John W Pawluk, DDS

Dr. Pawluk recently did a root canal for me, he has done 3 root canals for my wife. He is an excellent Doctor, I think he is very professional and comes across as a person who knows what he is doing.
Thanks Dr. Pawluk for saving my tooth. I would highly recommend you to my friends.
BR,
Pradeep Dave Sharma

Dr Pawluk is a legend. I have bad teeth (genetically and despite my religious brushing and flossing!) AND a fear of dentists. I’ve had around 6 root canals and the last two — both done by Dr Pawluk — have go to be the best I’ve had — let alone the best visits to the dentist I’ve ever had! He is professional, does great work and better than anything — quick! The whole actual procedure only takes 15 — 20 mins and there’s no extra visits! Yes, it’s expensive but no more than any other specialist work or dentist I’ve been too — and it’s a better quality too! He is also compassionate — he frequently checks to make sure you’re doing okay throughout the procedure. Thanks, Dr Pawluk!

Dr. John Pawluck is an Endodontist, which means he’s specializes in dental surgeries, such as root canals and difficult to extract wisdom teeth.
Dr. Pawluck is very direct and to the point which I appreciate. Although he works quickly and doesn’t always slow down to explain everything (I ask a lot of questions), I got my all the information I needed to feel secure and confident that he was proceeding correctly. I also learned a lot about the importance of teeth being in occlusion (touching top to bottom).
I got a root canal on #29. I arrived at his office at 12:00 and was out a few minutes before 1:00 so they get points for keeping me on schedule. The operation was quick and relatively painless.
A few days after the procedure, I asked his office to email the x-​rays and a photo of the inside of the tooth to my personal e-​mail. They replied with all the requested information within a few hours. The 3 x-​rays really catalogue the work well. 1 is taken before the operation, 1 half way through (after root is removed but before filling — a photo is taken at this time as well) and then a 3^rd x-​ray is taken after the procedure is completed in order to show the filling.
I forwarded the x-​rays to a dentist whom I really trust (a close family friend) and he commented that Dr Pawluck did a superb job on my root canal. Can’t think of any higher praise than this!
Big ups to Dr. Pawluck and his office staff at 2551 North Clark.
Finally, Dr Pawluck accepted my sub par Aetna DMO insurance. It’s great to find a dentist who does quality work for folks who cannot afford to pay for a designer dentist.

THIS REVIEW HAS BEEN UPDATED — SEE END.
I had a root canal scheduled with Dr. Pawluk’s associate, Dr Carrara (who is WONDERFUL). The tooth began to cause pain when she was out of town so Dr Pawluk stepped in. Upon looking into my mouth and noticing a second broken tooth, he wanted to X-​ray that tooth and discuss options for it. I said, «Let’s just focus on today’s root canal and we’ll talk about that one later.» He continued to berate me for the broken tooth and wanted to know why I hadn’t taken care of it. I quietly told him I couldn’t afford it and that my insurance wouldn’t even cover all the treatment (root canal, crown lengthening, crown) on the current tooth in question. I told him my insurance would renew in Jan (six months away). He smirked (he actually SMIRKED) and said the tooth wouldn’t last that long and asked how I expected to eat when the broken tooth was on one side and the root canal on the other? I told him the tooth was broken 8 years prior and that I thought it would be okay for six more months. He finally backed off (for the time being) and proceeded to numb my tooth. His technique was actually quite gentle and I thought he was quite skilled though rude.
After he numbed me up, his staff came in and asked me to pay them. Right there. While I was bibbed up, numbed up and in the chair. I said, «Right NOW?!» She said it was faster if patients paid ahead of time. I told her my bag was in the waiting room (with my Sweetheart) and that she would just have to wait. I found out later she tracked him down and got payment before the procedure.
After my root canal (which was pain free and fast) Dr Pawluk started in one more time about all the bad things that would happen if I didn’t fix my other tooth and said «Not being able to afford it isn’t an option.»
I went out in my car and cried.
I had to go see him for a follow up and he made me wait in the chair ten minutes after our appointment time while he sat in his office and chatted with a colleague.
When I returned to my regular dentist, she told me (and a second opinion confirmed) too much of my tooth had been removed from the center for a crown to be possible and that the best approach for for longevity was now to pull the tooth and put in an implant. And the money I spent on the root canal? Wasted. My dentist (and second opinion) said even if that much tooth needed to be removed (which is certainly possible) Dr Pawluk should have informed me of the chance that a root canal might not be the best choice (since doing it right would prevent the possibility of a crown — thus making a root canal pointless). He should have warned me of this and alerted me that extraction was a possibility and suggest that course of action.
My experience at his office was not great.
UPDATE:
Dr. Pawluk contacted me to discuss my Unilocal review.
When I told him I felt berated for being too poor to afford his suggestions and cried, he apologized. He said he would work on how he presents himself. He explained he’s from NY and that sometimes he comes off more rough than he intends.
He apologized for his staff asking for money when I was in the chair explaining that, with the economy, they’ve has several walk-​outs. He said his staff did not present it to me in the best way possible.
Should I ever need another root canal, I will return to his associate, Dr. Carrara but I will not return to him. His technique was quick and pain free but the way he and his staff treated me has turned me off him for good.