Joseph P Gulbenkian, DDS

Never write reviews about doctors but felt like I needed to here. My appointment was at 430, I was in by 430. The hygienist was so nice, I think her name was Lynette. She took my xrays without hurting me. Xrays always hurt me. Dr. Gulbenkian came in, looked at the xrays, said everything looked normal and then proceeded to check my teeth out and clean them. He explained everything he was doing, what I should be doing, what doesn’t work etc. So personable. I was out about 20 minutes later with my goodie bag. I read people complaining about how quick it was but when is a cleaning ever not quick? A long cleaning would worry me.

Finding a great dentist is NYC is difficult! I went in for a checkup/​cleaning and Renee cleaned my teeth and it was literally the best teeth cleaning of my life. In an informative manner she explained each step of the way and it was very comforting. As well she taught me better techniques to care for my teeth. Dr. G himself is awesome, what a rockstar! A week later he swapped out a poorly done filling in record time with minimal pain and now I can eat normally again.
Thanks for being my new dentist! :D

Not sure how the actual dentist is, because I was unable to get in touch with them. I made an appointment about a month early, after calling them several times with no answer. A week before my appointment I needed to reschedule. Once again I called several times, and left 3 – 4 voicemails asking to to reschedule. They called back once and left a voicemail, asking to call them back. I called back several times again with no answer. The day before my appointment they called me to confirm my appointment (WTF??). Not surprising anymore, I couldn’t reach them to cancel my appointment. They charged my insurance as no call/​no show. Not sure how any office can be run this way.

I have used Dr Gulbenkian for the past 15 years and am really upset I now have to change dentist because of a different insurance plan.
I am convinced the fact that the poor teeth I started out with still are in a reasonable shape is due to his conscientious and professional work over these years. I always felt that I was in the best of hands with him.

Any gushing review of this quack are fake and planted. Yes they do 10 minute cleanings, yes he has zero bedside manner, yes he is incompetent and even a crook!
I saw him several times, he was always rushed and impersonal. He even used his iphone with his gloves on during a visit. So he put on a crown that fell off after a month, then he ordered a new one that literally broke in my mouth when I bit down on it in office! can you imagine? He said «I had a strong bite». This quack is really incredible.
Then he tells me He wants his oral surgeon friend to «shave my gums down so the crown fits». that was final straw with this nut job. Oh actually the final straw was when I realized he defrauded me $ 400 for the crown out of pocket which was covered by insurance. i had to march into this quacks office and stand over him to get my money back. He deserves an investigation by consumer affairs and then some.

I have been seeing Dr. Gulbenkian and his crew for a year now, with 3 appointments total. I have no complaints! He makes me feel welcome, and I trust his practice and everyone that works there. As a fellow Long Islander, I am glad he moved his practice to the city!
I specifically have great things to say about Shu Ping (who went by Renée), the hygienist who gave me a cleaning the past 2 visits. I remembered her as soon as I walked into the office for my most recent appointment, she was bubbly and friendly, and made me feel welcome.
As a side note, I have to say, in the past, I haven’t had great luck with hygienists… And this is coming from a model dental patient! I have never had cavities and I have a high pain tolerance. Cleanings don’t bother me. I had all 5 of my wisdom teeth (yes, 5) without anesthesia. That said, I feel like in the past my hygienists have always been grumpy, angry, and rude. They didn’t really say much.
On the other hand, Renée described what she was doing while she was giving me a cleaning, and addressed a few of the concerns I had about my brushing habits. She made me feel comfortable in the dentist chair, which is not really an easy thing to do. I must say I never thought I would have a positive relationship with my hygienist, but I am glad to say that I do!

I love Dr.Gulbenkian. I have been going to see Dr. Gulbenkian over 3 years! And I must say that I love that switched over to him. He’s so professional and makes sure he answers all your questions! Any time I have a question, he makes sure that I clearly understand his answer. He also send with you home with a goodie back of floss, a tooth brush and tooth paste after your teeth cleaning! His appointments are the best, he’s with taking you in and seeing you. His office is clean and his staff treats their patients with the upmost respect! His office is right across the street from the 57^th St/​7Ave train station on the R/​Q/​N subway line. I would definitely recommend anyone to go see him!

I never write Unilocal reviews, but Dr. Gulbenkian lied that I had a cavity when I didn’t…
I was given this dentist as a recommendation from someone I knew since they had been going to Dr. Gulbenkian for years. I went for a cleaning 6 months ago, and they told me I had 2 cavities that needed to be filled. I have had a cavity once before, and didn’t feel any of those symptoms before this visit. I found it strange Dr. Gulbenkian seemed to try to be convincing me I had a cavity by saying multiple times ‘do you hear how the probe is sticking to your tooth.’ Something seemed off, almost as if he was trying to prove himself.
I work in medical sales so I’m very familiar with the back end of physician offices. It’s more common than patients realize how physicians (and dentists) try to ‘upsell’ and bill as much money as they can out of visits, or have patients come back/​do procedures when it isn’t necessary.
I never went back to have the my ‘cavities’ filled. I tried to have my X-​Rays sent to my new dentist from Dr. Gulbenkian’s office, but they said the internet was down and they couldn’t send them over. Today I went for a cleaning at my new dentist and they said I didn’t have any cavities! I find it extremely unethical that a dentist would try to tamper with perfectly healthy teeth in order to make more money.

I don’t lean to hyperbole in writing or conversation, so when I say Dr. Gulbenkian has changed my life, I mean it. That first time I smiled without worrying that everyone can see my rotted, blackened teeth was like lifting a heavy wet blanket of self conscious worry off of my entire sense of self.
I had let my teeth go for about 14 years without a dentist appointment. It was a mix of fear and poverty/​no insurance that kept me out of the chair. the tops of my canines started showing some black spots by the gumline in my early 20s. I think living in Florida and drinking rum 5 nights a week probably had a little to do with this. It started getting worse. The black spots were now full cavities rotting away and now it was spreading to other teeth both visible and not visible. a few years go by and now i have teeth coming apart in the back of my mouth. I was spitting chunks of my teeth out far too often. I moved to NYC in 2010 and I looked like a meth head. I did nothing to take care of my teeth other than brushing and flossing/​general maintenance. I knew I had to do take some responsibility, but I had a fear that I would have to get dentures and that whatever dentist I went to would berate me for my bad choices. I am aware this is stupid, but this is what I did. Fear is a hell of a demotivator.
Fast forward a few years and I got a decent job with insurance! (guess I didn’t have to smile in the interview… sweet!) I was incredibly nervous at my first visit, but Dr. Gulbenkian was very thorough and non judgmental. He described in detail how he would like to approach my treatment, set up a schedule, referred me to excellent oral surgeon and root canal guy (forget the actual job title) and most importantly, did a fantastic job on all my teeth. After my first procedural visit, I could do a 1950’s rockabilly sneer without showing rot. Progress! While there are few social situations where a sneer is applicable, I was giving em out all day. And with the Novocaine, it was pretty easy to only move one side of my mouth, so… bonus!
About a year later, all cavities are filled, and all root canals completed. I went from looking like a meth addled junkie to a semi-​respectable person. Most importantly, now I can smile again. It’s a much more important thing than I had realized. Your outlook improves, life doesn’t seem so distant, and girls dig guys without rotten pirate teeth.
Dr. Gulbenkian told me on my first visit that he would have me smiling again in no time. I honestly can’t thank him enough for his professionalism, skill, and artistry.
Now for the general review stuff:
— Never had to wait for an appointment. When they say 2:30, they mean it.
— Professional and courteous staff.
— If you are DC37, he will work with you. This is not the best insurance (NYC Employee Union) They are slow to approve, slow to pay, etc, but he plans for their inaction and works around it.
— They are pretty busy, so you’ll have to book in advance, but if you can wait a few weeks, its definitely worth it.

So I’ve never reviewed a dentist before, but I felt it was necessary this time around after having a wonderful 1^st time visit with Dr. Gulbenkian today. Though there was a about a 6 week wait for an appointment, the check in process once I was there was quick. They do digital X-​Rays there and the Dr. went through each piece of film with me, asking several times if I had any questions. His bedside manner (if thats what you call it for dentists) was great, he had a very gentle hand and the entire visit was quick. I was in and out in about 40 minutes (paperwork included).

Dr. Gulbenkian, along with his superb network of specialists, fixed my varied complex dental problems and now my teeth are great. Dr. G., the CEO of my mouth, is a maestro. He’s a smart, highly-​skilled, gentle, painless and versatile professional who can think on his feet when the unexpected arises. The perfect comfortable crowns he put on my implants were, well, the crowning touch. His staff is great. He’s my go-​to guy forever.

Dr. G is amazing. His office is well run and he seems to care about his patients and practice. I heartily recommend him to anyone! The office staff is also super friendly and I’ve received good dental care over the last two years.

I’m trying to schedule an appointment for months but the front desk personal is trying so hard to push me away. They cancelled and had me to reschedule at very last minute 2 months ago. I missed my appointment due to trafic for 15 min and got cancelled again. The next available appointment is 2.5 months later! I like my hydrogenist. I wanted to go to this place. Just too hard.

I have been going to Dr. Joesph Gulbenkian for years probably around 10 years.
He is the best, very gentle and caring. I always listen to what he has to say when it comes to my gums and teeth. I am so happy to have found him… one night I was out for dinner with my girlfriend and her friend join us later and to my surprise she knew my dentist Dr. G. She raved how he took care of her son after he had been to several dentists and needed immediate help. Wow… this was so impressive to hear what a small world… many people go to Dr. G and truely love him as a dentist and his work.
When my brother came in to town for the first time to the big apple Dr. G squeezed him in his busy schedule to do a cleaning and X-​rays. My brother was so happy and very pleased with Dr. G with his work and his ackowledgement as a doctor.
If you are looking for a Great Dentist in the Big Apple it is by train just a hop skip and away and you will be there at his office — 162 W 56^th Street. I will see you there!!!

VERY UNPROFESSIONAL CRAPPY OFFICE, RUSHED VISIT AND IMPERSONAL DR.
Bad, bad, bad!!! I am not coming back.
Me and my friend had an appointment with DR Gulbenkian within 2 weeks.
We both had the exact same experience:
brief, rushed and impersonal visit and a very unfriendly dentist
I came in for my appointment one minute later than scheduled and had been stressed out by the receptionist that I have to RUSH and fill out the forms ASAP, «a few more minutes and the DR wouldn’t see me, we would have to reschedule».
The office looks like crap.
The DR doesn’t smile at all and does make you feel you shouldn’t ask any questions, it does feel they want you in and out;
I haven’t been to a dentist for a year and my cleaning lasted 10 minutes (I timed it). Never had I such a short cleaning in my life. Nevertheless DR Gulbenkian
confidently reassured me that I HAVE TO COME BACK for a deep cleaning.
ISn’t it thatI scheduled my visit for? I am sure my teeth were not that horrible that
I had to do some special deep cleaning but 10 minutes is sure not enough time to do a regular one. I felt like they just want you to schedule one more visit and run another procedure. Maybe I wouldn’t assume this if interestingly enough my friend wouldn’t have same short rushed visit and get the same recommendation to come back for deep cleaning.
I am reading reviews here and I am positive half of them are fake — they are very general and very similar. People, stay away, there are much better dentists out there, especially in this very competitive area.

I was a first time patient of Dr. Gulbenkian today, and I have never had a more impersonal and upsetting dentist appointment in my life.
My cleaning was perfunctory (he spent 15 minutes with me total) and my gums were bloody and swollen after leaving. I am still spitting up blood this evening.
After telling me I had mild gingivitis and a small cavity, he made no effort to ask if I had any questions, and when I tried to ask, he responded in a way that made me feel stupid for even asking (flossing and brushing? yes I know) Should I be using a mouthwash, what are the odds that this cavity will develop into something that would require drilling, what is mild gingivitis caused by and why have i never had it before if I haven’t changed my brushing and flossing, all of these questions I would have appreciated even the opportunity to ask.
All in all, his manner was brusque and dismissive, and I felt like I was being rushed out so the next patient could get in.
I definitely will not be coming back. Maybe this sounds crazy, but I like to be treated with a little bit of courtesy as a patient.

Dr. Gulbenkian did two crowns for me on teeth that had old fillings. It took two visits, each less than an hour, and they look beautiful and feel great. This is the first time I have never had to come back to have new crowns adjusted.
He is also kind and honest. I will definitely recommend him to friends.

Great dentist, and he will tell you the truth about what you need. The office will work with your insurance. I really get the feeling he isn’t in this business to get rich. BUT, my two fillings are like giant holes, not really filled. He works very fast and efficiently, maybe too fast. A little bit of down&dirty dentistry. Still, I highly recommend.

Let me add my praises for Dr. Gulbenkian to this list.
Prior to seeing Dr. G, I was using another dentist who I began to feel was bilking me and billing my insurance for procedures that I hadn’t had done, just to pad the office’s income. It felt wrong, and the last straw was when that office suggested that I have a «deep cleaning» done for no apparent reason (I was having cleanings 4x a year after getting bonding on my front six teeth, because I was told that otherwise they «wouldn’t hold up» …what?!).
In any case I did an extensive search for a dentist and Dr. Gulbenkian was both on my insurance company’s rollbook and positively reviewed online.
I’ve been seeing him for two years now and have been to his office for three cleanings including one repair to one of my bonded teeth. He is always kind, chatty and he definitely makes you feel like you’re the most important patient of the day. He takes a more conservative approach to dentistry, which I appreciate – he takes more of a «wait-​and-​see» approach rather than telling you that you need umpteen fillings and root canals as soon as he sees you the first time.
I’m very pleased with Dr. G and will happily continue to see him as long as I can!

In the past, I switched dentists whenever I changed jobs and either my insurance plans changed or my location in NYC changed and I chose a new one that was near my office. None of them made much of a lasting impression on me.
Dr. Gulbenkian, however, had personality. On top of being very professional, he really makes each patient feel like he/​she is his only patient. He listens to concerns and gives suggestions — not orders — on what you should do. He also works with you if you lack insurance so that it’s fair for both parties.
The waiting room is small, but it’s clean and the staff friendly.