Washington’s Choice Dental Care

Dr. Vitelli did an excellent job on my fill-​in. I was amazed by the advance
technology in his office. He showed me a full image of the tooth that was causing my some issues.

I spoke with Lakisha who from the start was friendly and accommodating. I really appreciated that she quickly shared their payment policy with me when I asked about insurance coverage. Lakisha explained thoroughly that they do not process insurance and that I would have to pay upfront for services received. Later; I could file the claim with my insurance provider for reimbursement. When I asked further she also shared that they do have payment plans available as well as working with a lending company. I felt comfortable about my payment choices after she took the time to explain them. Dr. Vitelli’s office is conveniently located for me and parking doesnt seem like would be too much trouble. I am looking forward to my first visit! And thats saying a lot since it is a dentist!

I stopped by to have a meeting with Dr. Vitelli and his office is fantastic! From the moment you walk in, you’re met with a clean and inviting atmosphere. The reception staff is friendly and helpful, and the same client care is mirrored in Dr. Vitelli and his assistants. He was very welcoming, and took special care to give me a tour of his entire practice. Not to mention, looking out over 19^th street is a pretty remarkable view for a dentist chair!

Very nice practice! Danny, who answered the phone, was very helpful as well as the rest of the staff. Clean and professional office. Highly recommend!

I went in to talk to Dr. Vitelli about my options for braces as an adult, and I was blown away by how polite the office staff was and how helpful Dr. Vitelli was! As soon as I walked in, I felt that the staff was willing to go above and beyond to make me feel comfortable — and I was only there for a consultation! I didn’t even have time to finish the water I was offered before Dr. Vitelli was ready to see me. I had questions about clear braces, and Dr. Vitelli told me about the option they provide (Clear Correct), and about how the process works and we even discussed pricing very openly. I felt comfortable telling him about my concerns and he put my mind at ease. Now I’m very excited about working with Dr. Vitelli!

I’ve been going to Dr. Vitelli for several years. I’ve always found him and his office staff to be very friendly, professional and thorough. I have very sensitive gums that used to get puffy and bleed quite often. For the past few years, they’ve worked with me to fix the issue. They recommended cleanings every 4 months, a special gum pick and a few other things. They even used numbing cream on my gums during cleanings to prevent any pain or discomfort. Over the past year, thanks to Dr. Vitelli and his staff, my gums have vastly improved. I’m very grateful for the care I received there.

Really great service. Staff is really courteous, and Dr. Vitelli does really professional work. I’ve been coming here for the last three years, and have had a good experience the whole way through. Dr. Vitelli is a really friendly and pleasant person too.

Edited my first review as D V seems to have gotten new administrative staff. The patient care has always been good but dealing with billing and insurance was a huge hassle. However they did resolve my issues and I know they have someone new working there now so hopefully that will help.

This place is a fraud!!! I am echoing a review done before by Emily — this practice is shady, deceptive, and predatory!
I asked several times if they take insurance, they confirmed several times that they do. After I took an afternoon off from work to visit them, and was filling out the papers, I wanted to confirm that there would be no co-​pay as the insurance fully covers annual cleaning. Guess what? they said — oh no, we are out of network, you have to pay today and then file with insurance and they will reimburse you.
I walked out and I find this practice a complete deception. Should be reported for fraudulent business practices.

I dread going to the dentist but who loves going to the dentist, right? This was my first visit and I tried them because they are next to my dermatologist. My hygienist was so nice and gave me helpful tips for improving my dental health, the usual tips about brushing and flossing but she didn’t talk down to me or made me feel bad because I don’t enjoy flossing. Dr. Vitelli was very friendly and took his time to get to know my history and issues. I would’ve liked the post dental consultation to be the same day but I think they like to give you time and they want to sit down with you to go over X-​rays and his examination of my teeth. I told my hygienist that after the cleaning, my mouth felt clean and happy.

This practice went downhill right after Dr. Vitelli bought it. The previous dentist did not take any insurance because he said they want you to do see large numbers of patients at the expense of quality, and he preferred to give better care to his patients.
However, Dr. Vitelli immediately accepted many insurance plans. He hired marketing staff and did mass mailings. Why is this needed when you buy an established practice? I got several «Current Resident» flyer about new patient specials. They starting giving presents to people based upon the number of friends they referred, had raffles for larger gifts, etc. It made me cringe. Overnight, the tone of the office went from giving TLC to patients to «growing the practice.»
I sent Dr. Vitelli a lengthy email expressing my concerns, which his staff confirmed he received. However, he never bothered to reply.
I had been in the practice for twenty years before Dr. Vitelli bought it, and it was a caring place. However, the emphasis on bringing in new patients, and presumably their revenue, made me uneasiy. I would refer a friend to a dentist because the dentist is good, not to get a free DVD. It was fine while I just needed to get my teeth cleaned. But when Dr. Vitelli recommended expensive work, my gut reaction was that he wanted to do it because he was below his monthly revenue targets. Once you even have that thought, it’s time to leave.
I have no reason to question the technical ability of Dr. Vitelli or anyone on his staff. Everyone was courteous and professional. However, you need to be able to trust a dentist and I could not do that.
Any good thoughts I had about Dr. Vitelli went out the window when I received a threatening letter from his lawyers telling me to take down this very Unilocal post. I was shocked. Issues of free speech aside, if he cared about his patients you would think he would contact them first to find out why they were unhappy, before having his lawyers write.
Is that the kind of dentist you want?

Shady, deceptive, and predatory.
Lies told by this office:
— That MetLife was in-​network. They are NOT.
— My out of pocket cost of services. I was ASSURED this by the front office. I asked for them to run a quote for the services I was to receive from them. $ 250 out of pocket, I paid it up front, no questions asked. Then, I receive a bill a few weeks later stating that I owed an additional ~$ 500. So you’re telling me that 3 fillings cost $ 1,000, if you include the amount my insurance covered?
They clearly overcharge for their services. I look forward to submitting them for a review for their practices.

I recently went in for my first appointment with Washington’s Choice Dental. It was for a basic examination and cleaning. I was very happy with the experience. All of the staff was nice and very professional. Dr. Vitelli was very personable. The facilities are great and I was seen immediately after I arrived, so no waiting which is a big plus.
Highly recommend Washington’s Choice Dental Care.

I Haven’t been to the dentist in over a year and was really nervous to go again, but I made an appointment and LOVED Washington’s Choice! Dr. Vitelli is so courteous, intelligent, and truly cares about each patient. I noticed he doesn’t side book patients, so I never felt rushed. My cleaning was painless and the hygienist was funny and made me feel really comfortable. My teeth feel brand new! To top off my visit, the front desk staff were efficient, and made me feel really welcome.
I scheduled my 6 month cleaning and will refer them to everyone I know!

I had an awesome experience here earlier this week. I was very hesitant to see a new dentist as I’ve always gone to the one in my hometown, whom I like and trust. Much to my relief, the receptionists here were great and my hygienist, Tiffany, made me feel at home. Not only was she hilarious and super-​friendly, but she patiently explained everything she was doing whenever I asked. Cleaning was a pleasant experience. Dr. Vitelli also did an excellent job and was genuinely interested in my welfare and health. I referred 3 friends within 2 hours of leaving the office (fellow students who, like me, are lacking dental insurance).
I got a cleaning, cancer screening, and x-​rays for $ 135, which was the cheapest deal I found in the area.

First off, I should note that I like Dr. Vitelli. I think he is an excellent dentist and the facilities are clean here. I would Unilocal him 4.5 stars. My issue is with the front office.
First, they lied about accepting our insurance. I asked if they accepted and she responded yes. What she should have noted is their office is out of network (which is the norm for most DC dental practices), and that they file the claim on your behalf. However, this makes a huge difference cost wise between in-​network and out-​of-​network. They were out-​of-​network, so we had to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed later. However, I liked Dr. Vitelli as noted above, so I changed insurance plans.
Then there were billing problems as they didn’t send the bill to my new insurance carrier. I had to call the office 2x more than 3mos after the appt just to get the bill faxed over. My online insurance carrier shows the date of arrival as proof.
Next, I had issues with scheduling appts. First, the office bumped my appt without my consent (no call or email), and then just sent out a new appt card in the mail changing my appt from 920am to 340pm. They probably figured I wouldn’t catch it, but I noted in my calendar the initial appt time. Second example, I arrived at 855am for a 910am appt… I didn’t see the tech until 930. I was told this was the first appt of the day; obviously it wasn’t.
Overall, the front office is unprofessional, which is a shame because I actually really like the dentist. Who cancels and reschedules an appt without patient consent? Who lies about accepting which insurance plan, and then waits 3 mos to send over the bill? Not worth the hassle.