Saliva is one of your body's natural defenses against plaque because it acts to rinse your mouth of cavity-causing bacteria and other harmful materials. Dry mouth (also called Xerostomia) is a fairly common condition that is caused by diminished saliva production. People with medical conditions, such as an eating disorder or diabetes, are often plagued by dry mouth. Eating foods such as garlic, tobacco use, and some kinds of medications, including treatments such as cancer therapy can diminish the body's production of saliva, leading to dry mouth. Other causes are related to aging (including rheumatoid arthritis), and compromised immune systems.
Some of the less alarming results of dry mouth include bad breath. But dry mouth can lead to more serious problems, including burning tongue syndrome, a painful condition caused by lack of moisture on the tongue.
If you don't have a medical condition that causes it, dry mouth can be minimized by sipping water regularly, chewing sugarless gum and avoiding smoking. Of course, there is no substitute for regular checkups and good oral hygiene.
Dr. Habbal has been a dentist since graduating from Northwestern University in 1992. He completed his General Practice Residency at Evanston Hospital in 1993. His residency training included oral surgery, periodontal surgery, orthodontics, endodontics, and emergency medicine. He was also a part-time instructor at Northwestern University. Over the past years, he has attended many advanced studies in TMJ disorder, Orthodontics, Implants, and Cosmetic Dentistry.He is constantly striving to improve his skills and knowledge.
Dr. Habbal and his family have been residents of Palos Heights for 25 years and has beenin private practice in Palos Heights since 1993, andis active in his community. He was President and Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of Palos Heights.Heis also an active member of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, the International Association for Orthodontics, theAmerican Dental Society, the Illinois Dental Society, and the Chicago Dental Society.
In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, traveling, playing tennis and stays busy with his family, and tries to keep up with his four daughters. Dr. Habbal has been married to his wife Michelle for 20years. She left her career as a Pharmacist to raise their four girls. You might even get to meet her as she is always in the office helping out.
Ana has known Dr. Habbal since 1994 when she became his patient. In 1999 she was employed by Dr. Habbal as a Dental Assistant. As time passed, she explored the field of dentistry and realized this was the career choice for her. Several years ago she decided to further pursue a career in dentistry. Currently she is still working at University Dental Center as a Registered Dental Hygienist.
Susan has 38 years experience working in a dental field. She worked as a dental assistant and office manager for 20 years before starting with University Dental Center on 2004. She is the 'go to' staff member if you have any questions regarding your dental insurance plan and benefits.
Joanna has been working at University Dental Center since 2008 as a Dental, Surgical and Orthodontic Assistant. Throughout those years, she attended some extra courses for Dental Assistants which allows her to help out more, and to do more work on patients. She really enjoys what she's been doing. In her free time she likes to spend time with her family and friends. She is always a happy person who loves to travel and to smile.
Dominika began working at University Dental Center in January of 2015She graduated from Fox college and received her Dental Hygiene License in 2019. She loves teeth and helping her patients obtain a healthy smile! In her free time, Mika enjoys going to the gym or shopping.
University Dental Center has been Dr. Habbal and his staff's home since 1992. We work with our patients so they can achieve and maintain a beautiful smile, healthier gums and teeth. We take the time to explain to our patients, their treatment options and inform them of additional preventative care. We feel this will lead to a more trusting doctor/patient relationship and, for many people, relieve the stress about seeing the dentist. We take pride in providing you with a comfortable office experience where our qualified staff is friendly and knowledgeable. We invite you to call with any questions or contact us through our website or social media. Take advantage of the resources on our website, both as a new or current patient. We hope to see you soon and we look forward to getting to know you.
Both natural teeth and teeth with restorations survive best in an oral environment that is clean and where the intake of harmful foods is controlled. Our program is designed to help prevent new cavities, preserve teeth that have been restored and manage periodontal disease. At the initial visit oral hygiene instructions are reviewed and are reinforced at subsequent recall visits. The following are helpful recommendations:
Reviews
Rating 4.9 out of 5 based on 28 reviews
Sort by
newest oldest highest lowestCrystal Muzik
a year ago
stay was efficient and friendly. Dr. Habbal was extra accommodating for a last minute type appointment to fix a filing before I left town. Thank you !
Sana Elhit
a year ago
i have never ever given a review before! The experience i had with Dr. Habbal and his staff was so tremendously great i didn't mind sharing my story at all. Walking into Dr. Habbal office i was greeted with smiles. All the front desk staff were super kind and professional. I noticed not only with me but they were kind to all patients they checked in and out. staff in the back were extremely kind and professional as well. All the staff that worked with me had so much knowledge about their work it was impressive. i was treated with so much respect! He couldn't of picked a better team. Then i met Dr. Habbal. What a great man! great doctor! wonderful bedside manners. He is so kind and patient! My first appointment sitting in the chair i sat there shaking like a leaf on a stormy day. literally! Tears rolled down my cheeks as x-rays were taken. i was too embarrassed to let them see my mouth. Their professionalism put me at ease i no longer felt embarrassed. i have been to many Doctors they all said to remove all of my teeth and have dentures placed. Everyone gave up on me except Dr.Habbal. Dr. Habbal said some can be saved and he did save some. He has slowly taken away my fear of dentist!!. I truly look forward to my appointments. i have never in my life had a pain free root canal as i do in his office. i have no pain during and after. Before he begins to work on my teeth Dr. Habbal makes sure i don't feel any pain. I havnt had pictures with my mouth open for years. i avoided people so i don't have to talk and show my broken and missing teeth. i lived this way for 17 years. Always worried not to embarrass my children if i showed my teeth. Dr. Habbal truly brought my smile back. He gave me my life back. My whole outlook on life completely changed. i am so much more confident in all aspects. i talked to everyone now and i smile and laugh mouth open wide. I am so thankful for all that he has done for me. He is forever mine and my family's Dentist. I 100% recommend University Dental Center to everyone. Thank u so much Dr. Habbal and Staff.
Amy Pajeau
2 years ago
I love this place, it's filled with wonderful people who provide excellent customer service. I do not live in the area but come into town to visit family throughout the year. Dr. Habbal found and addressed some of my dental issues that other dental offices were unable to do. I am very thankful for Dr. Habbal for fixing my difficult dental issues and providing me relief from pain.
Ann Murphy
2 years ago
Rarely do I rate a place at 5 stars, but University Dental is a rare find. They walked me through each step of the way, helping me to figure out my best option. In my case it is dentures, and they look like real teeth. Coworkers, friends and family tell me it's great to see me smile again. Doctor and staff are courteous, and I was immediately at ease.
Christina Yokhana
2 years ago
I really would like to take the time to thank Dr. Habbal and his staff for taking care of me yesterday! I was referred here by family friends and family - I needed an oral surgeon to extract my bottom wisdom teeth. My appt was for a consult and he ended up extracting them the same day. He was super fair I didn't have to think twice about it. Very clean facility and friendly environment. Thank you and God bless you all :)
Mini Haha
2 years ago
The ENTIRE staff are so friendly and caring. Dr Habbal is very professional and knowledgeable. He keeps up on the latest in processes to give his clients what is the best for them. Excellent work! Thanks from K.Atkins
Bridget Moss
2 years ago
Dr. Habbal is one of the best along with his staff! They are always available and will do anything to help their patients. Very professional and personable!
Carolina
2 years ago
If I could give this place 0 stars I would. The front desk employees are super rude. I totally forgot to fill out the back page for the new patient form because she didn't tell me about it. So I apologized and she gave me attitude about it. Like sorry sis! Also, the assistants are not nice at all. I honestly DO NOT RECOMMEND this sh*t show place!!
Bridget Moss
3 years ago
Dr. Habbal is one of the best along with his staff! They are always available and will do anything to help their patients. Very professional and personable!
Christina Yokhana
3 years ago
I really would like to take the time to thank Dr. Habbal and his staff for taking care of me yesterday! I was referred here by family friends and family - I needed an oral surgeon to extract my bottom wisdom teeth. My appt was for a consult and he ended up extracting them the same day. He was super fair I didn't have to think twice about it. Very clean facility and friendly environment. Thank you and God bless you all :)
Carolina
3 years ago
If I could give this place 0 stars I would. The front desk employees are super rude. I totally forgot to fill out the back page for the new patient form because she didn't tell me about it. So I apologized and she gave me attitude about it. Like sorry sis! Also, the assistants are not nice at all. I honestly DO NOT RECOMMEND this sh*t show place!!
Mini Haha
3 years ago
The ENTIRE staff are so friendly and caring. Dr Habbal is very professional and knowledgeable. He keeps up on the latest in processes to give his clients what is the best for them. Excellent work! Thanks from K.Atkins
Joe Staszewski
3 years ago
Best Dentist I ever had. By far the most superior service around.
Stephanie Pyrzynski
3 years ago
I became a patient of University Dental Center in 2014 (just a few short months my husband and I were married) because my husband and his family had been going to see Dr. Habbal for like 20 years when I made my first appointment. New to the southwest Chicago suburbs I took their recommendation and now it's 6 years later and all of us (including our first child who will be having her first dental appointment after she turns 2 years old) are patients. Dr. Habbal is always keeping up with what's new in dentistry. He always looks to have the newest dental tools and technology to make cleanings and procedures as thorough, effective, and efficient as possible. And he's always keeping his skills and knowledge up by continuing his education. He's thoughtful, fair (I've experienced dentists that were dishonest unfortunately), talented (he can do any dental procedure I think), and sensitive to your comfort. I've heard countless stories of him responding to emergencies on weekends, running over to his office to help someone. While I've never had a dental emergency before, it's nice to know I have such a caring dentist. His staff are likewise very good and his wife Michelle is the office manager, helping out at the front desk, and since his eldest daughter is almost finished with dental school, we may see another Habbal join the family business. So you're not only getting great dental care, everyone there is lovely too.
Steve Kurtzweil
3 years ago
On a recent Friday night, i had a tooth go abscessed. After searching the internet on my own for several hours looking for a dentist, I decided to try calling 1-800-Dentist at about 12:30 at night. They tried calling University Dental and of course there was no one there, but they left a message. University Dental called me back at 8:45 Saturday morning. By 10:00 AM the problem was resolved and I was on my way home. I have a follow up visit scheduled in one week and I think that University Dental will be my dentist. Great to have a dentist that can fit in last minute emergency visits
Stephanie Pyrzynski
4 years ago
I became a patient of University Dental Center in 2014 (just a few short months my husband and I were married) because my husband and his family had been going to see Dr. Habbal for like 20 years when I made my first appointment. New to the southwest Chicago suburbs I took their recommendation and now it's 6 years later and all of us (including our first child who will be having her first dental appointment after she turns 2 years old) are patients. Dr. Habbal is always keeping up with what's new in dentistry. He always looks to have the newest dental tools and technology to make cleanings and procedures as thorough, effective, and efficient as possible. And he's always keeping his skills and knowledge up by continuing his education. He's thoughtful, fair (I've experienced dentists that were dishonest unfortunately), talented (he can do any dental procedure I think), and sensitive to your comfort. I've heard countless stories of him responding to emergencies on weekends, running over to his office to help someone. While I've never had a dental emergency before, it's nice to know I have such a caring dentist. His staff are likewise very good and his wife Michelle is the office manager, helping out at the front desk, and since his eldest daughter is almost finished with dental school, we may see another Habbal join the family business. So you're not only getting great dental care, everyone there is lovely too.
Joe Staszewski
4 years ago
Best Dentist I ever had. By far the most superior service around.
Wise Reviewer
4 years ago
Awesome staff and service !! Been coming here for 3 years now . There is no shortage of dentists around however , perfection is what led me here . Thank you Gys . Keep up the good work !!
Steve Kurtzweil
4 years ago
On a recent Friday night, i had a tooth go abscessed. After searching the internet on my own for several hours looking for a dentist, I decided to try calling 1-800-Dentist at about 12:30 at night. They tried calling University Dental and of course there was no one there, but they left a message. University Dental called me back at 8:45 Saturday morning. By 10:00 AM the problem was resolved and I was on my way home. I have a follow up visit scheduled in one week and I think that University Dental will be my dentist. Great to have a dentist that can fit in last minute emergency visits
Jeff Trembacki
4 years ago
I've gone to Dr. Habbal from age 12 through 27 now. This staff has done all my cleanings, braces, oral surgery for impacted canines, wisdom teeth extraction, and veneers. All good experiences. He even fit my fiance in for a last minute appointment when she wasn't a patient yet and had dry socket after going to a different oral surgeon for her wisdom teeth.
Load more