I left a review a few months ago on google, as well as an email and no one has contacted me.
I completed care with West Orthodontics and had a very positive experience my entire care up until the last appointment.
For my last appointment to get my braces off, I expected to be met with the same contagious smiles and excitement that I had every other visit.
Instead I was met by Tasha (who never introduced herself), took me back and began my appointment. I told her up front that I was super nervous about this appointment and she didn't even acknowledge my comment.
She began taking off the brackets without warning me, never explaining what she was doing before she did it, and not until it sounded like my tooth shattered did she tell me that the clear brackets often shatter and sound like your teeth are breaking.
I was VERY uncomfortable and in pain, and it wasn't until I literally pulled away that she checked in on me or asked how I was doing. I literally almost passed out from the pain and anxiety, my ears started ringing and things started going dark.
With every other appointment the assistants told me what they were doing, what it was gonna feel like, checked in on me and kept me informed. I got NONE of these things.
When Dr. West came over to check on my teeth, he was amazing. He asked how I was doing, I said this was terrible and he encouraged me and let me know what he was going to be doing. He ended up finishing the polishing of the glue off my teeth. It wasn't until then that I realized how rough and heavy handed the assistant had been. When I showed any discomfort he checked in on me, let me know how close to being done we were and told me I was doing great. It's the little things that make an uncomfortable service bearable.
When he was finished, Tasha without warning put a white probe into my mouth and never explained once what she was doing. Only after she removed it from my mouth could I ask what it was for.
I was then rushed around to finish X-rays, take pics and felt rushed into grabbing a water bottle and "you can fill it up with candy if you want..."
This was suppose to be exciting and joyful. I was absolutely traumatized and felt uncared for.
That appointment was suppose to be exciting and joyful, and instead I rushed to my car so I could cry and shake it off.
I called the manager, Holly. She listened to my concerns. Reminded me that the rest of my care was a good experience and told me she INSISTED on giving me a Starbucks gift card when I came to pick up my retainers.
When I opened the gift card, it was a $5 gift card to Target...
Honestly, I don't know what I expected when I called to voice my concerns.
I was truly hoping that no one would have the experience I had.
But when she insisted that she had to make it right somehow... a $5 gift card felt insulting after literally telling her my experience in tears.
I hope that for the future, West Orthodontics makes sure that anyone who has hands on another human, is also educated on trauma informed care.
I felt so unsafe during my last appointment, it tainted the view of my entire experience.
But I do have to highlight, one more time, the other amazing assistants and Dr West. You all made there rest of my care fun and positive. read more
