S H A D Y .
Let me start by saying this was an eye-opening experience! I had never called a doctor's office and asked for their credentials. The only reason I even called was because I had just read a couple of articles about how dentists/doctors either lie about their education and/or they graduate from a "diploma mill" establishment (inferior credentials, essentially buying yourself a 'degree' that legitimate doctors worked extremely long and hard for). But, as I looked on this office's website, I felt something was off. So, I called. I am in no way accusing them of anything because I never got the truth (as you will see), but I feel it's important to share this with others.
I called the office and a young woman answered. This is how the conversation went:
Her: Medplex, this is (I forgot her name.. maybe Cara?)
Me: Hi, I'm looking for a new dentist, and doing some research, and I like what I see with your office and doctor, especially that it's holistic. I see all the associations the doctor is a part of, but don't see where he went to college and when he graduated. Can you give me that information please?
Her: Sure, let me put you on a brief hold... and let me have your number in case we get disconnected.
Me: Ummm... do you really need that to answer my question?
Her: Yes, just in case we get disconnected.
Me: Well, if we get disconnected, I'll call you back.
Her: ... ok. I'll put you on a brief hold.
Me: ok.
(a brief hold later)
Her: I'm sorry. We cannot disclose that information. You will have to make an appointment with our office and we can discuss that.
Me: Are you kidding? I'd like to know that information before I make an appointment.
Her: Well, we cannot disclose that over the phone.
Me: That doesn't make any sense. It's important information that I will need in order to know if I want to make an appointment.
Her: Well, you'll have to make an appointment and come get to know us.
Me: Well, I'd like to know if he's an actual doctor, who went to school for this.
Her: (snarky) Oh, he went to school.
Me: Well, which one?
Her: I can't tell you that.
Me: Okay, well, I'll be writing a review.
Her: (defensively) A review? Before you even have an appointment with us??
Me: Yes, because this is SHADY!
(She clearly puts me on speakerphone and starts to repeat what she just said - "You're going to write a review, before-")
I hung up.
So! I'm adding up the red flags I've experienced thus far (in addition to the phone call, which for me, was the biggest red flag and the verification I needed). I'm bummed because I was super psyched to find a Holistic dentist, with some really nice reviews (but I'm quickly learning that reviews are meaningless). Some key points for consideration/discussion:
1. After I called, I shared my experience with a friend who said she had emailed them a while back to ask the same question and they never responded! (hmmm.....??)
2. One of his reviews clearly stated the doctor kept bugging him to write a review (which he did and it was positive, but WHY is the doctor bugging his patient to do that?)
3. They use Groupon. (maybe not a red flag, but somehow I feel it is - in the medical industry)
4. There are no photos of the "doctor" anywhere to be found online.
5. There is no mention of his college in his bio online. THIS IS USUALLY PROUDLY PRESENTED WITH A PIC OF THE DOCTOR AND THE STAFF.
6. Some of the dates on his reviews are from 2015, and that they have been seeing him for many years, and yet when you look up his license on the floridadentistry.gov site, the issue date is 2016. (Was he practicing without a license before 2016? Not an accusation, just a question.)
I will leave with this. It's OK to call and ask questions! Not just this place, but every place! It's our health, time, and money, and we deserve the truth. And listen, if he didn't go to the best college and feels inferior about it, that's fine. Just be honest. If he didn't go to college at all, that's (kinda) fine too, but STATE THAT, and let people decide. Maybe some people won't care.
Lastly, ***SO IMPORTANT*** if you do decide to call and get the information from them, (that's IF they'll give it to you), you MUST ALSO CALL the college and VERIFY!! I just did this with the other dentists I was researching, and they all have the credentials on their site AND they match up with the phone calls. Verify the college, graduation date, AND find out if it's a reputable college or a "diploma mill", and then you will be informed to make your own decision. Good luck! read more