SF Smile Doctor
According to our open methodology, this clinic scored 63.9/100 for transparency, reputation, service accessibility, and digital visibility.
Overall rank: #6 of 15 ranked clinics · Last checked: 24 September 2026
63.9/100
Positions by Rating Profile
- Overall Transparency & Trust#663.9/100
- Best for Expats#560/100
- Best for Dental Implants#159/100
- Best for Emergency Dental Care#264.5/100
- Best Price Transparency#943.6/100
- Best English-speaking Clinics#563.7/100
- Best for Families / Childrennot ranked
- Sleep Dentistry (GA / deep sedation)#163.9/100
General Anaesthesia & Deep Sedation
Whether the clinic documents treatment under general anaesthesia or deep / twilight sedation — "sleep dentistry", where the patient is asleep and unaware (does not feel, see, or hear the procedure). Ordinary conscious sedation, where the patient stays awake and responsive, does not count here. This is informational and does not affect the transparency score.
- ✓ General anaesthesia / deep sedation (sleep dentistry) — General anaesthesia / deep sedation documented Anesthesia-options page describes twilight IV sedation: 'puts patients into a sleeplike state' and 'some patients may be asleep while others will slip in and out of sleep', alongside conscious nitrous/oral options. [sf-smile-doctor-sedation]
Summary
Cosmetic and implant dental practice in Union Square led by Dr. Sassan Kafayi, offering implants and robotic-guided surgery. The website lists the dentist, services and office photos. Prices are not published.
Prices not published (USD). Yomi robotic-guided implant surgery noted.
Strengths
- Information Transparency: 20 of 20 points.
- Reputation & Reviews: 17 of 20 points.
- No red flags identified in public sources.
Weaknesses
- Price Transparency: 0 of 15 verifiable points (missing: prices or price ranges published; cleaning price listed; filling price listed; crown price listed; implant price listed; consultation price listed; x-ray / imaging price listed)
Score Breakdown
Every criterion below is scored from public sources. ✓ verified yes · ✗ verified no / not found · ◐ partial · ? unverified (scores 0, not a negative finding).
Information Transparency
20 / 20
Whether basic facts about the clinic - its team, premises, services, and location - are publicly verifiable.
| ✓ | Has a working website The clinic's website, sfsmiledoctor.com, presents its dentist, team, treatments, hours and contacts. [sf-smile-doctor-i9] | 4/4 |
| ✓ | Dentist names listed The clinic's website names its dentist, Dr. Sassan Kafayi, DDS. [sf-smile-doctor-i9-2] [sf-smile-doctor-doclic] | 3/3 |
| ✓ | Dentist specializations listed Dr. Kafayi's page gives his DDS (University of the Pacific, 1994), a two-year TMJ and occlusion program and his focus on implant dentistry. [sf-smile-doctor-i9-2] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Real clinic photos The clinic's "Our Facility" page shows an office tour with photos of the practice. [sf-smile-doctor-i9-3] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Service list published The clinic's website lists its treatments, from fillings, crowns and root canals to implants, bone grafting, extractions and clear braces. [sf-smile-doctor-i9] | 3/3 |
| ✓ | Clear contact details New-patient phone (415) 612-3426 and current-patient phone (415) 397-2244 on the clinic's website. [sf-smile-doctor-i9-4] [sf-smile-doctor-i9] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | English website version The clinic's website is in English. [sf-smile-doctor-i9] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Address and map published 450 Sutter St. Suite 2104 on the clinic's contact page, with an embedded Google map. [sf-smile-doctor-i9-4] | 2/2 |
Price Transparency
0 / 15
Whether patients can estimate costs before visiting. Published price ranges count; exact prices are not required.
| ✗ | Prices or price ranges published No price list: the clinic's website, read in full (about 60 pages, including its implant cost page), gives no price for any treatment. [sf-smile-doctor-i9] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-5] | 0/3 |
| ✗ | Cleaning price listed No cleaning price on the clinic's website, read in full. [sf-smile-doctor-i9] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-5] | 0/2 |
| ✗ | Filling price listed No filling price on the clinic's website, read in full. [sf-smile-doctor-i9] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-5] | 0/2 |
| ✗ | Crown price listed No crown price on the clinic's website, read in full. [sf-smile-doctor-i9] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-5] | 0/2 |
| ✗ | Implant price listed No implant price on the clinic's website, read in full. [sf-smile-doctor-i9] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-5] | 0/2 |
| ✗ | Consultation price listed No consultation price on the clinic's website, read in full. [sf-smile-doctor-i9] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-5] | 0/2 |
| ✗ | X-ray / imaging price listed No X-ray price on the clinic's website, read in full. [sf-smile-doctor-i9] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-5] | 0/2 |
Reputation & Reviews
17 / 20
Public review signals. The Google rating is adjusted with a Bayesian prior (rating 4.0, weight 25) so a 5.0 from a handful of reviews does not outrank a 4.8 from hundreds.
| ◐ | Google rating (Bayesian-adjusted) as of 2026-08-26 [sf-smile-doctor-deepen] | 5/6 |
| ◐ | Google review volume as of 2026-08-26 [sf-smile-doctor-deepen] | 1.5/3 |
| ✓ | Review recency Most recent visible reviews dated 'a month ago' / '4 months ago' as of 2026-08-26. [sf-smile-doctor-deepen] | 3/3 |
| ✓ | Clinic responds to reviews Owner replied to a recent review about implant surgery. [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-17] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | No recurring complaints Only two 1-star reviews among 69; no shared theme. [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-18] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | No suspicious review patterns 97.1% 5-star (not literal 100%); dates span 2017-2026; no burst pattern. [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-13] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Active Facebook presence Facebook page "Dr.Sassan Kafayi SF Smile Doctor" (about 640 followers), linked from the clinic's website and posting in September 2026. [sf-smile-doctor-i9-6] | 1/1 |
| ✗ | TripAdvisor presence TripAdvisor search returns no matching business; no TripAdvisor link on site or GBP. [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-14] | 0/0.5 |
| ✓ | Other review platforms Healthgrades profile of Dr. Sassan Kafayi at the clinic's suite, with no ratings yet; the clinic's website books through his Zocdoc page, which could not be opened for this check. [sf-smile-doctor-i9-7] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-8] [sf-smile-doctor-platforms] | 0.5/0.5 |
Medical Infrastructure
11.5 / 15
The range of publicly documented equipment and services. This measures documented availability, not clinical quality.
| ✓ | On-site X-ray Dedicated technology page describes the practice's digital X-ray equipment. [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-7] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | CBCT (3D imaging) Implant pages document i-CAT cone beam 3D imaging (CBCT) used for planning [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-8] [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-9] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Implantology Dental implants, including full-mouth implants and robotic-guided surgery, have their own pages on the clinic's website. [sf-smile-doctor-i9-9] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Orthodontics Dedicated clear-aligner orthodontics page for teens and adults. [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-10] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Oral surgery Tooth extractions and bone grafting have their own pages on the clinic's website. [sf-smile-doctor-i9-10] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-11] | 2/2 |
| ? | Pediatric dentistry | 0/1.5 |
| ✓ | Emergency care Clinic's own page states emergency patients are welcome and seen as soon as possible [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-15] | 1.5/1.5 |
| ? | Works with international patients | 0/2 |
Communication & Service
5 / 10
How easy it is to contact the clinic, get answers, and book - especially for international patients.
| ✗ | WhatsApp / LINE available No WhatsApp or LINE contact on the clinic's website, read in full: phone numbers and an online form only. [sf-smile-doctor-i9] | 0/2 |
| ? | Response speed | 0/1.5 |
| ✓ | English spoken The clinic's website and forms are in English; its team page adds a staff member fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese. [sf-smile-doctor-i9] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-12] | 2.5/2.5 |
| ✓ | Pre-visit consultation possible Homepage smile-preview tool accepts an uploaded photo for assessment. [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-11] | 1.5/1.5 |
| ✓ | Clear service explanations Each treatment has its own page explaining when it is needed and how it is done, e.g. extractions and implants. [sf-smile-doctor-i9-10] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-9] | 1/1 |
| ✗ | Convenient opening hours Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat/Sun closed (site matches GBP exactly). [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-12] | 0/1.5 |
AI & Search Visibility
4 / 10
Whether the clinic is discoverable when patients search - including via AI assistants. Checked with fixed queries: "best dentist San Francisco", "English speaking dentist San Francisco", "dental implants San Francisco", "emergency dentist San Francisco", "San Francisco dental clinic for expats".
| ✗ | Mentioned for: best dentist San Francisco [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-2] | 0/1 |
| ✗ | Mentioned for: English speaking dentist San Francisco [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-3] | 0/1 |
| ✓ | Mentioned for: dental implants San Francisco [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-4] | 1/1 |
| ✗ | Mentioned for: emergency dentist San Francisco [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-5] | 0/1 |
| ✗ | Mentioned for: San Francisco dental clinic for expats [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-6] | 0/1 |
| ✓ | Structured data on website JSON-LD Organization schema present on the homepage. [sf-smile-doctor-deepen-16] | 1.5/1.5 |
| ? | Google indexing quality | 0/2 |
| ✓ | Dedicated service pages Each treatment on the clinic's website has its own page (implants, extractions, bone grafting and others). [sf-smile-doctor-i9] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-9] [sf-smile-doctor-i9-10] | 1.5/1.5 |
Licensing & Credentials
Whether the clinic publishes its operating licence and the dentists working there together with their professional licence numbers. A verified “not published” is recorded as a red flag; data we have not checked yet is shown as unverified and carries no penalty.
Clinic operating licence: not checked against public sources yet — unverified, no penalty
Dentists & professional licences
| Dentist | Specialization | Licence No. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Sassan Kafayi, DDS [sf-smile-doctor-doclic] | Dental implants, cosmetic and restorative dentistry | 43024 | California dental licence number as the dentist lists it in the federal NPI Registry (NPI 1619140787); taken from that record, not from the Dental Board of California. |
Red Flags
No red flags identified in the public sources we reviewed.
Data We Could Not Verify
- Medical Infrastructure: Pediatric dentistry
- Medical Infrastructure: Works with international patients
- Communication & Service: Response speed
- AI & Search Visibility: Google indexing quality
Unverified items score 0 points but are not treated as negative findings. If you can document any of them, please send a correction.
Contact Information
| Website | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/ |
|---|---|
| Phone | (415) 612-3426 |
| https://www.facebook.com/DrSassanKafayi/ | |
| Google Maps | Map listing |
| Address | 450 Sutter St. Suite 2104, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA |
Contact details are provided for identification only and may change; verify with the clinic directly.
Sources
| ID | Source | What it supports | Accessed |
|---|---|---|---|
| sf-smile-doctor-doclic | https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1619140787 | NPPES record for SASSAN KAFAYI, DDS (NPI 1619140787, status Active) lists CA taxonomy 'Dentist' with license 43024, practice address 450 Sutter St Suite 2104, San Francisco - exact match to the clinic's address. | 2026-08-25 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen | https://www.google.com/maps/place/Implant+SF+-+Dr.+Sassan+Kafayi+DD… | Google rating 4.9 (69 reviews) as of 2026-08-26 for 'Implant SF - Dr. Sassan Kafayi DDS', 450 Sutter St Ste 2104 (same dentist/address as SF Smile Doctor; implantsf.com 301-redirects to sfsmiledoctor.com). | 2026-08-26 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-2 | search:best dentist San Francisco | AI/search visibility scout 2026-08-26: not present in top results | 2026-08-26 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-3 | search:english speaking dentist San Francisco | AI/search visibility scout 2026-08-26: not present in top results | 2026-08-26 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-4 | search:dental implants San Francisco | AI/search visibility scout 2026-08-26: Local-pack listing 'Implant SF - Dr. Sassan Kafayi DDS', 450 Sutter St Ste 2104 (same dentist/address as SF Smile Doctor) in the top results. | 2026-08-26 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-5 | search:emergency dentist San Francisco | AI/search visibility scout 2026-08-26: not present in top results | 2026-08-26 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-6 | search:dentist for expats San Francisco | AI/search visibility scout 2026-08-26: not present in top results | 2026-08-26 |
| sf-smile-doctor-sedation | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/anesthesia-options/ | Page describes IV sedation reaching a 'twilight sleep' state, drifting in and out of sleep, with amnesic effects ('some patients may be asleep while others will slip in and out of sleep'), distinct from lighter nitrous/oral sedation also offered. | 2026-08-26 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-7 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/dental-implants/implant-technologies/ | Page text: "Digital X-Rays: Digital x-rays offer more precision since we view the image on a computer monitor... 1/6th the radiation exposure." | 2026-09-24 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-8 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/dental-implants/ | Implants page: "i-CAT® Cone Beam 3D Imaging The i-CAT system uses advanced 3D cone beam CT technology" | 2026-09-24 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-9 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/dental-implants/implant-procedure-expecta… | Page text: "We utilize an intraoral scanner and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) machine to capture crystal-clear images of your mouth and bone structure" | 2026-09-24 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-10 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/clear-braces/ | Dedicated page: "Clear braces offer a virtually invisible way to align your teeth using a custom-made series of clear, removable aligners... ideal for both teens and adults." | 2026-09-24 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-11 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/ | Homepage feature "Smile Design Preview: Upload a recent photo of yourself..." plus persistent "Schedule Consultation" calls to action sitewide. | 2026-09-24 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-12 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/contact-us/ | Page text: "Office Hours Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm, Saturday - Sunday Closed." Matches Google Business Profile hours exactly. | 2026-09-24 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-13 | https://www.google.com/maps?cid=12346299476487598367&hl=en | Google listing 2026-09-24: 67/69 (97.1%) 5-star, not literal 100%; review dates across both sorts span 2017-2026; reviewer histories vary (1, 4, 13, 3, 2 reviews incl. a Local Guide) - no burst pattern. | 2026-09-24 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-14 | https://www.tripadvisor.com/TypeAheadJson?action=API&query=Implant%… | TripAdvisor's own typeahead search returned zero matching business results (unrelated "SF"-named attractions/hotels/restaurants worldwide); no TripAdvisor link on site or Google listing. | 2026-09-24 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-15 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/dental-implants/implant-procedure-expecta… | Page text: "Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8am to 5pm Emergency patients are welcome and will be seen as soon as possible." | 2026-09-24 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-16 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/ | Homepage JSON-LD @graph includes {"@type":"Organization","@id":".../#organization","name":"SF Smile Doctor"}. | 2026-09-24 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-17 | https://www.google.com/maps?cid=12346299476487598367&hl=en | Google listing 2026-09-24: owner reply dated 2026-07-30: "Thank you so much for this review. It was a pleasure to do your surgery, and host a colleague." | 2026-09-24 |
| sf-smile-doctor-deepen-18 | https://www.google.com/maps?cid=12346299476487598367&hl=en | Google listing 2026-09-24: histogram shows 2/69 at 1-star. Em Milia (2017) describes rudeness/lack of explanation; Toni Rivera (2025) left no text - no repeated theme demonstrated. | 2026-09-24 |
| sf-smile-doctor-i9 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/ | The clinic's website, read 2026-10-01 (about 60 pages: menu, treatment, patient-center and blog pages): a treatment menu covering dental implants (All-on-4, Yomi robotic surgery), fillings, crowns, bridges, dentures, root canals, bone grafting, tooth extractions, sedation, bonding, veneers, whitening and clear braces, each with its own page; new-patient phone (415) 612-3426 and current-patient phone (415) 397-2244; 450 Sutter St. Suite 2104; hours Monday to Friday 8:00am-5:00pm; links to its Facebook and Instagram pages; no price figure on any page and no WhatsApp or LINE contact | 2026-10-01 |
| sf-smile-doctor-i9-2 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/about-us/meet-the-teamdr-sassan-kafayi/ | Page "Meet the Doctor", read 2026-10-01: Sassan Kafayi, DDS - Doctorate of Dental Surgery from the University of the Pacific (1994), part-time faculty there, two-year F.A.C.E. program in TMJ and bite (occlusion), expanding his work in implant dentistry | 2026-10-01 |
| sf-smile-doctor-i9-3 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/our-facility/ | Page "Our Facility", read 2026-10-01: an office tour with a video and a dozen photos of the practice (Office1-Office6, office-1 to office-6) | 2026-10-01 |
| sf-smile-doctor-i9-4 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/contact-us/ | Page "Contact Us", read 2026-10-01: phone numbers, the address 450 Sutter St. Suite 2104, San Francisco, CA 94108, with an embedded Google map, and office hours Monday to Friday 8:00am-5:00pm | 2026-10-01 |
| sf-smile-doctor-i9-5 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/dental-implants/implant-cost/ | Page "Cost & Compare" (cost of dental implants), read 2026-10-01: compares dentures, implant-supported dentures and full-mouth implants by relative cost ("moderate", "highest") and describes financing, a cash discount and insurance billing, with no dollar figure | 2026-10-01 |
| sf-smile-doctor-i9-6 | https://www.facebook.com/DrSassanKafayi/ | Facebook page "Dr.Sassan Kafayi SF Smile Doctor", San Francisco, category General Dentist, read 2026-10-01: 643 followers; linked from the clinic's website; newest post dated 2026-09-30 | 2026-10-01 |
| sf-smile-doctor-i9-7 | https://www.zocdoc.com/practice/dr-sassan-kafayi-dds-72883 | Zocdoc practice page of Dr. Sassan Kafayi, DDS, linked from the clinic's website (read 2026-10-01); the Zocdoc page itself could not be opened for this check, so its reviews were not counted | 2026-10-01 |
| sf-smile-doctor-i9-8 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/patient-center/ | Page "Patient Center", read 2026-10-01: a "book online" button linking the practice's Zocdoc page (zocdoc.com/practice/dr-sassan-kafayi-dds-72883) | 2026-10-01 |
| sf-smile-doctor-i9-9 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/dental-implants/ | Page "Dental Implants", read 2026-10-01: implant treatment, full-mouth implants and the planning technology used | 2026-10-01 |
| sf-smile-doctor-i9-10 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/patient-center/tooth-extractions/ | Page "Tooth Extractions", read 2026-10-01: when an extraction is needed and how it is done | 2026-10-01 |
| sf-smile-doctor-i9-11 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/patient-center/bone-grafting/ | Page "Bone Grafting", read 2026-10-01: bone grafting before implant placement | 2026-10-01 |
| sf-smile-doctor-i9-12 | https://sfsmiledoctor.com/about-us/meet-the-team/ | Page "Meet The Team", read 2026-10-01: the staff, including a team member fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese | 2026-10-01 |
| sf-smile-doctor-platforms | https://www.healthgrades.com/dentist/dr-sassan-kafayi-ygtpm | Healthgrades: profile of Dr. Sassan Kafayi, DDS, office at 450 Sutter St Rm 2104, San Francisco - the clinic's suite; no ratings yet (checked 2026-10-01) | 2026-10-01 |
Change History
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 2026-09-24 | Re-read on 2026-09-24: the clinic's website (full 56-page sitemap, including the implant, implant-technologies, clear-braces and contact pages) and its Google listing. Recorded: digital X-rays and i-CAT cone beam (CBCT) imaging on site, clear-aligner orthodontics, emergency patients accepted, a photo-submission smile-preview feature, and Monday-Friday office hours with no evening or weekend availability. The clinic's Google listing appears under an alternate name ("Implant SF - Dr. Sassan Kafayi DDS") linking to a second domain, confirmed today to redirect to the same website, with the same address and patient phone line. Google rating remains 4.9 from 69 reviews, with an owner reply on file and no signs of review manipulation. No TripAdvisor listing found. |
| 2026-08-26 | Recorded sedation / general anaesthesia availability (informational): documented as available. Anesthesia-options page describes twilight IV sedation: 'puts patients into a sleeplike state' and 'some patients may be asleep while others will slip in and out of sleep', alongside conscious nitrous/oral options. |
| 2026-08-26 | Deepen 2026-08-26: rechecked website/contacts/Google reputation via live Google Maps visit (rating 4.9, 69 reviews) and operating status; added external sources (Maps place page + NPPES registry citations); ran 5-query AI/search visibility scout; no uncited sources existed to triage. Google Business Profile now surfaces under the name 'Implant SF - Dr. Sassan Kafayi DDS' / implantsf.com, which 301-redirects to the same sfsmiledoctor.com site - same practice, no site change needed. |
| 2026-08-25 | License verification 2026-08-25 against NPPES NPI Registry: Dr. Sassan Kafayi found with CA license 43024 and exact practice-address match. No clinic-level NPI found under two business-name variants. |
| 2026-07-08 | Initial data collection. |
A question or a correction?
Have a question, a suggestion, or a correction to this page? Get in touch — we read every message. Verified data corrections are reviewed against sources and applied with a public change-history entry.