ComplaintsforColumbia Dental, P.C.

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In June of 2023, a nodule appeared on my lip. I consulted my dentist and insurance advice nurse and was told to see an oral surgeon immediately as it could be cancerous. I set up an appointment with an in-network oral surgeon for a biopsy on 6/13/23. After waiting almost 2 hours past my appointment time, I saw Dr, H**** who spent less than 5 minutes with me and told me to come back if there was no change to the nodule. When I went for a second appointment a month later they asked for over $800 out of pocket before I could see the doctor so I left without seeing the doctor. However, I was charged $53 for the first appointment which they coded as a dental exam, which my insurance would not pay since I had already had a dental exam that year. I told them it should be coded as a Medical exam not a Dental exam and resubmitted. I saw a different oral surgeon in the meantime, was treated and insurance paid as a Medical procedure. I spoke to a Columbia Dental billing representative about a 2 months ago and was told they would talk to the doctor and call me back. They never did contact me. After my most recent invoice, over a 2 week timeframe, I called them 3 times during business hours at ###-###-#### and after waiting over 15 minutes each time, I left call back messages. They are not responding to my calls or correcting the issue.

  Business response

  05/21/2024

  We have resubmitted your claim for the Medical exam, but we do still expect it to be denied.  The original claim was denied due to frequency as that is how your insurance company works it.  Best to go to a medical doctor for medical exams, not a dentist.

• Initial Complaint

  03/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  The dentist office charged me full rate for work done, and then billed my insurance. The totals I paid are far more than the insurance company has stated in my EOB's I'm responsible for. The insurance company tried to contact the office and they hung up on them. When I contacted the office they stated their accounting department wasn't in and that I could email them and I have received no response.

  Business response

  04/09/2024

  Mr. ********

   

  You were refunded on April 1, 2024

   

   

  Customer response

  04/09/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the amount reimbursed is insufficient. Balance due from services on 1/11/24 is 138.20 to card ending in ****. Balance due from services on 3/1/24 $297.20 to card ending in ****.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

• Initial Complaint

  03/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had braces at Columbia Dental from 21-23. During treatment, my teeth got so sensitive to the point I had to be numbed to get my brackets & glue removed. Soon after, the sensitivity became almost unbearable, i saw a new dentist. They advised to follow up w/columbia directly because my teeth need further alignment, likely the cause of the new sensitivity. I called the Columbia Dental corporate phone repeatedly between Aug & Sept 2023. I was never able to speak to someone beyond a receptionist but was given 3 different email addresses, which I emailed intermittently between calling. Finally, I made another follow up appointment with the orthodontist who did my treatment, Dr. R. He promised my teeth are excellent, treatment is complete. After explaining my concerns and attempts to contact corporate for help, he called the business owner for a long conversation in front of me, but spoke in a different language. Then i was directed to Columbia Dental main office where 3 different dentists specialists examined me and i was given an estimate of $25k worth of dental treatment, including at least 2 root canals that I was told needed to be done immediately. Until this day, I have yet to hear back from anyone at Columbia to address my concerns. Additionally, the need for extensive dental work, including ANY root canal is totally unfounded by any of the other dentists I have seen since leaving CD, who also refuses to refill my script for sensitive toothpaste again until I go in for the treatment prescribed. Since leaving the office in Sept 23, I saw 2 more dentists & 1 orthodontist for second opinions. My teeth DO require additional orthodontic treatment of at least one full year to address the misaligned teeth, misaligned bite, and flared upper and lower teeth. Upon full completion, the sensitivity issues should resolve and I will no longer require prescription strength sensitive tooth paste, which developed only after having my braces removed.

  Business response

  04/02/2024

  Dear Ms. ******,
  The case you present here in the Better Business Bureau is the wrong arena to discuss a complicated scientific issue without any of the science, details, or truth and is disguised with feelings, conjecture, and hearsay.  You discredit Columbia Dental and, in fact, defame the company and doctors who treated you.  Why does the Better Business Bureau allow such postings when all it does is hurt the companies, and ultimately hurts the patrons, including yourself, then getting to the truth.    It is a disservice that the Better Business Bureau does and does not create Better Business by email exchange within a restricted time limit.  Better Business Bureau is no different than ****.  If you wish to follow the legal path with an expert witness you can as it is a far more reasonable and accurate process.  We wish to help but it takes both you and us to reach a satisfactory conclusion to your case.
  

  Your story does not match the documentation of your visits.  Show us the written opinions of these other doctors you’ve seen.  How did they come about these opinions differing from the providers you’ve seen at Columbia Dental?   You obviously feel you continue to have issues.   We do not fully understand what your issues are overall.  We don’t wish to assume anything but a possibility might be there can be side effects to braces as the teeth move as the pulp chamber does not simply go with the flow in all cases.  Root canals are not an uncommon need following braces. There are all sorts of possibilities but there is science behind it. We are still happy to see you to discuss treatment and what could be done to meet your satisfaction responsibly.
  

  Business response

  04/02/2024

  Dear Ms. ******,
  The case you present here in the Better Business Bureau is the wrong arena to discuss a complicated scientific issue without any of the science, details, or truth and is disguised with feelings, conjecture, and hearsay.  You discredit Columbia Dental and, in fact, defame the company and doctors who treated you.  Why does the Better Business Bureau allow such postings when all it does is hurt the companies, and ultimately hurts the patrons, including yourself, then getting to the truth.    It is a disservice that the Better Business Bureau does and does not create Better Business by email exchange within a restricted time limit.  Better Business Bureau is no different than ****.  If you wish to follow the legal path with an expert witness you can as it is a far more reasonable and accurate process.  We wish to help but it takes both you and us to reach a satisfactory conclusion to your case.
  

  Your story does not match the documentation of your visits.  Show us the written opinions of these other doctors you’ve seen.  How did they come about these opinions differing from the providers you’ve seen at Columbia Dental?   You obviously feel you continue to have issues.   We do not fully understand what your issues are overall.  We don’t wish to assume anything but a possibility might be there can be side effects to braces as the teeth move as the pulp chamber does not simply go with the flow in all cases.  Root canals are not an uncommon need following braces. There are all sorts of possibilities but there is science behind it. We are still happy to see you to discuss treatment and what could be done to meet your satisfaction responsibly.
  

  Customer response

  04/02/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  As discussed in my complaint to the BBB, I have made several attempts to reach someone in the corporate office at Columbia Dental. Before filing this complaint, I emailed and called countless times before finally going back to the orthodontist at CD for another evaluation. That was in September of 2023 and still, after that visit and after all the emails and phone calls, I have yet to hear back from anyone to at corporate to discuss my concerns further. I have made many good faith attempts to resolve this matter privately, by reaching out to the business directly. I am in this avenue for help only after the other dentists and orthodontist visits. This entire experience is extremely unfortunate and I don't appreciate the fact that I have put my faith in these helath professionals only to learn that they are taking advantage of people instead of taking accountability and fixing the issues that they created. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******

  Customer response

  04/02/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  As discussed in my complaint to the BBB, I have made several attempts to reach someone in the corporate office at Columbia Dental. Before filing this complaint, I emailed and called countless times before finally going back to the orthodontist at CD for another evaluation. That was in September of 2023 and still, after that visit and after all the emails and phone calls, I have yet to hear back from anyone to at corporate to discuss my concerns further. I have made many good faith attempts to resolve this matter privately, by reaching out to the business directly. I am in this avenue for help only after the other dentists and orthodontist visits. This entire experience is extremely unfortunate and I don't appreciate the fact that I have put my faith in these helath professionals only to learn that they are taking advantage of people instead of taking accountability and fixing the issues that they created. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******

  Business response

  04/02/2024

  Dear Ms. ******,

  As discussed in our response to your complaint, you fail to provide any evidence of your issues except your say so.  We are happy to consider evidence such as who were the doctors you saw, who was the orthodontist, and what were their written findings after their study, or was it just a consult and these are their opinions you cite without back up.  We preferred this in private and did diagnose you which you seemed to understand but perhaps the treatment was out of your financial reach at the time, but as you’ve gone public, that is the arena we find ourselves in now. 

  You are requesting a complete refund from two years of work on your teeth.  You state you need another year of orthodontic treatment, to do what?  What outcome are your looking for?  Another year of braces and sensitivity stops you think? Provide proof to what you say for us to consider.  Dentistry is not a retail business where you can just return the product.  You worked with a board-certified orthodontist and now, a year later, you don’t like the result so you want all your money back?  So, the final result you’re looking for is a full refund?

  This forum does not provide an atmosphere for an exchange of ideas.  Medical/Dental issues do not fit nicely into the Better Business Bureau box, the way they’ve designed it.  It is not a simple retail business nor a simple service business. 

  Business response

  04/02/2024

  Dear Ms. ******,

  As discussed in our response to your complaint, you fail to provide any evidence of your issues except your say so.  We are happy to consider evidence such as who were the doctors you saw, who was the orthodontist, and what were their written findings after their study, or was it just a consult and these are their opinions you cite without back up.  We preferred this in private and did diagnose you which you seemed to understand but perhaps the treatment was out of your financial reach at the time, but as you’ve gone public, that is the arena we find ourselves in now. 

  You are requesting a complete refund from two years of work on your teeth.  You state you need another year of orthodontic treatment, to do what?  What outcome are your looking for?  Another year of braces and sensitivity stops you think? Provide proof to what you say for us to consider.  Dentistry is not a retail business where you can just return the product.  You worked with a board-certified orthodontist and now, a year later, you don’t like the result so you want all your money back?  So, the final result you’re looking for is a full refund?

  This forum does not provide an atmosphere for an exchange of ideas.  Medical/Dental issues do not fit nicely into the Better Business Bureau box, the way they’ve designed it.  It is not a simple retail business nor a simple service business. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In October 2023 Columbia Dental made and agreed to a treatment plan for me to get permanent Dentures with Medicaid and a transitional set paid out of pocket. They now to my understanding do not take medicaid anymore, and it seems like they are trying to do everything possible to avoid making my dentures in a timely fashion in hopes of delaying until I lose my insurance coverage. The treatment plan was to have me wear the transitional dentures for 8 weeks and then get my permanent set. After paying out of pocket for the transition I still have no permanent set 6 months later. The transition set is also 2 different colors and Ill fitting not at all worth the 2200 I paid for it, and falls out of my mouth without tons of glue despite many adjustments. My last appointment 3 weeks ago was to take an impression for my final wax try in, but they never made it and are lying to me about where it is and trying to move me to a different Dentist. I feel like they just wanted to get my money for the transition set and dont care about my dental care beyond that. As I have been wearing these “temporary” teeth for over half a year. I want my permanent dentures made as agreed upon, and I want you to either fix the mismatched ill fitting set I already paid for or refund me for them.

  Customer response

  04/08/2024

  Resolved

• Initial Complaint

  03/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I received a bill for covered services after being assured that insurance coverage was accepted. The company did not make any adjustments to its bill, which when you accept the insurance that provides an adjustment.

• Initial Complaint

  02/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Total amount charged; $6,896 Procedure initial date: August 24,2022 Please see attached memo.

  Customer response

  02/21/2024

    The initial amount I discussed after they approached me about the tooth implant was that the:

  INSURANCE WOULD PAY: $1,446

  I WOULD PAY: 899

  CARE CREDIT WOULD COVER: $1,500. 

  I only found out that I had to pay more after they did the prep and drill the gum for the (implant), that is when they told me that I would have to make payment before they could complete the job. That is the reason I waited so long for them to complete, I would not get started if I knew before hand it would cost me that much. I was deceived (scammed).

• Initial Complaint

  12/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I called Columbia Dental and asked for a DEEP CLEANING for my ongoing periodontal disease. They said they would clean 2 quadrants on 12/01/2023 and 2 quadrants on 12/2/2023 as they could not do more than 2 quadrants for a DEEP CLEANING on the same day. I went for my first appointment and was examined and told I would need 8 - 9 back teeth pulled and a partial made. I told them I was under zero circumstances going to pull all of my back teeth on that day and to just get on with the cleaning. The doctor told the doctor that was to clean my teeth to not bother doing the back teeth as they would be coming out the next day, and I assured him they would not be. They sent in a woman to come in and do an impression for the partial (that I never asked to do). I told the doctor doing the cleaning that I would like ALL of my teeth scaled and root planed, not just the ones they wanted to do as that's what I paid for. She spent approx 20 -25 minutes on the cleaning. I had some pain so I assumed they would finish the deep cleaning on the first 2 quadrants the next day. The next day the doctor told me I was getting teeth extracted and I told her i was not. Another doctor came in and told her not to clean ALL of my teeth. She spent exactly 10 minutes cleaning my teeth. When I left I told the receptionist that I needed to speak to somebody about my dissatisfaction. I am not new to deep cleaning. I have some very deep pockets and I have had cleanings that took an hour per quadrant. I have had BASIC cleanings that took longer than the 2 appointments I paid for combined. The manager was gone so on Monday I went back and spoke to her. She agreed that They were billing for a DEEP CLEANING, and there is no way that a deep cleaning can be performed in the time I was there. She offered to make me another appointment and re-do the cleaning.I told her I wanted my money back and that I would be speaking to my insurance company, and I had lost all faith in their "practice".

  Business response

  01/02/2024

  We do apologize for your experience.  We are refunding your charges to your account and no claims went out.

  Thank you

   

• Initial Complaint

  10/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was informed i would recieve an appointment that would allow the time for same day treatment in the application of a tooth filling Instead upon being seen for all of 5 minutes i was told id have to come back for a second appointment many days later down the road in a different town to do that filling and that the dr “didnt have the time” and “doesnt know who i spoke with” why arent your employees providing proper information and why is there no attempt to accommodate further when i was polite the entire time discussing the matter This type of customer service is discouraging to anyone looking to seek treatment for their health care. And there was no attempt at accommodation by the company

  Business response

  11/02/2023

  Dear Mr. *********,

  We apologize for any inconvenience you suffered with your appointment.  The *** ****** office doctor does not take your insurance.  We're unsure as to why you were scheduled in that office and apologize for the resulting confusion.

   

  We appreciate this being brought to our attention to learn from our gross error.

   

  Business response

  11/02/2023

  Dear Mr. *********,

  We apologize for any inconvenience you suffered with your appointment.  The *** ****** office doctor does not take your insurance.  We're unsure as to why you were scheduled in that office and apologize for the resulting confusion.

   

  We appreciate this being brought to our attention to learn from our gross error.

   

  Customer response

  11/02/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  you clearly aren’t reviewing even the complaint accordingly. 
  nowhere did i state making an appointment at your *** ****** office.

  the ineptitude is incredible with this company

   

  look i was seen by another dr office i dont expect anything from you folks 

   

  just provide a better service going forward to your community 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *********

   

  Customer response

  11/02/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  you clearly aren’t reviewing even the complaint accordingly. 
  nowhere did i state making an appointment at your *** ****** office.

  the ineptitude is incredible with this company

   

  look i was seen by another dr office i dont expect anything from you folks 

   

  just provide a better service going forward to your community 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *********

   

• Initial Complaint

  09/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Medicaid approved my top permanent denture and bottom partial in August 2022. I began the process by having all of my top remaining teeth pulled followed by numerous appointments for impressions and fittings. Both piece's were finished June 2, 2023 and I was notified by the staff around 6/18. The earliest appointment they had was July 7. My Medicaid coverage ended 7/1/23 so when I got to the appointment, I was told I could not be seen or get my teeth. Medicaid/Husky D allows for billing from the date of approval so I don't know why there is a problem. I will pay for the office visit if I have to but I NEED my teeth. Please help me!

• Initial Complaint

  08/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I went to Columbia Dental in ********** to get treatment and surgery, after this surgery they did full dentures for me which I paid $2,200 for out of pocket with my mom. When the dentures arrived they were done wrong, too small , they looked like baby teeth and did not fit me well. I told them and they got mad and sent me to the ******* office. At the ******* office they redid the dentures and again they did them wrong, they are too bended outward. They look like when a child sucks his thumb and the teerh pop out, they are way too popped out to the point that I cant fully close my mouth. I was still there at the office and told them and asked for my money back and I would leave them the dentures. They got mad and the secretary said the dentist told her I needed another appoinment for that , which is absurd because I was alredy there. The secretary also told me I wasnt getting all my money back . Which I replied that I am leaving you the dentures which I havent used so I want all my money back. I called them today and they kept picking up the phone and hanging it up. My appoinment was for today but I was in lots of pain so I couldnt go and they wouldnt pick up for me to tell them. After almost 10 times of trying they finally picked up in ********** because ******* never answered. They said and I quote, "call back for an appointment." Its very frustrating to get money together to pay for a service and then have it done wrong two times. I want my money completely back because at this point I dont trust them. I will go to some other dentist.

  Business response

  08/28/2023

  We apologize for the difficulties you've had with your dentures.  We are in the process of refunding your money.

   

  Customer response

  08/28/2023

  I am willing to accept the refund but they havent contacted me to give me the refund. Let me know what should I do.

  Customer response

  08/31/2023

  I accept the refund , please refund me

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩