Richard Y Lee, DDS

I had a horrible experience with Dr. Lee. I visited his office for a cleaning and waited for over 40 minutes to be seen in a tiny, outdated waiting room. After being called back for the cleaning, I waited while Dr. Lee made small talk about all of the personal details in my file (job, address, current health, etc.). I am a friendly and talkative person but felt that his comments crossed the line for a dental appointment. While waiting for my x-​rays to process, he was taking phone calls and dealing with administrative tasks. Finally, when I thought he was ready to begin the cleaning, he told me that I needed to pay $ 5 and make another appointment for a cleaning! In retrospect, I am thankful that I did not have my teeth cleaned with Dr. Lee during this first appointment. The cleanliness of the office is questionable as well as Dr. Lee’s hygiene practices (he talked on the phone with his gloves and then proceeded to poke around in my mouth with the same gloves). I will not be going back for the cleaning.

I just met Dr. Lee on May 8^th, and he is awesome! He’s not only friendly but quick and very helpful as well. Most of all, he is honestly blunt and that is what people need these days. I went to a dentist a week prior to meeting Dr. Lee and she not only prescribed me some medication that didn’t work, but also told me I needed a root canal along with other multiple things. Do not go to Dianne-​Whitfield!!! When the medication wasn’t helping anything, I figured I needed a second opinion. I went to Dr. Lee and he told me they were telling me a lot of BS. He told me I didn’t need root canal, that he believes its my gums not the tooth causing the problem. He prescribed me something else and told me to come back Wednesday. That’s exactly what I did and his medication helped with the pain and swelling within 24hrs. It is now Thursday and I can eat my on the right side of my mouth and my swelling is continuing to heal.

Very good experience. He is an honest dentist and moves very quick. His rapport with his staff is very funny also.

I found my new dentist! Yes, the office is a bit unconventional. Yes, it’s old and tiny. But you can’t beat the service. He’s personable, honest, and will not try to cheat you on services. And in this city, that is extremely difficult to come by. I’ve been to two high end dentist offices in my 4 years here, and each one tried to tell me I had gingivitis and needed a deep gum cleaning. Literally felt like they were ripping my gums off of my teeth. So I decided to see Dr. Lee after a referral. Best decision! He opened my mouth and said I had perfect teeth with nothing at all wrong and very little to clean. That’s what I had always been told before I moved here, so it was refreshing to hear it again! I will definitely be going back. You have to butter up the staff a bit for them to be warm, but what the heck — I’ll do that before I spend another $ 185 on a cleaning.

Dr. Lee was a nice guy and the receptionist very friendly, but that’s where the positives end. The office is old and unkempt and frankly quite dirty. The equipment appears outdated and the sterilization of the equipment was questionable. Also, keep in mind that none of the pictures or videos on his website are of him, his staff or his office, they’re all just stock photos.
I went in for a regularly scheduled cleaning after having to change dentists due to a job/​insurance change. My appointment started 30 minutes late, and then after 10 or so minutes of chitchat Dr. Lee finally got down to business. He asked me if I wanted x-​rays (isn’t that standard procedure when starting with a new patient?). He proceeded to take the x-​rays but needed me to hold the film in place in my mouth (I’ve never seen or heard of this tactic) after also telling me that he passed a hygiene course only due to a technicality. Then he poked around in my mouth for about 5 minutes resulting in the most painful oral exam I’ve ever had. Last, he haphazardly applied the special dentist toothpaste, while the brush head kept slipping and then he was done (no post-​brush flossing to get all of the little specs out from between my teeth).
After seeing dentists regularly for the last 30 or so years this was by far the worst dental experience I’ve ever had. Sorry Dr. Lee, but it’s about time you invested in some upgrades.

No matter what people say about dr Lee I like him he is very helpful and cooperative I would recommend him over all those fancy dentist. It doesn’t make any sense to me to go to a fancy looking clinic with a young dentist and let him charge ridiculous amount of money whereas dr Lee’s clinic is old fashioned clinic, with all that experience under his belt and charge me reasonable.

Don’t bother with Dr. Lee!!!
If I could give zero stars, I would. I made an appointment for this morning (Tuesday) at 9:30 and arrived around 9:25. The waiting room was completely full (it’s tiny, but there were people standing everywhere) and it smelled awful. I wrote my name down to sign in and the receptionist commented that there were a lot of people in front of me.
I told her that I had an appointment at 9:30 and she said that it didn’t matter, that the doctor was behind and that he would need to make it through the people in front of me (about 15 people total on the list!) before he saw me. If, at 9:30, he was already so behind that there were 15 people in front of me, I didn’t want to wait around to see what the hold-​up was.
I told her that I refused to wait and she asked if I’d like to reschedule, as if this happened all the time. Obviously I’m not going to reschedule, as this was the absolute poorest service I’ve received anywhere, much less a doctor’s office.

Dr. Lee is the best Dentist I ever visited. He knows his thing and he charges very low fee compared to any other dentist you would have visited. I recommend him to all those folks who donot have insurance as they would be pleased with Dr. Lee service and fee. He is down to earth person who is not in the business for looting clients but just to help them feel better.

So… I should have read this site before I scheduled the appts for my daughter & I — 1^st, Dr Lee is a really nice guy, very personable. However, maybe at little too personable. I didn’t mind the hour wait. It was a Saturday & the snow storm had started. Waiting room was full. I did mind the excessive chatter while I was in the chair. He actually stopped to make a phone call lol. Also, the equipment is old & the cleaning was NOT thorough at all. If not for the talking, I would have been in & out of the chair in 6 mins. The front desk reception/​assistant was friendly, just a bit urban. I’ll stick to my regular dentist downtown.

Why so many haters trying to put Dr. Lee down, what is up with this nonsense. So what if his equipment is old fashioned? So many picky people… Go to another dentist so you can get ripped off and still be in pain afterwards… I am on a budget and haven’t found a more affordable dentist around. I don’t think his office is dirty, I think it’s cozy and I enjoy his jokes and talks. So many bitter people with black hearts in this world…
I had a great experience with Dr. Lee, he is a very honest dentist. I had a wisdom tooth that was bothering me, he took it out and didn’t charge me. Now where will you go to a dentist that will take out a tooth a wisdom without charging you??? Think really hard people, really why post negativity when he takes away the pain!
I also had a tooth that was hurting and Dr. Lee recommended I get a root canal to save the tooth and kill the pain, and cheapest dentist around in a long time. He was very friendly and told me everything that was going to be done before he even did it. Once he was finished, he told me other things I need to get done and even showed me. He doesn’t overcharge and lets you know everything. I recommend him to anyone that does not want to get ripped off.

When I went to see Dr Lee I was in pain. He helped me with out any appointment, he make priority to help patient and I took my 8 years old doughtier with out appointment and he saw her too, he is the best dentist in metro area I recommend him,
Thanks Dr lee for your great service
Tigist Adenew

Not one but quite a few people suggested me to go to Dr.lee. After my visit today, I can say this is my new go to dentist. I have no insurance but dr. lee is so affordable!!!
I got a root canal today and didn’t feel a thing! He numbed me so well that the procedure was a breeze and I honestly can’t wait for my next procedure. I feel better already. Not to mention, I have a low pain tolerance so he has wowed me. He is honest and likes to make his patients laugh. Dr. lee, you’re amazing!

Dear previous Unilocal reviewers,
My sincerest apologies to all of you for not believing in you. I thought a smattering of 1-​stars must be the result of a vicious campaign by some anti-«dentists named Richard Lee» cabal. There is no way he could deserve this, right? Unfortunately, no cabal exists and the doctor tries hard to alienate all patients equally.
Dr. Lee, I apologize to you for scheduling an appointment at time in the day when you obviously cared more about the status of your food delivery than a new client. I did thoroughly enjoy the first ten minutes of waiting after my appointment time listening to you gossip with the receptionist about mundane, trivial matters. After waiting 25 minutes past my appoinment time, just after your food was delivered, I did think it was rather forward of her to notify you I was still waiting and ask if I should come back.
*A note to you my dear sir: in such a small office, I could hear you response, «I am not ready yet» about the same time I identified your food bag being opened and the delicious aroma of your takeout wafted into the waiting room. Interesting enough, this did not occur at a typical meal time either. Jet lagged perhaps?
To the readers, I apologize I can not finish this review as I had to leave after 40 minutes of waiting, with no explanation for the delay, assurance from staff or any communication there was an end in sight.
To Dr. Weaver. I know I left your practice back in the Midwest when I moved here last year, but can you squeeze me in over the Christmas break? I need a cleaning.

This dentist is an absolute fraud. I have been fortunate enough to have superb dental care for my whole life. I recently relocated to Washington, DC and decided to try Dr. Lee for dental care. I went in for a routine cleaning and exam. Dr. Lee spent under 2 minutes in my mouth, cleaning absolutely nothing. He proceeded to say he wanted me to come back in 2 weeks so he could finish up then. He did manage to spend at least 10 minutes blathering and making racist comments. I am shocked that this type of fraudulent medical ‘professional’ exists on Capitol Hill… literally next door to the Library of Congress and a block from the U.S. Capitol. His equipment is insanely out of date (literally from the 70s or 80s). I was given a dixie cup to rinse out my mouth at the sink. There were no biohazard controls anywhere. DISGUSTING.

When I went to see Dr. Lee I was in pain and I had an infection. I had read some of his reviews on google and it was actually one of those reviews that made me go to him. After reading what I see here today I am a bit wowed.
Yes his office is dirty, I’ll give you that. Seriously though, not that big a deal, it’s dust and old carpet not blood on the walls. He seemed to have a clean working area and if the carpet needed vacuuming so be it. And yes the equipment is old, but it seems to work just fine.
The receptionist was abrupt but she didn’t seem all that bad to me. Some people just have no people skills. She is one of those people. I’m not though and she seemed to warm up to me. We had some difficulty getting the card machine to work and between the two of us we accomplished out goal and it was painless.
As for Dr. Lee… I only had an exam and not a cleaning so I can’t speak for his cleaning technique. I will say that Dr. Lee has one trait that I value above all others in my healthcare professionals. HE IS HONEST!
I had no insurance at the time and when I asked him if this had to be dealt with and should be given emergency status, he said no. When I asked if anything could be worked out he said yes. When I asked if I should pay the $ 400 to an oral surgeon or if I should just take the antibiotic and see if the tooth would fall out on it’s own he said «could happen, let’s see if that works.» I took the antibiotic, the pain stopped and yes the tiny chip of tooth fell out on it’s own. No smoke and mirrors, no song and dance and no BS. He answered my questions honestly and with no malice or attempt to get more money out of me. The doctor before him set me up for a $ 400 surgery, an extraction that damaged the tooth next to it, an emergency fee for seeing me, and all out of my pocket. Dr. Lee looked at my tooth and advised me for free, he gave me a prescription for my infection for free and when he found out I’d be paying for the cap myself on another tooth he knocked some money off and allowed me to leave there having only paid $ 100 deposit for the future procedure.
Maybe I caught him on a good day, but I have no problems with Dr. Lee.

Flirted with me while I was in the chair. I should sue for sexual harassment.

I woke up two days ago with a terrible toothache… immediately I called my insurance company (CAREFIRST) and they notified me that since I did not choose a primary dentist when I signed up that they had placed me with the nearest one, which would be Dr. Lee.
I show up on time for my appointment and sign in at the front desk and wait, as the receptionist wasn’t doing anything and I figured she would hand me my paperwork. I thought wrong!!! She didn’t even say hello!!! A few minutes later, Dr. Lee walks up to the desk, says my name and hands me my paperwork. At that point, I realize that he has on what appears to be USED exam gloves– at this point I get a little nervous because he precedes to touch everything! He literally answers the phone, books appointments, talks about people in his church passing away and how to submit medical billing to his receptionist– all while me and an older gentleman appear to be in pain and waiting.
Forty-​five minutes after my appointment time, he SCREAMS my name from somewhere in the back for my appointment to begin. At this point, I am thinking about all these negative reviews I’ve had time to review while waiting. In my head, I’m thinking «JUST GIVE THE GUY A CHANCE»… as I walk towards where Dr. Lee’s voice came from, the older gentleman is sitting in a secondary waiting room shaking his head. As I approach my exam room, I litterally look at all the paperwork thrown EVERYWHERE all around the room and the SUPER SUPER SUPER SUPER SUPER SUPER let me say again…
SUPER old equipment, chair, plastic that is so old its stained yellow exam room. And when he asks «what are we doing today?» I immediately reply that I am on my way home because I refuse to pay $ 300 per month for a great insurance plan to have dental work done in the NASTIEST dental office in America.
Sad thing is, I think Dr. Lee is used to getting that reaction because he smiled and replied «Ok, so do you want to take your paperwork back?»… All I can say is that these reviews dont even begin to tell you how nasty his office is.

DO NOT GO HERE!
I found a dentist on the hill that accepted my insurance and was thrilled. The place was a bit sketchy, but I could overlook that if my teeth had actually been cleaned!
My husband and I waited over an hour. The receptionist was out and Dr. Lee was bad mouthing her. There were random people coming in and out of the office, but he continued to not see us.
When I finally went back, he found out I had gone to law school and was telling me all sorts if legal woes. The equipment is very old and at this point I was very uncomfortable. There were bull dog trinkets on every surface making me question the sanitariness. Dr. Lee poked my teeth for a minute with metal tools. Took an X-​ray of one half of my mouth and sent me on my way.
When I asked if he was going to clean my teeth, he told me I’d have to make another appointment. I got the feeling he was vetting me for insurance.
I once again go back to my home state f Ohio for dental appointments.
DO NOT GO HERE!

I’d give Dr. Lee ZERO stars if I could. I cannot believe he even still has his license to practice dentistry!!! I also cannot believe that the insurers who list him as a provider (including FEHBP plans like mine) are completely unaware (or don’t care) about his shabby work and lack of professionalism.
I went to Dr. Lee several years ago for a cleaning, and thought that I might have a cavity. The appointment was around noon. When I went in, Dr. Lee was at the reception desk– at first I thought he was the receptionist. He had me fill out forms and then took me to the exam room. I looked around and it seemed very unsanitary. Dr. Lee is a bulldog enthusiast. They day I went, I noticed dog tchotchkes and CANS of ALPO (still sealed, thank goodness) on shelves which I could see when I looked up from the exam chair. I am not making this up! The dog paraphernalia seemed very inappropriate for what should be a hygienic dental exam room. And just downright weird.
As another Unilocaler commented, Dr. Lee really likes to talk. I remember feeling very uncomfortable when I realized that there was no one else in the office, no receptionist, no other patient. He started looking at my teeth, and continuously kept talking– about nothing in particular. Well 30 minutes went by (and I was now feeling REALLY uncomfortable— he’s sitting in the chair right by me— why wasn’t he cleaning my teeth???). I got up and said I had to leave. He said he’d make another appointment for me. Seriously? No way, I was getting out of there as fast as possible.
So bottom line, Dr. Lee NEVER CLEANED MY TEETH. He just looked at my teeth but didn’t actually DO ANYTHING! And it wasn’t like he was pressed for time or had other patients waiting. Oh, and he charged my insurance for the visit!!!
Word to the wise: avoid Dr. Lee like the bubonic plague!!!

Avoid!
Maybe it’s just me but I expect cleanliness at a dental office. The technology was old and outdated (didn’t even have water hooked up to the machine to rinse your mouth during the cleaning… just hands you a cup at the end and sends you to a dirty sink!). Dr. Lee seemed friendly at first but after I screeched when he missed my tooth for the third time with his scrapper causing blood, he actually asked me if I would prefer to just leave and go to another dentist! Then he left the room and didn’t give me any type of analysis at the end… didn’t take x-​rays or check for cavities. I think the problem was that he was the only person working other than the receptionist. Perhaps he should hire more help so he can actually focus on his patients.