SOMA Dental
According to our open methodology, this clinic scored 58.9/100 for transparency, reputation, service accessibility, and digital visibility.
Overall rank: #11 of 15 ranked clinics · Last checked: 24 September 2026
58.9/100
Positions by Rating Profile
- Overall Transparency & Trust#1158.9/100
- Best for Expats#1155.5/100
- Best for Dental Implants#1052.5/100
- Best for Emergency Dental Care#858.5/100
- Best Price Transparency#1241.3/100
- Best English-speaking Clinics#1059.8/100
- Best for Families / Childrennot ranked
- Sleep Dentistry (GA / deep sedation)not ranked
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) — Not verified No sedation/anesthesia info found on somadental.com
Summary
General and cosmetic dental practice in the SOMA/Mission area led by Dr. Nigel Suarez. The website lists services, contact details and office photos. Prices are not published.
Prices not published (USD). Open Tuesday to Friday.
Strengths
- Information Transparency: 20 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)
- AI & Search Visibility: 3 of 8 verifiable points (missing: mentioned for: best dentist San Francisco; mentioned for: English speaking dentist San Francisco; mentioned for: dental implants San Francisco; mentioned for: emergency dentist San Francisco; mentioned for: San Francisco dental clinic for expats)
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, somadental.com, presents its dentist, team, services, hours and contacts. [soma-dental-i9] | 4/4 |
| ✓ | Dentist names listed The clinic's website names its dentist, Dr. Nigel Suarez, DDS. [soma-dental-i9-2] [soma-dental-doclic] | 3/3 |
| ✓ | Dentist specializations listed Dr. Suarez's page gives his UCLA dental degree and his advanced training in cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics and implantology. [soma-dental-i9-2] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Real clinic photos The clinic's "Our Office" page shows eight photos of the practice. [soma-dental-i9-3] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Service list published The clinic's website lists its treatments, from cleanings and fillings to implants, Invisalign, endodontics and extractions. [soma-dental-i9] | 3/3 |
| ✓ | Clear contact details Phone (415) 558-9800 and e-mail [email protected] on every page of the clinic's website. [soma-dental-i9] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | English website version The clinic's website is in English. [soma-dental-i9] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Address and map published 148 South Van Ness Avenue on the clinic's website, with an embedded Google map. [soma-dental-i9] | 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 (69 pages), gives no price for any treatment. [soma-dental-i9] | 0/3 |
| ✗ | Cleaning price listed No cleaning price on the clinic's website, read in full. [soma-dental-i9] | 0/2 |
| ✗ | Filling price listed No filling price on the clinic's website, read in full. [soma-dental-i9] | 0/2 |
| ✗ | Crown price listed No crown price on the clinic's website, read in full. [soma-dental-i9] | 0/2 |
| ✗ | Implant price listed No implant price on the clinic's website, read in full. [soma-dental-i9] | 0/2 |
| ✗ | Consultation price listed No consultation price on the clinic's website, read in full. [soma-dental-i9] | 0/2 |
| ✗ | X-ray / imaging price listed No X-ray price on the clinic's website, read in full. [soma-dental-i9] | 0/2 |
Reputation & Reviews
15.5 / 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 [soma-dental-deepen] | 5/6 |
| ◐ | Google review volume as of 2026-08-26 [soma-dental-deepen] | 1.5/3 |
| ◐ | Review recency Newest review dated 2026-06-03, about 3.7 months before this check. [soma-dental-deepen-14] | 1.5/3 |
| ✓ | Clinic responds to reviews Owner replied to the practice's only 1-star review with a detailed response. [soma-dental-deepen-15] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | No recurring complaints Only one 1-star review among 54; no repeating theme. [soma-dental-deepen-16] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | No suspicious review patterns 94.4% 5-star (not literal 100%); dates span 2021-2026; some established reviewer accounts. [soma-dental-deepen-8] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Active Facebook presence Facebook page "SOMA Dental" (about 470 followers), linked from the clinic's website and posting weekly. [soma-dental-i9-4] | 1/1 |
| ✗ | TripAdvisor presence TripAdvisor search returns no matching business; no TripAdvisor link on site or GBP. [soma-dental-deepen-11] | 0/0.5 |
| ✓ | Other review platforms Healthgrades profile of Dr. Nigel Suarez at the clinic's address and phone, with no ratings yet; the clinic's website also links its Yelp page, which could not be opened for this check. [soma-dental-i9-5] [soma-dental-platforms] | 0.5/0.5 |
Medical Infrastructure
9.5 / 15
The range of publicly documented equipment and services. This measures documented availability, not clinical quality.
| ✓ | On-site X-ray Site describes x-rays as part of the dentist's exam and review process. [soma-dental-deepen-7] | 2/2 |
| ? | CBCT (3D imaging) | 0/2 |
| ✓ | Implantology Dental implants have their own page on the clinic's website. [soma-dental-i9-6] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Orthodontics Invisalign clear aligners have their own page on the clinic's website. [soma-dental-i9-7] | 2/2 |
| ✓ | Oral surgery Tooth extractions have their own page on the clinic's website. [soma-dental-i9-8] | 2/2 |
| ? | Pediatric dentistry | 0/1.5 |
| ✓ | Emergency care Listed as a category on the clinic's Google Business Profile. [soma-dental-deepen-12] | 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, e-mail and a contact form only. [soma-dental-i9] | 0/2 |
| ? | Response speed | 0/1.5 |
| ✓ | English spoken The clinic's website and its forms are in English; its team page adds a Spanish-speaking assistant. [soma-dental-i9] [soma-dental-i9-9] | 2.5/2.5 |
| ✓ | Pre-visit consultation possible Site offers a free virtual consultation, submit a request from home. [soma-dental-deepen-9] | 1.5/1.5 |
| ✓ | Clear service explanations Each treatment has its own page explaining what it is and how it is done, e.g. implants and extractions. [soma-dental-i9-6] [soma-dental-i9-8] | 1/1 |
| ✗ | Convenient opening hours Mon closed, Tue-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat/Sun closed - no evening or weekend hours. [soma-dental-deepen-13] | 0/1.5 |
AI & Search Visibility
3 / 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 [soma-dental-deepen-2] | 0/1 |
| ✗ | Mentioned for: English speaking dentist San Francisco [soma-dental-deepen-3] | 0/1 |
| ✗ | Mentioned for: dental implants San Francisco [soma-dental-deepen-4] | 0/1 |
| ✗ | Mentioned for: emergency dentist San Francisco [soma-dental-deepen-5] | 0/1 |
| ✗ | Mentioned for: San Francisco dental clinic for expats [soma-dental-deepen-6] | 0/1 |
| ✓ | Structured data on website Microdata Organization block with the clinic's name and full postal address. [soma-dental-deepen-10] | 1.5/1.5 |
| ? | Google indexing quality | 0/2 |
| ✓ | Dedicated service pages Each treatment on the clinic's website has its own page (implants, Invisalign, extractions and others). [soma-dental-i9] [soma-dental-i9-6] [soma-dental-i9-7] | 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. Nigel Suarez [soma-dental-doclic] | Restorative, cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics | 41679 | California dental licence number as the dentist lists it in the federal NPI Registry (NPI 1700081874); 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: CBCT (3D imaging)
- 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://www.somadental.com/ |
|---|---|
| Phone | (415) 558-9800 |
| Google Maps | Map listing |
| Address | 148 South Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA |
Contact details are provided for identification only and may change; verify with the clinic directly.
Sources
| ID | Source | What it supports | Accessed |
|---|---|---|---|
| soma-dental-doclic | https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1700081874 | NPPES record for NIGEL SUAREZ (NPI 1700081874, status Active) lists CA taxonomy 'Dentist' with license 41679, practice address 148 S Van Ness Ave, San Francisco - exact match to SOMA Dental's address. | 2026-08-25 |
| soma-dental-deepen | https://www.google.com/maps/place/SOMA+Dental/@37.7714646,-122.4183… | Google rating 4.9 (54 reviews) as of 2026-08-26 for 'SOMA Dental', 148 South Van Ness Ave - unchanged from prior check. | 2026-08-26 |
| soma-dental-deepen-2 | search:best dentist San Francisco | AI/search visibility scout 2026-08-26: not present in top results | 2026-08-26 |
| soma-dental-deepen-3 | search:english speaking dentist San Francisco | AI/search visibility scout 2026-08-26: not present in top results | 2026-08-26 |
| soma-dental-deepen-4 | search:dental implants San Francisco | AI/search visibility scout 2026-08-26: not present in top results | 2026-08-26 |
| soma-dental-deepen-5 | search:emergency dentist San Francisco | AI/search visibility scout 2026-08-26: not present in top results | 2026-08-26 |
| soma-dental-deepen-6 | search:dentist for expats San Francisco | AI/search visibility scout 2026-08-26: not present in top results | 2026-08-26 |
| soma-dental-deepen-7 | https://www.somadental.com/general-dentistry-san-francisco | Page text: "your dentist may order x-rays... your dentist will review your x-rays and discuss any symptoms." | 2026-09-24 |
| soma-dental-deepen-8 | https://www.google.com/maps?cid=14581978572636315038&hl=en | Google listing 2026-09-24: 51/54 (94.4%) 5-star, not literal 100%; review dates across both sorts span 2021-2026; account histories vary 1-17 reviews incl. an established Local Guide - no burst pattern. | 2026-09-24 |
| soma-dental-deepen-9 | https://www.somadental.com/patient-info | Page text: "Let's Get Virtual! At SOMA Dental, we offer Free Virtual Consultation, no matter where you are. Get Started Here." | 2026-09-24 |
| soma-dental-deepen-10 | https://www.somadental.com/contact-us | Page markup: itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Organization" with itemprop name "SOMA Dental" and a nested PostalAddress (street/locality/region/postal code/country). | 2026-09-24 |
| soma-dental-deepen-11 | https://www.tripadvisor.com/TypeAheadJson?action=API&query=SOMA%20D… | TripAdvisor's own typeahead search returned zero matching business results (Soma Bay Egypt resorts, unrelated SoMa neighborhood attraction, unrelated restaurant); no TripAdvisor link on site or Google listing. | 2026-09-24 |
| soma-dental-deepen-12 | https://www.google.com/maps?cid=14581978572636315038&hl=en | Google listing 2026-09-24 (claimed by the practice): category list includes "Emergency dental service"; the website does not contradict it | 2026-09-24 |
| soma-dental-deepen-13 | https://www.somadental.com/contact-us | Contact page: "Monday Closed, Tuesday-Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday Closed, Sunday Closed." Matches Google Business Profile hours. | 2026-09-24 |
| soma-dental-deepen-14 | https://www.google.com/maps?cid=14581978572636315038&hl=en | Google listing 2026-09-24, newest-sorted reviews: most recent review dated 2026-06-03 (113 days before this check). | 2026-09-24 |
| soma-dental-deepen-15 | https://www.google.com/maps?cid=14581978572636315038&hl=en | Google listing 2026-09-24: owner reply dated 2021-10-18 to the 1-star review by Gerardo Gonzalez, disputing he was ever a patient. | 2026-09-24 |
| soma-dental-deepen-16 | https://www.google.com/maps?cid=14581978572636315038&hl=en | Google listing 2026-09-24: histogram shows a single 1-star review (of 54); the review (service/directions mix-up, owner disputes reviewer was ever a patient) has no repeated theme. | 2026-09-24 |
| soma-dental-i9 | https://www.somadental.com/ | The clinic's website, read 2026-10-01 in full (69 pages from its sitemap): a services menu with a page for each treatment - general and cosmetic dentistry, whitening, crowns and bridges, dental implants, veneers, Invisalign, tooth-colored fillings, endodontics, inlays and onlays, TMJ treatment, sealants, dentures and extractions; address 148 South Van Ness Avenue with an embedded Google map; phone (415) 558-9800, e-mail [email protected]; hours Tuesday to Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM; a free virtual consultation form; links to its Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Yelp pages; no price figure on any page, and no WhatsApp contact (only a WhatsApp share button) | 2026-10-01 |
| soma-dental-i9-2 | https://www.somadental.com/dr-nigel-suarez | Page "Dr. Nigel Suarez", read 2026-10-01: graduated with honors from the UCLA School of Dentistry, more than 25 years of practice in San Francisco, advanced courses in cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics and dental implantology | 2026-10-01 |
| soma-dental-i9-3 | https://www.somadental.com/our-office | Page "Our Office", read 2026-10-01: a slideshow of eight photos of the practice (office-images 1-8) and its insurance and payment terms | 2026-10-01 |
| soma-dental-i9-4 | https://www.facebook.com/somadentalnigelsuarez/ | Facebook page "SOMA Dental", San Francisco, category General Dentist, read 2026-10-01: 471 followers; linked from the clinic's website; posting several times a week, newest post dated 2026-09-29 | 2026-10-01 |
| soma-dental-i9-5 | https://www.yelp.com/biz/soma-dental-san-francisco | Yelp business page of SOMA Dental, linked from the clinic's website (read 2026-10-01); the Yelp page itself could not be opened for this check, so its reviews were not counted | 2026-10-01 |
| soma-dental-i9-6 | https://www.somadental.com/dental-implants-san-francisco | Page "Dental Implants in San Francisco", read 2026-10-01: what implants are, who is a candidate and how the treatment runs | 2026-10-01 |
| soma-dental-i9-7 | https://www.somadental.com/invisalign-san-francisco | Page "Invisalign in San Francisco", read 2026-10-01: clear-aligner treatment offered at the practice | 2026-10-01 |
| soma-dental-i9-8 | https://www.somadental.com/tooth-extractions-san-francisco | Page "Tooth Extractions in San Francisco", read 2026-10-01: when extractions are needed and how they are done | 2026-10-01 |
| soma-dental-i9-9 | https://www.somadental.com/meet-our-team | Page "Meet Our Team", read 2026-10-01: office manager, hygienist and dental assistant; the assistant, Jamie, speaks Spanish and translates for Spanish-speaking patients | 2026-10-01 |
| soma-dental-platforms | https://www.healthgrades.com/dentist/dr-nigel-suarez-22vnh | Healthgrades: profile of Dr. Nigel Suarez, DDS, office at 148 S Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, (415) 558-9800 - the clinic's address and phone; 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 (patient information, contact, services and general-dentistry pages) and its Google listing. Recorded: x-rays described as part of the exam process, a free virtual consultation option, emergency dental care listed as one of the practice's Google Business Profile categories, and Tuesday-Friday office hours (Monday closed) with no evening or weekend availability. Google rating remains 4.9 from 54 reviews, with an owner reply on file, no repeating complaint theme, and no signs of review manipulation; the most recent review is about three and a half months old. No TripAdvisor listing found. |
| 2026-08-26 | Deepen 2026-08-26: rechecked website/contacts/Google reputation via live Google Maps visit (rating 4.9, 54 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. |
| 2026-08-25 | License verification 2026-08-25 against NPPES NPI Registry: Dr. Nigel Suarez found with CA license 41679 and exact practice-address match. No clinic-level NPI found under two business-name variants; California does not license dental clinics as facilities. |
| 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.