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Kimberly Smiles
Rating Details »
Category: Dentists
Neighborhood: Bucktown1835 N Milwaukee Ave
(between Bloomingdale Ave & Moffat St)
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 276-1047
- Nearest Transit:
-
Western (Blue O'Hare)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu. 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
Sponsored Result
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37 reviews for Kimberly Smiles
I have decided to rewrite my review.
NICE STAFF
GREAT DENTIST.
Highly reccomend
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/18/2007
While a gorgeous office , smiling staff and a snazzy computer while you wait- may seem more… Read more »
Get something straight, this place is not a dentist office, it is a "dental boutique" aimed at the idle rich, the Wicker Park ladies who block your way at Cippolina with their 3,000 dollar strollers.
I should have known when I had my tour (flat screen televisions over the dental chair?) that someone (not my insurance) would be paying for all the fancy perks they have here.
I was quoted 4,600 hundred dollars for work that frankly in 21 years other dentists did not find necessary.
If you have a disposable income and want to surf the Internet while you wait, have a go. If you work for a living and are on a tight budget, go to a real dentist.
I am very confused by some of the reviews on here about this place. This place was great. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was that I took advantage of the opportunity to have a 7:00am appt. That was my bad, i was grumpy. If you are a new patient, you need to be ready for the friendly assistant that sits you down and tries to get to know you. 7am is not the time for this. I will say to her credit that she figured it out quickly and stopped trying and let me sleep with my eyes open until it was time for me to goto the exam space.
I Waited for 4 mins in the lobby= no reason to bolt
First visit took 1 hour= a good hard look at my teeth
All the new gadgets =I could see the xrays of my teeth in the screen above my chair, the same screen I was able to watch CNN on while he poked and scraped.
Communication = uses text messaging, automated emails
Chair=massage chair=relaxed visit
Play by play of what he was doing and seeing=informed patient
Aesthetically pleasing space with great art=feeling like you are in an art studio rather than a dentist office.
I did not meet with the Dr everyone on here seems to have met, i actually forgot the dudes name.....but he rocked.
I still really like Dr. Caldwell but, after years of being her patient, it's time to move on. I don't really like medical situations of any kind so the prospect of looking for a new dentist isn't something I am looking forward to. I liked having a dentist who knew my history. My last visit began with a long wait in a chair facing the wall while random people walked by addressing me by my first name, which they were reading off the tray. It felt like that thing cashier's have to do when they read your name off your credit card and use it to address you, which is fine, but, we're not buddies until I know who you are and how long I'm going to have to sit here.
Meanwhile... all this time waiting and it didn't seem like Dr. Caldwell was even there... because she wasn't. A substitute dentist walked in and tried to begin the exam without even introducing herself. I kind of have a rule that no one gets to put any part of their body in my body without at least an introduction. This includes fingers in mouth. It was horrible. I felt like a fool for putting up with all the billing issues for so long.
Sometimes progress just isn't progressive in a way that matters.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/25/2008
I've been visiting Kimberly a couple times a year for about six years now. I started seeing her in… Read more »
OK, so I made an appointment with her and then stumbled upon http://Yelp.com. Well, I read the reviews but it was to late to cancel. What happen you ask? She told me I needed oral surgery and by the time she tallied my expenses it was over $9500. By the way, my insurance would have only covered 10%.
I went to another dentist and he told me I didn't need all that work! I have one cavity and need a cleaning. So I joined Yelp just to confirm what everyone else have said.
Don't get me wrong, Kimberly is very nice. She's not cold, she's just kind of shy. Her office is lovely and so is her staff. They were all great, but when it comes down to money, watch out!
I know teeth, I know dentists (DDS family members), and Dr. Caldwell is absolutely top notch, very professional and had a most pleasant experience; well, as pleasant can be had from a Dentist anyway.
To that point, I simply cannot believe some of the outlandish claims some reviewers have made and this is one of the reasons Yelp is deemed inferior to other more reputable "review" sites.
"strapped in a chair" ?? REAAALLY?! STRAPPED. IN. A. CHAIR!?. You're delusional, I assure you that you were not, in fact, strapped in a chair. Good. God.
"like the time she drilled through my lip then yelled at me and stormed out of the room as blood was running down my face" Srsly! Seek. help. now.
There are a few other comments as ridic as these but my wife, several of her friends and now, I, go to Kimberly Smiles and no one has had any issues whatsoever. Highly recommended.
I've had nothing but friendly and competent service from this dental office. They call me, text me, and email me to remind me of my appointments so if miss one I probably deserve to be charged $60.
The ladies in the front are friendly and pleasant. They are always ready for me when I get there, all the forms already printed out and ready for me to sign. Before every appointment they went over the procedures with me and explained the costs to me, and told me what my insurance would cover.
I have had a cleaning, and been twice to have old fillings replaced. Dr. Caldwell was personable and informative, she answered all my questions, and even called me the day after I got my fillings to make sure I was feeling ok.
As far as dentists go, all of my expectations were met or exceeded. It's a dentist office, not a day spa. Sure it may not feel awesome when they are scraping and drilling your teeth, but Dr. Caldwell was efficient and quick and made sure to ask if I was doing ok or feeling any pain. Plus I love that she shows me my teeth all close up on the monitor so I can see the problem spots and understand what she's talking about when she tells me what I need.
Just an update - I moved out of town and therefore missed one of those appointments that was scheduled 6 months ahead of time. I received a $60 bill for a missed appointment, which I think is totally uncalled for and not a very good business practice.
However, i think the other reviews talking about Dr. Caldwell not being compassionate are probably way over-reacting. She was also great with my husband and I.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/30/2007
Smiles might be expensive, but it's covered under my insurance so it's been fine for me. They have a… Read more »
Yep, had to return 5 times to get a GOLD TOOTH (crown) fitted on my back molar. Each time she blamed the vendor that makes those things for not doing it properly. My suggestion: get a new vendor?
"The last thing I want to do is modify it myself, it needs to fit properly." she says.
5th time I returned, she did exactly that.
It still doesn't fit properly, and I notice it constantly.
Bummer, huh?
Its hard for me to talk about Kimberly Smiles without blasting it, but it deserves a blasting, so here goes.
I visited Kimberly Smiles on several occasions throughout 2007, I had several procedures done from basic cleaning, to fillings and an onlay.
From the first visit (cleaning) I was in tears. I explained how sensitive my teeth were and asked her to proceed with care, yet I have never had such a painful cleaning in my life. If I made any sound of discomfort or my eyes started watering, she would say something like "Well, do you want me to finish?" in a demeaning tone.
Later, I went back for a filling and left with an expensive onlay. A couple weeks after the procedure I felt an intense pulsing pain that would come and go, but kept getting worse. I thought it was an ear infection and it got so bad I had to go to the ER. It wasn't an ear infection; I needed a root canal in the same tooth that just got the onlay. This may be something that just happens and is unfortunate, but I can't help but feel like there must have been some way to anticipate this (especially with all those expensive xrays). Even with my insurance the whole episode must have cost an upwards of $1000 out of pocket. (From her fees, to ER co-pay, to endodontist co-pay etc) Not cool!
I could go on with many other stories, like the time she drilled through my lip then yelled at me and stormed out of the room as blood was running down my chin. (Seriously I couldn't make this up, I have pictures to prove it) Or how she throws on videos and leaves the room instead of explaining things directly. You get the idea.
It started to feel like I was in an abusive relationship...you can only make so many excuses before you have to walk away. I gave her the benefit of the doubt and a couple chances to make it right. In retrospect, I should have never come back after the first cleaning. She does have beautiful facilities & art, if that's what is important to you...for me, Id like my face & feelings in tact.
I now go to Dr. Gina Rotkvich at Dental Salon, (see review) and I would highly recommend her.
I've had a LOT of fillings done in my time and last week Dr. Kimberly did THREE more for me. Sitting in a massage chair, watching tv, with my own N20 hookup while get drilled in an uncomfortable way by a couple rather attractive women...can't beat it! I also thought they had great customer service. Very 21st century with email confirmations, followups, and even txt message appointment reminders. Even though I'm moving back to LA, I'm seriously considering scheduling a checkup during my next first visit back to Chicago.
I will agree with some of the lower scores for her ability to up-sell you. But just because she's good at it, don't blame her if you don't turn down some of her suggestions.
Summary: Awesome dentist with awesome service and the latest technology. But having insurance is probably a good idea.
I went to Dr. Caldwell for a tooth check up and it was an average day at the dentist for me.
The reason why I will never, ever let her near my teeth again is the way she treated me at my next appointment.
I have a chipped tooth from when I was eight. It has been bonded twice and I asked if it needed to be repaired. Dr. Caldwell told me that I needed a root canal because my tooth had "died".
During the procedure I was in pain and a bit frightened because I have always had healthy teeth and never had a cavity even. Needless to say, the drill aspect of dentistry was new to me, not to mention loud and painful. Dr. Caldwell had little to no respect for my anxiety. When I grimaced from not being given enough Novocaine, she became very frustrated. She asked me "Would you just like to go home now?" This was said in a very cold and patronizing way. I had a very large hole in my tooth and we both knew that I could not leave without patching it up.
I was told later by another dentist that my tooth was most likely fine and that a root canal was an extreme measure.
Dr. Caldwell is at the very best a hack who did not respect me as a patient. Maybe she was tired because my appointment was later in the day, maybe she is just a bad dentist. Whatever it was you will never see me there again.
Nope, Kimberly Smiles is not for me. I paid $350 for a cleaning! FOR A CLEANING! yikes!
Also she told me that most of my teeth had cavities, and when I sought out a second opinion, he found just the opposite. I take excellent care of my teeth, floss twice daily and get biannual cleanings - never had I had such an outrageous diagnosis. Glad I didn't ruin my healthy teeth by letting her drill around all willy-nilly!
You pay for the high end modern designer furniture. You pay for the spa-like atmosphere. All those things are fine if you like luxury, but it's her skills as a dentist that are questionable - I think she creates problems with your mouth to pad the bill & line her pockets. Gotta pay for all the luxury somewhere, huh?
Also her staff was quiet and seemed afraid of her...no one was laughing or smiling or seemed to like their job....a bad, bad sign.
Anyone go there and get a clean bill of health????
doubt it.
I saw all the glowing reviews on Yelp and didn't notice, hey they might be fake. So I made an appointment with Dr. Caldwell. Her office is really nice, very high-tech and stylish. Little did I know I would be paying through the nose for it.
I had an exam, no cleaning, just an exam. Dr. Caldwell reccommended I have $9,000 worth of work done! I have average teeth, these are not gnarly chompers. So why so much? Then I got some more info on Yelp and realized I that it's just Dr. Caldwell's m.o. Everyone seemed to be complaining about her exorbitant prices.
So I decided to cancel my cleaning appointment (my $800 cleaning appointment) and look elsewhere. Stupid me forgot to call and cancel.
So now I got a bill - $150 for my exam (that's ON TOP OF the $200 my insurance covered!!) and $90 for the missed appointment fee.
My experience was much the same as the others who've been unimpressed with Dr. Caldwell. I went to get a molar looked at that was giving me trouble, and she recommended that I go to an endodontist to have a root canal. Turns out she could've saved me a lot of trouble if her x-ray tech had done her job properly.
The x-ray was aimed too high, not exposing enough of the root, which, as I found out when I went to the specialist, had decay too far down below the gumline. No root canal - they had to pull the tooth and prep it for an eventual screw/post replacement.
What really got me, though, was the bill from Dr. Caldwell's office. Evidently they charge a $40 fee for taking pictures of your mouth...two photos with a cheap digital camera. At no time was I informed that these photos were going to be taken, and I'd be billed for it. Insurance won't cover anything like this. Next time I'll bring my own camera, thanks.
It seems to me that her practice is aimed at cosmetic dentistry. Nothing wrong with that, but I would have liked to know that beforehand. I would've found someone else to go to.
I'm not convinced the doctor was giving me the best advice for me or my situation. I went to another dentist to get more specific work done and they didn't mention any of the same problems. According to this place my teeth were going to fall out by the time I was 30. It seems like the dentist I went to today would have mentioned that.
The only reason they aren't getting one star is because the front desk staff was super duper friendly and helpful and the referral they gave me was really good.
I love the ambience, feels like a day spa except you are going to the dentist. The staff is very professional and helpful and Dr. Caldwell is someone I can have a chat with at a coffee shop.
Very thorough in exam and cleaning.
Without Yelp! I wouldn't have known about Dr. Caldwell and her fantastic dental practice!
I hate the dentist normally. Mainly because I have crappy teeth. But Dr. Caldwell and her staff made me feel relaxed and totally unjudged (a relief seeing how I have been literally yelled at by a dentist before).
I am looking forward to continuing to entrust my dental care to her!
Fantastic.
Lordy. Lordy. Lordy.
Revised for price. Should've done this ages ago. After receiving my proposal and having it cost over $5k for my dental work, I went elsewhere. I got quality work done for one third of the price.
I like Dr. Caldwell personally and her office is lovely. But I'll be damned if I am paying that much more for the chance to watch Judge Mathis while getting dental work done.
I just noticed all of these reviews and thought I would add my 2 cents.
I used to go to this practice until the root canal she did was not done correctly. I went to a specialist (Lincoln Park Dental)and discovered the pain I was experiencing was because the nerves were still in there!!! How do you mess that up. Now after reading all of these other reviews, I wonder if she is really a dentist????
I paid Smiles around 600 out of pocket, after insurance. After my root canal re-treatment I was out another $1600. This was too much pain and too much money for a tooth that now I 'm not sure even needed the work.
My first experience with Dr. Caldwell and her staff was just under a year ago, for their Open House. i had an opportunity to see all the exam rooms and the equipment that is used. I was aware that they modernized most of the equipment, compared to several dentists that I have visited over the years.
Since then I booked an appointment and have enjoyed my experience. The front desk staff has been incredibly helpful and is more than happy to communicate and educate me about what is going on with my insurance and my covered work.
My experience in the dentist's chair has been fully satisfactory based on my lifetime experiences. Dr. Caldwell is very efficient with her work and does recommend additional treatments as I have read in other reviews. I take this with a grain of salt, due to the fact that a doctor should recommend all your options to improve the health of your mouth to optimal levels. Based on your coverage, you can decide what you want to do for yourself. She is only offering options for improvement, which we should all want.
As a rule of thumb, I always verify what services are covered under my insurance and double check typical charges at the office.
My recommendation for this office is a "must go" only if your insurance plan is able to cover the visit. You will have top notch recommendations for improving the health and look of your teeth, while enjoying a relaxed environment with helpful staff.
I highly recommend Dr. Caldwell and her staff. I've been going to her since 2004 and have had nothing but good experiences. Not that going to the dentist is loads of fun, but she & her staff make it as pleasant as possible. Everyone here is super polite and I am always impressed with their follow up and flexibility around scheduling appointments.
The staff has always been very helpful when it comes to insurance claims, etc & even offered me a few alternative dental plans to substantially cut the cost when I didn't have dental insurance.
Dr. Caldwell redid my two front crowns in January and they are 1000x times better than I ever thought possible. She does amazing cosmetic work & her use of the best available technologies makes all of the other services much better as well.
I've sent at least 4 of my friends here and they have all been impressed with everything about this office.
Wow! This office is amazing. I've never been to a doctor's office that is all up to date. A tv screen right above the chair, x'rays uploaded right to the computer, and a cool comfortable massaging chair. They took my insurance, so price is not an issue. Dr. Caldwell saw me at a moment's notice when I couldn't stand the pain no more. After a good clean up and some x'rays, she recommended me to a specialist who was great and also took my insurance. The staff is super friendly and they always send reminders when I forget to get my check ups.
If I wanted a day spa, I'd go to a day spa. If want a dentist, I'll go elsewhere. Like the other reviews on this site, I agree that Kimberly can be far less than compassionate with her patients - instead of explaining a problem with my teeth to me personally, she had me watch a lame video on her high-tech flat screen, and of course, charged me through the nose for it. Her attitude can be haughty and cold and I get the distinct feeling that money is #1 with this dentist, with care and compassion for her patients a distant second. Seriously, there are much better practices out there - they might not have the super fancy office that Ms. Caldwell has, but you'll be better off in the long run.!
STAY AWAY from Kimberly Smiles.
Now, I would like to preference this by saying that I get a fair amount of dental work done (horrible teeth run in my family- thanks Mom and Dad) so finding a good dentist is very important to me. I have old metal fillings that have come back to haunt me, so I pretty much expect to be getting something done every time I go. Since moving here 3 years ago, I've gone to 2 people in Chicago- on other people's recommendations- and both of them were not very good. I guess if you only go for cleanings twice a year, it doesn't really matter who you go to- but it does matter for me.
On my first visit to Kimberly Smiles, I had my new patient x-rays done. Kimberly isn't the most personable dentist I've ever met- I found her to be pretty aloof. As someone else mentioned, you would have thought that my teeth were rotting out of my mouth based on what Dr. Caldwell told me. Basically I was told me that I needed about $10,000 worth of work done. Obviously, I was a little floored considering a) I had just been to the dentist 6 months ago and everything had been ok and b) she said it very matter-of-factly like that wasn't a large sum of money. The general attitude seemed to be that I was being cheap or something and if that's what it is, that's what it is, so I'd better suck it up. She explained that I had a few cavities that she wanted to do onlays for- these are apparently larger sized fillings that cover a greater area. I'd never heard of these in 25 years of going to the dentist- but she knows what she's doing, right? Dr. Caldwell scared the crap out of me by saying that if I didn't get these done, I was at risk for needing a root canal for 2 of my teeth. Only when I asked specifically did she say (reluctantly) that yes, I could just get regular fillings done, but she clearly was trying to steer me towards the onlays. Hmmmm...was it because the onlays are $1000 a piece (0% of it is covered by my insurance), and fillings are something like $250 (w/80% covered)? I'm not sure. I was also given a referral to some kind of gum specialist because I was told my gums were receding and I would want someone to take care of that soon (wonder what kind of kick-back she is getting from that guy).
I was so freaked out about my "diagnosis" that on my trip back home for Christmas, I went to my childhood dentist to get a 2nd opinion. He used to be an army dentist, so I know that if he tells me I need something done, I NEED it done. He told me that in 20 years, he has never done an onlay and that if my tooth is bad enough to need a root canal, nothing is going to help. So basically- Dr. Caldwell was full of it and just trying to get some cash out of me and my insurance company.
I went back to her and said I wanted the fillings done. I don't remember how much the first set was- $400 out of pocket?- but when I returned to get the 2nd set done, I expected them to be pretty much the same amount. Imagine my surprise when the office woman told me that I didn't owe anything. I was like, "Huh??" Then she said something about me paying an estimate for the last fillings, and that the insurance paid more than they thought it would, so I had a credit and that covered this visit. Now- I had never received anything from them showing how much I overpaid or indicating I had any kind of credit. She didn't even give me any kind of print out to itemize exactly what was done- which leads me to believe there was something shady going on that they wanted to cover up. I wasn't going to argue with someone saying that I don't owe them any money, so I basically just said screw it and decided that it didn't really matter since I never had any plans to go back.
So- I was more than a little bit angry to find out when I went to my new dentist, Dr. Lipoff, that I had to get 3- possibly 4- root canals done!! Good times indeed. Since my last checkup was in May, I have a hard time believing that my teeth could have possibly gotten so much worse in 6 months. Apparently, Dr. Smiles filled teeth that were so far gone that she probably knew they would eventually need root canals. Instead of telling me that, she decided to make some money off of fillings that I didn't need. Thank God I never went for those onlays.
To me- taking advantage of people by scaring them into getting unncessary work is pretty much the worst thing a dentist can do in my opinion. This has nothing to do with having the money to pay for things or not. There is a reason why the ratings for this office are what they are.
My first appointment cost almost $500 for x-rays and a painful cleaning. I figured it was par for the course for a new patient who hadn't been to the dentist in two years, and went back six months later for another cleaning. They tried to do x-rays again, I declined. Dr. Caldwell told me I needed to get all my silver fillings replaced, and really pushed the issue, but I declined. My cleaning was painful, as it was six months earlier.
I needed a new night guard to prevent me from grinding my teeth, and they fitted me with a top and bottom guard - $100 each. The guards lasted 4 days before pieces of them started breaking off, so I went back the next week to get them refitted. The new ones lasted a whole 5 days. My previous night guards from my previous dentist lasted two years.
Despite the fact that it's inconvenient, I'm going back to my old dentist in Skokie. We'll see if Dr. Caldwell will provide a refund for the shoddy night guards, because I'm going to have to get them completely redone.
The "spa" feel is nice, the flatscreens are nice, but KimberlySmiles has premium pricing for cut-rate service. The office girls are lovely, but the actual dental care seems sub par. You can sign me up as another disappointed customer who feels she spent way too much money.
I wanted to like this place, but I have to agree with all the negative reviews on here... It was close to my house and I figured I'd give it a try- not knowing I would be paying "Boutique-y" dentistry prices. Wish I would have known about this site before!!
I also had a horribly painful root canal here, and I had to go back because I was still having pain on a tooth that supposedly had no nerves. And I had to go back a 4th time because they lost my charts because they were having computer problems that day and they accidentally gave me some other patient's charts.
It's just not worth the money to come back here, I used up all my dental for the year on this appt, and I had to take out a capital one loan to the tune of $600 after the fact, which is a lot when you don't have money.
The only thing I will say that was good about this place was that the receptionist was so nice and understanding when I kept freaking out about charges for all the times I had to come back when it wasn't my fault, she said I wouldn't be charged and that she totally understood about being worried about finances, I felt she knew what it was like to not have money too :). Kimberly was not my favorite, I felt like she wasn't good at putting her patients at ease, I also sensed that she might be overworked, but overall I will never be back due to the prices and the sub-par service received for those outrageous prices.
I couldn't have imagined a more nightmarish dental experience than the one I was served up by Dr. Caldwell of Kimberly Smiles.
As her practice was close to our home and I was new to town, I actually visited her more than once. The simple cleanings I had were remarkably painful and characterized by Dr. Caldwell's dismissive, derogatory attitude towards me as a patient. One would have thought me guilty of crimes more major than a few old amalgam fillings and missing a few flossing sessions. The out-of-pocket expenses were surprisingly high, but I was willing to shell out a few bucks for a convenient location and all the high-tech gadgetry the practice employs. From the start, though, I was uneasy around her and disliked her bitch-on-high attitude. My husband liked her, though, so I stuck with it against my own preferences.
Many reviews here have mentioned unnecessary work being performed. I can't be sure, as I didn't go to get a second opinion, but she did tell me I needed to have all of my amalgam fillings immediately redrilled and replaced with the porcelain variety.
I should mention that I am a bit of a phobic patient and that is a point I made sure was noted on my chart.
With that in mind, my last visit to her was scheduled back-to-back with my husband's cleaning. After my cleaning was done, she painfully dug around in my gums with her favorite little pointy probe and said that I was developing "an incurable periodontal disease". She brusquely stood up, turned on a video screen, and told me to watch the video while she went to check up on my husband who was in the next chair over. The video was on severe gum disease and preparing for the surgical interventions necessary to combat it. I spent fifteen to twenty minutes watching the surgery video and sobbing. I had never, before her throwaway comment, been diagnosed with any sort of gum problems. Next door, I could hear her laughing uproariously with my husband. I wanted to die.
She came back when the video had ended and asked me if I had any questions. I was so stunned, I could hardly think of anything.
"I need surgery?"
"We'll have to keep an eye on you", she said, suggesting I should come see her again in four months instead of the standard six.
I was dying to get out of there. I said nothing more, my husband finished up and we left. On the street, I broke down crying and told him how I had an incurable gum disease and that I might need surgery for it. He smiled knowingly over at me, winked, and said, "She told me about the video. She said she was just trying to scare you into flossing more."
It is despicable for a dentist to use scare tactics and lies on their patients. I must trust the medical professionals who care for me to be honest, forthright, and conservatively judicious in their treatment suggestions. With her gleeful lies, heavy-handed and painful cleaning techniques, disdainful attitude, high prices, poor technique, and complete lack of compassion, I cannot urge you enough to stay away from Dr. Caldwell of Kimberly Smiles.
Please, let my bad experiences save you from the same.
Updated July 2009:
It took almost four years for me to get over the phobia that Dr. Caldwell helped instill in me, but I found a new dentist (the incomparably great Dr. Bennet at Lake Care Dental) and had a checkup. My gums were fine, even four years later, just needed a regular cleaning and I had a couple fillings that needed replacement. So it seems, after all my doubts and Dr. Caldwell's callous treatment of me, that I really was in good shape. All I can say is, what a bitch! Her little not-funny scare tactics cost me four years of regular dental care and a not-small terror of even walking by dentist offices on the street. It's like my mother always said, "The person who finished last in dental school is still a dentist." In this case, it's probably Dr. Caldwell. Steer clear or at the very least, get a second opinion before you have any pricy work done.
I wish I had read the reviews on yelp before going to see her- I went on the reccomendation of a friend of a friend. The cleaning and treatment HURT (I had trouble swallowing the next day from being jabbed with the anaesthesia needle), the visit was expensive even with insurance, and I was billed for a procedure which I had declined. (They removed the charge, but only after I pointed it out). The office is beautifully equipped and the ladies who work in the reception area are very sweet, but the quality of dentistry was not up to snuff with the price I paid.
When I first research Dr. Caldwell here on yelp, the reviews were all positive, so I decided to visit this dentist. While I was there a few red flags came up, but I tried to ignore them and focus on the positive. I returned to yelp a few days after my appointment to see a bunch of unfavorable reviews, that all of a sudden made great sense to me!
She charges a lot! I mean a lot, but I was too naive to notice at first. I was fooled by the TV sets in the rooms and how young and hip Dr. Caldwell appeared to be. All of that was a smokescreen, because this place is not worth it! I was in excruciating pain when I first went to this dentist and was hoping she would help me. She basically ignored what I was telling her, and said I should get my teeth whitened!! What?? Can we please focus on what's important here, doctor! I'm in pain. Finally she turned her focus to the health of my teeth and She told me I had a bunch of stuff wrong with my teeth and that it would cost about $3000 out of pocket. No, that's not including teeth whitening, and yes that is AFTER my insurance has covered their portion, and I have good insurance! $3000!! I went to another dentist, a far better dentist (Dr. Gina Liford - Dental Salon), and for roughly the same treatments, it would cost me $600 out of pocket. So you better believe I switched dentists and saved $2400!!
Let's get the male perspective. I loves me some Dr. Caldwell. She and her staff are great. Very high tech. Very spa-ish as the other reviewers have noticed. I've referred everyone I know to her. Check her out.
Revised 1/24/08
Wow. I was the first reviewer who still is on here and I promise you I wasn't a "plant". I really liked my initial experiences. Having read the reviews since mine, though....wow. I don't know what to say. I can't disagree with any of the reviews. I hadn't been to a dentist in years before Dr. Caldwell and needed a lot of work done. Now I'm wishing I'd shopped around. I think I'll continue going for my semi-annual cleanings, as my insurance covers them. But if I need further work done at some point, I'll be getting a second opinion. Let's call it a probation period.
I was a person who refused to go to the dentist's office for about 10 years! The only news you'll hear from a dentist is bad, right? I finally felt the time had come, and two friends (independently) recommended Dr. Caldwell at the Kimberly Smiles office on Milwaukee ave, northside Chicago. Lucky I did, as I needed to have 4 wisdom teeth pulled. Following the extractions with an oral surgeon (not at Kimberly Smiles office), I returned to Dr. Caldwell and her staff to have a root canal on an impacted molar, and completely rebuild the crown (all in one sitting with no painful healing). The office is, as another reviewer said, state-of-the-art, and the staff is exceptionally friendly. My wife and I have both returned for routine cleanings and nicer-looking replacement fillings. I recently relocated cross-country and Dr. Caldwell sent me some great resources to find her eventual replacement. They have a tough act to follow!
Went for a basic cleaning and came out with an outrageous bill! I have never had a cavity or any dental issue in my life. I went to the dentist last year and everything was perfectly fine as usual. This year I moved so I had to try a new dentist and after reading some positive yelp reviews I decided to give Dr. Caldwell a go. I went for a second opinion and all the work Dr. Caldwell insisted that I needed was of course- unnecessary. She uses videos and scare tactics to get you to think your teeth will fall out if you don't have the work done. I am very disappointed and would not recommend this dentist to anyone.
i have never enjoyed going to the dentist this much! the entire staff and dr. caldwell are all so friendly. i had some problems with my insurance coverage that went on for a few months, and even though the receptionists had to spend a lot of time on the phone dealing with this, they were always in a good mood and very helpful with everything. the office is very modern, they have tv's in the exam rooms and if you refer someone, you get a free teeth whitening session. not to mention, dr. caldwell is pretty hot for a dentist. my guy friends that are patients of hers are very proud of that.
Whatever you do - do not go there for teeth bleaching, unless you like being in a great deal of pain for the rest of the day. And I am not talking about teetch "sensitivity" - it's a real pain, constant and quite terrible, and the worst part of it was, no matter how many Iboprofins and even Vicodins I took, it would not go away. If I did not happen to have some sleeping pills at home, I would not be able to fall asleep at night, so excruciating the pain following my teech bleaching procedure was. Oh, and the best part - when I called the office that evening to complain that the pain is so bad I am thinking of going to the emergency room, I was told that "most people" are doing OK after this procedure. They then suggested that I used some fluoride toothe paste, which I had to purchase for anoter $10 (as if spending $400 on the stupid bleaching was not enough). Guess what - that toothpaste does absolutly nothing to relieve the pain! Bottom line - do yourself a favor a find a normal, competent dentist to work with you on whatever issue you've got.
Kimberly Smiles is great. She takes crummy things about goign to the office and turns them into a positive. You can surf the internet while you wait. You can book everything online. The dentist chair gives you a massage. You can watch sportscenter while your teeth are cleaned.
I have to give 5 stars. I had a very good experience with Dr. Caldwell. I thought prices were fine. My insurance covered most of the cost. I will continue to see her twice a year.
i've been going to dr. caldwell's office for a few years now, and i've always found her treatment, approach, and "chairside manner" to be professional, comforting, and on par with my expectations. i've never been disappointed with any of my treatments, or the amount i had to pay!
