Dr. K and her team are the best! I have sensitive gums and she numbs my gums before the cleaning with a topical anesthetic. It makes it much less painful! The entire staff does so many little things to make sure you are comfortable. I also take my 7 yr old son there and he it totally happy to get his teeth cleaned. One detail that I love about Dr. K is that she always speaks kindly and respectfully to her staff. I HATE going to see a doctor and they talk down to their nurses or are just short with them. Its so degrading! I noticed right away she always speaks with patience to her staff while training them and there is little to no turn over that I've noticed going there for over a year. My husband's previous dentist stopped taking his insurance so we had to change and were lucky to find Affinity. He is the one who should really be writing this post. He is thrilled with the care Dr. K has provided. His previous dentist did nothing when a filling leaked and changed the color of one of his teeth. He needed his crowns replaced. He had multiple cavities despite getting regular cleanings. Dr. K did excellent work and actually changed my husbands smile! She repaired two teeth that were bonded and discolored. She matched the color of the repaired work to his other teeth and he is so much happier with his smile. He was always slightly insecure about the discoloration yet his previous dentist did nothing when my husband brought it up. Also, my husband secretly feared going to the dentist but now he has no problem with it b/c there is no pain with Dr. K! He says she is the best dentist he has ever seen! read more

Dr. Kochikaran and the staff at Affinity Smiles are fantastic!!! I have always been scared to go to the dentist and after not having been to the dentist in 2 years, I came to Affinity Smiles and since then I have never been afraid of coming to the dentist anymore. Dr. Kochikarin is very knowledgeable and very caring to your needs. She explains everything that she is doing and goes over your dental plan. Every visit has been great; the staff at Affinity Smiles are very gentile and friendly. I have some work to be done to my teeth so when I come in sometimes I do not have child care and I bring in my 3 year old daughter with me and they are so nice and sweet to her. They even put on Netflix for her to see while I am in the chair getting my cleaning or my crowns put in. They are always welcoming. I highly recommend Dr. Kockikaran, she is very sweet and does the very best to take care of your teeth. I plan on having her as my dentist for as long as I can. I even have her as my daughters dentist because thats how good her and her staff her. If you are looking for a great dentist and a superb staff I would highly recommend Affinity Smiles; I am no longer afraid to go to the dentist since I have found this practice, Thank you Dr. Kochikaran and thank you to your staff, see you in October!!! read more

Dr. Kachikaran is 100% the dentist you want. Dr. K is the best dentist I've had in forty years. Affinity Smiles is an outstanding practice that I recommend without reservation. The atmosphere is pleasant and collegial. The office staff are knowledgeable and helpful on the phone and in person, and the technicians and assistants are skilled. Dr. K is personable, focused, professional, and a great dentist. She is intent on putting her patients at ease and doing quality work, regardless of how long it takes. It shows in the results. Bonus: I barely feel it when she gives shots. Dr. K spends the entire appointment addressing your needs and zero time trying to sell you services you "might need." She also has solid, curated referral information to other providers (e.g., orthodontists, oral surgeons), if needed. It is abundantly clear how much Dr. K cares about her work and her patients. Other dentists I've had in the Chicago area pale in comparison to Dr. K. Additionally, Affinity Smiles is easy to find, is conveniently located, and has a huge free parking lot. It's everything you want and more. read more

I have been to dentists in several cities here in this country and several others in many parts of the world. I am generally terrified to go to a dental clinic. When I moved to Evanston, I found Affinity Smiles. There, I met Dr. Joann K. for the first time. I was very impressed with her on my first visit. She spent some time with me and developed an overall and comprehensive dental plan for my individual needs and I have been going there since I moved here. Dr. Joann K. is always very friendly, kind and helpful with all treatments I have had done there. This is so important to me for my dentist to be patient and concerned about my health to make those tough visits, a bit more pleasurable. Dr. Joann K. explains every step of the treatment and follows up with me after the visit to find out how I am doing. During the past three years, each visit provided me with a great, friendly and smooth experience. There is no other dentist I would go to. I highly recommend Dr. Joann K. for all dental needs. In summary, Dr. Joann K. is excellent and my favorite dentist. read more

While most of us don't consider going to the dentist one of our favorite things to do, Dr. Kochikaran and her staff always manage to relieve the apprehension and anxiety that go hand in hand with a dental appointment. Starting with the cheerful Caribbean hold music when you call the office for an appointment, to the bright, modern, and calming decor of the office, to the welcoming smiles from the front desk (they always great me by my name when I walk through the door), Dr. Kochikaran and her staff do everything to make the visit a pleasant and painless one. Everyone is professional, friendly, knowledgeable, and gentle. If you are searching for a new dentist, I highly recommend Dr. Kochikaran and her team. I live fairly close to the office, but even if I were to move further away, I would continue going to Affinity Smiles because a team like Dr. Kochikaran and her hygienists are hard to come by. Thank you for all you do to keep our mouths healthy and keep us smiling! :) read more

To be honest, I am truly cautious if not apprehensive with respect to my dental care. I moved to Evanston from New York approximately twelve years ago and to be candid, whenever I needed dental care, I returned to New York in order to be treated by a Dentist whom I trusted and in whom I had confidence. Through a friend, however, I was introduced to Dr. Kochikaran and it has made all of the difference. She is expert and professional with the practice of dentistry, ensures that my feelings are paramount and is always communicative and sympathetic. I no longer need to travel back to New York for expert dental care. I have it right here! I also want to sing the praises of her staff including Danni, Denise and James. They are a team, to say the least. They are truly considerate, professional and courteous. In the hands of Dr. K. and her outstanding staff, I have always felt special during my appointments. I am so fortunate to have become one of their patients! read more

Both my husband and I have been going to see Dr. Kochikaran at Affinity Smiles for a couple years now. We love everything about the place; the personalized attention, modern and clean office and rooms, front desk staff, hygienest and Dr. K! Today, I took my four year old son to go see Dr. Kochikaran and we couldn't be happier with our experience. Both Dr. K and her staff are amazing with kids, from the moment you walk in, to the cleaning experience and then after, my little guy walked out beaming. The front desk staff, George and Denise, are always helpful and full of energy. The hygienist was so wonderful as she explained what every instrument was for and had him participate in his own cleaning. Dr. Kochikaran also has a way with kids using both humor and kindness to win the little guys' hearts! I highly recommend Affinity Smiles for all of your family's dental needs, you won't get much better than this place! Thank you Dr. K and staff!!!! read more

When I have an appointment with Dr. Kochikarin I feel like I am at the spa! It is a relaxing experience. She explains every step of the process and is so calm and clear. I'm in my fifties, so I've had a lot of dental work - implant, crowns, fillings, bonding, cracked teeth - so I know a good dentist. Affinity Smiles is the best of the best. My new crown looks and feels great! If you're looking for a G R E A T dental experience, I highly recommend you consider this office. Reading through past reviews I see a lot of mention of dentists who are not at this practice and are getting low stars. They have been attributed to the wrong office. Also, it's a low-ball review if you complain about price or lack of insurance coverage. The health care provider you see for any procedure did not select your insurance plan - that was YOU and your employer's decision. I'm a self-pay patient and found the prices here to be reasonable and customary. read more

Dr. Kochikaran and her team made me feel so comfortable when I started visiting their practice after almost 20 years at the same dentist in another state. After my original consultation, I needed some additional dental work and Dr. Kochikaran made it quick, painless and kept me informed. The office worked with my insurance to give me very reasonable estimates for the work I needed, which was a huge help. The practice is spotlessly clean, modern and open so I didn't feel claustrophobic or nervous. They even have Netflix or iHeartRadio with headphones for you to enjoy during the visit - I honestly felt like a VIP and it really put me at ease. I know I'm in capable hands here and I'm looking forward to my next visit! I'm based in Evanston but making the trip to Skokie is 1000% worth it. You are making the right decision by coming here - Thanks, Dr. Kochikaran! read more

I did some extensive research of the in network dentists with my insurance and luckily once I picked Affinity Smiles I knew someone who knew Dr. K and highly recommended her and her practice so that made it a bit easier to make the appointment (lots of anxiety). I have a LONG road ahead. A lot of work needs to be redone due to previous dental work done wrong and also just genetically bad teeth, and now my super bad anxiety about going to the dentist because of the previous experiences I've had. Dr. K and her assistant Kaitu (sorry if misspelled) were awesome. Super nice, reassuring. Im only at the beginning but so far the temp crown I got last week looks better than the other permanent ones previous dentists did haha so I'm feeling positive. I love Dr. K and the staff! HIghly recommend them! read more

I love this place!!! From the minute you walk in, you feel welcome. The front desk staff, James and Denise, are SO warm and inviting . They are fun to talk to, and make waiting for your appointment fun . They are knowledgeable about payments and knowing what will and won't be covered by my insurance. As for Dr. Kochikaran, I LOVE her. I have been a patient of her's for many years and will never see anyone else. For many people, going to the dentist can be a scary thing, but with her, I always feel comfortable and actually enjoy being there. She always let's you know what she is going to be doing so that there aren't any surprises and I always feel as ease in her hands. I highly recommend coming here for your dental needs. You will be happy you did ! read more

We found Dr. Kochikaran through a recommendation of a friend, who has a real fear of going to a dentist for any reason, and couldn't say enough good things about Dr. K. and the staff at Affinity Smiles. I couldn't agree more. I had a cleaning after two years of not going to a dentist because of COVID and the hygienist was kind, non-judgmental, and gentle in removing the plaque build-up on my teeth. I returned a short while later for a crown and I love Dr. K! She explains everything so well, is quick to get in and do the job to provide you with the least discomfort. She is so caring to all her patients, giving them the attention they need without feeling rushed. I highly recommend Affinity Smiles if you want to enjoy your trip to the dentist! read more

If you need a great dentist, see Dr. Kochikaran at Affinity Smiles. She is an AMAZING dentist with a great staff - I followed her from her old practice. She explained what would happen at each step, gave me options to make me comfortable and was incredibly gentle in my mouth despite having to remove a broken filling as prep for placing a crown. You can imagine I arrived in a little pain, was extra nervous and very worried as I am "allergic" to pain. LOL! I fell asleep. I say it again, I fell asleep. Not from anesthesia mind you, I was so comfortable I dozed off during my procedure. What a great experience. I felt taken care of and well cared for. If you want a FANTASTIC dentist, Dr. Kochikaran should be your first call (847 227 8192). read more

I highly recommend Dr. Kochikaran and her amazing staff to anyone who is afraid to go to the dentist. I had cracked a tooth on a Saturday and she was able to see me on Monday morning. I told her right away that in the past I had troubles with Novocain not always working for me and that I had a fear of seeing the dentist because of it. She put my mind at ease, and am thrilled to say that it was my first time in the dentist chair that I did not feel anything. I also wanted to add that the office is immaculately clean and modern. It is great to be able to put on headphones and watch TV while I had the work done. It really helped to pass the time. I am happy to say that I finally found a great dentist for me and my family. read more

These other reviews are glowing, and they're right to be. I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Kochikaran (and her staff). She has been my dentist for ten years, during which time I've gone to her for routine visits as well as for large emergencies. In every case, whatever the problem, she's been fantastic. I have a very low threshold for pain, but even so, she's spared me any and all pain. At the same time, her work has been excellent. From fillings to implants, I have been 100% satisfied. Before I went to her, I'd seen dozens of dentists in different cities over many years. None of them come close to her in skill, professionalism, and congeniality. You'll not find better. She's a great dentist. read more

Dr. K has been the dentist for myself and my wife for the past 15 years, and we have found her to be most professional in her treating of us combined with a very positive, pleasant disposition. Her emphasis on patient care is paramount, always making sure that everything is comfortable, and accommodating to the patient's requirements with a calming influence inspiring confidence. I am from another country and have had experience of questionable practices, so when we discovered Dr. K we were both ecstatic, hence the longevity of our association. Also, the staff at Affinity Smiles are very professional, helpful and, again, very pleasant, instilling a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. - Mark Mc. ( Chicago). read more

Dr. Joann Kochikaran has been my dentist for about 7 1/2 years. She is precise, charming, cool, fun, and an artist and a scientist in her work. She has helped me by giving me a discount when she can, even though I have insurance. Her staff is terrific...James sent me an email this morning giving me possible times for appointments as he didn't want to disturb me in meetings. I phoned for an emergency appointment and Dr. K. answered the phone as she saw my name on caller id! I've always been pain-free in Dr. K's chair. Free parking....corner of W. Touhy and Central Ave. in Skokie....easy to find office building...elevator to the third floor. She's very efficient and she listens! Susan H. read more

Having had a mouthful of problems since childhood, I had accumulated a lot dental anxiety. Ever since I found Dr. Kochikoran (aka Dr. K) at Affinity Smiles, I have been able to undo a lot of those worrisome feelings. I feel safe, secure, and at ease knowing I am in the hands of an expert and a kind and nuturing person. The office is beautiful with so many windows alllowing natural light to enter all the rooms. She even gives you the option to unwind with a movie and/or music, headphones, protective eye glasses....overall, she and the other helpful staff go out of their way to make the dental experience as comfortable and stress-free as possible. I highly recommend Affinity Smiles!!! read more

I'm so happy to have found Dr. K and the entire Affinity Smiles team! My husband and I had to find a new dentist due to changes with our insurance we lucked out with this amazing practice. From the moment you call to schedule your first appointment they are welcoming and informative. Dr. K is knowledgeable, gentle, calming, trustworthy, and quick. Her staff is instantly likable and it feels good to know that there is a team taking care of you. This practice provides quality work at extremely fair prices (even when you do have to pay out of pocket for some expenses that insurance won't cover.) They make the dreaded visit to the dentist a painless and pleasant experience. read more