The Best Dentists Near Lake Merritt and Grand Lake (2026): Expert-Reviewed and Scored
The best dentist near Lake Merritt and Grand Lake for 2026 is Total Health Dental Care on Grand Avenue, scoring 9.3 out of 10 on pricing transparency, specialist breadth, emergency access, options for the uninsured, and trust. Lake Merritt Dental in Uptown is the strongest alternative at 7.4, followed by T Booth Haley DDS in Adams Point and Lakeshore Family Dentistry on Lakeshore Avenue.
Last updated: August 21, 2026
A disclosure before the rankings: this guide is published by Total Health Dental Care, and we rank ourselves first. We think the criteria justify it, but you should read the cons on our own entry, which are real, and check every competitor against its own website, which is where every fact below comes from.
How did we score the dentists near Lake Merritt?
Every practice was scored on five criteria weighted toward what patients in Grand Lake, Lakeshore, and Adams Point actually search for, especially adults paying out of pocket. Pricing transparency counts for 30 percent: does the office publish prices or put your exact number in writing before treatment? Specialist breadth is 25 percent: are root canals, implants, gum surgery, and orthodontics done in house, or referred out? Emergency availability is 15 percent: can you be seen the same day for pain? Uninsured options are 15 percent: is there a membership plan, and what does it cost? Trust is the last 15 percent: does the practice commit in writing to not over treating. Facts were checked on each practice website in August 2026. Hours and plans change, so confirm before you book.
How do the Grand Lake and Lake Merritt dentists compare?
| Practice | Address | Specialists in house | Uninsured option | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Health Dental Care Grand Ave | 3931 Grand Avenue, Oakland 94610 | Yes: endodontist, oral surgeon, periodontist, orthodontist (downtown Specialty Center) | $300 or $600 a year plans, prices in writing | 9.3 |
| Lake Merritt Dental | 1900 Webster Street Ste A, Oakland 94612 | Site says the team includes specialists; only one dentist named | Membership from $55 a month plus $99 activation | 7.4 |
| T Booth Haley DDS | 298 Grand Ave, Suite 200, Oakland 94610 | No; solo general dentist with in office 3D imaging | None published; Delta Dental PPO in network | 6.5 |
| Lakeshore Family Dentistry | 3309 Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland 94610 | No; two general dentists | None; out of network with all insurers, CareCredit | 6.4 |
| Grand Lake Dental | 3540 Grand Ave. Suite 100, Oakland 94610 | No; general dentist | None published; CareCredit | 5.6 |
1. Total Health Dental Care Grand Ave: 9.3
The Grand Avenue office sits at 3931 Grand Avenue, at the Piedmont end of the Grand Lake strip, in a two story building with street parking on the surrounding blocks. It is open Monday through Thursday, 8 AM to 5 PM, at (510) 654-3030, and Dr. Tiffany Huynh is the general dentist. It is one of 13 offices, which is what makes the specialist and emergency scores possible: root canals, extractions, implants, gum surgery, and orthodontics are done by in house specialists at the Rotunda Specialty Center downtown, with same day root canals and extractions when the schedule allows.
Pros: Every treatment is priced in writing before it starts, and the office commits publicly to not over diagnosing. Uninsured patients get two real plans: the $300 Cleaning Plan (two cleanings with ozone included, unlimited exams and X rays) and the $600 Loyalty Plan with 50 percent off every treatment, up to $2,000 in savings a year. Every specialist is in house, so there is no referral to another office.
Cons: The Grand Avenue office is closed Fridays and weekends. Specialty work happens downtown at the Rotunda, not on Grand Avenue, so a root canal means a second address. It is a 13 office group, not a solo practice, and the Loyalty Plan carries a 2 year commitment.
Verdict: The best fit for adults who want written prices, in house specialists, and a plan that replaces insurance, if they can visit Monday through Thursday.
2. Lake Merritt Dental: 7.4
Lake Merritt Dental is at 1900 Webster Street, Suite A, in Uptown at 19th and Webster, a few blocks west of the lake rather than on the Grand Lake strip. Dr. Hai Huang founded the practice in 2004 and has practiced since 1980. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, at 510-834-4321. The service list is the broadest of the competitors: Invisalign, same day CEREC crowns, implants, root canals, extractions, TMJ and sleep apnea therapy, and an emergency line the site says you can text 24 hours a day.
Pros: The only competitor with a published membership plan: adult $55 a month, perio $78, child $32, each with a $99 activation fee, covering cleanings, exams, X rays, one emergency exam, and 25 percent off other treatment. Broad service menu with same day crowns and implants. A 24 hour emergency text line.
Cons: The site says the practice has chosen to stay out of network with all PPOs except one, and Delta Dental is not named. It is in Uptown, a walk or drive from Adams Point and Grand Lake. Only one dentist is named on the site, so you cannot see who the specialists are before booking, and parking is not published.
Verdict: The strongest alternative on this list, especially for uninsured patients who prefer a monthly plan and do not mind the downtown location.
3. T Booth Haley DDS: 6.5
This solo practice is at 298 Grand Avenue, Suite 200, at the Lake Merritt end of Grand in Adams Point, at (510) 452-1068. Dr. T. Booth Haley took over the suite from a long established dentist, and the staff page lists an office manager with 34 years and a hygienist with 21. The site lists hours as Monday through Thursday, 8 AM to 5 PM, with select Fridays for hygiene only; the contact page shows a 5:30 close, so confirm. Services include fillings, crowns, bridges, implants, emergency dentistry, pediatric care, clear aligners, and an in office cone beam CT scanner.
Pros: In network with Delta Dental PPO, which many East Bay employers use. In office 3D imaging is unusual for a solo practice. The location is the closest on this list to the lake itself and to Adams Point apartments.
Cons: No membership plan, no financing, and no fees are published on the site. Solo dentist with a single location, so specialist care goes out on referral. Friday is hygiene only or by appointment, and there are no weekend hours.
Verdict: A good pick for Delta Dental PPO members in Adams Point who want a small office, less so for the uninsured.
4. Lakeshore Family Dentistry: 6.4
Lakeshore Family Dentistry is at 3309 Lakeshore Avenue, on the Lakeshore shopping strip, at (510) 444-4331. Dr. Lance Brune, DDS, has practiced on Lakeshore since 2017, joined by Dr. Colleen Vasquez, DMD. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, closed for lunch from 1 to 2. The site lists preventive care, fillings, crowns, implant restoration, deep cleanings, dentures and bridges, simple extractions, veneers, and whitening. The site also advises allowing about 15 minutes to find parking on Lakeshore or the residential streets near Mandana Plaza.
Pros: Two dentists and five day a week hours, the most weekday coverage on this list. A walkable Lakeshore Avenue location for Grand Lake and Lakeshore residents. A clear, detailed website that states its policies plainly.
Cons: The practice is out of network with every insurer and does not accept HMO, Denti-Cal, or Medi-Cal plans. There is no membership plan and no published treatment fees, and a 3 percent fee is added to card payments. Implant placement, orthodontics, and specialist procedures are not advertised, so those cases go elsewhere.
Verdict: A solid neighborhood general dentist for insured patients who are comfortable with out of network billing.
5. Grand Lake Dental: 5.6
Grand Lake Dental is at 3540 Grand Avenue, Suite 100, in the middle of the Grand Lake strip, at (510) 208-3012, with Dr. Won-Joo Lee, DDS. The practice website is a single contact page with the address, phones, and email, and directory listings show it open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, closed Thursdays and weekends. CareCredit financing is listed by CareCredit itself.
Pros: Central Grand Lake location, steps from the Saturday farmers market end of the avenue. Established solo general dentist. CareCredit financing available.
Cons: The website publishes no services, hours, insurance, or fees, so you have to call for everything. Closed Thursdays and weekends. No membership plan and no in house specialists.
Verdict: Worth a call if you live on the strip and want a small local office, but you will be booking without much information.
Which dentist should you choose near Lake Merritt?
If you have no dental insurance and are past 45, the choice is between the two practices with real membership plans: Total Health Dental Care at $300 or $600 a year with 50 percent off treatment, or Lake Merritt Dental at $55 a month plus activation with 25 percent off. If you carry Delta Dental PPO, T Booth Haley in Adams Point is in network and Total Health Dental Care takes every major PPO. If you want to walk to your dentist from Lakeshore Avenue, Lakeshore Family Dentistry is on the strip. If you might need a root canal, an implant, or gum surgery in the next few years, weight specialist breadth heavily: only Total Health Dental Care keeps all four specialists inside the practice. The Lake Merritt area guide maps which Total Health office is closest from each side of the lake.
Frequently asked questions
Which dentists near Lake Merritt take patients without insurance?
All five take cash paying patients. Two publish a membership plan: Total Health Dental Care ($300 or $600 a year) and Lake Merritt Dental (from $55 a month). The others offer CareCredit or similar financing without a plan.
Which office is closest to Grand Lake Theater and the farmers market?
Grand Lake Dental at 3540 Grand Avenue and T Booth Haley at 298 Grand Avenue are on the lower and upper ends of the strip. Total Health Dental Care at 3931 Grand Avenue is at the Piedmont end, above the market traffic.
Is there a dentist near Lake Merritt with weekend hours?
None of the five publishes Saturday or Sunday hours. Lake Merritt Dental lists a 24 hour emergency text line, and Total Health Dental Care routes pain and emergency bookings to its downtown Specialty Center on weekdays.
How do you get a written price before treatment?
Ask for an itemized treatment plan with a fee next to each line. Total Health Dental Care provides one before any treatment as standard policy. The other offices on this list do not publish fees, so ask before you sit down.
How do you book at the Grand Avenue office?
Book online, or call (510) 654-3030 for the Grand Avenue office directly or (510) 495-1075 for the practice line. If you are comparing costs first, the guide to the best East Bay dentists for patients without insurance covers the whole region.
Where can you find us in the East Bay and beyond?
Total Health Dental Care has 13 offices across the Bay Area: Old Oakland, 15th Street, Grand Ave, Temescal, Montclair, and Piedmont in Oakland, Dana Street and Telegraph in Berkeley, Albany on Solano Avenue, Emeryville, Marina in Alameda, Belmont on the Peninsula, and the Rotunda Specialty Center in downtown Oakland, where the in house orthodontist, oral surgeon, endodontist, and periodontist work under one roof.
