Convenient Access from Glenwood
One long road east and a single turn north is all it takes to get from Glenwood to Smiles For Miles in Lansing. The drive from Village Hall runs about 12 minutes on ordinary local streets. If you have been looking for a dentist in Glenwood, IL who can handle both routine checkups and complex restorations, our three-doctor practice is close at hand. Crowns, dentures, implants and sleep apnea appliances are all planned in the same office.
From Village Hall at 1 Asselborn Way, follow Asselborn Way and Nugent Street out to West Main Street and head east. Main Street feeds into Glenwood-Lansing Road, which you follow east for roughly 3.5 miles, past Brookwood Junior High, over the IL 394 Calumet Expressway, across North Creek and past the Thorn Creek trail. At Burnham Avenue, turn left and go north about a mile, with Lansing Municipal Airport on the way, to 18610 Burnham Ave Ste D, Lansing, IL 60438. Count on close to 5 miles door to door, and patients from Thornton and Chicago Heights come in by similar east-west roads.
Rooted in the Same Stretch of the Southland
Settlers in the 1840s called this area Hickory Bend, long before surveyors laid out a village along the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad in 1871. About 500 residents voted to incorporate in 1903. Today the village is almost completely ringed by Cook County forest preserves, including Jurgensen Woods, Sweet Woods and Glenwood Woods. The village is also home to a private academy that Robert Todd Lincoln, son of President Abraham Lincoln, helped found in 1887.
Our own history in the area is long as well. The practice has served the area since 1946, and its story now spans three generations. Earlier patients knew it as Pallotto Dental Care, and the full account is on our story page.
That continuity suits a community where many families have stayed put for decades. Most residents own single-family homes, and a large share of the housing went up between 1960 and 1980. People who bought then are often the same people now planning for retirement, and their dental needs have changed along the way.
Our schedule is built with that mix in mind. Mondays and Tuesdays run from 9 AM to 4 PM, which suits retirees who like a daytime visit and an easy drive home. Wednesdays and Thursdays open at noon and run until 7 PM, while Fridays and Saturdays alternate with 8 AM to 2 PM hours.
Dental Needs That Change With a Long-Settled Neighborhood
A sizable portion of the village is 65 or older. Teeth that have done decades of work tend to show it through worn edges, old silver fillings, cracked cusps and gaps where a molar was lost years ago. None of that is unusual, and most of it can be addressed with a clear plan and a sensible order of treatment.
Gum health and screening matter more with age as well. During routine exams the office uses VELscope, a light-based tool that helps spot oral tissue changes that are hard to see with the eye alone. Catching a change early keeps options open.
Sleep is another topic that comes up often with older adults. Loud snoring, gasping at night or daytime fatigue can point to sleep apnea, and an oral appliance is one possible treatment for some people. Dr. Shin is a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, so these conversations happen right here instead of through an outside referral.
Younger households are part of the picture too. Brookwood District 167 runs the village's public elementary and junior high schools, and the village is split between Bloom High School and Homewood-Flossmoor High School. Parents can schedule their own visits alongside the children's checkups.
Weighing Care Options for a Dentist in Glenwood, IL
Preventative & General Dentistry
Cleanings, exams, fillings and oral cancer screening form the foundation of every plan. Steady checkups help long-time homeowners keep the teeth they have.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
A custom oral appliance can help some patients with sleep apnea breathe more easily at night. Fitting begins with a conversation about your symptoms and any sleep study results you already have.
Dental Crowns & Bridges
Crowns cover teeth weakened by large fillings, and bridges replace a missing tooth by anchoring to its neighbors. Both are common fixes for dental work placed back in the 1970s and 1980s.
Dental Implants
An implant replaces a lost tooth with a post placed in the jawbone and a natural-looking crown on top. Planning is led by a board-certified prosthodontist, with 3-D cone beam imaging taken in the office.
For residents who have already lost several teeth, modern dentures remain a practical, affordable choice. A prosthodontist can design a set that fits comfortably and looks natural, and implants can sometimes anchor a denture for extra stability.
Meet Your Lansing Dental Team
Three dentists share the office: Dr. Jun Soo Shin, Dr. Jee Sun Kim and Dr. Eric (Jee Hwan) Kim. Dr. Shin finished NYU's accelerated BA/DDS program, earned the New York Academy of Oral Rehabilitation Award and was inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon. Dr. Jee Sun Kim brings years of general practice in Chicago and its suburbs.
Insurance, Membership & Financing
Before your first visit, the front desk checks your coverage and later files the claims for you. Payment by cash, check or most major credit cards is accepted, and CareCredit or Cherry can spread a larger plan over time. Our finance and insurance page lists the participating plans.
Smiles For Miles is great! The team is so friendly and made me feel super comfortable. The doctor was awesome and the hygienist cleaned my teeth beautifully. 10/10 experience!
Olivia T.
My family has been using Smiles For Miles for almost 12 years now and we love them. The doctors are the best. The team is excellent and helpful. Try them out, you won’t be disappointed.
Christine A.
I had a great experience at Smiles For Miles! The doctor and dental assistant were very kind and professional. The office team is also very friendly and the office is always decorated for different holidays. I would highly recommend this practice to anyone looking for a new dentist in Lansing, IL.
Gabe B.
Yelp
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Smiles For Miles from Glenwood, and how do I get there?
Expect close to 5 miles and about 12 minutes from Glenwood Village Hall. Head east on Main Street onto Glenwood-Lansing Road, then turn left onto Burnham Avenue and drive north about a mile. Residents searching for a dentist in Glenwood, IL get a direct trip with one main turn and no tolls.
Can Glenwood residents get a crown that matches their natural teeth?
Yes, crowns can be shaded to blend with the teeth around them. Dr. Jun Soo Shin, a board-certified prosthodontist, focuses on restoring and replacing teeth, including crowns and bridges. The doctor checks the bite and the color before the final crown is placed, so it looks and feels natural.
Are after-school appointments available?
Yes, on Wednesdays and Thursdays the office stays open until 7:00 PM. Those later hours let students come in after class without missing school, and parents can often book their own visit in the same block. Monday and Tuesday hours end at 4:00 PM, so midweek is the easiest fit for after-school visits.
Our Glenwood house dates from the 1970s, and so do my fillings. What should a first visit include?
A first visit includes a full exam, digital x-rays and an oral cancer screening. From there the doctor sorts older fillings into those that are holding up and those that need attention. Whether a tooth needs a crown, a bridge or an implant depends on what the exam shows.
Can retirees in Glenwood spread out the cost of dentures or implants?
Yes, financing is available through CareCredit and Cherry. Patients without dental insurance can also join Smiles For Miles VIP, an annual in-office membership that covers exams and necessary x-rays and discounts other services. Both options appeal to retirees who would rather plan around steady, predictable monthly costs.
Schedule Your Visit from Glenwood
From a first cleaning to a complete restoration, our team is a short trip down Glenwood-Lansing Road. Anyone still choosing a dentist in Glenwood, IL is welcome to call 708-991-3981 for the next opening. Explore other nearby towns on our areas we serve page, or head to our Dentist Lansing, IL homepage.
