I had a very uncomfortable and concerning experience with this dental office and would strongly…read morecaution others before going here.
I scheduled a new patient appointment approximately two months in advance. Prior to being seen, I was encouraged to enroll in the office's dental membership program months before my actual visit, which was unusual and, in hindsight, appears financially motivated rather than patient-focused.
The appointment lasted close to two hours, yet I only spent approximately 20 minutes with the dentist. During that time, the dentist made unsolicited and unsubstantiated claims about my overall health, stating she could identify "gut issues" based on my appearance. She then strongly pressured me to see a specific outside provider charging approximately $1,600 per visit, and implied that any dental treatment would fail if I did not follow her recommendation. This was inappropriate, outside the standard scope of dental care, and presented in an alarmist and coercive manner.
The interaction was distressing enough that I left the office in tears.
After my appointment, I attempted multiple times to obtain information about my X-rays, recommended treatment, and an estimate of costs. I called the office approximately 10 times, and each time I was told that staff were unsure and would follow up, but I never received a clear response. I was eventually told that this information could not be provided over the phone, which had not been communicated to me previously. The lack of clear communication and inability to provide basic information about my treatment plan added to the overall confusion and frustration.
Following this experience, I attempted to cancel the membership. My written cancellation request was ignored, and my card continued to be charged. I was only able to stop the charges by contacting the third-party provider (Clerri) directly. Only then did the office acknowledge the cancellation. I was not provided with any information indicating that cancellation had to be completed through a third-party provider, and this requirement was not clearly communicated to me.
Even after cancellation, the office continued to send repeated messages attempting to schedule appointments, despite no indication that I wished to return.
Subsequently, I was told I was responsible for paying the full cost of services (cleaning and X-rays) that had already been covered under the membership plan. When I requested written documentation or a policy supporting this retroactive billing, none was provided despite multiple requests. Attempting to charge patients for previously covered services without a clearly disclosed policy raises serious concerns regarding billing transparency and fairness. I did not receive or sign any documentation clearly stating that this was a yearly membership or that I would be financially responsible for the full cost of services if I chose to cancel early. The office also indicated that they would send the disputed balance to collections, despite not providing documentation supporting the charge.
Additionally, the office failed to provide my dental records, including X-rays, after I requested them. The office indicated that records would be released once the balance was resolved, suggesting that access to records may be contingent on payment.
Overall, this experience raises significant concerns regarding ethical standards, billing practices, and respect for patient rights. I would strongly advise others to exercise caution before seeking care at this office.
