Great Dentist, Dr Wiznewski and great staff too. The lady behind the counter for reservations and questions is one of the best and kindest people I have met. The place is great, clean and very qualified. 10 out of 10 !!! read more

I have been going to Oral Kare for the past 35 to 40 years. Dr. Wisniewski has always given me the utmost care whether it be for an emergency or general cleaning and examination. I highly recommend Oral Kare for all your dental needs. read more

This place just drop me as a patient simply because i "fail" to show up according to them to some app. I'm 60 year old woman who's obviously not as young to remember everything. I've called to cancel some app or reschedule but of course I have to wait a year to get an appointment so you think that they would send me a reminder. No they never did just recently they added this program. They say to remind people today I had an appointment and they decide to drop me so unprofessional I never thought that I would have to find another dentist. I've been going to these people for years and years and now just because they feel like I fail whatever it is that they think I fail they drop me as a patient. Good to know I will find a more professional place to go to. It's not like it was a thrill to go in there the place smells like dead rats. read more

Dr. Hawkins is the best. Have been with him for many years now. A true professional who cares deeply about his patients.

This office only cares about making a quick buck. I have been trying to contact them and they ignore me! I am dealing with two infected teeth after replacing two crowns with Dr toy. To top it off she will not call me back to discuss any of the matter. Super unprofessional work. They have a regular tech doing the dentists work it's super scary. Don't go here. read more

Cleaned my teeth great good people open on Saturday fast service come a few mins early parking is a jungle but id recommend this place to anyone read more

These people are just churning out the patients. No personal attention literally could just be robots get in and get out. Spent 2.5 years seeing the orthodontist there and had to ask him to shape my front teeth and when he was done literally just nonchalantly like that said "good bye" and gone. Extremely unsatisfied . Don't go here. read more

Last Friday morning, I woke up with an agonizingly painful toothache. So, i did what most folks would do. I called my regular Dentist of two years at Oral Kare. Here's how the conversation went: Me: Hi, this is Wil... Office Woman: Hang on a minute (puts me on hold|) Office Woman: Ok, What do you need? Me: I'm a patient in your office. I woke up this morning with a really bad tooth ache and swelling. I was wondering if you guys could work me in and take a look at it. Office Woman: What's your name? Me: William P Office woman: We can't see you today. We can't see you before Tuesday. Me: I'm in a lot of pain. I'm not sure I can make it through the whole weekend.Is there anyway you could work me in today, maybe tomorrow? Office woman: We're not open tomorrow.The earliest we could see you is Tuesday. Me: There's nothing you can do to help me? Office Woman: On Tuesday Like most folks, i think that Dr. Hawkins is a good dentist. But, he needs to hire some competent office help. I ended up calling another dentist, Dr. Ryback whose office is near mine in Des Plaines . Mind you, this other dentist is one that I had never seen nor been a patient of . His office was booked, too. But, 15 minutes later, Dr. Ryback personally called me back. He couldn't see me that afternoon. But agreed to open up his office first thing the next morning after asking me a few questions. He says that it sounds like an abscess and that I'll need some antibiotics and pain pills to get through the weekend. He delivered in the way that I would expect a trusted medical professional to do. Two days later, after a few vicodin, the swelling had begun to go down and I felt like a million effin' bucks again. I'll need a root canal once the infection is completely cleared up and Oral Kare won't be getting that business from me. Needless to say, I now have a new dentist. No matter how good Dr. Hawkins is, if you can't see him or get a reasonable response from his office when you really need him, you need to find another dentist. Get some new office help, Dr. Hawkins. Your patients deserve better. read more

My bottom permanent retainer broke recently, so I needed an orthodontist asap. I found Dr. Nudera because he was in my network. Appointment was set at 4:45, however I didn't actually see the doctor until 5:20! Everyone apologized for the tardiness and explained that is was a hectic day, but schedulers really shouldn't jam pack in patients when the staff and dentist can't accomodate!!! Also, I thought my insurance would cover the new retainer, but it didn't. BOO!! I wish they told me that before they took my impression. Oh well... Would not advise ANYONE to go here if you don't have to. read more

Do not come to this office if you value a friendly atmosphere or speedy and compressive service. I have been to this office on two occasions and during both occasions I was disappointed in the care that I received. First of all, the women working at the desk are not friendly at all and make you feel like an inconvenience. The offices are small and cramped and make you feel even more uncomfortable than you would normally feel well getting poked in the mouth. I recently went into get a crown fittings during an appointment I had made two months previous. When I went in they said that I was not scheduled to see the doctor and only get my teeth cleaned. I explained that I was in pain and had been very clear on the phone about needing crown fittings, and they told me that there's nothing that they could do and to just come back another time. Seeing as it took me two months to get this appointment were absolutely nothing was done I am never going back. read more

I believe this is a clash of cultures. A filtered review accurately describes Oral Kare as blue collar. Simple, plain and effacing might also work. Gentrification passed over this time capsule when it crossed Ashland Avenue about 20 years ago. My mother was a dental hygienist for 25 years. I knocked out my permanent front teeth in a bicycle accident when I was 8. I spent much of my childhood and adolescence in dental and orthodontic offices. Thus, I have high standards for such care. None of the reviews posted complain about the actual dental work done in the office. After trying 5 dentists since my mom died 15 years ago, this is the first one in Chicago that meets the standards to which I am accustomed. The hygienists are excellent. My wife and children, 3 and 5, also receive dental care at this business, with no complaints. The staff works very well with children, this including a 3-year-old who can't sit still for a haircut yet. I was so relieved to find this establishment (and happy to continue patronizing it) that I was dismayed to see the majority negative reviews on Yelp when I looked for its phone number. Our family has not had any negative experiences with office help. They are not exceptionally outgoing. And I will admit I still don't understand how my wife and kids get a reminder that they're due for appointments every six months while I don't (even after asking 6 months ago). But yeah, I'm a fan. If quality dental care is what you're looking for at reasonable rates, Oral Kare can't be beat, in my experience. If you're looking for nice bathrooms and modern decor, you better head elsewhere. read more

1. Two co-workers recommended Dr. Hawkins. I think he's great. He's not chatty, but he listens to what you want and he accommodates. I've been to six dentists as an adult, and he is on par with all of them. I only took off a star because I like smiley people. Still, I think he's a great dentist. 2. It's not a fancy office. (See Phil R. review.) 3. Nice dental assistant. 4. Never had problems with office help, but I will agree with other reviewers that they're not exceptionally outgoing. They're not mean or anything. Dr. Hawkins recommended a guard for my teeth to protect them from grinding. He showed me wear on my teeth that indicated I'd probably needed a guard for a while. I get regular dental care, and no one had recommended a guard before Dr. Hawkins. Dr. Hawkins wasn't pushy about it, but he did recommend it for me during several visits. I appreciated that he identified the problem and what would happen if I didn't get the guard and that he wasn't pushy about getting the appliance. read more

I had a great experience here. Professional, clean, friendly, no nonsense. No idea what these one and two star reviews are talking about. read more

A lot of people are nervous about going to the dentist and I know some that are nervous about using a dentist in the city. Dr. Hawkin's and the rest of the Oral Kare staff are nothing to be scared of. I went to Oral Kare for the first time before they did their remodel...the new look definitely makes it look cleaner and newer. I'm glad I decided to go back. Dr. Hawkins was great at my first visit and gave me a lot of input about my teeth. For the second visit I had with him, he was in my room for literally 2 minutes and I didn't even have enough time to think of the questions I had for him. I could have called him back in, but it wasn't that important and I was just still a little confused! haha Definite Plus: They fit me in for the day after I was calling! I am so used to them giving me a month to wait for an appointment. I guess I just got really lucky! read more

I'm a new patient at Oral Kare and so far i have no complaints. Kim the Dental Hygienist is very lovely and has been so gentle and patient with me. Professional, clean and friendly! read more

True, the office is nothing fancy, but I like this dentist for a number of reasons.... I had a terrible tooth ache but my old dentist was a single-doctor practice, nearing retirement and only working part-time. Getting in on short notice was impossible, so I wanted a new regular dentist. Dr. Hawkins' office got me in (as a brand new patient) the very same day and was able to take care of my issue. When I'm in for other, more routine procedures, he doesn't try to sell me on a bunch of cosmetic procedures that I don't want such as orthodontics, whitening, etc. If I wanted those things, I'd ask. (And he's able to provide those services.) My previous dentists have been very pushy about those things and I find that offensive. Dr. Hawkins has never done that. I'm concerned with the health of my teeth more than the cosmetic appearance and he seems to understand that. Their fees are reasonable and they have payment options for those of us with no dental insurance. I will continue to go to this dentist and refer others to them, when appropriate, as well. read more

Great service and awesome value. Able to get in when I needed to, friendly staff and great service

I agree with the reviewers that commented about the office help. They are bad and very disorganized. I got 3 of my wisdom teeth pulled in 1997 by Dr. Lawrence Berman, who is retired and no longer has an office on Belmont/Paulina. I had a phenomenal experience with Dr. Berman. When I had the 3 wisdom teeth removed, I was in full anesthesia (full body asleep-felt nothing) and got up an hour later like nothing happened. In 2005, my remaining wisdom tooth was throbbing with pain and was getting more sensitive by the day. I was given the number for this office by my insurer MetLife and Oral Kare, Ltd. thankfully scheduled me the next day at 9AM, their first patient that day. I had the pleasure of being treated by Dr. Hawkins.... he is a great dentist and took my tooth out and did the necessary x-rays in no time. He was fabulous and give him 5 stars. Now here comes the reason I gave the whole experience 2 stars. I paid via CC the difference between what the insurance company paid (estimate) and what I owed. The lady at the front desk quoted $220 as the amount I was entitled cause the insurance was not going to cover everything. I didn't argue, I wanted to pay it cause I just wanted to get this tooth out of me badly. I get a letter 2 weeks later from MetLife that I overpaid $145. Honest mistake. I called the office and they kept giving me the runaround for a month and a half. They kept telling me that I would be cut a check and I should expect it in 3-5 days. They encouraged me not to come to the office cause it was already being worked on and they will do nothing for me if I came, they do not write checks in their offices. I was so upset that I went there and not only did they not have a check (like they told me) but they were scrambling to find me $145. One lady even took $40 from her own purse to pay me. I did not understand, why it was so hard to refund me money. I am so sorry for this review, but it is true, their office people are disorganized. read more

The worst dental front office service I have ever seen. Hostile, incredibly rude and helpless in person and on the phone. Come here if you want your teeth pull out on a regular basis (metaphorically). We are switching dentist after two sessions. read more

This makes me sad. So sad about so much. Sad that I've had such bad recent experience with Oral Kare, sad my poor 4yr. old is still waiting for dental care, sad my loyalty to this dentist didn't pay off, sad I've waited so long to change dentists, and sad that I'm writing this review. 1. Dr. Hawkins is a pretty mellow dentist and works with my budget. 2. Very difficult to get an appointment. 3. No bells and whistles at all. Just basic care. 4. Waiting area is not very comfy (even after the remodel). 5. No reliable pediatric dentist. My 4 yr. old had to wait three months to get a cavity filled, and then the appointment was cancelled by them! (He never did get it filled at Oral Kare because after the cancellation we switched dentists.) 6. Office staff is not friendly nor are they helpful. I grew up in the neighborhood and my family has been going to this place for years and years. I'm talking about 15 years or more. The office itself has always been pretty run-down (until recently), but Dr. Hawkins is a pretty mellow doctor, and has done some good things for my folks. So I've got that stupid loyalty thing going for this place. And the hygenists are pretty good. So even though I live five miles west of Oral Kare, my husband and two kids were also patients there. The past few years, getting in to see the dentist (or even get in for a routine cleaning) has been difficult and the one painful issue I had was near impossible to get seen. The office staff are not at all helpful, understanding, or kind with any scheduling. But I was patient and let things slide. Besides, I really liked the pediatric dentist (who is no longer with Oral Kare.) Anyway...the straw that broke this camel's back: In July of 2011, my son (who had just turned 4) had his regular appointment. My husband took him. When they came home, I got the report that the pediatric dentist we liked left and there was a new guy. I also heard about my kid's teeth. Turns out he has a cavity between his front two teeth. Mom guilt kicks in to overdrive and I freak out, resolve to brush his teeth six times a day, floss, no candy, etc. Then my husband tells me the dentist couldn't fill it that day so he had to make another appointment. When is that appointment? October 15th! Yes, almost THREE MONTHS LATER! Now I freak out that my kid is going to be walking around with a cavity for almost three months?!?!? That is just wrong. So I call and my husband was right. There were absolutely no appointments before October 15th. But the not-so-helpful woman on the phone doesn't give any alternatives. Nope, she just sits there and gives me monosyllabic answers of "yeah" and "no". About two weeks later, my daughter and I are there for our regular appointments. When Dr. Hawkins comes in to check my teeth, I tell him about my experience. He explains the last pediatric dentist left, then another was going to join the practice but at the last minute didn't, now this one is only there on Saturdays, blah blah blah. But he tells me that there is almost always a cancellation so he is sure my son will get an appointment soon. Nope. That call never came. Then the third week of September, Oral Kare calls and leaves a message letting me know the dentist won't be in on October 15th, so I could come in the 8th. Great! I call back and leave a message that the 8th sounds great. Anyway, through many phone messages and miscommunications, it turns out that the dentist won't be in on the 1st, 8th, or 15th of October. So, today, a Tuesday, I call a different place, less than a mile from my house, get a very friendly, helpful, and sweet woman and schedule my son for an appointment on Thursday evening. Wow, less than a 48 hour wait. I will review that new place as soon as my kid's cavity is filled. What the hell took me so long to switch dentists? Who the hell knows? read more

Dr. Wisniewski is so nice and easy going. I used to get major anxiety going to the dentist but not so much anymore. The office staff and dental assistants are always been friendly and responsive. They also have convenient hours for 9-5ers. read more

This review is for the overall experience rather than the doctor himself. Let me preface this by saying it's been a long time (seriously, LONG TIME) since I've been to the dentist. Even trying to get an appointment at this place was so difficult. I should have taken the hint. I wouldn't say that the front desk staff was rude, but they weren't particularly nice. Every time I called, it was like pulling teeth (no pun intended) to get anything taken care of. But I finally got an appointment and everything was set to go with my insurance. After arriving, I was expected to fill out the standard welcome paperwork. On the phone, I was told I would need to be about 5-10 minutes early for this. It took me 15-20 minutes for all of the forms. Not terrible, but I wish I'd been prepared for that. As it was, I was 20 minutes early anyhow, so I thought everything would be fine. But I sat in the waiting room for 35 minutes (after my scheduled appointment start time, which was 55 minutes after my arrival) before I was called back. Four people who arrived after me were seen before me. The lady who took my x-ray's was pleasant enough. She was kind and understanding. But then I got into the chair, and after some poking around (causing my gum to bleed), she left to get the doctor, leaving me with my gum bleeding and not offering anything to rinse with. Dr. Hawkins was so nice, and very professional. He came and looked at my teeth, and I could tell how experienced he was in just the few minutes he spent with me. I was told that a regular cleaning wouldn't be enough, and I would need to make an appointment for a deep cleaning after getting more x-ray's. Then, I'd probably need an additional appointment for a filling. My gum is still bleeding (but only slightly) at this point and my mouth tastes awful. I thanked him for his opinion, and the assistant told me to meet her in the x-ray room. I had to ask for something to rinse the blood out of my mouth. We take care of everything and I am about to leave, but need to stop to schedule these 2 follow up appointments. Part of the reason I selected this dentist's office was because, according to my insurance website, they had some evening and weekend hours for patients that would prevent me from having to take time off of work. However, for this appointment and for the 2 follow up's that I was trying to schedule, there were only appointments on weekdays during the mid-morning or early afternoon. Which would be fine if I only had the one, but I cannot take 3 days of in the same month just for the dentist. I'm moving to a new neighborhood soon, and getting here will be more trouble than it's worth. Needless to say, I won't be scheduling any follow up appointments. I would rather wait a month (for insurance to start at a new place) and go to a new office that is more convenient for me, in terms of location and hours available to patients. The doctor (and even assistant) was really very nice, but I just can't bring myself to go back. read more

I have been going to Dr. Hawkins for a couple years. He has been great & helped answer several questions I had about safe tooth whitening and fixing a crooked tooth that I have with the least expensive options. The recently remodeled the office, so it is much more modern now. As for the front desk staff, they forgot to charge me several co-pays over about a year and a half. I had never been notified and then they were going to make me pay for all of it on the spot. However, they wound up just waiving it since it was their error, so I was definitely satisfied with that. read more

Not a pretty or swanky office but the staff are really nice. Dr Hawkins does a great job at keeping me from jumping out of my chair when the drill gets turned on ( I have in the past with other doctors,kicked them,hard). Prices seem pretty good too. read more

I went to Oral Kare on a whim- I was feeling a lot of pain in my tooth and they were the only dentist that would even consider helping me same day. Were super helpful in squaring away insurance and getting me to the right endodontist. Would recommend any young person who just moved to the city to go to Oral Kare! read more

When you first go into the office, the waiting area is very spacious and modern. The wait staff is very pleasant and accomodating. The dental assistants are very nice and most importantly, very competent. I get my teeth cleaned on a yearly basis and it is always done very throughly. Dr. Hawkins is a no nonsense dentist and gets right to the point. My kind of dentist! read more

I switched my primary care dentist (I have a dental HMO) to Oral Kare after a bad experience with a different dentist. I was not disappointed. When i called to make an appointment in early January, I was able to make an appointment for a week later. Waiting time for my appointment was not long. Everything was clean, the hygienist was competent and friendly without being annoyingly chatty. Discomfort was very minimal and I got good advice about treatment & preventative care options. Dr. Wisniewski was pleasant and no-nonsense, very direct with me. I was able to set up an appointment for necessary treatment within 2 weeks of my cleaning. My appointment was quick without feeling rushed. I do not understand all the bad reviews with regard to the waiting area - who cares? The waiting area is fine - clean, relatively comfortable, etc. It also doesn't matter that much - what matters is that the staff is friendly, competent, organized, and does high quality work. read more

Dr. Hawkins was great. I never had to wait, he was attentive and even had his staff call and check on me after a root canal. Loved his mustache too! I put off dental work for so long - wish I had found him sooner. read more

Orthodontic care that kares not scares! My daughter just got her braces done in January and on an emergency, Oral Kare made a special accommodation to see her and then to top it off didn't charge for the special visit. The office is comfortable and the receptionists are very attentive. I recommend them for orthodontic services. read more

Cleanings are fine, but scheduling, customer service, and front desk staff are awful. Can't seem to remember appointments they make, and don't seem to care that they waste half your day as a result read more

I've been here several times. Recently their office has been renovated, too. The hygienists are friendly and nice and Dr. Hawkins is fairly gentle, for a dentist. Front staff aren't especially awesome, but aside from fixing an error on a receipt, I haven't spoken with them much. Overall, a good experience. read more

Dr. Hawkins is absolutely the best dentist ever! Another superb experience. I have been a patient for years. Recently, I took my dad to see him because he was experiencing a sharp pain. Dr. Hawkins diagnosed the problem and helped my dad with his tooth issue. I cannot recommend him enough. Dr. Hawkins, thank you for always caring and accommodating my whole family! read more

I tough that Oral Kare Ltd was for me after been dealing with other dentist that made me feel like no to go to a dental office anymore. I like Dr. Hawkins, he seems like a good dentist but I didn't have the opportunity to verify that since it took forever for their staff to resolve all about my payment. I have a dental insurance and a dental discount. I provide them with all the paperwork, etc. I called several times about the total payment since I have a budget like everybody else and they told me that they were waiting for my insurance. I am the one that I resolved the problem with the insurance since they didn't care and finally when I asked them to let me know the charges it was twice the price from the previous dentist. When I asked them what about the dental discount, they didn't know anything about this. Like most Dr's, I think that Dr. Hawkins needs to hire some competent office help because the people working there, specially Barbra, they think that they're special because they have a Manager position. No respect or consideration for the customers. read more

Part of this is on me. With dental insurance that has no co-pay for me/insured, 2 annual exams are painful to schedule. Once you do schedule, within 24 hours prior to said appointment, hygienist cancels. First time, shame on you. Second time, shame on me. Yet again, what the hell is wrong with me? Excuses from front desk (not blaming you, but this business), oh, she is running late and can't find parking. Oh, she had a personal emergency. Well, she had some sort of emergency. ENOUGH! Weirdest part of this practice? No toothbrush, no floss, no anything to keep your dental hygiene on track to take home. read more

Awful! 1) The reception area is run down and dirty. The chair seat cushions are ripped, the walls are scuffed and paint is chipped and the only TV is approximately 9 inches. 2) The patient rooms are OK at best. The work areas/cabinets had pieces of exposed untreated wood holding them up. The chairs were old and unsteady. 3) My hygienist was very rough. I bled the entire time and tears ran down my face yet it did not stop her. She managed to detach a permanent retainer off my bottom teeth, yet did nothing to correct the problem. When the doctor came in he also did nothing to fix the problem they created and sent me home with the retainer detached from my tooth. Overall the terrible setting is a direct reflection of the staff and service. read more

There are a few recurring themes in each of the reviews, the run-down facilities, overbooking and the rude staff. The people who commented on these issues are all dead on. The facilities are disgusting. I'm not a neat freak, and I don't mind that the building is old, but the office was just plain dirty. I felt like I was visiting a dentist in the third world. While the dentist I saw was very nice, the rest of the staff was cold, at best. The two receptionists couldn't care less and don't want to be bothered. The hygienist bitched and moaned about her boss and how bad the work environment was when she took my x-rays. Finally, this place is so overbooked, it's impossible to get an appointment within the same month. If an office is that full, they shouldn't be accepting new patients. This was really the last straw for me. read more

I am a long time patient at Oral Kare and have experienced nothing but very exceptional, courteous, and attentiveness while a patient. I have had several instances where I have called and explained my problem and was given an appointment to come in the same day. The office is exceptionally clean, and I was very impressed at their sterilization process. It is a very clean office. Staff and personnel are courteous and friendly. I love this dentist office. Keep up the good work. read more

I've been a patient at Oral Kare for as long as I can remember and I'm surprised its taken me so long to write a review. Dr. Hawkins and his staff are wonderful people, they are very accommodating and always seem to be on point. I recently took my 2 year old to see Dr. Weinstein and yes we did have to wait a while to get in but he is totally worth the wait. He is very thorough and was really attentive to my child who was a little apprehensive. He played with her and made her feel very comfortable and I must say her first dental check up was wonderful. I live about 45 minutes away from the office but would never consider selecting a provider closer to home because I love everything about Oral Kare. From the Doctors to the staff and I even love the new look, I give Oral Kare an A+ in my book. read more

About 10 years ago I moved to the North side. I was in need of a dentist and drove by this place. I made an appointment and found the staff to be very nice and felt the dentist was very good. I've been going back ever since and am very happy with their work. Yeah the place is a little small but I don't care. The quality is good and that's all i care about. read more

Office is very clean and efficient. Great dental care for an affordable price. Best cleaning as well. My tooth repair is perfectly natural. They accept a variety of insurance carriers as well. I would recommend them in a heart beat. No clue why there would be a negative. read more