ComplaintsforAspen Dental

• Initial Complaint

  09/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  The consumer provided this information to BBB staff by phone. The consumer had teeth removed in January 2024, and in February 2024 was provided with 'healing teeth'. At the time the consumer was not told there would be a charge of $497.00. The consumer received the first bill in Feb. 2024 and was told the business would re-submit it to her insurance. Then she received a second bill for the same amount in March 2024. She then began to pay on the bill. In June 2024 she received calls and letters from a collections agency, even though she was paying on the bill. The consumer states she was never told of the additional $497.

• Initial Complaint

  06/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  My son and I visited Aspen Dental in ****** ** during the months of January and February 2023 for routine dental care. Since we were pleased with our dental treatment, I inquired about having the Invisalign aligners to correct spacing in my teeth. The office manager stated that Invisalign was a service they offered then proceeded to provide me with the break-down in costs - mine vs insurance. During February, I revisited the office for a scan of my teeth to proceed with the service. My aligners arrived during the first week in March which is when brackets were placed on my teeth and I was handed all but the last four trays of the aligners (so I was told) ordered to correct my teeth. At that time, I was told that once I came back to the office in May, I would receive my last four aligners. With this, I was left under the impression that I would be done with the Invisalign treatment by ***. Before the month of March ended, I attempted to contact the office several times regarding my bite being extremely off and me being unable to chew my food. Not one of my many calls were either answered nor returned. I continued to attempt to contact the office up thru mid-April. During this time I contacted *************************** for help - they encouraged me to speak with the dentist. After reporting the office to **************** the office manager finally scheduled me an appointment to come in. She stated that their phones had been out hence the reason for my unreturned calls. Upon visiting the office regarding this issue, I informed the dentist about my bite being off at which time she simply put in a video of the scan of my teeth without any explanation as to what was happening. In addition, I informed the office manager and staff that I would be moving to ******* hence needing my services transferred to a local office there. I agreed to return to their office in May to pick up my final four aligners. After my bite did not improve by mid-May, I reached out to two orthodontists in ******* to get information as to why this was happening. It was then that I learned that Id be in the aligners for a minimum of a year and that my teeth would not be straight after wearing the last four aligners. When I was able to speak with the office manager again about this issue, I told her about needing aligners for a year and how I was not able to get any of the Aspen dental offices in ******* to accept my case because all of the offices no longer supported Invisalign and theyd all switched to Moto - Aspen Dentals own brand of aligners. I also asked her how many aligners I had left of which the office manager then told me I had 14 and not the 4 she originally stated. So I rescheduled my May appointment and drove to Athens from Mobile to pick up my 14 aligners. While in the office, the office manager stated they could take the brackets off, rescan my teeth then order me another round of aligners. They also handed me what I thought was my last 14 aligners but it turned out to be simply 5 aligners. The office manager asked if Id come back to the office in June after having worn them for the rescan. She said shed call me the following week to schedule the June appointment - she never called. I called and scheduled an appointment for June 23 at 7a. Two days before my appointment, the office rescheduled my appointment for 8a without calling to inform me of this (I learned of it thru an auto-generated email I just happen to see). Since I was driving 6 hours from out-of-town, I would have expected a common courtesy phone call but when I called to find out about the change, the front desk person stated they had to change it. Upon arriving, I was called to the back, sat in the chair and then a dental hygienist appeared roughly 10 min later. I shared with her that I would not be driving back to this office and asked if they had attempted to secure an office in Mobile for me to visit. I even told her to switch me to Moto such that I can be served. She then stated that the dentist was on vacation and that the practicing dentist was on vacation as well and that they could not scan me. At this time I was livid because they did not bother to call to inform me that I would not be served due to these absences. She went to get another hygienist who proceeded to tell me that they could not secure a dental office in Mobile and to restate that the dentists were on vacation. Finally the office manager steps in to intervene at which time I stated that they should have never started the Invisalign process with me knowing that they and all other dental offices changed to Moto and that Invisalign was no longer supported. Also, I stated how rude it was to not call me but allow me to drive 6+ hours & spend hotel money for my appointment knowing that the dentists were out-of-office. She was un-remorseful and very unapologetic.she simply did not care. Lastly, I expressed my exasperation with the dentists lack of expertise regarding how long I would need to be in the aligners (a year vs 2 months). Since April, I have been repeatedly requesting a cancellation of my ****************** with them to which the office manager would repeatedly reply, we do not cancel services. She stated she would give me a call on Monday, June 26 after she speaks with the dentists about switching my service to Moto and securing a local Aspen office. To-date, June 28, I have not received a call.At this point, my teeth are not straight, my bite is extremely off and the office manager, dental hygienists, and dentists have displayed ZERO concern about completing my ******************.

• Initial Complaint

  02/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I have been a patient at Aspen Dental in ******, ** since summer 2019. I received two cleanings from Aspen before deciding to move forward with invisalign to correct my smile in August 2020 (Invisalign Case Start). I completed the trays and received my retainer about a year later. The following spring (April 2022), the provider advised that I apply a surfacing agent to my front two teeth to address my bite which resulted in my retainer poorly fitting on the top row of teeth. Over the next few months, the fit began creating pressure and shifting my teeth about which I expressed concern at a follow up visit in July 2022. I was told that the pressure would reduce over time as my teeth got used to the resurfacing. I again expressed concern that the teeth seemed to be shifting at a follow up exam in October 2022 and was told that there did not appear to be shifting and to wait. The following month I had to replace a permanent crown and I asked the provider to address the retainer after the new permanent was in (Nov 23, 2022), and they agreed that this was wise. They tried to upsell me on a 3-pack retainer and insisted that this was the only option although I was able to direct the staff that there indeed was a cheaper single replacement in their system (I had seen it before on the screen). After a month of waiting, I called every ~3 weeks to ask for an update on when the new retainer would arrive but no one returned my call. After 3 months, I visited in person and learned today that the provider never submitted the retainer to be made. I experienced negligence in my dental care, and I suspect my teeth have now shifted enough that I need new trays. I asked for my credit balance on my current account to be returned to me, which they initially refused because I did not have the same credit card number. Care was not acceptable, and I will seek a new provider. I caution new patients seeking dental care at Aspen.

*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. ↩