Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/02/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 3/25/24 I received a letter from a debt collection co, ****************************, informing me I had a balance due. I have never received any correspondence from the Dentist that there was a balance due. Date of service 11/7/22. This is a year and a half later! I received this from the debt collector after I asked to see a bill which had never been sent to me.Charges $440 Insurance pmt $180 Credit card pmt $39 Balance due $298.35 which includes a $77.35 late fee.I told the office when I first arrived I only wanted services covered under my insurance plan. They never informed me there was anything extra due at the end of the service, other than $39 which I paid at that time. The debt collector advised me to pay the balance or it would affect my credit! I asked if I had any recourse and they said they dont give advice. They only collect the debt. I told them I didnt think I should be responsible for any of the additional cost since I told the dentist I didnt want to be charged for anything over what insurance covers. Again, they cannot give advice, only collecting a debt. I said I would agree to pay for services so that it wouldnt affect my credit, but I would not pay for fees for a bill I never received. I grudgingly paid $221.Not only is this dentist using a bait and switch on her patients but she never sends a bill and then a year and a half later bills you for erroneous and outrageous additional costs and fees! This should be illegal. And ****************************, ***** *****, is just as bad to perform this type of service!

  Business Response

  Date: 04/10/2024

  Hello,
  
  Thank you for re-sending the email as this is the first one we have received and will certainly like to respond back to this claim. Please see the 3 attachments:
  
  1. A signed copy of our office agreement, page 6 clearly states if we do not receive a payment from insurance in full, the patient is responsible for the difference. We charged her $39 during her visit on 11/7/22 because our system estimates the patient portion prior to a claim closing. This is always an estimate and only after we receive a response from insurance, will we know the exact amount a patient is responsible for. Many variables come into consideration; such as: her frequency limitations, visiting another dental office in between visits at our practice, reaching her annual **** etc. All of these factors are a patients responsibility.
  
  2. A copy of our most recent communication log with the patient. We texted her on 11/19/22, 11/27/22, 12/5/22, 12/13/22 with her balance and statement letting her know we closed her claim from 11/7/22 and she had a patient responsibility. We then tried giving her a call on 9/21/23 prior to partnering with a collections agency to resolve the balance, we were unable to reach her and left a voicemail. We then sent her account over to a 3rd party collections agency after several months of no response from the patient.
  
  3. A copy of the timeline showing we sent her statements on multiple occasions and she was aware of her balance. We sent statements on 11/19/22, 11/27/22, 12/5/22, 12/13/22, and as recent as 3/28/24.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/12/2024

   
  Complaint: 21517828
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  If I was sent invoices through text messages I would never have opened them due to all the **** texts!  I never open text messages with links.  I have been warned not to open any texts with links in case of fraud!  I was never sent an email of the bill or a paper copy of the bill.  I spoke to the dental assistant before proceeding with the x-rays, etc. and specifically told her I only wanted what was covered under my insurance.  I agreed to paying the $39 before she proceeded.  I never went to another dentist between visits but I don't like going to the dentist due to bad experiences I have had and I explained this to the dentist.  A dentist filled the wrong tooth!  And now I will not go back to her.  I am not the only patient she has had this issue with!  There are documented reviews of collection companies being the only communication regarding bills not being paid after a long period of time.  They could have called and left a message and I would have called back or mailed/emailed a bill, but I never received a message.  Regardless, I did not want to pay more than the insurance covered and told them that from the time I walked in.  They should have honored my request.  Not charged me over my insurance and let me know a year and a half later through a collection agency!

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

  Business Response

  Date: 04/15/2024

  You are mistaken our office with another dental office about the filling on the wrong tooth. The services you are mentioning have not been rendered here at Alexander Family Dentistry and this is false information!
  
  1- Based on the documents we see for the entire history of you being a patient of our practice, you have NOT EVER had a filling done at our office.We do not see a history of a filling on your chart! We also have no record of you being upset or angry with anyone or needing clarification for any of the treatments received here.
  
  2-You received emails, phone calls and text messages.  Specifically, you received a phone call with a message left for you on 9/21/23at 4:30 pm and you did in fact call our office back on 9/22/23 at 12:36 pm which confirms you did in fact receive our message and knew that you had a balance!  
  
  3- It is slanderous to make false statements.
  
  4- The documents signed upon you becoming a patient of our practice have clear bold statements about you being responsible for the amount that your insurance does not cover. You did sign and agreed to this several times! There is no hiding this information

  We have had every communication  documented, along with all forms clearly stating our policy and signed by you. The false allegations are slanderous to our small business and will be considered as such.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/15/2024

   
  Complaint: 21517828
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  If you had read the email message correctly you would have read that I said "I don't like going to the dentist due to bad experiences I have had and I explained this to the dentist.  A dentist filled the wrong tooth!" I never said anything about you being the dentist that filled the wrong tooth.  I told you, the dentist, that I had this bad experience.  Don't accuse me of making false accusations!

  I also went back to see if I had any old voice mails saved.  I did, have a message on September 21, 2023 at 4:17 PM.  "Hi ***** this is Armie with Alexander family dentistry.  I'm calling because we haven't seen you in quite some time and I wanted to see if you're still wanting to be on schedule for your hygiene appointment.  I know the last time we saw you was in November.  Please give us a call back at ************.  Let us know if you want to reschedule.  Thank you so much, bye-bye."  I called back the next day to schedule an appt. but a recording was on so I hung up.

  I paid the balance I owed.  I should not have had a balance since I said I only wanted services that my insurance covered, upfront.  You did not honor my request. I do not have balances on any of my accounts so I paid.  I have an excellent credit rating and if I had known there was a balance I would have called to discussed it rather then go through all this.

  Sincerely,

  
  *********************