Williamsburg Smile Design

Got a groupon and the cleaning was great. (Hence the two stars). It was my first time there and I’m always cautions about new dentists. After the x-​rays I was told by the dentist that I had 6 cavities to be filled. I said ok thank you and then I returned to my previous dentist when I visited my parents and I got x-​rays and an exam just to make sure. Guess what. No cavities. None. I just have naturally deep groves in my teeth that get stained easily. Just be careful, it’s a nice office and they need to pay their rent…

Do not go here. Find another dentist. If you were having second thoughts or perhaps you wanted to just get an idea of what others thought… let me assure you, YOU SHOULD find another dental office.
Williamsburg Smile Design will royally screw you when billing time comes. They have super fancy offices, so I suppose they are trying to recoup on costs for that?
Sat down with a hygienist who tried to shame me into getting pricier work done. She also pulled out a few scare tactics like «I just don’t want to have to tell you one day that we will have to cut your gums open»…My choppers don’t have that celebrity sparkle, but I know for a fact that i’m not on the brink of periodontal disease. Also, you will never have to tell me that one day because i’m not coming back.
I had a VERY basic ²⁰⁄₃₀ minute cleaning (which normally runs between $ 60 — $ 100) but they billed my insurance for a scaling/​root planning– which costed $ 225. If you aren’t familiar — that means I was billed for a DEEP CLEANING; which normally takes 1 – 2 hours over the course of 2 separate visits.
Additionally, I was billed $ 225 for a «Comprehensive Oral Evaluation” — a procedure that normally prices in the range of $ 60. I had my x-​rays sent over from my previous dentist because they were done only 2 months prior, the hygienist reviewed them but never checked for oral cancer and never examined my neck and jaw for abnormalities– just continued to tell me how much work I needed while she performed the VERY basic cleaning.
I did not have x-​rays done AND I didn’t have a complete «comprehensive oral evaluation”– but was billed $ 225?
Also– exams AND cleanings are the same price, ehh? Really feels like a scam and i’m feeling like an idiot for not doing more research on them before making an appointment. Don’t make the same mistake I did.
Unless, of course… you have a shit ton of money to spend out of pocket for subpar dental care? Even if you have insurance, they will code procedures accordingly to not only squeeze your provider for bucks but you as well. Be careful, even if your insurance covers 100%– it could jack up your premiums and/​or max out your plan.

I enjoy coming to Williamsburg smile. It has a nice, open energy and the staff is polite.
I came in suddenly (zocdoc)for 2 wisdom teeth to be pulled ASAP. I came back the following week to have them pulled and Ian was very efficient and nice. If I had a stop watch he had them both pulled within 20 mins.
I just recently had my cleaning done and she was so very kind and personable. I was pleased.
The only downside I saw was wanting to give me a X-​ray for 1 last wisdom tooth I have. I declined until after my travels and I felt I was being pressed about it.
All in all, I would recommended Smile. My experience as a client is that it is up to par.

SCAM! They are a rip off and try to charge you unnecessary amounts of money for nothing!
I went to Williamsburg Smile Design for a cleaning. They took x-​rays of my teeth and told me I had 2 cavities that were in between my teeth. When they showed me the x-​rays, I honestly couldn’t even see the cavities. Then they told me I would have to pay them $ 360 per tooth to fill the cavities, equaling $ 1440.
I took the x-​rays to my regular doctor in PA who said that the cavities were so small that it would do more harm than good to fill them.
Thank god I showed the x-​rays to my other doctor. I will never go back.

I contacted this office to make an apt and check my insurance.
The receptionist was very polite on the phone and quickly took down my information.
She assured me she would call me back.
She did not.
They next day I called again, and she apologized but she had not gotten around to it yet.
I offered to call my insurance myself to try and be helpful, it only takes a few minutes really, but she declined and promised to call this time.
Three days passed and no word.
I took the liberty of making my own appointment on ZocDoc.
I show up for my 4pm apt, confirmed via email that same morning.
I WAS TURNED AWAY FROM MY APT!!!
Reason being… they had a 3pm patient who was running late so they put them into my slot.
Ummmm…WHAT?
I asked to speak to the office manager, who in turn provided a completely different explanation of why I was bumped off the schedule. She stated that ZocDoc sent an automatic confirmation & the service does not account for the type of appointment booked, ie. cleaning vs. full consult, xrays, etc. They decidedly cancelled my apt, on their own accord without my approval, because they were not sure what I needed done???
This is a highly unprofessional way to run a practice. This is NYC, we are all important, we are all busy, and we all want things done yesterday. I took the time out of my day to go to the dentist and was utterly refused at the door. WOW!
Lastly, I got an alert from ZocDoc to my phone with a penalty for «MISSING MY APT»
I called ZocDoc to explain and they notified me that the office reported me as a «NO SHOW»
How sneaky and dishonest! That is a flat out lie.
You can apologize if employee is busy, and you can motivate them if they are lazy, but you can not unlearn dishonesty. A liar is a liar.
I can not speak for the skills of the dentist, but if his office staff is a reflection of him…
VERY POOR
What a waste of time!

I had a wonderful experience with Dr. Mapes. I visited this office because I was experiencing tooth pain. Not only were they able to see me within an hour of my call, they were able to extract my wisdom tooth in 5 minutes! I was in and out in about 30 minutes. It was great. I was clearly nervous about having my tooth pulled unexpectedly, but Dr. Mapes was very calming and made me feel at ease. I just went back for my one-​week follow-​up appointment this morning and, again, was in and out super quickly (~5 minutes). Everything looked good and they sent me on my way. Great place. You even get to watch Netflix while you wait :)

I went there for a cleaning only. The hygienist is quite rough, but she did a good job. The dentist was also nice enough, but they are there to SELL you. I’m 32 years old, and no one ever has suggested I might need braces. Yes, my teeth are not perfect, but it’s not a huge issue if I keep up with cleanings, and I do. However she insisted I need invisalign. Um, no.
I have a basic cavity I need filled, but it’s not pressing. I asked how much they charge, and they said it was $ 350. What? That’s crazy. I know their rent is high, but there are other dentists in the same neighborhood that charge much less.
If you get one of the cheap groupon deals for a cleaning, why not. But I wouldn’t even consider making this place my regular dentist. I’ll be going back to iSmile a few blocks away– which I also found through a groupon.

Dr. O’Connor is fantastic. She is super sweet and made me feel really at ease and comfortable. It had been quite a while since I had been to a dentist and I have some major dentist anxiety but this place made me feel great.
The office is nice and modern, feels clean, everyone has been in a great mood every time I’ve been. There’s a TV in each station so you can watch Netflix while they work on you.
Definitely reccomend!

Friendly professional staff! The office was really cool, prob the most chill environment you could expect considering its a dentist office. Also they really cater to the patients. Would definitely recommend.

Dr Lin, — a professional dentist gave me, who is a dentist fanatic, a great cleaning! He also listened to my needs addressed them appropriately, tools were clean, office nice, staff pleasant. Would recommend. Tip– can negotiate a bit if you are on a budget. It really helped! :)

Good appointment, first of all with a nice hygienist who was really nice but upfront and honest at how much work I might need. I also appreciated her showing me the correct way to be flossing and brushing to help some of the gum problems I have. Follow up with the dentist was good also — I appreciated her honesty.
Why only 3 stars? Total lack of follow-​up since the appointment about some of the things we touched upon — noone has been in touch since the appointment, which was over two weeks ago. Also, they ask for your SSN in their registration forms which I really don’t like — they don’t need it for billing purposes anymore, especially if you have all your insurance details. I declined to provide mine which was no issue for them, but why ask in the first place?
Would I recommend WSD? Sure, I guess, but the negative points would stop me from giving a glowing recommendation.

Nice, friendly office and staff.
I saw Dr. O’Connor who also did my cleaning and x-​rays. The cleaning was done primarily with a waterpic-​like tool, and then a little additional cleaning was done with a standard metal pick tool, then the teeth were «polished» with the paste application tool.
Dr. O’Connor was nice but I have had much more thorough cleanings done by hygienists at ProDent, Dr. Zipkowitz, and Rosenthal Apa. Usually at these other dentist offices, the hygienist does the cleaning and then the dentist reviews after. I found that they are much more thorough with removing plaque and also they always floss at the end. There is also often an evaluation of gum recession on every tooth done at the other dentists.
Overall it was decent but I prefer a more thorough cleaning.
Finally, note: no cancellations allowed if you buy the living social deal.

By far the best dental experience I’ve ever had. Dr. O’Connor and AnaLynn made my Christmas Eve appointment more painless than actually having to deal with my family.
By far the best team in Williamsburg.

I came to Williamsburg Smile and Design because of a Groupon I got. The office was very nice, that was the first thing I noticed. It was very modern and clean. The staff was great, very friendly and helpful. The Groupon covered everything and I had no issues.
My dental hygenist who administered the cleaning, Bianca was great. She did an excellent job and made me feel super comfortable right away. She was telling me stories and had me laughing, how great is that? She was very professional and the procedure was uncomplicated and fast.
The doctor checked Bianca’s work, told me about my teeth, answered any questions I had and was very helpful and thorough. She didn’t try to sell me anything, she gave me suggestions for what I could do for my teeth that fits my lifestyle. All in all a great experience. I will definitely return,

I’m a bit surprised by some of the reviews on here because I’ve never had an issue with any of the dentists who have seen me at this practice.
I still consider Dr. Mapes as my primary dentist but if the scheduling doesn’t work out, I see whoever is available. I came to this office after a horrid experience with a dentist in Astoria who botched a crown up so badly, I wound up having gum surgery by a professor at NYU’s faculty practice to the tune of about $ 2500
Luckily, I’ve never had that kind of experience at Williamsburg Smile Design. I just had a crown put on a few days ago and so far, so good.
For comparison, I also happened to see another dentist over the summer for a TMJ and sleep apnea consultation who has 40 years of dental experience. He agreed the crown was the right course of action and confirmed that overall, my mouth is healthy and happy. If 40 years of dental experience says I’m in good hands, then I’ll trust it!
I hate going to the dentist in general because I’ve had some really bad ones but this place isn’t one of them!

Just had my first visit for a cleaning and emergency exam with Williamsburg Smile Design — and I am thrilled to have found a new practice for my family! After a few bad visits to Williamsburg Dental Arts, I procrastinated with dental check-​ups and cleanings for a whole year until I found myself in trouble with a toothache.
I was a little concerned by the negative Unilocal reviews, but I realized that most of them weren’t about the dental work, but the «marketing» and standard practice of «payment for services rendered» at all dentist offices.
The office manager gave me an appt for the same week — and was so kind and understanding that I already felt great about trying a new practice. I am terrified of dental work and cleanings, but the hygienist, Bianca, was absolutely amazing. She made me feel at ease and gave me the best cleaning I’ve ever had (even after a year of delinquency). Dr. O’Connor saw me within 10 minutes of my cleaning — and reviewed my x-​rays with me to discuss things to watch. Luckily, I didn’t need emergency work, but it was definitely a wake-​up call to keep up with regular and consistent care!
The office is in such a great location — with a lovely and calming atmosphere. There’s LCD screens with NetFlix in all the rooms, including the waiting room (not that I waited that long). Love the front office staff, too! I am so happy and privileged to join the Williamsburg Smile Design family.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS
Fuck these people. Went in for a checkup as a new patient and they informed me that I had 3 cavities. I had never had cavities before in my life but I figured that eventually it must happen to everyone. Had all of them filled in one session that was incredibly painful and left my mouth numb with novocaine to the point that I couldn’t speak to anyone for a full 24 hours. Not to mention it cost me about $ 1000 total.
Months later I went in for another checkup and they said I had 2 more cavities. I found this really weird considering my dental history so I went to another dentist for a second opinion. Not only did the other dentist inform me that I didn’t have 2 new cavities at all, but they also told me that the 3 that I had filled previously DID NOT NEED TO BE FILLED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
This confirmed my suspicion that Williamsburg Smile Design will do anything to get money out of their customers. I should be suing for malpractice, but I’d rather save my time and inform anyone thinking about using them to stay far far away. Also, I’ve told them multiple times that I have a new dentist but I still receive text messages and emails «reminding» me that its time for another appointment.

Have to update my first review to warn others that these people are sharks!
This business epitomizes everything that is going wrong now in Williamsburg: 100% focus on the $$$ and very little on actual human beings.
WARNING: do NOT give them your credit card details (if you even bother to go here to begin with). I canceled my appointment and was charged $ 100, WITHOUT anyone ever informing me about the charge. Best part of it was that it was supposed to be my second appointment here, part of my Groupon = ALREADY paid for. I contacted them, to get an explanation and they told me that their policy is to charge $ 100 you if you cancel an appointment, as a courtesy to other customers who may have missed the appointment because of this. Uhhhhhhm??? I ALREADY PAID for it, what is that supposed to mean? It’s as if Amazon charged you extra, because you didn’t pick up your parcel when it got delivered, and other customers may have missed a shipping spot because of you. What the hell, you purchased the thing in advance, if you don’t want to pick it up, it’s your problem. Why an extra charge?
Well, only sad not to be able to return here anymore, as it was convenient for where i live/​work. So don’t be fooled by their neat appearance, this place is all shine and no substance.

Used their groupon offer for teeth cleaning and check up. I told them I just got my braces taken off. Not only both the doctor and the teeth hygienist were rude, saying my dental work wasn’t that good and my teeth are not perfect, which was extremely unethical and immoral. They told me I have 12 (twelve) cavities, plus needed a crown put in. Knowing I didn’t have an insurance and paid cash they probably assumed I would just pay them almost 10K they quoted me. Thank God I didn’t. A week later my regular dentist told me I have ONE starting cavity that needs attention and I have nothing major to worry about and during my orthodontist check-​up ANOTHER dentist told me, I don’t have all those cavities. So they clearly lied.
Shame on you, smile design. I will never be back and I will tell all my friends and clients to stay away from your shady facility.

A follow up from my review last year: My experience was almost a full year ago.
I wrote about headaches and grinding in my sleep as a result of Dr. Mapes’ aggressive and unimformed removal of deep metal fillings when it was not necessary. Since then, the headaches have only gotten worse, and have progressed to extreme infection in my jaw bone and constant earaches. Apparently in his rush to finish my fillings speedily (half an hour to do three deep fillings) –bacteria was left inside the tooth. I am usually not a mean person –however, my unlucky venture based on positive Unilocal reviews has changed my life in ways I could never imagine. Chronic pain and discomfort –terrible headhaches. And… I am told now the only way to get to the infection is to pull the tooth. I will sit on that a little…
Please think twice. To this day, Dr. Mapes never apologized or contacted me with any care or concern. His ego is huge and he’s all veneer (no pun intended…) – behind the office with fancy coffee makers and lots of flat screens, the substance is quite thin.