Golden State Family Dentistry/Fara Shahani DMD - Palo Alto, California

Karen

I "inherited" Dr Shahani when my previous dentist retired several years ago and she is wonderful. She not only does excellent, thorough exams and dental procedures -- it's a virtually pain free experience, even when you have to have shots. She cares about you as a person, not just a patient, ensuring you're okay with a followup call after a more serious procedure. I needed a cap when I cracked my front tooth and she was a perfectionist in matching the color and somehow (to this day I don't know how!) even managed to make my crooked teeth look straighter in the process! And her receptionist Michelle is a real character who makes you feel right at home as soon as you walk in the door. I highly recommended Dr Shahani to a friend and now we both see her and love her. Thank you Dr Shahani!

Deepty J.

Our family of four had been going to Dr. Van Der Wilt since 2010 and we really liked his expertise and bedside manner. So when we found out that he was retiring and his practice was being taken over by another doctor, we were very skeptical about the new dentist. But Dr. Fara Shahani took no time to allay those fears. She takes her time with her patients to connect with them at both personal and professional levels. Dr. Shahani has never tried to unnecessarily insist on any procedure. She discusses the cost factor for any suggested procedure and her friendly staff calls the insurance company if her patients want more information. Dr. Shahani has been kind, friendly and very professional and we would recommend her any day!

Susan Z.

Dr Shahani became my dentist after she took over the practice of a wonderful dentist I saw for over 20 years. She is exceptional and recommend her without reservation - a fabulous dentist...meticulous, expert, kind, and willing to do whatever is needed to be sure her patients get the best possible service. I have many difficult dental problems and she has tackled every one of them successfully. There have been no surprises about the billing; she works with my insurance and the staff is clear about what I should expect. I give her and her office a 5+ rating!

Sally P.

I've been going to Dr. Shahani for a few years and have been very impressed with her level of care and her professional work. I've had everything from teeth cleaning, gum repair, to matching the perfect color for a veneer and have been extremely pleased with the results. I would highly recommend Dr. Shahani for all your dentistry needs.

Hossein A.

Dr. Shahani is a good and professional dentist, but her prices are higher than average. She was my first dentist in the US, and I didn't realize the pricing difference until I spoke with a friend. For example, the quote for one crown was nearly $2500.
However, it's worth mentioning that her office is very clean, her behavior is polite and professional, and the staff is always welcoming and professional. The reason for my 3-star rating is solely due to the price concern.

Akshay B.

PLEASE READ RECENT REVIEWS. They only care about your money.

Let me start by saying, the staff is quite pleasant. Michelle the receptionist remembered my name after just a few visits, and Jillian the dental assistant was friendly and kind.

Unfortunately, the dentist Dr. Shahani only seems to be interested in charging you as much as possible. Here's a few examples:
1. They will not tell you the prices upfront. My insurance covers 100% of basic cleanings, yet I got hit with a $90 bill after the first visit! Naively, I thought this was due to being a new patient. On the second visit, they perform some preventative filling that they never mentioned would be an expensive procedure, and surprise surprise, there's a $200+ bill waiting for me. I figured third times the charm, this time I tell them upfront that I expect to pay nothing since my insurance covers everything. I explicitly decline any special procedures. Once again, I'm hit with a $90 bill, because the dentist has performed "Periodontal maintenance". Why do they not tell you upfront!

2 . Every visit has an additional $30 "covid PPE fee", never seen this before at a different dentist. This is also in 2024, long past peak COVID

3. If you cancel or reschedule an appointment within 24 hours, they say they'll charge you a $75 fee. Obviously not a great thing for a patient to do, but never seen that before either.

Again, the staff has done nothing wrong. And I'm giving 2 stars because the dentist herself is still a pleasant person. But I'm not a fan of how this business is focused on taking your money over listening to the patient.

Andrew W.

Dr. Shahani and her staff have worked on replacing my older cavities with crowns for the past couple years and have been really helpful in working with my insurance to maximize my benefits. She takes the time to ensure the work is done right the first time and is really sensitive about following up to ensure that everything is comfortable and pain free. I am impressed with the latest equipment and she takes the time to show and explain what the procedure is so that I am always in the know...it may be the engineer in me, but I appreciate the effort. I would highly recommend Dr. Shahani and her staff to work and get your teeth in working order!

Fae K.

Dr. Fara Shahani is the greatest dentist I have ever seen. She and the entire staff are incredibly kind and welcoming. Dr. Shahani goes out of her way to provide excellent patient care. I have seen her for fillings and wisdom teeth extractions. In both cases, she gave me all my options, was communicative of what she was doing, walked me through my insurance coverage, and made sure the procedures were as painless as possible. I highly recommend Dr. Shahani for your dental care.