Dr. Atsushi Fujimura
Endodontist at Endospecialists El Cerrito. Biomedical engineering at UCSD, trained at Columbia, and back in California with our team since 2018.
Dr. Atsushi Fujimura grew up in San Diego and studied at UC San Diego, where he double-majored in Biomedical Engineering and Biology before completing a Master's degree at the UCSD Cardiac Mechanics Lab. That background — understanding systems under pressure, at a scale most people cannot see — turned out to be invaluable preparation for endodontics.
He completed both his dental degree and his endodontic residency at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. Between the two, he spent 2 years as a general practice resident at the VA West Los Angeles Medical Center, where he served as chief resident, and worked as a general dentist at a private practice in New York City.
- Education
- UC San Diego
- Columbia University
- Certifications
- GentleWave Certified
- EdgePro Endodontic Laser Certified
- Location
- El Cerrito
- Languages
- English · Japanese
Most dental anxiety isn't about pain. It's about not knowing what's coming next.
Dr. Fujimura treats the full range of endodontic care — root canals, retreatment of previously treated teeth, calcified and complex anatomy, cracked teeth, traumatic injuries, and endodontic surgery. So does every other endodontist here. Whichever of our doctors you see, you are seeing someone who does all of it.
Dr. Fujimura's view is that most dental anxiety isn't really about pain — it's about not knowing what's coming next. So he narrates. During every procedure he tells patients where they are in the process and what happens next. The effect tends to be a noticeable calm; patients have described falling asleep mid-root canal — not from sedation, but from the steadiness of being in capable hands.
"I appreciated that the Dr. was very communicative during the procedure about where we were in the process, and what would be taking place next."
He is conservative by instinct. His first goal is always to save the tooth. He is also straightforward when that isn't possible. What patients notice, beyond the technical care, is that he doesn't treat them like a case. He takes the time.
He works with GentleWave and the full technology suite at Endospecialists — surgical microscope, CBCT, and the EdgePro Endodontic Laser — using diagnosis and patient comfort as the guide for how each is applied.
"Dr Fujimura was so gentle and efficient I almost fell asleep during a root canal. I've had a lot of dental work done but this was a truly outstanding experience."
Every endodontist on our team specializes in all these procedures.
- Root Canal Therapy Saving the natural tooth.
- Endodontic Retreatment When a previously treated tooth needs a second look.
- Apicoectomy Endodontic surgery, under the microscope.
- Cracked Teeth Finding the crack, and what it means for the tooth.
- Traumatic Dental Injuries Knocked-out, displaced, or fractured teeth.
- Emergency Care Same-day access when you are in pain.
UCSD. Columbia. VA West LA. Back in California.
- Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering — UC San Diego
- Doctor of Dental Surgery — Columbia University
- General Practice Residency, Chief Resident — VA West Los Angeles Medical Center
- Certificate in Endodontics — Columbia University
- Board Eligible
- GentleWave Certified
- EdgePro Endodontic Laser Certified
- American Association of Endodontists
- American Dental Association
San Diego native. New York, Los Angeles, and now the Bay Area.
A San Diego native who spent years in New York and Los Angeles before settling in Northern California, Dr. Fujimura is an avid hiker with his beautiful golden retriever and enjoys all the hiking trails the Bay Area has to offer. He is fluent in Japanese.
Ready to see Dr. Fujimura?
El Cerrito · Same-day access · No referral required