Compare 59 endodontists in San Francisco, CA. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
59
Endodontists
100%
Accepting patients
61%
Most common: DDS
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
San Francisco punches well above its weight in healthcare. UCSF is a top-10 national hospital, and the city's 95%+ insurance coverage rate is among the highest anywhere. The tradeoff is cost: provider fees here reflect the city's overall cost of living, and even insured patients can face significant out-of-pocket expenses.
San Francisco has 59 endodontists. The most common credential is DDS (61%). 100% are currently accepting new patients.
SF is compact enough that most residents are within 20 minutes of a major hospital. UCSF's two main campuses (Parnassus and Mission Bay) anchor the western and eastern halves of the city. California Pacific Medical Center on Van Ness serves the northern neighborhoods. Muni and BART make car-free healthcare access genuinely possible here, which is unusual for a US city.
Providers practice throughout San Francisco. Mission District is a vibrant, diverse neighborhood with community health centers serving a large Latino population. Pacific Heights is an affluent neighborhood with concierge practices and proximity to CPMC and UCSF. SoMa is the South of Market area is close to Zuckerberg SF General, a Level I trauma center. Castro is a historic LGBTQ+ neighborhood with strong affirming care options and community clinics.
Nearby hospitals include UCSF Medical Center, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and California Pacific Medical Center. Local training programs run through University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and University of San Francisco. UCSF Medical Center is among the top 10 hospitals in the nation, specializing in cancer and neurology.
The endodontist will take X-rays (possibly a 3D scan) and test the tooth's vitality with cold or electric stimulation. They will explain whether a root canal can save the tooth and what the procedure involves. The root canal itself is typically completed in one visit lasting 60 to 90 minutes under local anesthesia.
Dental costs in SF are 20-30% above the national average. If you don't have dental insurance, check UCSF School of Dentistry's clinic on Parnassus, where supervised residents provide care at reduced rates. Many private practices in the Richmond and Sunset offer more moderate pricing than downtown offices.
See an endodontist for persistent tooth pain, sensitivity to heat that lingers, a darkened tooth, swelling or tenderness near a tooth, or pain when biting down. Your general dentist may refer you if a tooth needs root canal therapy, especially for molars or teeth with complicated root structures.
Root canal (front tooth): $600-900 · Root canal (molar): $900-1,400 · Retreatment: $900-1,600
San Francisco's coffee culture and wine-region proximity contribute to significant teeth staining demand. Cosmetic dentistry is a large part of the market here.
When decay or damage reaches the nerve inside a tooth, a root canal saves the tooth by removing the infected tissue. Endodontists perform this procedure regularly and use advanced techniques to make it comfortable.
A tooth that continues to ache after a filling or crown may have an issue deeper in the root. Endodontists use microscopes and specialized imaging to find and treat problems other providers might miss.
Cracks in teeth are notoriously difficult to detect on standard X-rays. Endodontists specialize in diagnosing cracks that cause intermittent pain, especially when biting.
An abscess is a pocket of infection at the root of a tooth that can cause severe pain and swelling. Endodontists drain the infection and perform root canal therapy to save the tooth when possible.
A small percentage of root canals do not heal properly or develop new issues years later. Endodontists can re-treat these teeth or perform apicoectomy surgery to resolve persistent infections.
San Francisco, CA has 59 licensed endodontists. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of endodontists in San Francisco, CA are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
SF has Healthy San Francisco, a city program that provides basic healthcare access for uninsured residents regardless of immigration status. For employer coverage, Kaiser, Blue Shield, and Anthem are the most common carriers. Medi-Cal managed care runs through SF Health Plan. Covered California participation is strong.
A root canal on a front tooth typically costs $600 to $900. Molar root canals range from $900 to $1,400. Retreatment of a previously treated tooth costs $900 to $1,600. Actual costs in San Francisco, CA depend on the provider and your insurance plan. Root canals are classified as major procedures by most dental plans, usually covered at 50% to 80%. A crown from your general dentist is needed afterward and is billed separately.
In San Francisco, the main healthcare systems are UCSF Health (academic, highly specialized), Sutter/CPMC (broad community coverage across four campuses), Kaiser Permanente (closed network with its own facilities on Geary), and Zuckerberg SF General (the city's public safety-net hospital). Your insurance plan will often determine which system you use.
DDS stands for Doctor of Dental Surgery and DMD stands for Doctor of Dental Medicine. Both are equivalent qualifications. In San Francisco, CA, 61% hold the DDS credential and 19% hold DMD. The difference is in training pathway, not quality of care.
Some endodontists in San Francisco, CA accept Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program. Medicaid coverage for root canals varies by state. Some states cover endodontic treatment for all teeth, while others limit coverage to anterior teeth or emergency situations only. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm Medi-Cal participation before scheduling.
Healthy San Francisco is a city-funded program that provides healthcare access to uninsured San Francisco residents, including undocumented immigrants. It covers primary care, prescriptions, and hospital visits through the SF Department of Public Health network. It's not insurance, but it fills a real gap for residents who don't qualify for other coverage.
Many SF primary care panels are full, especially in popular neighborhoods like the Marina, Pacific Heights, and Noe Valley. UCSF and Sutter/CPMC periodically open new patient slots. One Medical and Carbon Health offer membership-based primary care with same-day availability. Community health centers also accept new patients on a rolling basis.
Top accepted carriers in San Francisco, CA include qhp-87571, qhp-33602, qhp-30751, humana, and unitedhealthcare.
Root canals are generally covered under dental insurance as a major procedure, typically at 50-80% of the allowed amount. A front tooth root canal costs less than a molar. Your plan may require prior authorization. You will still need a crown from your general dentist afterward, which is billed separately.