Gentle Dental

About Gentle Dental Palo Alto

Gentle Dental is a dental chain. Its Palo Alto office is at 853 Middlefield Road, Suite 1. The office describes the spot as a small shopping center at the northeast corner of Middlefield Road and Channing Avenue. OpenStreetMap had listed a Gentle Dental (spelled "Gental") farther south in Palo Alto. The chain's current location page gives the Middlefield address, so this listing uses it.

The office says it provides dental services for patients of all ages, from routine cleanings to orthodontics and oral surgery. It is open six days a week, which helps if weekday appointments are hard to fit around work or school.

Services

The location page groups its care into general, orthodontic, cosmetic, specialty and pediatric dentistry. Across the Gentle Dental website, services include:

• Preventive care: cleanings and exams, fluoride treatment, sealants and x-rays
• Cavity care: fillings, non-invasive cavity treatment, crowns and bridges
• Root canals (endodontics)
• Gum care, including scaling and root planing, periodontal surgery and gum grafting
• Dental implants and dentures
• Sedation dentistry
• Emergency dental care
• Orthodontics
• Cosmetic dentistry, including teeth whitening

Not every service is necessarily offered at every office, so ask the Palo Alto team what it handles on site. This listing gives no dental advice. For facial swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, call 911.

The dentists

The location page lists six dentists at the Palo Alto office:

• Zexin Fan, D.D.S., general dentist, who the page says is fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese
• Valeria Garcia Gutierrez, D.D.S., general dentist, fluent in Spanish and English
• Mala Gopal, B.D.S., M.S., pediatric dentist
• Ayesha Qazi, D.D.S., general dentist
• Michael Li, D.D.S., M.S., orthodontist
• Niloofar Deyhim, D.D.S., board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon

Having a pediatric dentist, an orthodontist and an oral surgeon on the roster means some families can handle several kinds of care in one office. Staff lists change, so check the location page for the current team.

Insurance, payment and the Smile Plan

The office says it accepts almost all dental insurance plans. The Gentle Dental website also notes that it accepts many Medicare Advantage plans and invites patients to call to learn more.

For people without coverage, Gentle Dental offers the Gentle Dental Smile Plan. The company says it reduces the cost of most dental services by 20 percent or more. The office also mentions free and low-cost consultations and payment plans. The location page advertised financing through Sunbit when this listing was checked, along with new patient offers that change from time to time.

Booking and hours

Call 650-813-9800 or use the Request an Appointment button on the location page. The office lists hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. It is closed on Sunday. The page says the office offers convenient scheduling and flexible appointment availability.

Who it suits

This office is built for broad, everyday dental care. Families can bring children to the pediatric dentist and ask about braces with the orthodontist on the team. Older adults on a Medicare Advantage plan may want to check whether their plan is one the office accepts. Patients without insurance can compare the Smile Plan with paying per visit. Saturday hours help people who cannot take time off on weekdays. Spanish and Mandarin speakers can ask to see a dentist who speaks their language. Patients who need a specialist, such as an oral surgeon, can ask whether that visit can happen at this same office.

Tips for visiting

• The office says it has free parking and is wheelchair accessible.
• Ask for a dentist who speaks your language when you book. The page notes Mandarin and Spanish speakers on the team.
• Bring your insurance card, or ask about the Smile Plan before your visit if you are uninsured.
• The office is a short drive or bike ride from downtown. See our downtown guide and VTA buses page for getting there without a car.

Location and getting there

Gentle Dental is at 853 Middlefield Road, Suite 1, Palo Alto, CA, in the Crescent Park area of Palo Alto. Our Crescent Park guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.8 miles away. That is roughly a 20 minute walk or a short bike ride.

Parking: street spaces or a small lot nearby; check posted limits.

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 30, 2026.

What is nearby

• Tamarine, restaurant, 0.4 mi
• Joe & The Juice University Avenue, cafe, 0.4 mi
• Blue Bottle Coffee University Avenue, cafe, 0.4 mi
• Stanford Federal Credit Union, service business, 0.4 mi
• Beautiful Moon Salon, salon or spa, 0.4 mi
• HP Garage, 0.4 mi
• Heritage Park, 0.4 mi
• Lucie Stern Community Center, 0.4 mi

Other health and medical nearby: Mary Qian Dental Group (under 0.1 mi); One Medical (0.2 mi); Patricia Wong, MD, FAAD (0.2 mi); Palo Alto Orthodontics (0.3 mi). Browse the full health and medical list.

Before you go

• Call ahead to confirm the practice accepts your insurance and is taking new patients.
• Bring a photo ID, your insurance card and a list of current medications to a first visit.
• For emergencies call 911. Stanford Hospital's emergency department is the closest major emergency room for most of Palo Alto.

About this listing

Checked October 30, 2026 against Gentle Dental Palo Alto location page. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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