Chicago Dental 312
Amy Van Fossen, DDS:
Practice Profile Page

I originally went to Dr. Van Fossen for a second opinion when the dentist I had been going to suggested a whole bunch of working including replacing all of my old fillings, none of which were actually bothering me. I am very thankful I saw her, she suggested doing nothing other than keeping an eye on them and only replacing them if they become a problem, that was 3 years ago. Dr. Van Fossen is amazing, she’s the best dentist I’ve ever been to in Chicago. She’s very knowledge, personable, and takes a more conservative approach to dental work which is definitely in line with my philosophy. If you’re looking for a movie star dentist that makes all their money from the latest cosmetic teeth fancying gimmick she may not be for you. If you’re looking for a phenomenal dentist who is helpful, cares about your teeth, has great hygienists, and won’t push unnecessary dental work I absolutely recommend her.

I’ve been dentist shopping around Chicago and could not find one that I liked. I finally ended up at Dr. Van Fossen and knew I found my dentist! She is fantastic. Knowledgeable, great bedside manner, friendly. The last dentist I went to told me I had two cavities, so I went to Dr. Van Fossen for a 2nd opinion (but did not tell her this). She pointed out the two areas that the other dentist wanted to fill but told me all the reasons why she did not think they were cavities (said they were most likely stains) and that she would opt for watching them for now and to see if they changed. She is not in my insurance network so I have a small copay when I see her and this was well worth the $300 she saved me in not filling two cavities that the last in-network dentist wanted to charge! I cannot recommend her enough. The dental hygienist was great, the receptionist was warm and friendly and the office was clean and up to date. 5+ stars.

I started going to Dr. Van Fossen a couple years ago when I moved into the city and have never had anything short of an amazing experience. I started seeing her when she was located in her old office and followed her to the location she is currently in. The new office is amazing and staff is second to none! I now have several friends that have started seeing her and would recommend her to anyone. Dr. Van Fossen is the best dentist I have ever had and look forward to calling her my doctor for years to come!!!

I’ve been seeing Dr Van Fossen for almost 3 years now. She and her hygienists do a fantastic job at keeping my teeth and gum clean and healthy. I came to her with a fear for deep cleaning but she managed to help me relax every time with her good sense of humor. I actually enjoy my visits nowadays knowing that she will take really good care of me.

I’m not a fan of going to the dentist, like at all. The last place I went, I never saw the same dentist twice if I saw one at all (usually a tech). And one lady said I needed what I thought were sealants and ended up coming at me with a needle instead. Yeah, I’m done with that place. A friend recommended Amy and she was right, Amy was great. I never felt so educated leaving a dentist before. She explained every detail. She was kind about suggestions and never pushy. Also, they do paraffin waxes! The warmth on my hands was really calming and made getting two shots a lot more pleasant than I could’ve imagined. Not to mention, they are ON IT with insurance and very honest and open about prices and do their best to calculate cost. There are no surprises there, both in the dentists chair and in the lobby. I think I might have finally found my dentist 🙂

Let me tell you right now, your search for a quality dentist is over….Dr Van Fossen is absolutely wonderful. I had an emergency situation pop up, and Dr. Van Fossen accommodated me in a heart beat. She makes the entire process enjoyable, if you can imagine that. I appreciate the full explanations and genuine concern she takes with me as a patient. The quality of dental work I received was top notch! Highly recommended!

The professionals and entire team is top notch… Professional and caring… and the sincere friendliness and warmth of this group set the standard, and refreshing in heathcare, where a “curt” staff is the norm. I started with G&R way back when my office was in the Loop. Time have changed, but I — in fact, my whole family – are happy to travel to the heart of town to see these folks. Binyon H.

There is not a better dentist in Chicago. I have never in my life looked forward to my cleanings and appointments. I have not always been the best at my oral hygiene and I have spent plenty of time in a dentist chair as a result. Dr. Van Fossen worked with me to get a plan to get my teeth into good shape. She didn’t try to change me or judge my habbits and my teeth have never been better. I just moved to Rhode Island and I hope I can continue coming to her practice. They have great technology – she shows you everything going on with your teeth. There is no mystery there. I do partake in the paraffin wax treatment on my hands during my visits. I tell others who become jealous that their cleaning is no where near as relaxing. The “out of network” insurance issue was a concern for me, but the prices that I have seen are not that different from my insurance company’s in network coverage, so there has been nothing crazy out of pocket to see the greatest dentist in Chicago.

There’s a reason why this place doesn’t have anything less than 5 stars … I’m a 29 year old baby when it comes to the dentist – if I can avoid it, I will.. and I did – for like 3 years …but I just got out of my appointment and I will definitely be back in 6 months. My preferred method of communication is via email, especially when making appointments to places I don’t really want to go. The woman in charge of appointments was very receptive and accommodating. This office has all sorts of hours, before work and after. I got there a early and was very warmly welcomed by the people up front – ‘welcome to the practice’ .. My hygienist, Lisa, saw me as soon as I was ready. She was so nice and treated me like the big baby that I was, very reassuring, very thorough but not too rough. I then saw Dr. Van Fossen, she’s a treat! Very nice, she explained everything in detail, they all just seemed so happy to be there and to do their jobs. if you’re looking for a dentist, go here. I already made my next appointment!

This dental office is the best!  They know their clientele – business people who want to be in and out of their appointment.  I have always been seen on time and out within 30 minutes for a cleaning.  Sue is the best hygienist and the doctors area all great too.  I appreciate it immensely when a doctor’s office is respectful patients’ time!

Dr. Amy is the absolute best! I used to hate going to the dentist, until I met Dr. Amy! First of all, she knows her s*it. She frequently starts with the most conservative approach, which I so appreciate. I always always feel comfortable and confident that she’s making the right recommendations. She is extremely responsive and patient. Besides all of this, she’s a wonderful person! I have referred her multiple patients and highly recommend her services.

Best dentist, ever! She’s got a gentle touch, she won’t recommend or perform procedures you don’t need, she explains everything, and is totally cool about me being a giant weenie about dental procedures. I confidently send friends and family to her because I know they’ll be in good hands!

Best Dental Experience of my life. Amy is a wonderful dentist who walks you through every step of the visit. Since it had been awhile since my last checkup I was a little anxious walking in, but Amy alleviated all my concerns and the experience was very pleasant. She truly cares about each patient and making sure their experience is as pain free as possible!

Hands down, the greatest dentist experience one could ever image! Dr. Van Fossen is the best! Appointments are easy to make, and best of all, on time….no waiting around! Dr. Van Fossen gives you a full explanation and her pleasant personality is truly enjoyable. She’s so great that we tracked her down thru her office move. I would highly recommend Dr. Van Fossen to all of my friends and family

This practice is welcoming, responsive, and excellent. Two nights before this July 4th weekend, a big filling in a deteriorating tooth loosened and my usual dentist was unreachable and this tooth had become an emergency situation. I’ve never been to see Drs. Robinson and Van Fossen.  My daughter is their patient and had only good things to say. I called at midnite and left a desperate message on their voicemail, and also left a message on their website, but not expecting much. Talk about responsive. The office staff called me back as soon as they got into the office at 6:15am. Unbelievable. “You can come at 11am”, they said. Unbelievable. Dr. James Robinson told me the tooth was pretty bad and would need removal by an oral surgeon. But he said he could replace the filling with another one that would give me two weeks time to get the oral surgery appointment. He showed me the x-ray, answered all my questions, and went to work. So in twelve hours I went from having a big problem and no dentist two nights before a holiday weekend to a solved issue and a new dental office. My prior dentist was fantastic for 35 years, but he is scaling back, and he is encouraging his patients to find new dentists. Between Dr. Robinson and Dr. Van Fossen, I believe I have.

First things first, I don’t like the dentist. As a category, I would give dentistry zero stars, but Van Fossen makes it bearable and is very accommodating to my dental anxiety (apparently this is the correct name for hating the dentist). During my exams and the cleaning, you get a paraffin wax treatment for your hands and a sick discman to listen to tunes- all in the name of keeping your mind off whatever is happening in your mouth. Dr. Van Fossen has a great chair-side manner and clearly explains the treatment plan. I highly recommend her if you are looking for a Loop dentist.

Great experience with Dr. Van Fossen! I chose this office based on reviews and location. From the very beginning of making the appointment to checking out, everyone was friendly and helpful. Dr. Van Fossen’s manner is warm and practical and very specific to my needs. The personalized letter after my appointment was an inspiration! I definitely have the warm and fuzzies after this experience!

Short Version of this Long Review: Dr. Amy Van Fossen is a beyond fabulous dentist. I’d give her 10 stars if I could. She and the team treated me like family and were very sensitive to my dental fears. Their follow up was impeccable and attention to detail when creating my plan exceeded my expectations. Dr. Van Fossen was my 5th opinion for a lot of work needed and the choice was an instant no brainer. The Dentist: She is someone who is truly passionate about her job and teeth. Unlike most dentists I’ve been to, Dr. Van Fossen looks to discover WHY you have cavities, etc. and talks through your diet, habits, etc. I have lost 10 lbs by cutting out things that were (to my surprise) horrible for my teeth and I feel empowered finally knowing WHY these things happened to me and not leaving with the usual dental advice of “bad genes” or “floss more”. She is not afraid to be honest about what she feels you need now and what can be revisited in a year or two – which I think anyone can appreciate. She really goes the extra mile in everything and has detailed explanations for her opinions. The Plan: What truly impressed me is the level of customer service and quality of the dental work. My teeth look incredible and I was looped in every step of the way with a custom built plan which itemized every cost and grouped them into visits. Dr. Van Fossen even called me to talk through some of the planning while she did it. I loved how included I was because this was going be expensive (and a little scary) for me. I wanted to be sure I was getting a conservative, yet appropriate approach. Her Endodontist referrals for a root canal needed were equally wonderful (and pain free). The Work: Let me tell you – she gives great needle! I never felt an ounce of pain throughout my 5 or 6 visits – during or after. I am the world’s biggest wimp when it comes to needles/doctors and even explored anesthesia to be put out for everything – SO not necessary. She works efficiently and before I knew it I was in and out each visit – she has really helped me go a long way with my dental fears. The Rest: The office is clean, in a beautiful building and in a great location (shopping Macy’s post visit – yes I think so!). Jim at the front desk is just a doll and and has fabulous follow up/customer service skills. The Hygienist I primarily had, Erica – equally wonderful and helpful. I love that they will provide you with music to listen to and the rooms have magnets and non-dentist related items to look at while you’re in the chair (not to mention the view!). They have a unique referral program I have benefited from that has left my friends equally raving about Choices in Dentistry. Conclusion: All and all, I saved a lot of money going with Choices in Dentistry (vs. other opinions I received that I felt were far too aggressive/sloppy), had perfect follow up, received a beautiful plan that took a conservative and preventative approach that left me feeling beautiful, stress-free and excited/empowered about the future health of my teeth. I’m not sure I can ever go anywhere else again!! Dr. Amy Van Fossen is a real find!

I have never enjoyed the dentist and Dr. Van Fossen actually makes it enjoyable. She is the most informative doctor I have ever been to and makes you feel completely comfortable throughout the visit. A huge bonus is the paraffin wax for your hands as you get your teeth cleaned. She also offer to hook up your phone to play your music. She definitely goes above and beyond for her patients.

Dr. Van Fossen is my family’s dentist and she is the best we have been to. Every time any of us go to her, we are always welcomed and given the best care possible. It is always so clean and her staff are all so warm and friendly. Dr. Van Fossen is very knowledgable in what she is doing and does it to the best of her ability. I would not go to anyone else, she is the absolute best.

Hands down, the greatest dentist experience one could ever image! Dr. Van Fossen is the best! Appointments are easy to make, and best of all, on time….no waiting around! Dr. Van Fossen gives you a full explanation and her pleasant personality is truly enjoyable. She’s so great that we tracked her down thru her office move.