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Elite Dental Limited
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Uptown
4142 N Sheridan Rd
(between Belle Plaine Ave & Buena Ave)
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 348-6600
4142 N Sheridan Rd
(between Belle Plaine Ave & Buena Ave)
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 348-6600
- Nearest Transit:
-
Sheridan (Red)
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
13 reviews for Elite Dental Limited
Just got my teeth cleaned this afternoon. The hygienist found 2 fillings beginning to fail, and Dr. Bugman verified that we need to replace them. I guess she reads yelp, too, because she talked to me about my clicking jaw again. She said she didn't recommend surgical options for my TMJ (so she did know about them) and that she knew of a specialist that might be able to help, if I experience a lot of pain and discomfort.
Well, props for reading yelp, Dr. Bugman, and more props for talking to me about this as you must have remembered the other review and have known that I'm still concerned about the issue.
You can have your star back, and I'll be back for those fillings :-)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/24/2009
I've had my teeth cleaned here once and am going back in a few weeks for the same.
The dental… Read more »
I am giving two stars because I have never been treated as rudely by a receptionist as I have by the woman who answers the phones and schedules appointments for Elite Dental. She is condescending, impatient, and her tone of voice is rude. My husband and I argue over who has to call to make our appointments because neither one of us want to deal with her!
The dentists and all the hygenists, however, have been nothing but kind and courteous. I hope the dentist reads this, and hires a happier, more courteous receptionist.
I really like Dr. Vihnanek, but the receptionist in charge of billing/scheduling is downright mean. Sorry my insurance isn't the greatest, but you don't have to be so rude with scheduling me! Plus, they charge you in advance, guesstimating what your insurance will cover. Mine actually covered more than they thought it would and I'm waiting on a refund...
However, I must say - Dr. Vihnanek did fit me in when I had a dental emergency. She and the hygeinests are great. It's really just the billing/scheduling person that is mean.
This place is, hands down, the worst dentist or doctor office I have ever been to, and I've moved around quite a bit in my life. First off, actually getting them to answer the phone here is akin to getting Moses to part the Red Sea again - it just ain't gonna happen. If you do get through, be prepared to wait on hold until you fall asleep or hang up on them, whichever comes first. They also have this seemingly really cool feature on their website where you can email them and they'll call you to set up an appointment. I tried that, and 3 short weeks later they called me back! Talk about customer service!
My main complaint is really with the front office, as you can see. They are extremely rude and unfriendly, as if you're annoying them by even coming in. I had to reschedule an appointment 2 times because of stuff going on at work, and was told to "not call back until you're really serious about coming in to see the dentist. You've rescheduled too many times with us." And I ALWAYS called several days to a week out, so I always gave them plenty of notice. There's just no need for that attitude! Oh, and if you do come here and try to have your records transferred, be prepared to pay a $25 fee. They won't waive it under any circumstances!
As for Dr Bugman and Dr Vihnanek, I had both. Dr Bugman I liked, she was very friendly and thorough. But she's just not enough to get me to keep on coming back here. Dr Vihnanek I was not so crazy about. Not quite as personable and didn't fully explain to me what was going on with a cavity I had. It was like I was pulling teeth (pun intended) with her to get a full explanation.
Really, just avoid this place altogether. There are TONS of other dental offices in the city and no compelling reason to go here.
I would not recommend Elite Dental or Dr. Bugman to anyone. Yes, Dr. Bugman is a nice woman, but she didn't do a very good job of explaining what was going on while I was there. It seemed like she may have rushed procedures so that she could fit in more patients. I'm now in the process of having her poor dental work redone by a new dentist in Chicago. :(
This place is right around the corner, and the staff is super-friendly. Rhonda is my hygenist and she's fabulous.
Dr. Bugman is really not out to make a buck--gives you what you need and moves on. She's happy to take time to explain what's going on and why.
Since I am forever freelancing and no one wants to pay for me to go to the dentist, I signed up for a CareMark discount card, which this office takes. Saved me a bundle!
Half of the staff/assistants are cool; the other half are aloof/unfriendly. Also, what I had to pay was way more than what they originally estimated. If you just want a check up or cleaning you will probably be okay but i would not recommend any major procedures.
i've been to quite a few different dentists, searching for a good one. and let me tell you, i finally found one! dr bugman is one of the most friendly people i've met and definitely knows what she's doing. on my very first appointment she immediately figured out a problem that's been bugging me for years (sensitive teeth) and told me exactly what to do to fix it.
it's true that sometimes the soonest appointment you can get is a few weeks away, but that's typical with small dental offices. especially ones with only one dentist, like this one. but i think the personalized service is worth the wait!
I had to switch dentists after some negative experiences I had here. I had a cleaning scheduled and the office called twice to reschedule it on me. When I finally went in the hygienist berated me, saying that if I kept avoiding my cleaning appointments they would have to schedule extra cleanings! And she had no interest in making me comfortable and kept elbowing me in the face. I thought Dr. Bugman was really nice at first but she kept scheduling filling after filling and never clearly and honestly stated to me exactly how many I needed. I would go in for one and then be told I had three more to fill. I would go in for three and then be told I had seven more to fill. I really feel like they were trying to squeeze as much money out of me as possible. There have to be better dentists in town so I would not recommend going here.
Dr. Bugman is super nice. I had a good experience mainly because they were very quick and efficient. I don't have dental insurance and there rates are super reasonable.
The office is convenient to the Sheridan Red Line stop. I thought the staff and assitants were very friendly and I thought my teeth cleaning was done efficiently and well. However, if you have a busy schedule, I recommend booking an appointment far in advance (1 month +) as the early morning/late afternoon appointments are hard to come by.
Elite Dental is really the worst place that I've been to for my dental needs. I was shocked that I could find a place that was even worse than my previous dentist's office. First of all, it was so hard to book an appointment with them because apparently no one is there to answer the phone. It's like calling in and trying to get Oprah tickets -- you can NEVER get through. I should have known that was a big sign that I shouldn't go with this dentist. After a few attempts to book an appointment via telephone, I decided to just sign up online. Finally, someone called me and scheduled an appointment for me. The staff is not that friendly and not very talkative, especially for someone like me who likes to feel comfortable when they go see the dentist. Since I had exhausted so much in trying to get through and book an appointment, I decided to go through with it. When I got there they took my x-rays - all 20 or so of them and thought to myself, "Is this necessary?" After my x-rays, I waited for the dentist to see me. Seriously, I felt like a drill sargeant walked in. My dential assistant who was all chatty while taking my x-rays suddenly went silent when the dentist walked in. I don't know if they exchanged some fighting words before I came in or if this was the usual vibe or not, but it was definitely tense up in there. The dentist was not even really friendly - she was all business and not the type of dentist that wants to get to know their patients and make them feel comfortable. Was not impressed. The only positive thing that I experienced at Elite Dental was my cleaning. The hygienist was friendly and did an excellent and thorough job. Overall, however, Elite Dental does not live up to its name. I have yet to find a good dentist here in Chicago. I'm still on the quest for a good one.
Just got home from seeing Dr. Lisa Vihnanek at Elite Dental for a new patient exam. Had a great experience --- the doc absolutely listened to me, was super nice and efficient. Doesn't seem out to get a buck (last dentist I went to tried to get me to have tons of things done that weren't necessary). I'm really pleased. Took several months to get the appointment, though. They do book up quickly.
