Dr. Ernie Lavorini

Dr. Lavorini provides outstanding dental care to patients at our Total Health Dental Care 15th Street Office in Downtown Oakland. Dr. Lavorini graduated cum laude from the University of California at San Francisco in 1973. After working for a dentist in Berkeley, he opened his own practice in Oakland. For the past 40 years, Dr. Lavorini has volunteered his time as a dentist at the Berkeley Free Clinic. For 30 years he was one of the few providers that accepted Denti-Cal patients when California provided dental care for low-income residents. Dr. Lavorini cares deeply for underserved patients in his community. Most recently he won an Alameda County Public Health Department Community Partner Award for voluntarily providing dental care at no cost for the homeless the last seven years. As a reflection of how much he enjoys his work, two of his children have become dentists and now practice with him at Total Health Dental Care. When he’s not practicing dentistry and helping the community, Dr. Lavorini loves to ski and tell great jokes.

Why should patients choose you as their provider instead of others in the area?

I believe that my patients deserve the best dentistry possible and that patient experience is key to my success as a doctor. I’m dedicated to making sure each of my patients feels relaxed, comfortable and confident in the treatment. To that goal, I enjoy explaining each diagnosis and encourage my patients to ask any questions they may have. I also strive to empower my patients with the knowledge to take control of their health. I focus on prevention and use nutrition as a tool to help patients overcome long-term dental issues such as gum disease, loss of teeth and cavities. I love people and seek to develop lasting professional relationships with my patients.

What are the top 3 treatments that you focus on?

At Total Health, we do everything under one roof. Our team of specialists do everything from periodontal treatments to oral surgery, orthodontic and implants.

What are you proud of in your practice?

I am proud of the excellent dentistry and exceptional experience we provide. Our patients rave about us on Yelp and Google. It’s fulfilling to see a new patient come in with some level of anxiety and leave feeling 100% comfortable with and confident in the cleaning or treatment. Our patients leave feeling good about themselves. They leave smiling.

Which cases do you enjoy treating? Why?

Since dentistry is a combination of science and art, every case is fulfilling. I really love helping people. It’s an incredible feeling to see a patient smile with confidence and genuine happiness after an office visit.