So this dentist who agreed to give me about $3,500 back since the implant became infected

[Maraya1969]

and was crooked and I did not want him to redo it AND and I realized I had given this man all my savings which was about $8,000 during the last year.....will not give me that check until I pay an extra $1,350 for the last crown he did. But WAIT..............

I also started checking the prices with the dental discount plan I have and realized that they were not giving me the discounts they were supposed to be giving me and a couple times upgraded some charges and always to their benefit.

So called them and told them and today I went there and all of a sudden the actual "regular" prices were much higher, making it look like they gave me a bigger discount.

I feel violated by them.

Does anyone know if they can hold on to that check until I pay them the $1,350. They have it written in their bill that it is supposed to be a credit but then they never credited me. There ledger of my payments and their charges is all fucked up.


I feel like screaming.

[Bongo Prophet]

1. SO sorry to hear this. Maybe contact local media, or consult with a lawyer?

Sorry, I have nothing but sympathy and well wishes for you.

[elleng]

2. DAMN! I'd feel like screaming too!

Aside from all the complications, I'd focus on the 'supposed credit,' and see to it that it actually IS credited to you. Maybe suggest legal action, unless you receive the credit IMMEDIATELY.

I'm SO SORRY to hear this!

[villager]

3. Are there reps of the discount plan you can file a complaint with?

Anything to start putting pressure on the crooked dentist...

[KT2000]

4. does your state have a consumer protection office?

I would make a list of all the work done over the year, list of what you paid, copies of the bills, copies of what the dental discount plan paid (if that is what they do), and compare to what they have - ask for copies of your account - say they do not agree with what you have. Tell them you need for a consultation with the State Attorney General's office.
Then call your consumer protection office usually under State Attorney General's office.

[Doodley]

5. I am sorry to hear you had such a bad experience. I would do the following:

Take the complaint to the very top of the practice if you haven't already and ask for a meeting to discuss a way forward. If that does not work, write a letter detailing your complaint and state very clearly what it is that you reasonably expect them to do. Include problems with their work, communication, any resulting pain, suffering, costs. State that you are unhappy with how they have dealt with your complaint. Look at dental malpractice firm websites and the lists of the types of things they sue for, and include in the letter whichever ones are relevant. State that you are giving them 14 days, after which you will instruct a dental malpractice lawyer. If they do respond to your request, seek a lawyer who will work on a commission basis.

[Warpy]

6. Before you issue threats and hire the lawyer

complain to your state attorney general's consumer affairs office. Write the letter clearly and in sequence, giving just the facts without emotional embellishment. Do include any price changes after the fact, phantom services, and overbilling. Send a copy to the dental licensing board.

You can also send a copy of the letter to the BBB in your area. Don't bother with Yelp.

My guess is that will get you some action. If not, then find the malpractice lawyer who works on commission.

Knowing who to complain to first is more than half the battle.

[Doodley]

8. You can go that route, but getting them to move or move fast would be the challenge.

[Warpy]

9. If it's egregious, they move very fast

I had a dispute with a hospital over a bill, which would have been expensive but doable. I caught them upcoding, unbundling labs, charging for phantom services, and a couple of other cute tricks. I sent my complaint to the state AG. A week later, I got a request for backup data, which I copied and sent in, including relevant parts of a coding/billing text. A week after that, the hospital caved. It was a little too late for them, though, and Medcare was on them like a duck on a June bug a month later. They've since been sold.

I just wonder how many people they ripped off before I got angry enough to complain to the right people. Their stonewalling followed by calling in a collection agency tells me they did it to everybody and never expected to get caught.

I do wish I'd gotten a copy of the letter from the AG's office. It must have singed the hair in their noses.

[katsy]

7. Please write everything down in an email & send it straightaway

To your attorney general. Print a copy & send it snail mail if you want a backup.

They will get on this.

[renate]

10. find the dental board in your area and file a complaint

I suppose you could threaten to do so first, and then see whether that lights a fire under the dentist.

I would think the board has to at least look into every complaint, and it's not a headache that the dentist is going to want to deal with. Plus it sounds like a systemic pattern of cheating and overcharging. Normally I'm not in favor of escalating a complaint quickly in case it's an honest misunderstanding between a provider and a customer, but this sounds pretty inexcusable.

http://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/licensure/licensure-dental-students/state-dental-boards

[Maraya1969]

11. Just wanted everyone to know that on Fri I filed a civil suit in the small claims in our town/city

I have proof that they owe me money because they actually put it as a credit on my last bill, (but didn't deduct it from the "Pay this amount&quot . And I ended up finding more discrepancies so I filed for the full $5000 that is allowed in small claims court, (they offered me $3,500 but that was not the total amount that they owed me plus they are holding on to it until I pay $1,350 for my last cap,)

When I was filing the woman said I could have them send a certified letter or pay extra for a physical subpoena. It was an extra $40 but the idea of a big sheriff's officer walking into his dental office, making him come out personally and handing him the subpoena just made it worth the money.

And if he doesn't pay up I am just going to the newspaper and their section where they fight for your interests against bad companies. I also have some other ideas that are designed to make the bastard cringe.


I'll pay them for the cap but I have a lot of deductions for my time, aggravation, irritation, paper, folders, ink, gas money, lunch for my friend who went downtown with me and other incidentals.

[Hekate]

12. Good. For. You. Thanks for the update!

[JoePhilly]

13. Follow the advice in posts 7 and 10 as well ...

... state attorney general, dentist boards ... increase the pressure. They tried to screw you ... you should not be the one making concessions.

[Maraya1969]

15. OK I can do that. The problem I have had with this is it is almost impossible to figure out the

amount they ripped me off. Everything was so convoluted, (especially after I told them on the phone that they overcharged me) that I just got so frustrated I was having trouble figuring out the small claims court. I actually did not include some items because there were too many papers with wrong information on them.
I also wanted to ask for all my bills again from them as some got lost in this long terrible process but I'm afraid they will try and mess with the numbers now that they know I am on to them, which they already did when I went into their office.

For example my first visit to them was 8/31. I found a receipt that I paid $49 for a limited evaluation and $20 for an x-ray. The very next day was when he started on that failed implant.........and on the bill there is a charge for $49 for a limited evaluation and $20 for an X ray.

I just realized this one when I was at the court house on Friday!

Can I tell the attorney general about all the confusion and obfuscation they have caused since I stated that I wanted my money back and found discrepancies and that I do not have the full story?

Maybe I'll send send him a copy of what I wrote out in small claims and add that there is more. Do you think that is OK. I'm already getting upset just writing this to you. The whole thing has been a horror.

[JoePhilly]

17. Yes, you can.

The AG will investigate. Do your best to write out what you recall and when it happened. You never expects to need such records. The AG understands that.

And from now on, write everything down. Ask for names anytime you talk to the dentist. Take notes from now on. With date and times.

Usually, companies fold when the AG calls them.

[rug]

14. Give 'im hell!

[Maraya1969]

16. That's funny!

[cynzke]

18. SORRY TO SAY....

I am not familiar with your particular case. However, my sister is in need of dental services and was looking at Aspen Dental. Thanks to the net, she found dozens of negative stories about Aspen that sound similar to your experiences. PBS even did an expose on them.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/patients-pressure-and-profits-at-aspen-dental/

[Maraya1969]

19. I unfortunately went to Aspen Dental too. It is hard when you are paying out of pocket. You end

up looking for deals and get screwed at the same time.

I got money back from them because I refused to leave the premises and they called the police. So I was able to tell the police of the situation. I got a check in the mail a couple weeks later.

I just remembered this! It's hard to believe I went through this kind of thing twice. But considering my life........not so much.