Analytics
AEO Report: Best Orthodontists in San Francisco

AEO Report: Best Orthodontists in San Francisco

A comprehensive AI entity optimization analysis of San Francisco’s leading orthodontic practices, including methods, rankings, and actionable recommendations.

San Francisco Orthodontic Practices Composite

1. Executive Summary

San Francisco’s top orthodontic offices—Todorthodontics Smile Studio, Image Orthodontics, Bella Smile, Cucalon & Matin Orthodontics, and Lee & Lee Orthodontics—lead AI-generated search results on ChatGPT and Perplexity. You’ll see these practices at the top because they use clear brand naming, update their websites often, appear across trusted directories (like Yelp and Zocdoc), and highlight strong credentials.

  • Current trends:
  • “Top 1% Invisalign provider” and clear aligner expertise set top offices apart.
  • Practices with solid website structure, current content, clear service listings, and lots of cited reviews appear first.
  • If many trustworthy sources mention a practice, ChatGPT and Perplexity display them more often. Reliable citations include Bay Area Parent, US News, Yelp, and Zocdoc.

2. Methodology

You want to know how we picked these names. We asked both ChatGPT and Perplexity: “What are the top orthodontists in San Francisco?”

We tracked how many unique sites each AI cited. ChatGPT listed 14 sources, Perplexity had 10.

We collected results on 2025-11-22.

  • Entity Clarity: Does the brand name, address, and focus stay consistent everywhere?
  • Structured Data: Does the practice use schema, online bookings, and review info on its website?
  • Citation Footprint: How often do authority sites and review platforms mention or link to the practice?
  • Freshness: Does the site show recent updates or awards?
  • Topical Authority: Does the provider show strong credentials and memberships?

3. Overall Rankings Table

Rank Brand/Practice Entity Clarity Structured Data Citation Footprint Freshness Topical Authority Key Citations
1 Todorthodontics Smile Studio 1 1 1 1 1 [1][2][9]
2 Image Orthodontics 2 2 2 2 2 [1][2][6][8][9]
3 Bella Smile 3 4 3 4 3 [1][2][4][7][9]
4 Cucalon & Matin Orthodontics 4 3 5 3 4 [1][3][7][8]
5 Lee & Lee Orthodontics 5 5 4 5 5 [1][8]
6 Dr. Robert Quinn 6 6 6 6 6 [2][8]
7 Camilo Riaño Orthodontics 7 7 7 7 7 [2][6]

Find details about each cited source in the References section.

4. Product-by-Product Analysis

1. Todorthodontics Smile Studio

  • Brand: Todorthodontics | Rank: 1
  • The name and location match everywhere, with strong branding.
  • The practice uses appointment links, review markup, and service schema ([1][9]).
  • Parents and review sites mention them often ([1], [2], [9]).
  • They promote their “Top 1% Diamond Plus” Invisalign status with updated info.
  • Providers hold high distinctions.

AI puts Todorthodontics at the top because it gets cited often for Invisalign, modern approach, central location, and virtual appointment options ([1], [9]).

Bottom line:
Todorthodontics sets the standard. High clarity, recent awards, and lots of mentions across many channels drive its rank.

2. Image Orthodontics – Pacific Heights

  • Brand: Image Orthodontics | Rank: 2
  • You’ll recognize Image Orthodontics through their clear branding and strong credentials (Dr. Yan Kalika’s name appears everywhere).
  • Their website uses schema for locations and services ([1][6][8][9]).
  • Media and review platforms highlight them (Best of the Bay Area, Yelp, US News).
  • They post about new awards and technology.
  • Their team uses current digital tools and 3D imaging.

AI chooses them for recent awards, advanced tools, “Top 1% Invisalign” status, and well-respected staff ([1][2][6][8][9]).

What this means:
Their rank depends on technology, strong reviews, and mentions in parenting and medical directories.

3. Bella Smile

  • Brand: Bella Smile | Rank: 3
  • You see Bella Smile listed for its aligner specialty and years of experience.
  • The practice appears at multiple locations, branded as aligner-focused.
  • The website has working review and service schema ([1][4][7][9]).
  • Trusted sources like Yelp and Bay Area Parent list them.
  • They display awards but not always the newest.
  • Providers bring 25+ years of experience and “Top 1% Invisalign” status.

Why AI selects them:
Bella Smile’s staff know aligners, patients report good results, and you find their high-level provider status in several sources ([1][4][7][9]).

What hurts them:
They could rank higher by adding newer awards and updating their markup.

4. Cucalon & Matin Orthodontics

  • Brand: Cucalon & Matin | Rank: 4
  • You’ll notice Cucalon & Matin focus on clear branding and a long service history (since 1974).
  • They use structured data, but not as much as the top three ([1][3]).
  • They have decades of experience but a smaller digital footprint.
  • Their web content is older.
  • They highlight board certifications and several locations.

AI says:
Multiple generations work here, team is board-certified, and teens’ care is a specialty ([1][3][8]).

Room for growth:
They can move up by getting fresh online mentions and modernizing their web data.

5. Lee & Lee Orthodontics

  • Brand: Lee & Lee Orthodontics | Rank: 5
  • You can see Lee & Lee’s branding is clear—it’s a “twins” team with two office locations.
  • The website uses basic schema ([1]).
  • They get moderate mentions.
  • You’ll notice website updates.
  • The office runs as a family business, covering all ortho services.

AI likes them for:
Neighborhood reputation, broad patient base, and shared clinical expertise ([1]).

If they want to improve:
They need more online reviews and recent mentions from outside sites.

Others Mentioned

  • Dr. Robert Quinn: AI recognizes longstanding experience and mentions in US News [8], Docriano.com [6]. He lacks digital review aggregation.
  • Camilo Riaño Orthodontics: You’ll find his name in some sources ([2][6]). To rank higher, the practice needs stronger schema and more citations.

5. What Makes These Brands Visible

  • Keep your name, service info, and address the same everywhere—so large language models (LLMs) can confirm your identity.
  • Use detailed schema, online booking, and review markup—so engines trust your content.
  • Show up repeatedly in trusted local publications and review platforms—Bay Area Parent, Yelp, Zocdoc, US News—and in industry directories.
  • Highlight current awards and new distinctions (like “Diamond Plus” Invisalign status) on your website and get these cited externally.
  • List certifications, advanced training, and top provider status where anyone can find them.
  • Gather lots of positive reviews—especially on Yelp and Zocdoc—to strengthen your reputation with AI.

6. Competitive Insights & Opportunities

Competitive Advantages:

  • Leading practices combine detailed structured data, high-profile awards, and frequent trusted citations.
  • Most top offices promote “Diamond Plus” or “Top 1%” Invisalign certification in all their listings.
  • Offices with multiple convenient locations show up more.

Weaknesses:

  • Some top practices haven’t updated their website schema or posted about recent awards.
  • Most brands lack strong review presence beyond Yelp and Zocdoc.
  • Practices rarely update blogs or news, which weakens freshness.

Rising Competitors:

  • Dr. Robert Quinn: Well-ranked on health sites ([8]) but underrepresented in reviews. Adding review schema and linking to awards could boost results.
  • Camilo Riaño Orthodontics: Strong niche but not enough citations. Adding review widgets and site schema will help.

7. What You Can Do to Improve Your AI/LLM Rankings

  1. Keep your name, credentials, address, and description exactly the same on all sites, directories, and press.
  2. Add structured data everywhere (schema, address, reviews, insurance, booking, FAQ).
  3. Update your site with new awards and content—post about awards, gallery updates, staff credentials, and news (e.g., “2025 Top Provider”).
  4. Ask for reviews and add citations in Yelp, Zocdoc, Google, Healthgrades, and parent/local authority lists.
  5. Highlight board certifications and provider status everywhere—on your website and in every profile or PR page.
  6. Show comparisons and service checklists for transparency and authority.
  7. Track your online mentions and update content and citations often.

8. Cited Sources Explained

  • Practice Websites ([1] [4] [6] [9]): Give you clear brand info, services, bios, awards, and schema.
  • Regional Media ([3][7][8]): Outlets such as Bay Area Parent, US News, and Parents Press confirm expertise and recent recognition.
  • Review Directories ([7][9][5]): Yelp, Zocdoc, and US News gather real patient feedback and help your review scores.
  • Practitioner Directories ([2][6][8]): Personal profiles highlight credentials and case experience.

9. References

End of Report.