Dentistry at Millennium Park

I just had the weirdest experience trying to schedule a cleaning on the phone for my husband. I asked to schedule a cleaning and a consultation on the same day. The woman on the phone told me that they could not schedule those because we’re new patients and the consultation would be a lot of different exams of the mouth. Isn’t that what a cleaning and exam would take care of? I said we would bring x-​rays from another dentist we’ve seen in the past 4 months. She said that was fine, but they still couldn’t do a cleaning until they had a consultation. So I need to make my husband take 2 different days off of work just to get the cleaning he needs? I’m sure this dentist is great based on the reviews, but the gatekeeper was making scheduling seem very unapproachable. Makes absolutely no sense and seems like a way to charge a client for 2 «cleanings». Going to find a different holistic dentist I guess.

I am beaming after just leaving Dr. Gordon’s office to get my first 2 cavities filled. It was easily one of the most pleasant experiences I’ve had at any doctor’s office, from start to finish. After an initial consultation appointment to determine insurance coverage, I returned to the office and was seen before my appointment time, was treated with the utmost respect and kindness, and had both my cavities filled in less than 30 minutes. I understand my cavities were probably very shallow and caught early, but they used a fancy sandblaster tool instead of a drill and I didn’t even need Novocaine. Dr. Gordon and Veronica kept me looped into every step of the procedure. Sheri is incredibly pleasant and patiently took the time to help me understand my insurance coverage. I paid about $ 280 since I opted for the Ozone treatment, but it feels like a worthwhile investment to know the cavities are gone. What a joy, I can’t say enough good things about this experience or this staff; they are all amazing! I highly, highly recommend them for your dental needs.

I’ve been a patient here for 13 years. I wouldn’t keep going back if it wasn’t for the superior care I receive. And when I’ve had emergencies Dr Gordon and his staff were always there for me.

Have been a patient for over 10 years and would never consider receiving dental services from anyone else. Dr. Gordon and his staff deliver the highest professional quality dentistry I have ever received in a courteous, friendly, family atmosphere + in case of an emergency they are always willing and able to fit me in. In short, it’s everything you would want in dental services.

Great views of the lake and parks from the dental chair! Dr. Gordon was generous and kind. His staff were all great too.

I have been seeing Dr. Gordon for 36 years, and he is, simply, the best dentist in Chicago. His professionalism is matched only by his good humor and demeanor. This view is shared by at least 15 friends who also swear by him. I can’t recommend him and his staff highly enough.

I want to preface this review that I rarely take the time to critique business on Unilocal however in this particular instance I felt that several of the previous reviews were so utterly inaccurate that it drove me to write this:
1. Dr. Gordon and his entire staff are excellent, helpful, honest and knowledgeable. Most importantly they are completely upfront about the type of procedures they are recommending. The entire staff clearly goes out of their way to deliver a clear and concise explanation regarding any procedure. The entire team explains in laymen’s terms the justification of the recommendation in additional to detailing and itemizing all costs taking into account insurance coverage payment, as well as any out of pocket expense that may or may not exist.
2. The people at this practice care and do not treat patients like cattle. They call after business hours to check on your progress if you had a procedure and although this is a slight nuance compared to other dentists and physicians I equate it to the difference between flying commercial vs. private. Personally, when my health is involved I have no problem potentially paying slightly more out of pocket than my insurance will cover and I mean slightly for a significant increase in service, attention and follow-​up.
3. Dr. Gordon takes a holistic approach to dentistry and that is important to me and in my opinion should matter to most people as well. Dr. Gordon has taken the added effort not to use mercury fillings as wells as purchasing state of the art x-​rays machines that emit the least amount of radiation necessary. I recently read that Americans receive the most amount of radiation on an annual basis from their dentist office. Although this may cost slightly more to install it pays off in spades in the long run for his patients. Augmenting their overall health and quality of life.
4. For example, I had two mercury fillings removed due to elevated mercury levels in my blood and after a great deal of research I realized that Dr. Gordon was uniquely qualified to perform this procedure. His practice incorporates the latest state of the art equipment that protects patients from added mercury exposure during the removal process. Remarkably, the process was basically painless and relatively quick.
5. Dr. Gordon has clearly spared no expense in furnishing the office with the latest equipment in order to insure the safety and long term health of his clients.
6. On a slightly different note relating to a previous Unilocal post; to criticize someone for making a personal attempt via telephone to address a dissatisfied customer is completely absurd in my opinion. Keep in mind what people write is directly correlated with perception and who wouldn’t take the time to try and alter a negative perception when it affects their livelihood. If the circumstances were reversed I certainly would have done exactly the same thing in Dr. Gordon’s position.
7. Lastly, poor Unilocal review explanation — my belief is that the only reason several of the other reviewers were dissatisfied is entirely an issue of paying a slight out of pocket expenses and has absolutely nothing to do with service or quality of care. In conclusion, I truly believe the old adage you get what you pay for in this world and this proverb applies directly to Dr. Gordon and all of his employees.

Dr. Gordon is awesome! He makes you feel so comfortable and he explains everything he is doing to you. I took both of my sons to see him and he is so patient with kids. My sons asked every question imaginable and he pleasantly answered all of their questions. Absolutely satisfied.

Dr. Gordon has been a savior to me during what I’m calling my «Dental Odyssey 2012−13». I came to Chicago on holiday and was badly in need of root canal therapy on one of my teeth — the concierge at our hotel (the W) referred me to Dr. Gordon and I got in immediately! SO thankful! Sheri, his receptionist, was so incredibly nice and helped me relax about the situation. Dr. Gordon’s assistant was also incredibly kind and easy to talk to. Dr. Gordon explained everything he was going to do, explained as he did it, and moreover answered my multitude of questions before and after the procedure. Even better than that, Dr. Gordon wanted to hear how things turned out for me after I left — which I think is a sign of someone who really cares about, and has interest in, their profession and patients. Dr. Gordon stayed in touch with me throughout my continued journey (it’s a long story) after I returned home from the holidays even. I cannot recommend Dr. Gordon and his staff more! The view from the office ain’t bad either ;)

The quality of the service and level of professionalism is excellent at Dr Gordon’s. Dr. Gordon is focused on preventive care and is concerned about the overall health of patients which is a rarity for dentists. He uses state of the art equipment, explains the health condition of every tooth in your mouth and shows it to you on a digital screen. Every procedure is fully explained, so you can determine if you want it or not. I’ve had other dentists in the past who may have been less expensive, but most were mediocore to the extent they compromised the health of my teeth. The one exception is Dr Thomas — but he passed several years ago and I had not found another dentist I liked as well as him until now.

After moving to Chicago a few years ago, I had to find a new dentist in the area. I chose Dr. Gordon because he was in my HMO Dental network and around the corner from my office. Plus, (at the time) he had fairly decent Unilocal reviews. Little did I know I was walking to into a scam of a dentist’s office.
When I made my appointment, I was told I would have to do a new-​patient exam, which included my x-​ray and an assessment before my cleaning. They said there would be a small fee not covered by my insurance. So, when I got there things seemed very normal, hygienist did a good job, but a $ 250 first patient exam fee, and that doesn’t include my cleaning/​x-​rays?! Oh, and BTW, that fancy x-​ray is not covered by your insurance plan either.
So, I then had to schedule an actual appointment a few weeks later to get my cleaning done, which they decided I needed a deep-​clean of my teeth and we needed to get FOUR cavities filled. Here are the issues with this diagnosis:
1. I’ve been to the dentist twice a year, every year at this point. During these exams, I’ve gotten all the treatments I needed without any sort of suggestion that my teeth were in anything but great shape.
2. My x-​rays that I had six months prior suggested nothing close to a cavity on the film. Plus, I haven’t had a single cavity in my lifetime. So, considering I’d still been brushing and not chowing down on soda/​sugar cubes, I’d say it’s odd I suddenly had four cavities.
Anyways, I got the «deep cleaning», which came with some non FDA/​Dental Association approved oxygen treatment that cost me an extra like $ 100+ out of pocket. Even though it seemed the exact same as my normal cleanings back home with a special rinse at the end. Oh yeah, and she also tried to sell me fancy toothpicks, a power toothbrush and some other dental gadgets while I was in the chair.
Overall, I left with $ 350+ in out-​of-​pocket costs and a projected $ 1,200 bill to get the four cavities I had filled as well. THIS IS WITH MY INSURANCE FACTORED IN. Are you kidding me?!
Needless to say I got a second opinion from my dentist back home. After a quick exam and an x-​ray from him, he found only one cavity (still sad about it since it’s my first). Much different from what Dr. Gordon gave me. I got that one cavity filled back home for a whopping $ 160 out-​of-​network with the x-​ray and consultation included.
Overall, this dentist is scamming you into services you don’t need and trying to get the most money out of your pocket. If I could give him less than one star, I would. Frankly, I probably need to report him to the Better Business Bureau.

I am a long time patient of Dr. Steve Gordon and can’t recommend him too highly. I owe the health and appearance of my teeth to his expertise. His totally modern office is a very pleasant place, not to mention the fantastic views of Millennium Park and the lakefront. Dr. Gordon has always gone out of his way to make sure my dental work is as pain free as humanly possible. I recently needed to have a lower bridge replaced and the result was perfect. My teeth have never looked better. Dr. Gordon has that perfect combination of experience gained through many years of dentistry and a youthful attitude and physical ability. Dr. Gordon’s staff is second to none. I want to especially mention Kyle, the best dental hygienist in Chicago.

I agree with many of the previous reviews. The main incentive here seems to be getting as much money out of their clients as possible. From the moment you step foot through the door, to the moment you leave, they are trying to sell you on something.
I switched from a dentist of 10+ years because of new employment, insurance, etc. That dentist was much more conservative. I get cavities, but my biannual visits typically resulted in a minor filling or a «you’ve got a tiny cavity that we’ll watch and possibly fix in six months». My first visit here resulted in finding seven cavities. SEVEN?! I can appreciate and understand that the laser technology that they use is capable of finding the smallest of cavities, but going on past experience… this definitely seemed fishy.
The deep, below the gum-​line cleaning that the receptionist, Sherry, tried to sell me (and then made me feel horrible for declining) is humorous. Supposedly, the free cleaning that I’ve been receiving twice a year, my entire life, is not good enough. This cleaning, the cost of which depends on the health of my teeth, is fit for adults. I believe it was close to $ 200 per quadrant.
Even the hygienist is in on the money grabbing scheme. I have a Sonicare toothbrush that I absolutely love, but they endorse Oral B here. So each visit I received the same annoying sales pitch. I appreciate the advice and suggestion, but there is definitely an ulterior motive at work here. I was also bombarded with rotapoints advertisements. When asked if I could visit my local CVS or Walgreens to purchase these, the hygienist remarked to only buy the ones sold in their office. Hmmm…
The actual dentist (Dr. Gordon) was the only positive experience. He is very intelligent, and took time and care to divulge detailed information about my teeth. If the overall practice wasn’t so centered on ripping clients off, I would have been happy continuing to give him my business.
(I should also note that the records that I requested be sent to my new dentist must have gotten lost in the mail)

I have just recently starting going to Dr. Gordon after failures with other dentists closer to where I live. Pretty much my entire family goes and sees him even though we live in the northern suburbs. Now, I can see why. Sherry at the front desk is such a nice, likeable, and well mannered receptionist. Kyle is an amazing hygienist. She really gives a thorough cleaning. I also really like the advice she gives to me so that I can take better care of my teeth. One suggestion that I received recently from her was the rotapoints. These tooth picks help toughen the gums and prevent gum disease! In addition to Kyle, Dr. Gordon is such a wonderful dentist. You can see that he really cares about his patients. if you have any concerns at all about your teeth he will find the least painful solution. I am so glad that I finally switched to this dentist.

Pros: AMAZING dental hygentist– (Kyle), high tech office with latest tools and modern facilities. Dr Gordon is very pleasent to communicate with and performs all prodecures in a above average manner.
Cons: Front desk office person can be rude and all out mean to communicate with, ESPECIALLY when it comes to discussing your dental insurance/​claims. Costs for services are not always properly discussed ahead of time leaving you stuck with unexpected charges.
Finally: THIS OFFICE DOES NOT BILL INSURANCE. ALL PAYMENTS DUE AT TIME OF SERVICE. **HUGE INCONVIENIENCE! Which means, you pay up front for any and all services, they submit a claim to your insurance agency with the amount they billed you, and you WAIT to be reimbursed (based on what you qualify for) by your dental carrier– weeks later!
The dental service I received here was excellent, but the problem lies within their billing practices and communication. And if you can’t afford to pay all your services up fron everytime because your Dentist no longer bills insurance, your dental hygiene is what ends up suffering– along with your wallet. I am aware that «some» dentists over the years have resorted to this kind of medical billing, and I also know that it has cost them many patients simply because the Dentists do not want to agree to «Usual and Customary» fees in contract with Dental Providers, or wait to be reiumbursed; passing that inconvienience onto their patients– which has been done at this office.
I have since switched Dental offices to a highly reviewed office I found here on Unilocal,which DOES bill my insurance and has the most pleasent front desk staff I’ve ever delt with.
In summary: If you can afford to pay for all your dental work in cash/​credit every visit and don’t mind dealing with a somewhat snooty receptionist, Dr. Gordon is a great pick and his hygentist is well above average in the services she provides.
On a side note (like another Unilocaler) I too was contacted by Dr. Gordon about my review on Unilocal and was also called from a blocked number. I think some business owners need to understand why Unilocal was created– not only to review the business and share the expierience, but because not everyone is comfortable discussing their frustrations and concerns (especially about money/​billing) in person (or a rude receptionist), at an office, with other people you don’t know.

Dr. Gordon boasts nice facilities overlooking Millennium Park but, apparently, the only way to finance those digs is to pass along the cost to the customer. For 3 years, I wound up paying $ 150 for each 6 month regular cleaning despite having Delta Dental insurance. I could see my old family dentist in the suburbs for $ 90 per cleaning WITHOUT insurance.
Dr. Gordon also applies consistent pressure to have unnecessary work done. I’ve never had a cavity in my 30 years (having visited the dentist regularly throughout my life) yet, upon seeing Dr. Gordon, he recommends 6 – 8 fillings, 2 of which I almost went ahead with. There was no pain and no exterior openings to said internal cavities yet he insisted on having the work done or risk future root canals. Fortunately, I received a second opinion from a dentist who said only the most aggressive dentists (1 in 10) would pursue that course.
Kyle (sp?), one of Dr. Gordon’s oral hygienists, is the only reason I kept coming back, but even she couldn’t ameliorate the filling episode.

Dr. Gordon’s business philosophy seems to be about billing for the most expensive services without consulting or informing the patient that x, y, z, and additional special services not covered by insurance, or even verifying if they were covered by insurance. But, we were never informed that there were even any other options available.
Our «Cleaning» (which we were under the impression was a standard practice 6 month check-​up cleaning) was instead filed under «periodontal scaling and root planning — four or more teeth per quadrant» = $ 90. There was also a liquid that the Dental Assistant squirted onto our teeth after the cleaning that was explained would disinfect the mouth «localized delivery of antimicrobial agents via a controlled release vehicle to diseased crevicular tissue, per tooth, by report» = $ 60. I Paid over $ 150 for what was suppose to be an average 6 month check-​up and cleaning. When i called my insurance company they told me that an average cleaning should only cost me $ 30. I was blown away.
It should also be noted that I asked Dr. Gordon’s office to send me an itemized report of ALL of our procedures done in their office (they didn’t know that i already has past receipts to compare them to). I compared the past receipts and the «new» receipts and they were riddle with changes and tampering. After they talked with our insurance company and found out what they could and couldn’t charge us they tampered with the charges and changed them to benefit the office. The only thing that comes to my mind is fraud.
I have since filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau AND with our Insurance company.

Let me start off by saying the staff is very friendly and professional.
My issue:
I like to go to the dentist and not mention the fact that my mom is a hygientist and her office’s dentist is a family friend who is good at giving straight information.
I went to Dr. Gordon’s office. They have an initial consultation (free of charge) where they examine your mouth to determine the level of care required. The staff was very professional. The prescribed recommended treatment was not. I take pretty good care of my teeth and during the visit the doctor found 2 cavities (my first cavities). The cavities probably should be filled. He also recommended a full periodontal scaling which is not necessary for someone with mostly 2 – 3 depth pockets with some 4 depth pockets. The estimated cost of the work was going to be in excess fo $ 2,500. No thanks! The pricing is outrageous and the treatment is not necessary (this is not my opinion but the opinion of my dentist back home).
So if you’re planning on visiting this office be careful that you aren’t getting price-​gouged or undergoing unnecessary procedures. A second opinion never hurts.

Despite having moved to the northern suburbs eight or nine years ago, I still make the haul downtown to see Dr. Gordon. With Sherry’s cheerful demeanor at the front desk, Patty and Kyle’s attentive, thorough cleanings, and the amount of time Dr. Gordon gives each of his patients and their concerns, I’m happy that this has been the office taking care of my teeth for most of my life.
Most of all, I have a strong appreciation of Dr. Gordon’s embrace of new technologies. Dedicated to being as minimally invasive as possible in his procedures, Dr. Gordon always is on top of new techniques to make his patients more comfortable and enhance their smiles.
Add in the beautiful new décor and one of the most amazing views in the city of the lakefront, parts of the skyline, and Millennium Park, and you have a truly winning experience.

I love Dr. Gordon and his staff. Very welcoming and put my anxieties at ease. Like many of us, I hate, hate, HATE dentists. A necessary evil in my humble opinion. But this office has helped sway me a little.
They actually stay by your side for nearly the entire appointment. No «let me give you a shot of Novocaine and disappear for twelve hours while you wait for it to work…» Nope– Patty and/​or Dr. Gordon stay right there with you. It’s so nice for someone like me who gets so anxious about medicine– even when I take Tylenol! They are very attentive and put your comfort first. Dr. G is also super fast, but thorough (he has done a filling in under 30 minutes for me!).
The receptionist, Sherry, is great and very careful to explain everything you need to know re: cost, apptmt possibilities, etc. AND, she learns your name and remembers it!
Overall, best dentist EVER!