Shea, William, DDS

I used to loath going to the dentist. I had nightmares in anticipation where my teeth were shattering in my mouth and out came bloody jagged shards. Seriously, I'm a big baby but I earned it. My old dentist once gave me a root canal without any anesthetic, and long story short, it was as traumatizing as a trip to Pluto's (see previous review).

Fast forward several years through a time when I was so consumed by fear that I avoided the dentist until I had a gaping cavity and faced the quandary: Death or the dentist? Ok, that might be a bit dramatic but that's how I felt. My wife and several co-workers had been going to see Dr. Shea and so I took a chance that he could handle my deep emotional needs. My wife talked up my lack of dental masculinity and he agreed that he could help.

Helped he did. Dr. Shea always checked to make sure I wasn't in pain, going the extra mile to make sure that I was as comfortable as possible. Giggle gas, Novocain and a gentle hand were his tools. Topical analgesic on the gums prior to the shot of Novocain, then a single drop of Novocain to dull the area before the rest of the shot, and so on and so forth. The result? I'm far less a baby and my mouth is back to normal. Further, Dr. Shea is a good guy. He is funny and easy to talk to in that slurred hand in your mouth Dentist-patient language. He is willing to talk you through every little thing if you are like my wife and want to know details.

Now Dr. Shea isn't perfect. He is very aggressive and generally doesn't lay out all your options as much as asks you for approval for the next big thing. Secondly, he is expensive. I have decent dental coverage through my company, and I always have to pay a chunk of change. Several co-workers won't go back because they feel he is hyper-aggressive. I'm ok with that. My mouth is in decent shape now and most importantly I'm not afraid. For that, he has earned my loyalty.

I've been going to Dr. Shea for many years and I've always been very happy with him and his staff. In the beginning he used to want to explain things to me, but after a few visits I told him it wasn't necessary -- just go ahead and do what needs doing. The staff does try to get you in regularly for cleaning, but then again, probably because of that, I haven't had any problems in a couple of years.

I was surprised to see the other reviewer say he was expensive. Initially he seemed very INexpensive -- I wondered how he could meet his bills. He does seem higher than when I first started going to him, but his fees still seem reasonable (and I have to pay them all myself -- 5% discount for immediate payment).

He's also been very good about recommending other doctors to me.

The only reason I'm not giving him five stars is that I do have to wait some minutes sometimes to have my cleaning done.

Dr Shea is simply the best, pain free kind and generous dentist in San Francisco. His wife is beautiful and an asset to the office along with rDenise, who is his right and part of his left hand, and Vangie. Who even thought it would be fun to visit the dentist?

Unlike many people, I wasn't fearful of the dentist as a kid, since our dentist was a family friend. Adulthood and a string of bad experiences in The Chair changed that. I lucked into Dr. Shea almost by accident and didn't expect much to change. I was wrong. It sounds like a cliche, but he and his staff really do treat their patients like family, and it's genuine friendliness, not phony or orchestrated. They very clearly enjoy their work. (His main assistant has been with him for more than 2 decades.) Not only that, he's GOOD. In several visits with several nontrivial procedures, I have yet to feel any substantial discomfort. My only "dentist fear" now is that Dr. Shea will retire before my teeth do.

I find his prices quite reasonable & was genuinely surprised to see anyone here characterize them as high; maybe they haven't actually checked the going rates elsewhere. (I have crappy dental insurance, so I get a pain in the wallet if I feel ripped off. That hasn't happened.)

I enjoy going to my dentist appointments with Dr. Shea! I read a review that Dr. Shea is aggressive?????? That has not been my experience at all. He is very concerned about my comfort, asking me often if I am OK. I enjoy our chit chat about movies, trips, etc. He has a great sense of humor and makes time spent in his office enjoyable. More importantly, he is cautious. He does not recommend unnecessary procedures (instead taking a wait/monitor approach). He also takes the time to carefully explain all options and their advantages/disadvantages. His staff is also very friendly and caring! Don't know what I'd do if he closed down or if I moved away from Bay Area!

Dr. Shea has been my dentist for the last 7 years. He is truly the best dentist I have ever been too. I am very picky and he far exceeds my expectations. He is very honest and truly loves his work. He never recommends something unless you really need it. I have referred family and friends to him and they all have nothing but praise for him as well. His entire staff is very accommodating and caring. I love this office and would highly recommend Dr. Shea to anyone in search of an outstanding dentist.