My mother had a dental cleaning appointment with Dr. James Kwon at Brite Dental Care in Palatine. The appointment was scheduled for one hour, but we were asked to leave early because the doctor said another patient was waiting, even though our appointment time had not ended and the cleaning was not completed. My mother is over 80 years old, does not speak English, and has hearing impairment. I asked if I could stay in the treatment room to help translate, but the request was denied. For a patient with both a language barrier and hearing impairment, denying communication assistance made the situation very difficult. During the procedure my mother became confused because she could not understand what was happening and left the room to look for me. Shortly afterward we were asked to leave before the cleaning was finished. Being asked to leave before our appointment time was over, while another patient was waiting, was disappointing and stressful for my mother. We ultimately decided to seek care from another dentist. read more

Dr. Kwon is AWESOME!!!! I am so GREATFUL as he is knowledgeable and was able to resolve my 92 year old Mom's dental issue. Her denture was causing her pain for several weeks, therefore, she lost weight due to not able to chew solids. Dr. Kwon knew exactly what the problem was and explained that her gum has receded. He went to work immediately and spent time adjusting her denture until it fits her like a glove. You can't believe how happy my mother was as she no longer feels pain in her mouth. That night, she called with excitement because she was able to chew for the 1st time in weeks and had one of the best meals where she could chew with her back teeth. Dr. Kwon, Thanks for being a great dentist and fixing my mom's dental problem. You are a life saver as she can now enjoy her daily meals going forward! I also want to comment on the Brite Dental staffs and assistants. They were very friendly and personable. If you have a dental issue, I highly recommend Brite Dental Care as Dr. Kwon is the dentist that will troubleshoot and resolve the problem. read more

I'm surprised at some of these bad reviews here. I've been going to Dr Kwon for almost 20 yrs. And my kids went there when they were young until recently before they moved away. Dr Kwon is the most professional, respectful and knowledgeable dentist I've ever been to. He always takes the time to explain things thoroughly. And yes, of course he's going to be blunt to tell me I need to floss or brush more. But that's for my own good. And his staff throughout the years has always been professional, knowledgeable and personable. read more

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE - UNPROFESSIONAL AND DISRESPECTFUL DENTIST!!! If you are a woman - avoid this dentist at all cost! If you are a woman going through tough times - avoid this dentist at all cost! I recently visited "Brite Dental Care," and it was one of the worst encounters with a healthcare professional I ever had in my life. Dr. Kwon's rude and dismissive attitude persisted throughout all appointments. He barely gave me the chance to voice my concerns about the pain in my mouth, brushing off my complaints as if they were inconsequential. What was even more shocking was Dr, Kwon's tendency to make personal attacks during the examinations. Instead of focusing on my dental issues, he criticized my breathing and accused me of disliking him for no apparent reason. I felt hesitant to share my dental concerns due to his unprofessional behavior. What made matters even worse was the sense of entitlement he exuded. Despite being compensated for his services by my insurance, he acted as though he was doing me a favor by working on my teeth. As a professional, he should have been grateful for the opportunity to serve his patients, rather than treating them with disdain and a sense of superiority. However the mistreatment didn't stop with me; it extended to his own assistant as well. She seemed to be walking on eggshells, and it was evident that she was afraid of him. It seamed as he was trying to appear kinder towards her in my presence, but the underlying frustration and impatience he displayed were unmistakable. Witnessing this interaction only added to my discomfort during visits. Furthermore, throughout the entire appointment and every single time, Dr. Kwon seemed perpetually in a rush, as if my presence was merely an inconvenience to him. It was as if he didn't have the time to attend to my dental issues properly and couldn't wait to be done with me. I felt being treated as an afterthought, with lack of respect for my needs as a patient. What made matters even worse was the sense of entitlement he exuded. Despite being compensated for his services by my insurance, he acted as though he was doing me a favor by working on my teeth. As a professional, he should have been grateful for the opportunity to serve his patients, rather than treating them with disdain and a sense of superiority. The final straw came when I was handed a fine for a missed appointment. When I arrived to the next appointment I informed him that I was unable to pay the fine that day, and asked for the extension, expressing the need to address the urgent issue of misaligned teeth in my mouth, which hindered my ability to chew properly and caused persistent pain. Instead of showing some empathy or understanding, Dr. Kwon outright refused the service without the payment of the $40, and sent me back home without providing the dental care I so desperately needed. In conclusion, I strongly advise avoiding Dr. Kwon's practice at all costs. He is an unprofessional and callous dentist who does not care about his patients' well-being. I have already reported him to my insurance provider, Aetna, and I hope they take appropriate action against such unacceptable behavior. Despite Dr. Kwon's behavior, I must commend the staff at "Brite Dental Care" for their professionalism and kindness. I can't help but feel sympathy for them working under such an unpleasant and terrible boss. I hope they find a better workplace that appreciates their dedication and fosters a positive environment for patients. read more

Horrible doctor and dental license should be removed from this unprofessional unethical person - he treats his staff horribly he believe he knows more than anymore - he was filling a cavity and used local injected anesthesia but I still felt pain during the procedure so I let him know and he was "it is not possible you still feel pain, let me work, I will not be able to continue if you keep complaining" like WTH? I will make sure to report this man every were also he refused to provide me with my dental record and X-ray. read more

Dr Kwon is very thorough, thoughtful, and a personable dentist. I loved that he did my cleaning and does everything by himself. He is personable, knowledgeable, friendly. I feel very comfortable with him. He took very good and extraordinary care of my 88 y/o mother who had dementia and could not have been kinder with his care. He is conservative but very very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of his trade and with insurance. Let's be frank.... No one likes going to the dentist. That Dr.Kwon is a solo practitioner is what I like. He is a Northwestern graduate and I would highly recommend him as a dentist. The reviews are very harsh. He is amazing. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Dr Kwon. I have worked in the medical world for over for 40 years. Dr Kwon is thoughtful, conservative and personable but a bit reserved. You will not be disappointed with his care. read more

Been coming here for years. James Kwon DDS is world class dentist in my opinion. Several cleanings and procedures done at his office and NEVER ever have I had to go back for issues etc. He does it right the first time, always. His attention to detail is insane - never rushed. I am very thankful for how he treats me..Whenever I go to his office I feel like I'm visiting a friend not a dentist. Good people with amazing skills. I will keep coming here for good because I won't find anybody else that comes close. read more

Dr. Kwon is such a an amazing dentist. He is thoughtful and very knowledgeable. I am so lucky to have found him!

Still seeing Dr. Kwon after my original review from 2 years ago. Paula at the front desk is one of the kindest staff members I have ever had the pleasure of working with. She follows up if I have any questions with my insurance or scheduling via prompt phone calls. The office is still immaculate, modern, no outdated/old equipment here, and is a very nice environment for a visit that normal people dread. I also forgot to mention in my last review that my jaw gets SUPER sore very quickly and Dr. Kwon is always very patient with me, makes sure I am feeling OK/comfortable before he proceeds, and gives breaks despite having patients after me. I have never had to wait that long at my appointments so he is excellent at delegating his staff to prepare/clean up so he does not have his patients wait too long for him. You will not feel rushed nor will he shame you for any work you need in your mouth (I have had a dentist that made me feel shame for needing a root canal. Like, really?) Anyways, if you have anxiety - he is awesome at keeping you calm while still remaining professional and precise. I can't believe I wrote another review for my dentist :D read more

I had my second visit in two years for check up and cleaning. Once again Dr.Kwon and staff hit it out of the park ! I had two cavities filled and it was painless and efficient. Thanks and see you next year. read more

I didn't have the best set of teeth coming into the situation but this dentist did my fillings with sub par materials. I went to see him 3 or possibly 4 times and ALL the teeth he worked on crumbled within weeks-months of his "work". He also doesn't smooth out the tooth so it's rough and bumpy along with leaving material on the other teeth he didn't work on. And he will be VERY quick to tell you if he doesn't like to work with your kind. That being people on any type of Medicaid insurance even though his clinic says he accepts them and was actually the first dentist in my area my insurance recommended. Either he was trying to send me packing to another dentist (succeeded) or he's the worst dentist I've ever met. He probably won't listen to you about the level of pain you're in, I went in to get a filling but my gums were severely infected and hurt more then I'd like to remember.. when he went to try to numb me I told him as soon as that needle touched my gums that it hurt too much and he told me that I'm lying, stuck the needle in and tried to numb me.. I told him after he pulled the needle out that while he was administering the novocaine that it made my entire bottom gum burn with pain.. but that it BURNED. He shot me up several more times and even then could not work on me due to the infection causing so much pain. Eventually he gave up working on me because of the pain but kept telling my I'm over exaggerating. The next dentist I went to see saw the infection, gave my antibiotics, cleaned my gums well first and then did the necessary work. Also if you have Medicaid insurance, even though his clinic says they accept that insurance be prepared to be treated like a 2nd class citizen.. he'll be sure to let you know how much he hates working with people on those types of insurances.. but he doesn't mind collecting the checks from them! read more

why would you make appointments when you turn away someone who has health issues? my family has some appointments there too and will cancel, rude receptionist, rude doctor!!! read more

YOU MUST MUST visit this office and be seen by Dr. Kwon! best dentist Evvvveeeeeeerrrrrrr! I had a terrible impacted wisdom tooth that was on top of an impacted molar and had been bothering for a while being that it was proving. I was examined by two different dentist and was referred out to an oral surgeon. But Dr. Kwon took it out in a jiffy. He talked to me through the whole process and let me know everything he was doing step by step . It popped right out, it took about 7 min.! He gave me great advise for taking care of it after the procedure. I had no swelling the next day and it fully healed in about 3 days! if you have impacted wisdom teeth and don't want to go to the oral surgeon check him out! He is great with kids! very patient! And he always likes to consult with his patients about everything he will be doing it helps relieve any stress or fright you might have :). HES AWESOME! read more

I chose Brite Dental mostly because of the positive reviews I read here. I also liked their simple website that allows you to see the openings on the schedule online, and the fact they open Saturdays. Yesterday I called by chance, and spoke to Dr. Kwon himself. He was able to fit me in today. I know that's probably not always going to be this easy, but I still appreciated the flexibility. The assistant is nice and courteous, the clinic is very clean and well equipped. Dr. Kwon explained everything in detail and did the cleaning himself. I was out of there in about a half hour. The cleaning was fast and for the most part, not painful. I'm very satisfied with this practice and recommend it. for anyone looking for a dentist. read more

I really like Dr. Kwon because I feel like him and his hygienist really genuinely care about me and my health. Also, I gave them my insurance info beforehand and his assistant was able to look it up before I got there and his assistant laid out what they're charging for services I was having and broke down what I'm expected to pay and what my insurance was going to cover. There were no gimmicks and tricks. He didn't try to sell me services I did not need. In fact, he's also so willing to help you out if your budget is tight. As for the care, he is very thorough with teeth cleanings! He's the first dentist who flossed my teeth for me. Perhaps that's a common procedure that my previous dentists just forgot about. I would recommend Dr. Kwon to anyone. read more

M I Brite? i guess in theory this could be a 5 star review, but really it's a dentist, it's kinda weird to say that this "is as good as it gets". due to a horrible (but not urgent) crisis i was in search of a new tooth wrangler. being close to my work and well regarded, i gave them a call and luckily they had a same day opening. after filling out the forms and a brief wait, i got me some x-rays, got consulted on for my problem which turned out to be stupidity on my part, then a cleaning. my teeth feel great and I can't wait to use them. Dr. Kwon was very nice and answered all my teeth related questions. He seems to be a soft spoken guy but I feel like if we hung out more, he'd open up (much like I did for him! haha!). As this will probably be my future dentist of choice, I guess we can work on that every 6 months or so. As I was leaving I thought to myself, "man I should really get a new toothbrush, and sample sized toothpaste and floss". Well Dr. Kwon must be a dentist AND a psychic because lo and behold, I got a party favor bag of exactly that! now that's service. My gripe is the same one I have for most doctor visits: the appointment never actually starts on time. i guess that's just how things are done in that world. if you need a dentist and are in the area, i would suggest you go here. NOTE the hours listed on Yelp are wrong, but I don't know the exact hours. they're open later than 2pm on mondays, and definitely closed Fri/Sun though. read more

I recently moved to this area from Chicago. Randomly found this place for my daughter and looked up the reviews. It was easy to get an appointment. I was so impressed with the cleanliness and bedside manner of Dr. Kwon that I recommended my boyfriend here as well (cleanliness is extremely important to him). He was in severe pain and his regular dentist wasn't able to fit him in as an emergency. I called the office at 5:30 on a Wednesday (they close at 6), and Dr. Kwon stayed open late to fit him in. That's what I call great customer service. Can't wait to schedule my cleaning and my daughter's follow up! read more

Dr Kwon is a great dentist! I have been going to him for 10 years and has always done great work! Very attentive and timely!

UPDATE: Still love this dentist office! Dr. Kwon does excellent work. I no longer live in Palatine but I still drive in from Crystal Lake. ****** From 2012: So far, so good! Just moved to the area, new dental insurance, and what happens? I chip a tooth. I found this practice through the reviews here, verified they were in my PPO network, and gave them a call. Everything else written here is true. I was squeezed in same day. I received detailed treatment plans with various options for different budgets. Everything was thoroughly explained to me both at the reception desk and in the dentist chair. Most importantly, Dr. Kwon seemed very competent and genuine. After a cleaning and an exam, I was able to schedule a longer visit for more work on the tooth just two days after the initial exam. I'm pretty sure they stretched their schedule to MAKE a time slot for me by working the timing out of my dental work and overlap it with a simpler cleaning going on at the same time. Good stuff! Time will tell once I get some more serious work done than just a cleaning, but this practice is well on its way to becoming my regular dentist here in Palatine! read more

I went today to get a filling for pain in my tooth and this dentist dropped his drill on my lip and cut it. From the beginning he made me feel not worthy since I have been on the state funded insurance. I had good insurance prior to the pandemic and now I'm on the state's insurance. Either way, today he took the cake by dropping the drill on my lip and tried to play down the cut. It is going to scar now and I will be reminded every time I look at it of Dr. Kwon and how crappy this whole dental experience has been for me. RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!!! Do not give him any more business!!!!!!!! read more

I have had a clear "6 month smile" braces done with doc. Kwon at age 28. Even though it took 8 instead of 6 month bc some bracket kept breaking, but the way he handled it every time was amazing. Even i felt bad for having to come back every 2 weeks, he would always make time for me, and never made me feel like i was an idiot for not following his direction to dont eat hard food. I could not be happier with professionalism, manners, and my perfect smile! Would recommend such a professional to anybody who is looking to do a "6 month smile" braces read more

Dr. Kwon is a very skilled dentist. While cleaning my teeth (he does it himself so he thoroughly looks at each tooth) he correctly spotted a problem with one of my existing crowns. He gave me the option to upgrade to ceramic but said it didn't have to be done right away. I appreciate knowing what is needed and how urgently. Very quick and smart. Since he spends so much time with each patient he can seem like he is in a hurry to stay on schedule for upcoming appointments. That's a good thing. read more

My mom who is a patient of doctor Kwon says: " in my long life I have never met such a great dentist. He even saved my tooth that I thought would not be saved, He is always positive and very professional. I highly recommend him. Tamara" read more

Excellent patient care and professional staff! Clean and organized environment. Efficient and effective treatments. Dr Kwon is not shy to do what is right for his patients and he does communicate well and clearly with the patients. read more

Our family has been patients of Dr. Kwon for the last 3 years. He is an excellent dentist with great support staff. He's knowledgeable, very accommodating when scheduling appointments and has invested in the latest technology. read more

I Was just there for cleaning and check up! The whole process from making an appointment to the end of procedure was smooth and easy. The receptionist was welcoming and Dr. Kwon was very gentle and kind. At the end of the procedure, he provided me some great advices and recommendations. Highly recommended! read more

Been coming to this location for a few years now, and have always found it easy to make an appointment that fits around my schedule. Dr. Kwon and his staff are very polite and he does a good job of explaining what he is doing and why. Would suggest this location if you are looking for a dentist in the palatine area. read more

Brought my 2.5 year old niece in for her first tooth cleaning (don't judge, not my idea) and the dentist, Dr Kwon was great with her. She had a great experience and he even managed to brush her teeth. No crying, no problems. I would definitely recommend him for children. read more

If you have children this is the dentist to go to. Dr. Kwon is fantastic with children! I previously took my daughter to a different dentist who could not make her feel comfortable enough for a shot for a cavity. Once I took her to Dr. Kwon, she felt so comfortable that he has fixed 3 cavities without any complaints. She is now asking for braces! He is so good with children and explains everything he is doing in detail. The facilities are exceptionally clean and his staff are top notch. I was so impressed with the professionalism of Dr. Kwon that I scheduled an x-ray and cleaning for myself. I will continue to see Dr. Kwon for my children and my family as long as we live in the area. Thanks Dr. Kwon! Bill read more

We have been coming here for two years now. Used to take my son to Apple Dental and had awful experience. They put silver crowns on half of his teeth when he was 3 years old which were not necessary. Came to Dr. Kwon and couldn't be happier. He extra nice with my son and calmed him down on first visits. Now my son isn't afraid of dentists anymore. read more

Dr. James Kwon saw me within one day of my call about what I felt certain was a dental emergency. I hadn't seen a dentist in five years and I was on Medicaid. My previous dentist recommended Dr. Kwon. He is about 45, highly intelligent, knowledgeable, perhaps not the friendliest guy in the world but that's okay. He made a point of telling me he sees mostly Medicaid patients and gets reimbursed little for them. I told him I was very appreciative and he said he didn't want my appreciation(??????). In any case, he examined me, did comprehensive X-rays, cleaned my teeth himself, and determined I needed several fillings replaced and perhaps a root canal and crown. Two weeks later I returned, and he said my previous dental work from my dentist of 25 years was "disappointing quality" and he had to remove and replace it. He worked on me for over an hour, answered my questions, explained everything he did. The only thing he did that I was very disappointed in was he continually criticized his assistant in very sharp demeaning tones right in front of me-- how embarrassing for both her and me! I am pretty sure I will be returning to this dentist even without Medicaid. He is effective. The peace of mind that comes from hearing a good dentist tell you that you're okay is priceless. read more

I have always gone to Dr, Kwon in an emergency and he has even opened his office early to see me. Yesterday he extracted a tooth [ my sencond] and I don't know how he does it but I just needed 1 pin killer tablet just slight pain. I live in Chicago now but will drive the one hour+ it takes to go see him. read more

Im still paying for bad work that was done by this dentist. Never will I recommend this place to anyone.

I was the patient there a few years ago . I came in for consultation , since i was looking for a new doctor who could take my insurance . The girl at the desk was very nice . So i got to see a doctor and i got a very weird Vibe from him . He did ex rays and examined my teeth. He told me my previous dentist destroyed my good teeth . So i panicked. I needed tooth pulled out , so he did that . A few days later i had so much pain i went back , since he left part of the tooth still there . That got pulled. After that he says i need 2 Rooth canals done and recommends his friend specialist . After i come back from getting that done , he told me he will put nice crowns on my teeth and he is the best in the area , and my other dentist is the worst and i should not trust him. So i agree. He gets my crowns ready , does a lot of drilling and before you know it, more then half of my tooth is gone!! The next thing i notice and feel something being drilled into my tooth... (And later i found out it was a metal post ( and i have metal alergies!!!!! ) so i ask him what he is doing and he gets so mad ... He told me he does his job and i need to be quiet !! So after few days i go in and have my new crown put in . He takes few seconds , shows me the crown and puts it on. Tells me it looks great . I was not feeling good after and was happy it was over. I go in the car , look at my tooth and i realize he put a half metal crown on me! I went back to ask him why since i have told him i have metal alergies! He yells at me and says that on paper i marked no metal alergies, he did his best and told me to have a good day !!!! He was rude! I left crying .. I could not believe everything! He did another crown same way , but metal didnt show as bad , so i could not see it . He wanted to do deep cleaning on my teeth , but my regular dental hygienist said my teeth were perfect and better then most people.... I called the office and asked for my money back so i can go fix my crowns with a specialist , but the dr yelled at me once again and told me he did nothing wrong . A crown is being rejected by my body , is giving me neck pain, jaw pain, sinus infections and other Heath issues! I'm getting both teeth removed because of him and is devastating ! They only needed fillings and messed them up so bad now they need to be removed. I would never ever trust him. And do not recommend him at all ! He needs to be reported , so no other patients have to go thru this. read more

I should have been concerned when Dr. Kwon rolled his eyes at me when I asked if I could sit in the room with my 6 year old daughter. I went anyway. He doesn't want parents in the room, because he has no patience with children. He was very irritated with my daughter, who was nervous about being at a new dentist. He made her cry and when she went to wipe her tears, he told her to keep her hands in her lap. We left immediately and will not return. There is a reason he accepts walk-ins, he doesn't have the personality to build up a practice. read more

I was taken advantage of do to my good insurance. Three cavities were filled that were unnecessary according to my original dentist. I'm still in pain from one of the cavities that was filled. I do not recommend this dentist and will not return. read more

Dentist was very unprofessional but wanted to look like an expert.He estimated job that my teeth needed for almost 3000,in meantime I checked with my previous dentis which was 2 hours away from me(I moved to a different city) that guy is an expert in whole meening of the word has advanced xray an other staff which these guys does not.He fixed me for 700$,r h drive worthed it,almost went through unnecessary holes and fills etc. and a lot if money,would not recomand to see him read more

I "love" this place - I mean, for a dentist. Great care, attention and explanation. Dr. Kwon is the best!!! I am sure they both are, but he has treated me with only the greatest care, attention and clarity - as is true of all of the staff. The only place I want to go for my dental care! read more

I went in today with no appt. The very kind receptionist gave me an appt in 2 hour's. Dr Kwon was amazing. I can't even keep track of all the work he did in the short amount of time it took. He did explain everything to me & kept me calm & breathing. Anyone who cares for people with less than great insurance should be praised & appreciated! Thank you Dr. Kwon & your staff. Stellar man! & a Great job! read more

Usually I don't bother my self to write reviews if there is not a huge need,as I get benefited by reading others reviews ,hope this one will help others.Let's start from the very beginning,as other review states above,,no wonder they accept walks-in,,this is how I got there,this place is close to my place so I gave it a try,there was no patience at all,later only one patient showed up.The stuff is ok but still,you know that feeling when you already know how much it will cost you to do something and after when they want to charge you they are like,,this is 100$ but we will charge you only 80$,,as they would do you a huge favor.Dr. Kwon wants to look like a big expert explaining so much and gesticulating but this is how I figured out he is not,he found me cavities with and estimate for fixing them for a bit less then 3000,cash price about 2400$.I was really scared that my teeth are doing so bad,before to move in Illinois I was going to an expert dentist in Madison.Wi which always goes with the best technology like minimum radiation xray machine that takes a panoramic view,this guys have the regular one which is not so detailed and good,and he has a pot of practice and I was and am trusting him a loooot.So for such a big work that needs to be done I decided to go and see him,4 hours driving it was worth it,1060$ work and I paid a cash price of 700$.In a couple hours I was in my way back to Chicago.Hope this will help you to make a decision ,by the way here is the info of that nice doctor from Madison just in case somebody wants to see him,ask about me:) Radiant Smile Dentistry 4706 Cottage Grove RD,Madison .Wi P.S. I would also probably give them 5 stars with the idea that he find the cavities and fix them,nice job,ha?good I checked with my first dentist . Good luck read more