens in a stuffy high-rise?  The bottom line is that she offers first-class service.  

She takes the time to answer all of your questions, you never feel rushed.  When I asked about teeth whitening options, she said I didn't really need it and then presented the different choices I had without a hard sell.  

One of the things that stuck out most was that she actually cleaned my teeth since her hygienist was out today!  When was the last time you met a dentist who cared enough about her patients to do that herself?  Amazing!  

PS- Dr. Rivas has made a conscious decision to stay with traditional steel scrapers vs. ultrasonic cleaners.  She explained that while it's more work for her to use a steel scraper, there is no difference in terms of effectiveness.  The ultrasonic cleaners are preferred by hygienists for their speed.  Actually, ultrasonic cleaners in a heavy hand can cause damage."

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Brian D.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
06/24/2007

Ah... yelp is a powerful thing. When going to the dentist, I feel a certain amount of trepidation triggered by cultural expectation (I'm British, so I therefore *must* have bad teeth), and the fact that I'm lazy and frequently leave far too long between visits.

So when I finally got around to going to the dentist for the first time in over five years, I discovered that getting over this fear was only the first of my worries. The second was finding a decent dentist in the sometimes bewildering world of the US health care system. For this I eventually decided to rely on the reviews of Yelpers. And as it turned out, this was absolutely the right decision.

It did take a wee while to get an appointment with Dr. Rivas. Presumably a sign of her success, the waiting list for new patients is several months long. It was worth the wait, however. Dr. Rivas immediately made me feel at ease, talking about her trip to London and the "fixer-upper" house she bought near my workplace, and movies she saw recently. Best of all, she said I had "great teeth". No cavities despite the terrible delay between dental visits.

She gave good advice (the usual stuff about flossing) without being preachy, and suggested a second opinion on my wonky wisdom teeth without being pushy (she'd prefer to leave them unless they're causing pain or will damage other teeth).

I walked home with a big smile of relief afterwards. Going to the dentist isn't so bad at all with great practitioners such as Dr. Rivas...

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Xiu L.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
08/18/2005

I've never really been to a real dentist over six years and I hate going to the dentist or the doctor for any kind.  If i didn't have to get my freaking wisdom teeth out.  Why they call is wisdom teeth anyways, doesn't give you any wisdom.  Anyhow, Polly D. Rivas is absolutely great.  She goes through each teeth with you on this screen and telling you what's up with it.  She answer any question you may have, and I had a lot of stupid questions since I knew nothing of it.  Good thing there's not much wrong with my teeth, only need two filling and my wisdom teeth out.  CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY TEETH PULLED OUT, JOY!!!!.

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Marcus L.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
03/21/2007

State-of-the-art equipment.  I LOVED seeing my teeth on TV.  Very friendly staff!  Excellent experience.

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Bob G.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
05/16/2005

My first dental experience in the US. To my surprise I wasn't shown 'The Big Book of British Smiles'. Jolly good, Polly. Thanks to Cyan and Mary for their reviews.

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Carly P.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
06/01/2005

My first experience with Polly was on an emergency basis, when my original dentist couldn't get me in!  She was very gentle, helpful and understanding - even referred me to a specialist for my predicament.  Needless to say, I have since switched dentists, and Polly is my dentist of choice!

************************************************** *
Edit - June 2007:  I've been referring co-workers to Dr. Rivas so much that she told one of my co-workers that she should just add me to the payroll.  :-D

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T-Bone L.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
02/24/2006

Went to Polly based on yelp reviews which were spot-on by the way.  My old dentist was efficient, but never really went the extra mile or should I say smile?  Hahaha.  Heeheehee.  I got a real kick out of the dental camera.

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Mark D.

Washington, DC

5 star rating
04/21/2007

Unfortunately I had to change dentists because of my stupid dental plan.  Fortunately, I had found a cool dentist on yelp!  It took a while for an appointment (almost a month), but the wait was worth it.  She takes you on a tour of your mouth, basically sticks this small camera and you can see what she sees!  She spotted places where I chipped my tooth many years ago, she showed me signs that I grind my teeth, and she showed me where my flossin' wasn't covering everything.  The hygenist was just as nice as Dr. Rivas and educational.

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Patricia F.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
09/13/2005

I found Dr. Rivas really nice and gentle, but it's not the most modern office.  In particular, the last time I was there her hygenist was still using traditional steel scrapers for the cleaning -- when my dentist back in New York has been using an ultrasonic cleaner for a while.  (The ultrasonic one hurts less, bleeds less, and is more effective.)

On the other hand, she does take Delta Dental.

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California B.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
05/09/2007

No joke this was the most pleasant dentist visit of my life.  So many dentists are like mechanics where they want to sell you stuff you don't need.  Not Dr. Rivas, though.  She was absolutely honest, and helpful.

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