Stephen Barsky, DDS

I came here based on the previous reviews. Although they weren’t as high reviews as I’d typically want to see before trying somewhere, they were overall the best of dentists I saw reviews for so I gave it a try .So I am not sure if things have changed over the years but a lot of things to note first. Advanced Cosmetic & General Dentistry of DC is the actual name of this business. Arousha Jahangiri, DDS is one of the doctors and Stephen Barsky, DDS is the other,
Update: Stephen Barsky, DDS has retired, and this location is now under a new owner with a new name Advance Cosmetic & General Dentistry (
). This change occurred before my visit so I am changing my star rating to a 3 star neutral review since I have technically never visited this business and moving the review for here to Advance Cosmetic page.

I have been going to Dr. Barsky for a number of years, and while he was not the most stellar dentist, my hygienists were always awesome, so I stuck with him. However, I have encountered billing issues that will prevent me from going back. My insurance plan changed about two years ago. I brought in my new card, told them I had new insurance and asked if they took it. The reception said it probably wouldn’t be an issue but she would let me know if there was a problem (she took it and made a copy). Fast forward two years (and therefore 4 appointments), I get a bill for hundreds of dollars for all of the appointments since my insurance changed. They submitted the initial claim my old insurance — which was denied, and then never told me! The kicker is that I came in multiple times after my insurance changed and they never said anything to me about my insurance status or owing any money.
I found this out at my last visit (in February), and in order to not have to pay for the appointment, I once again (for at least the 3^rd time) gave them my «new» insurance card. I received a bill for the February appointment two weeks ago stating they had submitted the claim to my insurance but never heard anything back. I called my insurance, and guess what, they NEVER submitted a claim.
I really still do like the hygienists, but because the billing department is so terrible I would not recommend this dentist.

I initially went to Dr. Barsky in August 2010 for a second opinion after seeing a dentist who was clearly trying to scam me. His office staff was friendly and polite and when I explained my situation, they found a time for me quickly. My first exam went great. Dr. Barsky was warm, personable, straightforward and down-​to-​earth. I’ve been going for two years now for regular cleanings and check-​ups. The staff continues to be friendly. I never have a problem with my appointment being delayed or waiting on service. When I chipped a tooth, Dr. Barsky was able to make a quick appointment to have it capped. It fell off two weeks later (which sometimes happens) and when I went in to have it redone, he recapped it just fine at no charge. Other people have been negative about their more experience with more complex dental work here. I can’t speak to that. I’ve only had cleanings, gum examination and a chipped tooth repaired — and it’s been top notch.

I went to Dr. Barsky for years but something changed in 2010… I had 2 teeth worked on September/​October. Both hurt after the work was done but I was told that the pain was nothing and sent on my way after mentioning the pain and going in twice. I got a second and third opinion and found out that I had a badly fitting crown and a cracked filling. Both were re-​done at my cost (over $ 3000!!!) in 2011. Now I am no longer in pain so I guess the $$$ was worth it.

After going to another dentist in DC and having a bad experience, I found Dr. Barsky. The staff at Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry were so pleasant to work with. I had my first cavity filled, and they made me feel comfortable and the procedure was painless. I’ve since moved to another state, but highly recommend Dr. Barsky and his team to anyone in DC who is looking for a friendly dental office!

Great service! Attentive, punctual and professional.

I actually used Unilocal two years ago to find Dr. Barsky, and I have been extremely happy.
I have seen him and had regular teeth cleanings 3 or 4 times in the past two years and I have felt comfortable every time. I also have been pleased with both Dr. Barsky’s personal demeanor, as well as the friendliness and professionalism of his staff.
The office is very accessible for professionals who work in downtown DC and Dr. Barsky’s cleaning schedule begins very early in the morning — perfect for those who have to be in the office by 8:30 or 9am sharp.
You’ll notice that many of the negative reviews below are almost exclusively related to insurance problems — that’s not typically the dentist’s fault (most often it’s either the patient or the insurance company to blame). Instead, judge Dr. Barsky and his staff on their work, not their relationship with your insurance company. Measured according to that metric, Dr. Barsky and his staff do a fantastic job.
Finding a dentist is a difficult decision — this was my first search for a dentist in quite a while — and Dr. Barsky proved to me that I made the right choice. I highly recommend him.

Worst dental experience EVER. I had some dental work done by Dr. Barsky recently and the attention to detail and overall quality of the work is so poor that I need to have the fillings fixed (by someone else). I also had a terrible time trying to get the office to submit an estimate to my insurance prior to the fillings, and as a result ended up paying significantly more than I budgeted for.
The hygenists are lovely, but if you need to have more than a cleaning done, heed my warning and go elsewhere!

My experience with Dr. Barsky is 5-​stars. The one-​star off has to do with the office staff, which I’ll detail at the end.
First, Dr. Barsky:
I had a terrible experience with my previous dentist who basically tried to bully me into 2 fillings and 2 root canals. I hunted through Unilocal & Washingtonian for a new good dentist. I settled on Dr. Barsky and my appointment was terrific. He was very thorough and sat with me for a long time to talk things through. I definitely had no cavities, so that was a relief, but he was concerned that I might need root canals. Rather than just barreling ahead, though, he suggested that I go to a very good periodontist close by for a second opinion. I visited Dr. Fonseca today (a 5-​star visit), who thought it was very wise of Barsky to send me over and then told me (after 3 tests) that I definitely did not need the root canals. BOTH doctors chose patient care over billable costs, and that was amazing. Barsky’s office is also very nice, so it was pleasant all around.
The office:
My only bad mark for the office is the front desk/​billing. When I first called to make an appointment, I specifically told them that my insurance covers office visits/​cleaning every 6 months, and that it had only been 4 months since my last cleaning. The woman I spoke with assured me that the consultation would be covered and scheduled an appointment for two weeks later. When I received a reminder call, I asked again about the cost and the woman who I spoke with said she couldn’t answer but would have the billing staff call me. They called later that afternoon and I asked again whether the appointment would be covered. She told me «yeah, it should be.» That didn’t cut it, so I again repeated that it was usually covered only once every 6 months, and she told me to call my insurance. I politely asked if this was going to be the process every time I made an appointment or had a procedure — i.e. you’re not going to help me deal with insurance? She begrudgingly took my insurance info and then pulled up my records on her computer. In a matter of 5 minutes, she was able to figure that I would NOT be covered and instead should wait another month and a half. Had I not pushed, I’d either have had to pay out the ear, or would have wasted time heading over there just to find out it wasn’t covered.

This is actually a review for my third trip to Dr. Barsky’s office (I went once for a cleaning and once for a consultation, both times were excellent). During my consultation, Dr. Barsky suggested a minor procedure to me — one that had been mentioned to me multiple times by other dentists but had scared me off for many years — which would greatly enhance the appearance of my smile. He took time to explain what would happen, the estimated recovery time, and even showed me his ‘work’ via one of the hygienists in the office who underwent the same procedure. After thinking it over, I decided to go for it.
The day I arrived I was a bit nervous, and everyone in the office (including the receptionist) encouraged me and helped me to remain calm. Dr. Barsky came in and reassured me once more, did some ‘before’ shots, and then got right to work. The procedure itself was virtually painless. They were very gentle and constantly asked how I was doing. I was well-​numbed and felt only the occasional tingle. 45 minutes later, they were telling me I had a beautiful new smile. I didn’t fully believe them until I looked in the mirror, and felt years and years of self-​consciousness melt away. I actually got a little emotional, and again the team was completely supportive — especially Dr. Barsky.
All in all, I had a fantastic experience and would encourage anyone who is interested in improving their smile (and health of the teeth in general) to go see Dr. Barsky. They even followed up with a call several days later to see how I was faring post-​procedure! You truly cannot beat excellent customer service. Highly recommended.

Let me start off by saying the hygienist who x-​rayed my teeth was fantastic. Very friendly and nice. That’s the only positive thing I have to say about this practice. I went to get my teeth cleaned, and as expected when I arrived I got the usual x-​rays etc. The doctor came in briefly and measured my gums. And proceeded to tell me that he thinks I should have gum planning and tooth scaling without explaining what that was, and left. I have no issue with this, however, they didn’t even clean my teeth during the visit!
The receptionist told me she would email me the exact pricing for this procedure before the next visit. A bit more than 24 hours before I was due to go back to the dentist, without any word from the receptionist, I decided to call and demand what my charges would be for this procedure. After a few minutes they emailed me with the invoice…$ 559! Imagine if I had just shown up without any idea it would be that much money. Luckily it was more than 24 hours before my scheduled visit because they charge a $ 70 cancellation fee. I’ve decided to just get my x-​rays from them and get a second opinion. Definitely won’t be doing any more business with this practice.

New to area. My husband and I both had dental emergencies soon after. My dentist in sf recommended barsky. What a great guy! Great office staff! State of the art equipment. This guy is 21^st century!

So I went to Dr. Barsky’s office on Tuesday for an annual check and cleaning, as a new patient. The staff was terrific and we were halfway through the x-​rays where I was choking on plastic placed at odd angles around my mouth, when the receptionist comes in.
Her: Graham?
Me: Yes?
H: You have a DMO with Aetna.
M: Okay.
H: We only take PPO.
M: Ah… okay.
The hygenist took my leaded apron off and was kind enough to say she’d save the photos if I got it straightened out. And I walked back to work. So, from what I saw of the office it was very nice. I look forward to checking the right box during open enrollment and returning.
/​I know. I’m an idiot.

At first I was afraind, I was petrified! I had not been back to a dentist in a long time because of a very bad experience. But I knew I needed dental attention, and so I asked my nurse for a recommendation. She has been using Dr. Barsky for years and highly recommended him, so I made an appointment.
My first visit eased my fears a little. The office staff was nice and assuring. I was in and out in under 1 hour. Dr. Barsky’s chair-​side manner was very calming to a first-​timer like me who had a bad experience. After he evaluated my needs, he laid out a plan that would allow me to take care of my extensive needs for replacements and inserts in a practical way that I can afford. I am happy to say, I have gotten over my fear of the dentist and I now go on a regular basis. I highly recommend Dr. Stephen Barsky if you are looking for a dentist.

I called Dr. Barsky’s office for a new patient appointment and received poor customer experience. I asked the receptionist if she had any new appointments and she said no but asked how else she could help me. I then asked if there would be anything in the upcoming year and she told me one moment and put me on hold for ten minutes. I eventually hung up. A simple question could have been answered with a simple answer.

I went to Dr. Barsky for a second opinion and I will definitely be going back to him for my regular check ups!
His office staff is super friendly and very knowledgeable. When I met with him he was very friendly, answered any questions I had with patience and easy to understand answers. I was told by another dentist I had 6 cavities, and Dr. Barsky told me I only had one which he then filled right there on the spot. Painless, easy and filling has worked out great ever since.
If you’re looking for a great dentist, Dr. Barsky is your man!

I’m new to the area and dreaded finding new doctors, dentists, etc… I went to Dr. Barsky based on the previous Unilocal review and his website. I was a little nervous because I’ve had a bad experience with a Unilocal recommended dentist before, but Dr. Barsky and his staff were great.
The hygienist was thorough and gentle, which my gums appreciated. Dr. Barsky was professional and efficient. I was in and out in under an hour.
I only went for a cleaning, no fillings, root canals, etc… so I can’t give a full five star rating… but overall a good experience. I’ll be back in 6 months.

Dr Barsky came highly recommended by another friend, and now I want to recommend him to everyone. He is very thorough, very gentle. I had two cavities filled and I barely felt the Novocaine shot. I recently saw another dentist, who I felt was recommending unnecessary procedures. You know the kind, they is just looking for insurance money? So I was really happy when Dr Barsky said that I might need root canal, but he wanted me to see a specialist first. (Obviously I have problem teeth, so I need a good dentist) I really think that Dr Barsky is not only a great dentist, but is looking out for his patients best interest. SO rare these days.