Wicker Park Orthodontics

One of the worst experiences I have ever had. I went here back when I was a freshman in college in order to transfer my orthodontic care from my home state to here in Chicago where I was attending school. When I went in they kept asking me why I didn’t go back to my old dentist to finish my treatment and I kept telling them he was 1800 miles away. (That should have been the first warning.) So then the orthodontist examined my teeth and he said I didn’t need braces and they needed to be removed. So I set a date and went back for the removal. A technician removed them and it took her about 10 minutes. Then she sprayed my mouth with a fluid and when I went to go rinse my teeth, I looked in the mirror and was shocked. I still had gaps in my mouth and my alignment was still really off. When I walked back over to the technician she started talking really fast and asking if I wanted to have my braces done there. I told her that I would go somewhere else because I was disappointed. When I went to pay I handed them my credit card and they charged me $ 600!!! It was double what I was originally told on the phone and they said that it was because of the appliance. All she did was cut my wire and remove my brackets. It only took 10 minutes if that! This is a HORRIBLE place and I don’t suggest anyone go here. They are unprofessional and have no idea what they are doing!

As an adult, getting braces is a big decision and I’ve been really happy with Wicker Park Ortho thus far. The staff has been really accommodating with my busy schedule and Dr. Wine is the best. I only have a few more months of braces left (yay!), but I have nothing but good things to say about them. My teeth already look amazing — I’m so glad I made the decision to straighten them!

Yikes. This entire place is a disaster. I seem to remember a lot more negative reviews for the business a few weeks ago… that seems a bit shady, no?
When I had my braces removed about a decade ago, I had a permanent retainer put in on my bottom teeth so I didn’t have to deal with one every day. In this entire 10 years, I never thought it would break, so when that finally happened I didn’t know where to turn. My orthodontist retired 7 years ago, so I was pretty much on my own to find one in Chicago.
Wicker Park Orthodontics is a preferred BCBS IL provider, so I figured I’d give it a try, despite some negative reviews here on Unilocal.This entire place was a waste of time, beginning to end. Getting an appointment was very difficult, especially in an emergency situation (my retainer was falling off and poking my gums — ouch). The person on the phone who helped me seemed to not know anything about the appointment system or when doctors were available to see patients. She also didn’t know about insurance and told me I’d have to ask when I came in. Fine.
I arrive for my appointment and the entire waiting room is PACKED. There’s not even one seat available for me to sit in. I arrived early in hopes to just be seen early and get the entire consultation over with, so that’s my fault. The entire desk staff was totally rude. Two different receptionists asked me if I ‘needed help’ and did nothing when I replied. What is that? They told me that I’d have to come back at my scheduled time, so I took paperwork with me and left. Three minutes after I walked out and got in my car (seriously), I got a call from a receptionist telling me that I can’t come back — they need to reschedule. What? «The doctor in the office today only sees children» was the exact response I received. You asked for my birth date when I called. You knew which doctor was working the day I was scheduled — what kind of unprofessional oversight is this?
At my real appointment, every person in the office but the doctor was totally curt and unpleasant. I feel like part of my poor treatment came from the fact that I’m an adult with orthodontic needs, not a 13-​year-​old (I know, totally weird). After a somewhat pleasant conversation with the doctor, I realized they don’t give preferred provider discounts for BCBS customers (which a lot of other orthos do) and they charge more than other orthos in the area.
I attempted to cancel my follow-​up appointment and waited on the phone for 29 minutes listening to this message: «Please hold, your call is important to us. Someone will be with you shortly.» Really? I’m sure my call is really important to you… so important, no one works the front desk in your office to service customers.
Bottom line: don’t go here. Their office is modern, fancy and flashy and that’s about all it is: a fancy exterior covering up their horrible, unprofessional orthodontic practice. The staff is impersonal, rude and generally ignorant of their own services, prices and payment plans. Not worth your time at all.