Man, these reviews aren't kidding when they say stay away from this doctor. I needed my wisdom teeth extracted and since that was it, I figured it didn't matter that Dr. Gitelman was said not to be a friendly, warm-and-fuzzy doctor. Well, that bit me in the butt! Long story short, I had dry sockets after my surgery. The take home instructions that the office provides says that dry sockets are common and to only call the doctor with emergencies. I even had my husband look at the instructions and he agreed that I shouldn't call. I endured the intense pain and had to take 2 days off work, and then I called the office. They had me come in and they gave me a remedy that fixed the problem right away. Now where dr gitelman was a real jerk- I had to have him sign a form for FMLA leave for my work and HE REFUSED TO SIGN IT. He wrote on the form "if the patient had called, they wouldn't have needed the time off". Really? I tried to get dr gitelman to understand. I wrote a pretty eloquent and polite letter explaining that I respect that he won't just sign off on just anything but the take home instructions were very misleading and that's the only reason I didn't call. He still refused to sign it. Luckily my job realized the absurdity of this doctor and granted me the leave anyway but for all you folks out there, don't underestimate the importance of a caring doctor even if it's for a one-and-done procedure like wisdom tooth extraction!!! read more

I just had an amazing experience at Dr. Gitelman's office. I had read the reviews of both him and Dr. Merlo, and I was a bit apprehensive because they were so mixed. However, from the moment I walked into the office I was warmly greeted (lovely front desk staff). I was scheduled for a consultation to get all 4 of my wisdom teeth out, but I thought one was infected so I wanted that checked out too. Dr. Gitelman told me that I was in pain from that tooth because it was rubbing against the side of my mouth, and that it could easily be fixed by extracting it. I assumed that would happen whenever I would make the appointment for my surgery. However, he told me he could just take it out while I was there. I was nervous, but both Dr. Gitelman and the nurse(?) were so informative and reassuring that the process would be painless and quick. Literally 5 minutes later I was out of the office. I am extremely pleased with my visit and would recommend Dr. Gitelman. read more

This wonderful person has 2 other accounts (one personal, one office): 'Jeffrey Gitelman, DDS' and 'Washington Oral Surgery.' READ the low ratings before you go. please! The high ratings are FAKE self-ratings!! you will notice when you look at the 'other' ratings of these folk who only have a 1-3 ratings because at least one rates the same office TWICE! about saving a life,or something to that effect, LMAO. So, he flagged my reviews at the other two yelp accounts that he has for himself--which he shouldn't be allowed to have--so they've removed them. No worries, the search words therein take care of it anyway, eh? yea, yea, in your face dr. nutso. I don't know if it will amount to anything, but I have certainly reported them to the BBB, and I advise you all to tread with extreme caution. MY 2 MINUTE IN-CHAIR EXPERIENCE: Dr. Gitelman is a crude person with an explosive personality. After my one-hour wait (which also included waiting in the hallway outside with 12 other people in front of the locked office door--all of whom also, apparently, had 2 o'clock appointments--see my two paragraphs below), well, I see this guy and he asks how I am. I thought he meant it. I let him know how irritated I actually was from standing outside the locked door with 12 other people, all of whom had the same appointment time....and then of course, waiting one hour. This was his response: "YOU CAN LEAVE. GET OUT. GET OUT!!! I DON'T NEED THIS CRAP." Exists premises. Further down the hall, I hear him shouting, "I DON'T NEED THIS CRAP" (again). BEFORE THE APPT (WRITTEN FROM THE OFFICE): My appointment today was at 2. There were exactly 12 people waiting outside of the door when I arrived, which was locked--apparently for staff to have lunch, but WTF...let us sit in your cramped, dated waiting room while you stuff your faces...or do whatever it is that requires a locked door. so, a doctor came rushing back into the office and we all filed in, one-by-one from the narrow corridor (near the elevator) as the patients took turns holding the door open for one another. Bizarre!! Interesting to note that all 12 patients had a 2 o'clock appointment!! ( I asked them.) It is now 2:37 and I am still waiting...so, I saw the one star review and said I want a copy of medical billing, and all of the corresponding codes for my consult...so an office manager (??) explained things to me as best she could about estimates and adjustments and said I could have a copy of whatever they send over...although she went and explained things as she saw fit, I do believe there was a defensive undertone to her entire explanation. it is now 2:50... ______________________________________________________ Needless to say, I managed to not cry until I got home. Yes. I was so upset that I knew to take a chill pill and not react otherwise. The law most certainly would not have been on my side. But more importantly, the Palm restaurant/ bar across the street makes the best long island I think I've ever tasted. In any case, I am scheduled to go somewhere else for a bone graft consult and will happily share and promote him if he's any good in an edited review (here). read more

P.S. 1) Dr. Gitelman also failed to disclose long term risks associated with wisdom teeth removal. I've always had perfect teeth, but since the surgery (which was elective since my teeth weren't doing anything other than causing me minor pain) my other teeth have shifted and I may need orthodontia. 2) I complained on the BBB and Dr. G caved. Good because he was lying! read more

I made an account solely for writing a review for this office. I made the mistake of not following the reviews that were listed below regarding the BILLING FRAUD that is ongoing at this office. If you need to read more about this, just scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Not Recommended Reviews" because these will tell you the full story. The actual practice is not bad, I went and had an X-ray and consultation under the notion that my Insurance covered all costs. I paid the co-pay at the end of the visit and I thought that was that. A few days later, I get a mail from the office stating that I have an outstanding balance of $330 and I have 10 days to pay or "immediate action will be taken". I had to call and fight my claim only for them to realize that they had a mistake and I did not have to pay. I would absolutely not recommend this practice to anyone, just from the need I felt to create an account to write this review. read more

This was an absolute surreal experience. I had my wisdom teeth taken out 6 months ago, and it was the easiest dental procedure I've ever had. Dr. Gitelman is professional, realistic in his expectations for teeth, and has a dry sense of humor. His professionalism is amazing, as is his work. I came out of anesthesia with absolutely no pain, and it stayed that way. There was minimal swelling, and I didn't have to take any of the pain medications after the first 12 hours. Minus the stitches and tenderness of my face, I could have forgotten that I had both top wisdom teeth extracted. By the 3rd day, I was eating solid food. There were no complications, and overall, it was a very pain-free experience. I will forever go back to him for any oral surgery I need. read more

BILLING FRAUD BEWARE!!!! Just had a procedure done by Dr. Gitelman. Took about 10 minutes. Everything worked out fine. Went there from a referral from my regular dentist. Would NEVER go back. The part I would like to share was the billing practices. Dr. Gitelman was in my network. After getting my pre-cert for the procedure I came back to the office for the actual procedure. Before anything was done, they charged me "estimated" costs based on my insurance company and their coverage. It came out to $466.00. Obviously I paid thinking that my insurance did not cover any of it. When we got the explanation of benefits from our insurance company, Dr. Gitelman's office billed my office an additional $575 for the same procedure. I called my insurance company and told them that we had already paid $466 and was told by my insurance company that since the office was in-network, there was already an agreed upon cost for the procedure which was $174 and we should NOT have been billed $466. The $174 was to have been paid by our insurance company, not to have been paid by the patient at the time of care. To add, Gitelman's office sent us a balance notice that we owed them an additional $23. So, I called my insurance company and they called Gitelman's office on a conference call to find out what was going on. Gitelman's office said they would update my billing, but I kind of thought as medical professionals they would of done the right thing to begin with. After calling and calling for an update, Gitelman's office finally sent us the refund after almost 4 months, but we ended up paying much more than our insurance company told us we should of paid. Yeah... stay far far away from this place. read more

After 6 months of being in pain from an infected wisdom tooth and basically being ignored by my dentist office in Arlington, I had it and literally walked into this office and requested my teeth be taken out that week. I got a consultation and had my appointment scheduled for 3 days later. Scheduling was really easy - they took me the next day for my consultation and then again for the actual surgery. They got my insurance estimate in a day and a half (where as my dentist took 3 months to do this) and it came out to around $400 with Aetna fedvip (1 impacted, 2 surfaced). This was about 250 cheaper than the dentist office had estimated so I was happy! Dr. Gitelman definitely knows what he's doing. He's very nonchalant about the whole procedure so I wouldn't come here if you need to be coddled throughout the whole thing. I knew I wanted these babies ripped out and wouldve done it that day if they let me. After the whole video he just said "so what questions do you have for me" and i said "how fast can you do this". Everyone I know has gotten their wisdom teeth out so I pretty much knew what do expect and what to do/not do. Morning of my Friday appointment - I get there and was let in right on time. They hook me up to everything, find my vein, ask me what procedure I'm doing and what teeth etc as theyre drugging me, and next thing you know I'm sitting there with gauze in my mouth! I literally thought 5 minutes have passed by. Healing was rather uneventful - I took the painkillers as instructed and iced a lot. Did not swell AT ALL (everyone was shocked) and had minimal pain. The one tooth that was really infected wasn't healing properly so 4 days later I had to go back and he helped patch up the almost forming dry socket. That was the worst part - but he fixed it immediately and took me that Tuesday. I was eating solid foods 6 days later and 2 weeks later I'm back to 100%. Overall - if you know you need your teeth out, come here if you want a fast and painless procedure with no bells and whistles! read more

I was referred to Dr. Gitelman by my dentist to have 2 extractions. The consultation was about 10 minutes. Super easy. He was totally laid back and confident. There were plenty of opportunities to schedule the procedure. He even offered me that same day. The procedure was quick and easy. My one complaint is that he didn't require a follow up appointment nor did he try to talk to me after the appointment about how the procedure went. It was a little weird I guess. I called because of pain in a tooth a week later and they told me to walk right over and he saw me about 20 minutes later! It was great!! The staff is very friendly and helpful, too. read more

POSSIBLE BILLING FRAUD I was referred to Dr. Gitelman's office by my dentist for two wisdom tooth extractions. I never met with Dr. Gitelman, but the receptionist was cold and rude, refusing to answer even the most basic of questions about insurance for the procedure. After repeated inquiries about cost, I was told by the receptionist that it would take 48 hours for them to confirm my insurance, despite my dentist sending them my insurance information beforehand. They expected me to pay for the whole procedure out of pocket, and possibly get reimbursed after charging my insurance. I told them that I was willing to wait or even reschedule, to give them time to contact my insurance provider. Not 10 minutes after I left, they miraculously accessed my insurance information and asked me to come back. Had I not asked about cost at all, I would have been stuck with a large sum to pay. I ended up rescheduling with another dental surgery provider who was more friendly and open, knowledgeable and quickly able to access my insurance. read more

I was terrified to get my wisdom teeth out! But Dr. Gitelman is great! He is honest, caring, and skilled! He definitely has a trusted Grandpa vibe about him! He calmed me down a lot. The procedure was fast. Got there at 8am, brought in the room by 8:05. They explained the procedure, discussed my teeth, then gave me the IV. That's about all I remember. 40 minutes later, I'm on my way home with an instruction sheet for post-op care. I am a baby with pain so I had a hard time for the first 3 days. I swelled up pretty bad on day 2-3. Unfortunately, I got a dry socket on the bottom left which hurt my ear real bad. But Dr. Gitelman and his staff were so helpful through it! I had several follow ups in which I was brought in immediately and quickly taken care of. The staff is quiet but not to be mistaken as rude. They are very friendly. The office doors do not open before 8am, so don't stress out to be there early :) Also, the only odd thing is not once did I receive a call to remind me of my appointments, but that is ok, I am an adult afterall! So I would just call them and confirm before heading that way. read more

Although I have only met Dr. Gitelman once, and he seemed like a fine doctor, I have problems with this office and the way they conduct business. Arbitrary charges, not disclosing full costs until last minute, and not even being apologetic about it. As I said, I have no reason to doubt Dr. Gitelman's expertise, but I was not happy with his office staff, and thus, will take my teeth elsewhere. read more

Horrible. They told me I had to pay a large sum of money and would get reimbursed from my insurance. Then they sent the claim to my insurance company and collected the money themselves. When I called my insurance company they told me i should have only paid $70 but they charged me over $700. In my opinion they are corrupt. Just find someone else. read more

I have never been so ridiculed about money I'm owed. AFTER A YEAR THEY STILL OWED ME $540.00!!! This is ridiculous. Especially after we sat for hours on the phone listening to my insurance company explain clearly what I'm responsible for. read more

I realize I'm going to be the bad guy here, since most everyone else has given Dr. Gitelman 4 or 5 stars, but I've got to write this review. Maybe he woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something, but honestly... I really don't think there's a good enough excuse for the way he acted at the end of my appointment. First of all, my mind was blown when the nurse put on a VIDEO on wisdom tooth removal after she finished up with my xray and what not. A video? Are you kidding? Anyway, I felt like a 5th grader for ten minutes as I sat through this video but I figured, okay it's fine I'll get to have an in-person conversation in just a few minutes. Dr. Gitelman walks in, and he's nice enough. I'm not looking for a buddy in my oral surgeon, just someone who can answer any questions for me and not be totally obnoxious. He barely looked at my x-ray before he jumped into how I should have all four of my wisdom teeth taken out. He walked me through the problems with the two on the bottom, but couldn't give me a straight answer as to why the top two need to be removed as well. I didn't know I was going to be pushing his buttons when I asked him for the second time why I need to have my top two wisdom teeth removed if they aren't causing any problems. Dr. Gitelman's charming response: "That's fine, if you don't want them removed, then don't have them removed. I'm not going to break your arm. You can diagnose yourself if you want. Have a good day." And he just walked out. There is a 100% chance I will not be scheduling surgery with him. Just as an aside: if I were reviewing his staff, I'd give them all 5 stars. They were all really professional and friendly and I don't want this review to reflect poorly on the entire office. Just Dr. Gitelman. read more

I am a undergrad at Georgetown who needed to get my wisdom teeth removed fairly quickly and far away from home and my normal doctors. I spent a lot of time doing online research and was puzzled by the mixed reviews Dr. Gitelman received. Here's the bottom line. Dr. Gitelman cranks out wisdom teeth extraction. He is by no means warm and fuzzy and probably not the best bet for someone apprehensive about the procedure. During the initial consultation, you view a stock video that explains the procedure, then the doc takes a look around and asks if you have any questions. He is very matter-of-fact and to the point. He certainly answered all of my questions, but is not looking to become friends. This is good for some, bad for others. But the doc gets five stars from me because the procedure itself was perfect. For all the talk about wisdom teeth extraction killing and not being able to eat for a week, I must have really lucked out. It was easy to schedule the extraction quickly (they even offered me the morning after my consultation!), though do know you need to bring an escort if you'll be going under anesthesia. I arrived early on a Friday morning and went immediately into the chair. They placed a quick IV in the arm, plus an finger EKG to monitor heart rate. The doctor came in, verified I was having all four teeth removed, and pushed me a needle full of anesthesia. I woke up 40 minutes later with cotton balls in my mouth and in relatively little pain. I'm not sure if it was Dr. Gitelman's work or I was just lucky, but after one day of consistent icing and popping just a few vicadin, I was back to normal and eating basically anything. I used less than half of my painkillers and felt fine. My follow up appointment lasted thirty seconds, and I was on my way. There are a lot of reviews on here that talk about the Dr's billing practices, which do seem a little out of date. They originally over-charged me, but I promptly received a refund check one my insurance figured things out. In short, go for a competent doctor who gets your wisdom teeth out painlessly. I had a great experience, but those with serious fears or tons of questions/concerns, may want to look elsewhere. read more

Dr. Gitelman is a fraud. He showed me some xrays that were supposedly mine and said I would have to have all my wisdom teeth out because they were coming in crooked. This seemed odd to me, because I thought previous xrays had shown my wisdom teeth were coming in straight. I elected to only have one taken out (it had surfaced and was infected). I had a series of xrays taken at a new dentist recently and guess what... my wisdom teeth were magically straight again. Dr. Gitelman performed the extraction just fine. But I cannot recommend him because I believe he is a fraud - and not just this reason; look at other reviews which describe hidden costs and unhelpful staff. His license should be revoked. Completely disgusted by him. read more

I would give Dr. Gitleman a negative if I could. It pains me to even refer to him as a doctor. I woke up in the middle of my surgery and tried to pull out my iv. The drs and nurses in the room restrained me and put me under again. After my surgery, I woke up alone in a room and was left there 10 minutes or more before someone came in. I was out of it and wandering around. I had extreme pain with my surgery and was encouraged by friends and family to call Dr. Gitleman to let him know. He proceeded to be irate with me on the phone, so much so that I didn't go in for my follow up and tried to report him to some sort of medical watchdog (if anyone knows of one please let me know). I am still being billed for the extra drugs to put me under the second time and am grudgingly paying money to a horrible person and doctor. I stopped seeing the dentist that referred me to him for the surgery, who, unsurprisingly was not outstanding. Dr. Gitleman should be reviewed, my recommendation would be to revke his license to practice. read more

Just came from having Dr. Gitelman remove my wisdom teeth. It was truly painless and the doctor and office staff were extremely friendly and helpful. He used sedation and I was out like a light. Very minimal pain/swelling afterwards. Would definitely use him again (though I hope I don't need to of course!) or recommend to others. read more

Had all 4 wisdom teeth removed on 2/9/2012. I was extremely nervous about the procedure. My top two wisdom teeth grew in correctly, but my bottom two wisdom teeth were impacted (grew in sideways). I didn't get any laughing gas and I wasn't put to sleep. I think my fear of being sedated was greater than my fear of the pain. The operation took about 35-40 minutes to remove all four of my wisdom teeth. The top two teeth came out in less than a minute each. He pushed up on the teeth then pulled down on them and they popped right out. Because of the way I was seated, I didn't see any blood until the end (and it was only a little bit of it). It's definitely not something that you have to be put to sleep for. I had my wireless headphones on listening to R&B while they did the operation. There was a little of drilling and cracking to get my bottom two teeth out, but there wasn't any pain. Just the pressure of him pushing, pulling and breaking the wisdom tooth into smaller pieces to remove it. Dr. Gitelman didn't use any topical to numb my gums before injecting the local anesthetic, but other than that, he was gentle and very nice. He is what I would call a "gentle giant" because he is in no form a little person lol. As one of the other posters wrote, he is very casual about the procedure, but he is very professional. Be prepared for your face to be swollen for up to 5 or 6 days after the procedure. For the first few days, some of your food will taste like blood. Rinse your mouth out after every snack, drink or meal. Don't swish the water around too hard or you will disturb the clot over the surgery sites. Unless you have complications (which you shouldn't), you should be back on regular foods in a week or so. There was no pain after the procedure, but I didn't delay getting the prescription medicine (vicodin). Invest in a few ice packs (the ones that you put in your lunch box to keep your food cold). They will be your bestfriends for the first 2 days following your operation. Ice will minimize the swelling. You'll thank me later. After the second day, some type of heat compress will relieve the swelling when used in addition to ibuprofen (I used advil). Hope this helps. - Patrick read more

I saw Dr Gitelman a couple of years ago; just noticed he's been rated by Yelp so let me throw in my two bits. My experience was much like Dan M's; I had wisdom teeth yanked, all 4 in my case, plus a back molar that had cracked very badly, so 5 teeth in all. I opted for sedation -- but of course! -- and afterwards, amazingly, I had nearly zero pain and swelling. I was expecting major amounts of both -- those wisdom teeth were pretty much growing sideways and were about 15 years overdue to get pulled. Nevertheless I experienced an almost ridiculously low degree of discomfort considering he pulled so many teeth. I'd recommend him to anyone. FYI: when I went, the policy was he does sedation only on Fridays, and you have to have someone show up with you if you opt for it -- they can't just show up at the end. That may have changed but it's worth checking ahead. read more

Well, must have severed a or badly bruised a nerve because after 9 months I still have no feeling in my lower left lips/chin after the surgery (believe it was Dr. Merlo). Sources I have read from attribute this to a bad oral surgeon rather than freak accident. Read the Wash. Oral Surgery reviews on Yelp and you can see there are a few other cases of permanent damage. I told Gitelman about this at a followup about a month later and he didn't even acknowledge the issue. No wonder they are so insistent that you watch that ridiculous video! read more

I'm surprised to read the bad reviews since I went to Dr. G to have my wisdom teeth removed and had no issues at all. I was referred to him with great reviews through a coworker who also had her wisdom teeth removed. When I arrived for my consultation, I was greeted by a warm and friendly staff. I've never waited longer than 15 minutes before being called to the exam room. I watched the video which explained the procedure, care and risks associated with the surgery and Dr. G willingly answered all my questions afterwards. We reviewed my X-rays and he let me know what to expect on the day of surgery. His cool and straight-to-the-point demeanor made the process smooth and easy. I didn't have any problems with billing or being overcharged for procedures. I asked the front desk assistant for the insurance codes for each billed item so I could call my insurance and verify that each charge/fee would be covered prior to surgery. I was given excellent post-surgery directions and had a great follow-up appointment with Dr. G. read more

If you have the first appointment of the day, don't arrive early. Instead of letting you come into the office, where you might sit in the waiting room, they force you to stand in the hallway until exactly 8 am. Several of us who were so standing asked if we might come in to fill out the necessary paperwork; the receptionist said no. read more

I had my wisdom teeth removed by Dr. Gitelman in July and my experience here was wonderful! After my initial consultation, the office emailed me an estimated co-payment that detailed the surgery fees. On the day of the surgery, I arrived at 8AM and was done within an hour. Although the swelling lasted a couple of days, the pain was minimal with no complications. Dr. Gitelman and his staff were friendly and very efficient. I also did not experience any problems with insurance (Aetna) / billing. read more

Dr. Gitelman saved my life. I had a terrible infection resulting from bad treatment by another dentist. Dr. Gitelman recognized that the infection was very serious and had me immediately hospitalized and surgically removed the infection the next day. I had no complications. He saved my life. Also, Dr. Gitelman and his staff really make you feel all is okay, like in the old-fashioned way -- like when you are a kid and the doctor makes you feel better and treats you kindly. Pretty rare today, I find. In addition, Dr. Gitelman and his staff are extremely professional. They are always prompt and informed. The offices are impeccable. I cannot recommend him more highly. read more

I just had 4 wisdom teeth removed by Dr. Gitelman. I am terrified by dentists so this was not easy for me. Dr. Gitelman was Awesome! I left there with very minimal pain, no complications. He used sedation and i was out for the whole procedure. Woke up and felt like 5 mins had passed and was ready to go. Had no swelling after the procedure. Highly recommend!!! He's so friendly and the staff is so nice to work with!! read more

Dr. Gitelman removed my wisdom teeth (all 4) about a month ago. I had to wait awhile before going back to the room, but once I sat down, he knocked me out in under 5 minutes. Over the weekend, I had minimal pain and almost no swelling. I was fearing the worst, but I followed Dr. Gitelman's post-surgery instructions and had no complications. One star is knocked off because I have had problems with the office staff - they were not good about returning my phone calls with insurance questions, and they gave me wrong quotes for the price. I haven't gotten a bill yet, so I'm not sure if I'm going to have more problems later. But I had no problems with Dr. Gitelman or the actual procedure. read more

Dr. Gitelman removed 1 wisdom tooth in May. I was really worried about the procedure as it had been about 10 years since i had had other wisdom teeth removed. He made me feel very comfortable about the procedure and calmed my nerves. I found him to be very nice, trustworthy, and also direct, straight to the point. On the morning of the procedure he came in the operating room and was very pleasant, again reassured me not to worry and said the only pain I would feel was the needle for the anesthesia. next thing i knew i woke up to gauze in my mouth and the whole experience was over. After that, I had no smelling and minimal pain. He did not prescribe pain medication and I was fine without it.the next day after the surgery I was up and about doing errands and sitting outside. The nurses were also very helpful and put me at ease. I have noticed a lot of reviews claiming the office to be fraudulent. However, most reviews that describe Dr. Gitelman's actual surgery skills give him high praise. I have not had any issues with the payment-yet?-but I cannot say enough about his skill as an oral surgeon. Highly recommend. read more

Dr Gitelman took my wisdom teeth out in January and I was very unhappy. He very impersonal and cold. He was in and out in a matter of minutes with barely a grunt. When he took out my lower left wisdom tooth he severed a nerve. The area between the bottom of my chin and my lip is numb and tingling. Three months later it is still painful to eat, sneeze, anything. I can't feel my lip when I kiss my husband and I can't help but think if he took more than two minutes on drilling out my teeth I wouldn't have these problems. I went back to his office to tell them about the results and they could have truly cared less. DO NOT GO TO THIS DENTIST. read more

LONG STORY SHORT - THEY CHARGED MY INSURANCE FOR A SURGERY THAT I NEVER HAD BECAUSE THE DOCTOR WAS A NO SHOW THAT MORNING AND I NEVER WENT BACK! I would rate this doctor's office a negative number if I could. I had read the other reviews but figured my procedure would be quick and easy. Let's just say I never got the procedure done. I went for a consultation with Dr. Merlo because Dr. Gitleman was out of town. They assured me that insurance wise the claim would be submitted under Gitleman's name because my insurance company didn't have Merlo's name. THAT was done correctly. My second visit was for the surgery. Dr Merlo was late. They brought me into the room and I waited even longer. Dr. Gitleman poked his had in and said this was unlike Dr. Merlo but he would be there soon. Come to find out they couldn't get him on his cell phone at all. I eventually left the office without getting the surgery. They wanted me to reschedule but I just had this uneasy feeling about the whole thing and said I would call them and let them know. Obviously I did not return. To make this long story short...I was just recently looking over my health care claims online and noticed that Dr. Gitleman's office had charged my policy TWICE! Once for the legitimate office visit and once for a SURGERY THAT I NEVER HAD! They scored over $200 from my health insurance company. It was too late to call the office when I discovered this today but my health insurance company is aware of the situation and I am to call the doctor's office tomorrow to ask them to retract the claim. If I remember...I will post the outcome. With all that being said...Dr. Merlo was a somewhat nice enough guy when I met him on my first visit. I never saw him on my second visit. Dr. Gitleman seemed nice enough when he poked his head in while I was waiting. But the morals of this office staff are way off the mark! They medical service may be fine but the billing is NOT! read more

So I read all these reviews (both for Dr. Gitelman and the Oral Surgery Office) and I'll admit I showed up for my initial consult pretty wary -- and ready to not schedule the procedure if I didn't get a good feeling about what was going on in that office. Frankly, I could not have been more blown away by how nice and professional both the office staff and Dr. Gitelman were. It's true, he's not a warm-and-fuzzy-I'm-going-to-hold-your-hand-while-you-cry-it-out kind of guy, but he took the time to address my concerns and gave me solid advice about taking out all four of my wisdom teeth rather than the three that had been recommended (which my regular dentist later gave a second favorable opinion about). They were even able to schedule the procedure really quickly -- just four days after the initial consult. Even though I was pretty freaked out about going under general anesthesia (and the weekend of pain I was sure I was about to experience), on the day of the procedure, everyone was super nice, they got me to the back, hooked me up to the IV, and I can't remember a damn thing after that point (which is exactly how I wanted it). After it was over, they loaded me up with prescriptions, and while I did have some swelling a few days later, I have had almost no pain at all -- maybe some minor soreness and tenderness. I just went back for the follow-up today, and everyone was really nice and courteous and Dr. Gitelman took the time to answer every single one of my (many, many) questions. Ok, as for the billing issues: two days after my initial consult, I got an invoice which included my portion of the bill, and while I was initially shocked by how large an amount of money it was, after some investigation I realized that a) I have pretty shitty insurance and b) going under general anesthesia in the District of Columbia is really expensive, apparently. So I don't really blame Dr. Gitelman's office for that one at all -- it's just something I'll have to negotiate with my insurance company. Fundamentally, I like to be an informed consumer and I read Yelp reviews to help me get a sense of what I'm walking into, but this really was a pleasant surprise. Obviously I wouldn't want to do it again (not that I even could), but if I had to, Dr. Gitelman would be my choice to do it. read more

I was referred to Dr. Gitelman from my dentist and because he was listed in providers that took my insurance. I confirmed with my insurance company before hand and asked if the Dr took my insurance when I booked my appointment. When I arrived (early) for my 8:30am appointment, the receptionist said they did not take my insurance but that they took the "PPO". I told her that I had confirmed (twice) and she insisted they did not take it calling over others from the office who all agreed with her without doing any additional investigation. I then called my insurance company while sitting in the office who (again) confirmed that the Dr took my insurance. I then noticed that "PPO" is actually written on my insurance card! Not only did the office staff not apologize they were rude and condescending to me despite it being their error. I was already having apprehensions about my experience and it just got worse from there. They then asked me to digitally sign consent forms but without being able to read them - they were on the screen of the receptionist facing her and she was giving me a verbal description of what the forms contained. Some of what she said did not make sense "you have to cancel between 24-48 hours before your appointment or be charged a $150 fee". When I asked a clarifying question ( ie "is it cancel by 24 or by 48 hours before that triggers the fee?" and "What does between 24 and 48 hours mean in the context of cancelling an appointment and triggering the fee?") I was verbally mocked by the office staff, despite, again, being told factually inaccurate information that didn't make any sense. It continued to go downhill from there with the nurse/technician -- who also does the billing and was proven wrong about my insurance -- continuing to harp on the issuance issue when I was in the exam room trying to make me out to be the problem. I just wanted my tooth out so I did my consult with Dr Gitelman but I should have walked out right then. Dr. Gitelman agreed that my fractured, painful tooth needed to come out and said he would get me in the next day. I asked to wait in the office until they could confirm times for the next day (a Friday) but was told by the nurse/technician that she did not want me to wait and she would call me. Afternoon she called to say I could come in "now" or 7am the next day. I was on the other side of town so unable to get to the office (again) in time so asked for the 7am appointment the next day. Despite it being less than a minute after she offered me the 7am appointment she said it was no longer an option because they could not fit me in but would not tell me why she had just offered it to me if it was not possible. At that point it was so late before a long holiday weekend for me to get an appointment with another doctor until the next week, leaving me in pain and out of pocket my co-pay that was for the consult that should have been the procedure. So. Horrible. Not only are the office staff incompetent but they don't care at all about how they make the patient feel, which is the last thing you want when having to deal with dental issues. read more

My dentist recommend him to remove the wisdom teeth and the procedure went fairly OK. I had to come back because of a dry socket and intense pain. I can't critizice him for that, but he wasn't very friendly, of I should say he wasn't friendly. But the worst part of all, is his office staff. They are harsh, they talk to patients like if they are doing them a favor, and they are uncooperative to disclose the numbers. I had almost to beg to get a detailed description of the cost of the procedure. Not a good experience overall read more

Took off work to take daughter to them due to impacted wisdom teeth. They later contacted me saying I needed to pay $1000 up front before they schedule the surgery even though my child's surgery is covered 100% under my insurance. I don't know about anyone eles, but I have insurance to avoid paying out of packet. Don't waste your time with these people. The ladies at the front desk are not very bright and are rude. read more

I am EXTREMELY DENTAL PHOBIC and was petrified to have my wisdom teeth removed, however, Dr. Gittleman was extremely competent and reassuring. And I will have to say the BEST "shot giver" I have ever had. ( I just had novicaine) Before I even knew what was going on he informed me that my teeth were gone and it was time to leave. WOW! Although I hope NEVER TO SEE HIM AGAIN, or go through any more teeth extractions, I will say it was the best dental experience I have had in a long time and I would use him again if the need ever arose. read more

WORST MEDICAL EXPERIENCE EVER WITH DR. GITELMAN AND HIS OFFICE ANESTHESIA-FREE FOLLOW-UP WITH A STEEL PICK IN WOUND SITE The surgery itself went OK. I received treatment for two dry sockets following removal of four wisdom teeth. The dry socket treatment, with Dr. Gitelman, was the most painful medical experience that I have had in my life. Dr. Merlo followed up after the initial dry socket treatment and his bedside manner was lacking in listening skills and patient respect. My first post-op visit was to receive treatment for dry sockets, with Dr. Giltelman. I appreciated that I was able to visit the office quickly, the same morning that I called to report the pain of the dry sockets. I also understand that dry sockets are something that can happen, outside of the doctor's control. However, treatment of the dry sockets, specifically the pushing of gauze into the wound sites with a sharp, steel pick with no anesthesia was the most intense pain I have ever experienced. I was stunned by the pain. I pushed the back of my head into the chair as tears welled up in my eyes, in shock and unable to speak. When I arrived in my own work office later, I told some of my coworkers that I felt as though I had just been tortured or received medieval dental care. One of my colleagues referred me to her relative who works in an oral surgery clinic. I consulted with this dental professional at length about what happened. She was of the opinion that anesthesia should have been used and encouraged me to keep in touch with her. She also encouraged me to ask if antibiotics might be used at the next follow up visit to reduce the risk of infection of the dry sockets. Dr. Merlo conducted my follow-up visit for removal of the gauze. Before he began looking at my mouth, I explained to him the level of pain that I experienced while the gauze was put in place. He assured me that removing it would not be painful. This turned out to be true. However, when I asked him whether antibiotics might reduce the risk of dry socket infection, he erupted with a comment to the effect that, "People go online and think they understand something from what they read on the Internet but they don't get the right information." Dr. Merlo should not assume where patients are getting their information. In reality, my information came from an active, licensed dental professional. I would encourage him to listen to what patients actually have to say and to engage them in a dialogue so that patients can better understand their medical situation and how to best care for their health post-operation. I left the office that day hoping to heal quickly and to have no further need to visit or interact with the office. The dry sockets took over six months to completely heal - for all discomfort to cease - and after that extended period of discomfort I felt relieved that this experience was over. However, I later received an additional bill from the office. I asked them to waive it as a courtesy, considering the pain (due to no use of anesthesia) and difficulty they had caused me, and received no response from the doctor, which I had requested in a letter. All I received was a threat from the receptionist to call collections the next day, which was a week before the bill was even due - highly unprofessional. My dentist, told me that he would no longer refer to Dr. Gitelman. My dentist also consulted with other oral surgeons on the issue, and all of them said that anesthesia should have been used for treating of the dry sockets. I asked Dr. Gitelman to inform future patients of the potential for intense pain during the dry socket treatment and to offer them, or simply just provide them with, a topical drip of anesthesia into the wound site or an injection of anesthesia before using a sharp, steel pick to insert gauze into dry sockets. He did not respond at all. I paid my outstanding bill with the office, but hope that others will not put money into this man's pockets, who doesn't seem to care or respect his patients, or respect the opinions of other dental professionals who suggest anesthesia for painful follow-up treatments. read more

Great doctor, great practice. Took literally two seconds to get my two wisdom teeth out. No complications, everything is healing out perfectly. Extremely nice personality. I mentioned that am sensitive to sedatives, so he used the gentlest available, and I did not suffer any side effects. A little numbness for a couple of hours - and that's it. Did not even have to take painkillers, minor pain, totally tolerable. Back to normal life in the morning after. And everyone else in the practice is extremely nice. Don't look anywhere else. Seriously. Highly recommend. read more

Just had my four wisdom teeth extracted. It took like 2 mins and the whole experience with Dr. Gitelman and his staff was very pleasant.

Dr. Gitleman's dark skinned receptionist is extremely rude and condesending (I am dark skinned to btw). When I arrived at his office for my appointment I was horrified with the unprofessional manner in which she treated his clients: she refused to acknowledge us, was not bothered with us when we asked her questions as she gave us patronizing curt answers and continued about yapping on the phone on a personal call without looking any of us in the eye. After being subjected to his horrible receptionist I decided to leave and take my business elsewhere. read more