ComplaintsforCoast Dental

• Initial Complaint

  09/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I found this dentist through my dental insurance to ensure they were in network. I called and scheduled a preventative routine cleaning for September 20th. The assistant asked me if I was there for dentures. I said no and explained that it was just a preventative cleaning. I asked her if that was what I was scheduled for, and she said yes. She left the room and came back with a plan of care which included x-rays, oral exam and a cleaning. She told me that the insurance covered all but $23. I questioned it since I had verified with my insurance that a preventative visit was covered at cost to me. She explained it was a new panoramic x ray that typically was not covered. I agreed to pay that. I had my x rays done and waited. The dentist finally came in which I was a little confused because you normally have the hygienist clean and then the MD does the oral exam after. I verified with him once more that it was a preventative visit since I had not seen the hygienist yet. He said yes and proceeded to do the oral exam. As soon as he was done, he told me that the hygienist had called in that day, and they would need to reschedule me for the cleaning. He immediately walked out. I was stunned. They rescheduled me for the following Monday. I checked in today. The hygienist called me back and then proceeded to show me another plan of care for a cleaning but told me it would cost me over $200. I was very upset and explained that I was seen last Friday, and she was out so this was just the covered cleaning. She said no it would be $200. I told her that routine dental exams were covered at 100%. She just said sorry. I told her no thanks and walked out. I have now called three other dentists to schedule a screening, but they all want x-rays since I would be a new patient. No one can just do a cleaning. This dentist is being fraudulent with his claims and upselling everyone. Now I can't get a cleaning or check up for six months.

  Business response

  09/30/2024

  Please accept this as Coast's response to Ms. ********* We are sorry to hear that you were unable to get the regular cleaning that your insurance pays for. Please understand that our job is to complete services that your health needs and is not dictated by what your insurance covers. We have partnered with the dentist to further understand what happened. It was explained that the dentist completed a perio probing on 9/20/2024 which presented pocket depths/measurements of 1-4 along with bleeding on sites 17, 32. With having 3-4 pocket depths in multiple areas as well as bleeding, it is advised that a deeper cleaning would be needed to prevent any infection from getting worse. I have attached a copy of the completed perio chart for your reference. 
  Pertaining to your records, you are welcome to submit a records request to the office. There is a signed document which you will need to complete before records are provided but we are happy to provide you copies of your x-rays and chart documents, you can take those with you to an alternative dental office, this way they do not have to complete the xrays again, however normally an evaluation would still need to be completed. 
  Please understand we are only trying to provide you services with your oral health needs. If you choose not to accept the offered treatment, that is up to you. Thank you. 
  

  Customer response

  09/30/2024

   
  Complaint: 22326704
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I was very explicit in that I wanted a preventative screening and cleaning only. I understand the medical evaluation but you could have still completed a routine cleaning. I believe you are upcoding on patients when it is not necessary and charging for procedures that are not warranted.  I would like a copy of my x-rays and chart records. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

  Business response

  10/01/2024

  Please understand that our job is to complete services that your health needs and is not dictated by what your insurance covers. If you are diagnosed with needing more than a regular cleaning or what is covered by your insurance, we are not eligible to provide a basic cleaning, and this could be considered negligence in the future if the condition gets worse. At this time, we do not have anything further to provide, please close as answered. Thanks. 

  Customer response

  10/01/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is not satisfactory to me but I will agree to close the case. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

• Initial Complaint

  09/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I went to Coast Dental for the first time on July 11, 2024. They are in-network with my Insurance plan. I was given a four *********************** Plan on my visit day. I told Coast Dental I would need to get in touch with my Insurance before any Treatment rendered. Insurance instructed me to ask Coast Dental to submit a Pre-determination which I called them on July 11, 2024. The Insurance said wait until you get our letter. No letter came so I called the Insurance on August 19th which they had not received any Pre-determination from Coast Dental. The Insurance called Coast Dental and left a message. On August 27th the Insurance still had not receive any paperwork from Coast Dental. I called again the Insurance on September 16th and no paperwork from Coast Dental. Insurance spoke with **** at Coast Dental and she said she mailed it on September 4th. I been waiting all this time to get a cleaning. And still waiting. Please help! I'm 66yo. I've been trying to advocate for myself but its not working.

  Business response

  09/19/2024

  Please accept this as Coast's response to Ms. ******** We are sorry to hear about the delay with obtaining a pre-authorization from your insurance. After review, the local office does not have access to submit the pre-authorization electronically and the only other option per your insurance is to mail it. It has been submitted via the mail but at this time we have not heard back from your insurance whether they approve or deny the pre-authorization. It was sent 9/4/24, normal turnaround time for businesses to receive regular mail is 7-10 business days. I could suggest reaching out to your insurance to see if they have received the request. Alternatively, the local office is working with your insurance to set up an online account with them so they can submit pre-authorizations to them directly instead of via mail. Thank you. 

  Customer response

  09/22/2024

   
  Complaint: 22297794
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I've been waiting since July 11th why would it take Coast Dental to mail the pre-determination September 4th.  The insurance did leave multiple messages and even spoke with staff.  I even spoke with staff and she said the manager was working with this and the manager  will call me back but, I never have received a call from this office. This is very unprofessional.  

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

  Business response

  09/25/2024

  I cannot speak to why it was delayed; I can only speak to what we are doing to resolve. At this time, the office has sent 2 pre-authorization requests through the mail and has spoken with your insurance, they provided a direct fax number for the office to send the claim to. At this time the office is fully handling this complaint. Please reach out to the office at ************** and select option 3 to speak with them. It was conveyed that they would be contacting you as well. Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Scheduled an appointment on 8/27 at 10:30am, with a coupon for a free teeth whitening w/cleaning. Received a message the day of the appointment that my insurance (*************) is not in-network. Delta Dental states otherwise. Was told that they are wrong as shown in the text messages from the office.

  Business response

  09/17/2024

  Please accept this as Coast's response to ******** We are sorry to hear and see the confusion surrounding the acceptance of your insurance. Upon further investigation, it appears the provider at this office is not currently credentialed with your insurance plan however are working on this with your insurance to hopefully in the near future be credentialed. We are unsure why the office would be promoted as a place which accepts your plan, I would suggest reaching out to your insurance to clarify why their records are not updated to reflect offices which accept your plan. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience with your insurance site reflecting our office being in network but at this time, we are not. Thank you. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  09/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Coast Bloomingdales was supposed to provide 3 deep cleans and prosthesis. Ive had many deep cleans in my life, and this wasnt one. I dont think my teeth were cleaned at all. No ********* and my teeth did not look or feel clean, I paid partial for the cleaning and agreed to finance, what I thought was through their office, for 3 future cleanings in a yr. Weeks later they called to say they do not accept my insurance any longer and could not fulfill my cleanings. I asked for a refund and a look passed between the front staff. After repeated attempts to collect the amount I had financed, without o succcess, I contacted ******. They refused a refund saying I owed on my prosthesis which was paid by my insurance. I sent them paperwork. They dont care. Also, Sunbit was never mentioned to me and I thought I was using office financing. When I asked for my paperwork to be sent to me, Sunbit wasnt included in the agreement but rather penciled in after I signed. As the amount financed was not much over 200$, I never would have paid 36% interest over a year had I known. If you look T the reviews for this office there is a clear pattern.

  Business response

  09/16/2024

  Please provide signed *****. Thank you

  Customer response

  09/17/2024

   
  Complaint: 22279534
  
  I am rejecting this response because: See attached. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ****

  Business response

  09/17/2024

  The document needs to have an actual signature as well as Coast Dental listed for the release. Please correct and return, thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had dentures made by coast dental in *************** and they are defective they distorted in their shape and dentist said he's never this happen in **************************************** the material and they won't warranty them I got charged 700 for a new pair I've contacted and left numerous messages to coast dental corporate office and no one will return my calls

  Business response

  09/19/2024

  Please provide signed ***** and pictures of the dentures. Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This place is a scam first off. They book your appointments and cancel them you get there for your appointment. They tell you they have no dentist on site and have no idea when they will have one available so theres no dentist on site overseeing none of the care not to mention absolute disgraceful Way the hygienist lady treats people and tries to play victim. They tried charging me for bogus charges for cancer screening and when I started to question them, they got upset and they told me that that was part of the teledentist visit evaluation and that I had to have it. I referred back to my insurance and that procedure was not covered, but they insisted that I have it so they wanted to charge me $120 for a new patient evaluation which is free once a year with my insurance Which they accept theyre scamming overcharging, throwing in secret charges and have no medical professionals on site

  Business response

  09/06/2024

  We are sorry to hear you are unhappy with your visit. As a new patient, we do have certain services which need to be completed to ensure you are not in need of dental restoration treatment. The treatment plan provided, is standard of care, and you are seeing a tele dentist who is able to see you visually as well as review the x-rays taken to confirm what treatment is needed. If you are in need of any dental treatment, you would be referred to another Coast Dental office for treatment or specialist if needed, depending on your situation. However ultimately being seen is up to the patient. I can see that you did inform the staff that you were unhappy with the cost of the visit and left the office without being seen. The cost for the visit is contracted with your insurance, so we are unable to change the rates, the optional item is the cancer screening which is not a required service but recommended. You can always inquire about the cost of the visit directly with your insurance. At this time, no further action can be taken for this complaint. Thank you. 

  Customer response

  09/06/2024

   
  Complaint: 22247331
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************** this is an absolute lie. This place is. Fraud and I called my insurance just to confirm the shady practice. And who would follow through with treatment when the place is in terrible dirty condition. Scamming up charges they say are part of your eval. If they bill the insurance I will place a fraud complaint. This place needs shut down its a black market dentist office 

• Initial Complaint

  08/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I made an appointment online due to extreme mouth pain. I must add I hadnt had dental work for a year as we moved here and had not established care. My plan was to utilize the convenience of them being less than a mile away. Wellwent in TONS of X-rays, extra panoramic quoted (not greatest English so I wasnt quite sure what it all meant as I wouldnt have understood the explanation) I would pay like $23. By the time I was seen I ended up with a DEEP cleaning, liquid irrigation in all 4 quadrants, and antibiotic in 4 places. Topical anesthesia, got full face bath from deep cleaning from the spraying. When the ** finally came in he did pressure tests, while my mouth is topically numb, ignored the problem area I talked about, and told me to use prescribed mouthwash. Sent on my way after $400 with a THREE month follow up. No solution to the emergency I went in for other than cleaning and mouthwash for further care. Told at the next appt I would get X-ray results and plan to move forward. 2 days later over the weekend in so much pain I cant eat. Made appointment Monday with another place. Coast would not send me my X-rays and was told I can only pick them up. Well now I need to figure a way to get them into the new places system (all EHR) or I need to pay out of pocket. Week after 2nd appt get EOB stating I still owe over $500! Yeah thats not happening! Im not happy at all and already out the $400 I paid plus X-rays my ins paid.?? oh and FYI the new place put me on antibiotics which made it able for me to eat after 4 days taking them but still on soft foods.

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Please provide a signed HIPAA form. To further understand what happened, please provide a narrative of treatment from the other dental office which prescribed you medication. Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  6/06/2024, My bill was $252, I paid $145, the insurance company paid the full amount of $252,which left a credit balance $145. They refused to refund the $145 without corporate approval. I've been waiting 6 weeks, no response. Apparently this is normal way of business for coast dental, I think they should be criminally prosecuted. After 451 complaints state wide, they are not doing business honestly.

  Business response

  08/30/2024

  Please accept this as Coast's response to ***********. We apologize for the time it takes to complete your refund. We ensured this was completed today. Please find the attached refund receipt. Thank you

  Customer response

  09/04/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  08/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ***** ******* , My daughter Brylista ******* , and son ****** ******* had been going to this office for years for braces on all three of us . We had 500 dollars each given as down payment for braces . We had payments set up with orthobanc we noticed around February 2024 nothing was being done to continue treatment or changing of our wires . We were told by staff that an orthodontist was being trained and coming in to take over treatment . Months went by with no treatment and payments were being taken each month from each of us but they were doing away with orthodontist all together after I spoke to corporate. They didnt send letters or calls . It took me calling corporate to find out . I asked how I would get braces off or transfer care and no resolution . I called orthobanc and they have been documenting since may that spoke to ******** , ************** and Mercedes requesting audit and refund and no solution when account on hold . ************. I had to find another orthodontist to take me in irthobanc network Dr. ***** cove pediatric and orthodontist. ************. He stated should file complaint with dental board which I did . He said all braces must come off and restarted bc damage . We had to pay down payment again and double payments . I spoke with **** office manager today around 2:30pm and she wanted name from corporate. I just wanted her to handle my request for audit as me and the bank had been calling about and refund us . She said would email but all could do after months of calls . I need resolution with this company . We need refunded . They are fraudulently charging families as long as they can with no orthodontist on site . They are giving customers the run around when they call . Thank you for your help in this matter .

  Business response

  09/12/2024

  Please accept this as Coast's response to Ms. ******** We are sorry for the delay and have been able to finish the audits for the 3 accounts in question and a refund was found to be due to you. You will be contacted before the end of day Friday, September 20, 2024 to discuss and obtain refund details. Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hello,We paid the account off 1/21/2024 over the phone on a recorded line, in a lump sum payment of $789.43. They have been billing us interest and late fees stating we didn't pay the interest? I was assured when paid in full this was resolved and I would recieve a paid in full letter. I am not sure how you charge interest and late fees on a PIF account. They countinue to call, send mail, and harass us for a bill that has been taken care of. I don't know how to make them go away. I refuse to pay them any additional money. This is illegal and stressing me out. Please help!

  Business response

  08/16/2024

  Please accept this as Coast Dental's response. We are unable to locate any account with the information provided. We see you are out of **; we do not have any dental offices in ** and are only out of **, **, and **. Please provide us with a copy of your bill that you are receiving so we can further investigate. Thank you. 

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