I can't tell you about the dentist because I haven't actually seen him yet (except for a quick…read moreevaluation). And there's the problem.
Almost four months ago I went in with serious pain because my toddler banged my tooth. The dentist said I needed a lot of work quite urgently. But when I learned how much it would cost, and that they don't accept insurance, I had to save up for a couple of months to be able to afford it. And then, because I needed so much work, I had to wait a long time for a two hour time slot. Then when the time finally arrived, they canceled because the dentist got Covid (which I do appreciate the caution, but I wish he could have worked extra hours or something to make up for it--at least for the urgent patients--rather than putting me in the back of the line again waiting for an extra long appointment.) I asked them to please put me on the cancellation list which they did.
So yesterday they tell me that they have a two hour slot available (YAY!!!) But I couldn't confirm right away because I had to a) find a babysitter, b) find a ride to their other office 45 min away, and c) reschedule a job interview. They said "I will hold off on offering the time to other patients until I hear from you!" From the time stamps, it took me 19 minutes to line up all of those factors. I confirmed the appointment, and we were all systems go!
...until they called me back 18 minutes later and told me that they had given the slot to someone else who needed to move their appointment from the afternoon to earlier in the day. They said that I could get 3/4 of my teeth fixed, but there was no longer time for all four. (So in mom world this means that I need to find another babysitter, get another ride, and wait even longer to fix my situation which they initially told me was very urgent.)
I told her that this was very "frustrating" because I had worked so hard to be able to take that appointment. She replied that the other patient had confirmed with a different receptionist before I got back to her, and they would honor that (then why did she say that she would hold it for me? And did they really compare exactly when, during that 19 minute period, the other patient switched their appointment? Or did it happen during the following 18 minutes before they called?) At this point I literally begged her, explaining everything I had done to get that appointment.
And how did she respond? By insulting me! She said that she did not "understand the mentality" of someone thinking they had more right to it than someone else. And actually, when I called back again several minutes later to ask if they could please explain the situation to the other patient and ask if they were willing to be flexible, a different receptionist insulted me again using almost exactly the same words.
So let me explain my mentality, since they both find it so crazy and/or difficult to understand. A) I have an *urgent* and serious dental problem. This is not just a check-up. This is a major intervention. I don't know what the other person needed, but I do know that it only required 30 minutes. B) I wanted it *way* more than this other person. I busted my butt to arrange all of the variables that had to come together. I called in a favor. My babysitter rearranged her schedule. I figured out a ride. I freaking moved a job interview! (That one detail I didn't mention on the phone, but it's not like I was telling them my whole life story. They did know about the babysitter and the ride and the fact that I had to save up for *months* to be able to afford this.) The other person simply wanted to move her appointment to earlier in the day because something else came up--meaning that she was prioritizing whatever else over seeing the dentist, whereas I was moving everything else to get to the dentist. C) It would be fairly easy for this other person to find another 30 minute slot, whereas I now have to wait for several weeks--again--for an urgent and serious issue. And D) they actually told me that they were holding it, which is why I went to the effort to jump through all of these hoops.
So in sum, a) they made a mistake by double booking the same time, b) in fixing the mistake they prioritized A minor issue for someone making a change due to convenience, rather than someone with a major, serious issue who they knew had jumped through a lot of hoops to be able to go, and then c) they insinuated that I am either crazy or entitled for begging them to reconsider given the circumstances.
The more that I think about it, even if the other person did slip in first (while the spot was supposedly being held for me), how does first come first serve make sense as a policy anyway? This is a medical office, not a florist! When you go into the ER they prioritize people based on need. This was a judgment call, and they made a bad one.
Needless to say, I really ***really*** wish that Salt Lake had another biological dentist.
