Dr Levine placed 3 crowns in 2023. In month 2 the double crown fell out. He reglued it. Told me there was a 10 year warranty on all dental work (lie). About 8 months later all 3 had fallen out. Dr Levine "suddenly retired", thus my scheduled appt was canceled.I upset the office manager by filing a complaint with Delta Dental, she went on the "defense", that's a whole additional story, told me I needed to "stop my complaining". Delta was not going to pay for new crowns for 5 years, had no choice but to give new dentist Dr Ribas a chance at a "special price". Dr Ribas placed 3 temporary crowns. On the day of receiving the permanent crowns I told dental assistant beforehand about the bad pains i was having in tooth #4. She said dr ribas may do xrays to see what was going on before placing the permanent. Dr ribas assured me it was normal temporary crown pain, no xrays were done, not even to see that the new crowns were seated appropriately. I asked how quickly could I be seen if it got worse. He cut his eyes, sighed and mumbled "Monday 8:00". He then huffed and puffed throughout the remainder of my visit.
By the following Tuesday it had abscessed, I was in excruciating pain. I called the office 2 times.That afternoon dental assistant had receptionist call me to ask what tooth and what's wrong. I told her. That's the only time they ever called. No appointment, no help, nothing. Three different people in that office knew I was in trouble. This is unacceptable.
No other dentist I called the following day would help me, said I had to return to dentist who recently placed the crown, this was his responsibility.
So, feeling hopeless, I called Delta Dental. They helped me get in with an endodontist, had to wait 2 weeks for an appt, 1 more week for a root canal, and 1 week after root canal had go back to them to have all that infection drained. I have never been in that much pain before EVER! All of this could have been prevented had Dr Ribas took me seriously and investigated further that day, or at least called me back and worked me in! The longer I waited, the larger that tunnel of infection was growing, I could feel it.
After 3 courses of antibiotics, pain meds from the ER, 3 days missed from work, 6 weeks later am finally feeling better. What a mess!!
With the way Dr Ribas acted that day, he had no intentions of helping me any further. I'm truly sorry he had to fix Dr Levine's mess (apparently there have been other messes besides mine). Perhaps he didnt make any $ off my case and that's why he was upset that day. I dont know, but I didnt deserve this. And I dont even want to discuss the $ I am out of!! Tooth pulp #4 went 5 months "bare" without a protective crown, while they were trying to find a new dentist, which is most likely the reason it decayed causing the need for a root canal.
Forget going to the BBB, I tried. Salem Dental Clinic is not BBB accredited, wonder why...
Salem Dental Care is a franchise, basically a drive-thru dentist. There is no "owner" to speak to or to oversee patient care, I've tried. It's useless. Be proactive about your dental health and I strongly urge reader to go somewhere else. read more