SCAM. I went to this office for a wisdom teeth extraction consult. Right away the receptionist informed me of the gas that would not be covered by my insurance. When I asked for a range, she said anywhere from $150-$300 depending on the procedure. Thinking this was typical, I said okay. They also did not accept my panel taken by my dentist a week prior. I then sat in the waiting room for an entire half an hour, no other patients were there. The receptionist/assistant then took my panel, and analyzed it herself. She said it seemed like a simple procedure and the laughing gas would cost at most $250. (Already strange based on the range given and her saying it would be a simple procedure). Doctor Shandler makes me sit for AN HOUR! Comes in and tells me I am going to need a Corenectomy for one tooth and that this $865 Corenectomy procedure will not be covered by my insurance. He also tells me that this will need to be done on a separate day from the other 3 teeth. Then he says the gas will be $365 for the initial 3 teeth extraction. $1,200 or so total not covered by insurance. WHAT?!?! I called my dentist to see if she saw a need for this "corenectomy." She said to absolutely get a second opinion, which I did. The oral surgeon at Park Avenue Smiles saw me in 10 minutes, took the panel from my dentist, and mentioned NOTHING of this coronectomy. When I asked how much the gas would be, he said I would be hooked up to an IV and it is covered by my insurance. $0 out of pocket consult from a friendly honest gentleman. It makes me sick to my stomach how I could have fallen into Shandler's scam. Unfortunately I found out a friend in college did. Her insurance covered whitening, so it was odd to her the gas wouldn't be covered. But since she was out of state, she as desperate to find someone who would take her local to the college. She said the gas did NOTHING to her, and she felt every bit of it. She also told me Shandler claimed he would only do one side at a time. She did one side, did not return and had the other side done by another oral surgeon when she got home. She was knocked out (and it was covered by insurance), and did not feel a thing. Don't even waste your time like I did. Horrible and unethical man. read more

This dentists (Dr. Harvey Shandler) practices are fraudulent, plain and simple!! I was referred to this office by my primary dentist to have two teeth extracted. I went to this office and handed the receptionist my insurance card, and after x-rays were taken and a consult was given, I was informed by the dentists assistant that I would need Nitrous Oxide in addition to the normal numbing agent/Novacaine administered by shots applied to the mouth area. The assistant told me that the Nitrous Oxide was not covered by my insurance and I would have to pay $362.00 out of pocket. I was kind of surprised that I would need gas in addition to the routine numbing shots, as I have had other oral procedures, root canals, post, cores and crowns, etc. in the past with other dentists, and never any need for any additional anesthesia/Nitrous Oxide. I was not too happy to hear from this office that with insurance, I would still be responsible for an OOP expense, to which I reluctantly agreed to pay on my credit card. After the procedure, I contacted my insurance company, and I was informed that to submit a claim for the out of pocket expense, I would need a letter of medical necessity from the dentists office providing reasoning of why Nitrous Oxide was a needed therapy. Here is where the fraud comes into play, as the dentist knows what is covered by insurance and what is not, Dr. Shandler and his nasty and unprofessional staff do not want to just accept what insurance will reimburse him, so he adds or should I say upsells extra non covered therapies, which are not needed for the patient, just needed for his own increased wealth. After I spoke with the insurance company and received the information needed to submit a claim, I attempted to contact Dr. Shandlers office by phone to request a letter of medical necessity, and the receptionist immediately told me that they do not do that, then I proceeded to explain why I needed the letter and she told me to call back the next day and speak with the girl who handles that. I called again a day or two later and spoke with the receptionist and again explained the situation, and immediately I was told again that they do not write letters of medical necessity, but she would speak to the doctor. I was put on hold for about 10 minutes, then she came back to the phone and said that they used to write letters to no avail, so they stopped. At this time I said I would need a letter, or I would have to contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the receptionist then proceeded to hang up on me. I called back and now I was irritated by the unprofessional and uncourteous behavior of the staff, and the person (Crystal) who answered the phone this time said that it was not her who hung up on me, but obviously thought the whole issue was funny, as she was laughing. Now for a third time I requested a letter of medical necessity, so Crystal said that she would go speak to the doctor, and again I was put on hold for another 15 minutes. Crystal never came back to the phone, but conveniently disconnected me. This rude behavior comes directly from the top, as Dr. Harvey Shandler steals from his patients, and professionalism is not a business practice that he bestows upon his staff. read more

I had the worse experience ever going to this office!!the day of my appointment for my son I get a call at 10 am asking where he was! I was at work and my son was in school I tried to explain that to the receptionist and she insisted that I called and changed my 3:30pm appointment to 9:00am!!! I was trying to tell her there was no way I would have done that because I work and my son is in school at that time and its not like he was in pain I just wanted to get started on getting his wisdom teeth taken out. Well she started yelling at me telling me well there's no one in this office that would just change ur appointment like that! Yes I still went to the appointment even after the way she was talking to me ,but only because I thought this was the only oral surgeon in the area that takes my insurance. So I get to the office right away I see the receptionist with the nasty looking look on her face. They call my son in I get up to go in with him and she tells me wait here I will get u after the xray. I then asked before u take any xrays r u sure everything will be covered under my insurance? The lady says yes! So I let then take an xray then I go in the room with my son waiting for the Dr he comes in doesn't even look in my sons mouth and says yes he needs all of his wisdom teeth taken out. Then the good part! He says I don't take any wisdom teeth out without giving the gas oh and its not covered under ur insurance it will cost u $ 215 each side!!!!!! So with my insurance which I don't have to pay anything for dental I have to pay 430 dollars!!! R u serious!!! I left there called around and found a nice oral surgeon in my same town I told him about this place/Dr and he can't believe it ! He tells me don't worry everything with be covered under ur insurance and all 4 teeth will be out in 10 min that's it!! If your thinking about going to this office I wouldn't if I was you!!! Horrible!!! read more

very good doctor and knows what he is doing. the receptionist is who need to be changed she was very rude and unprofessional to not only me but have seen and heard of her lashing out to people. i will not go near this place unless they get another receptionist and will tell the same to all my friends and family read more