ComplaintsforSouthwest Dental Arts

• Initial Complaint

  01/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  1/26/22 & 2/16/22 I had a crown done by them, which at the time I requested a gold crown and was told that would be no problem and cost the same amount. The day of my appointment they wanted ~300 more for me to get gold, which I did not have or anticipate. So I got their in-house made ceramic one. This crown broke in a little over two years and despite them having a 5 year warranty they would only give me a small discount to fix it. I was told it would cost $400 to replace the crown that broke. Again I requested gold and was told it would be no problem and cost the same. Again on my appointment date they wanted $300+ more for me to get gold. Had I known this from either time I would have simply gone to another dentist as my insurance accepted dentist at time of second crown was charging $700 for a crown and has done exceptional work. They even got me in to examine the broken crown (for no charge) and stated that it should have some kind of warranty and to try and ask whoever did it. That led me back to Southwest Dental arts and they arranged to get me in to check it out, after I explained I already had my insurance covered dentist examine it and confirm it needed a new crown. Southwest also confirmed it should be under warranty at this time. When I got in to examine it they said there would be no charge for that exam (1/26/22), confirmed it would cost $400, and I could get it in gold (as Ive had 0 issues with my 2 other gold crowns). I go in on 2/16/22 and as Im already in the chair I remind the assistant/tech that I had requested gold. They then (I believe) pull the same deceptive tactic again changing the price so that they could avoid having to spend more time getting the crown made and having me come in again to fit it. Not anticipating this cost and having been already waiting to get this done I felt I had little choice but to accept ceramic again. That day I paid half my bill $200, the next month I get a bill for $335, adding on the exam from 1/26/22.

  Business response

  11/07/2023

  see attached

  Customer response

  11/08/2023

   
  Complaint: 18817329
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Your in house machine broke a crown after less than 3 years. I didnt come back in between because you did not accept my insurance. I also did not come back because the initial time I went in I WAS TOLD gold would be the same price during the consult only to come in on the day of the crown to be told they were doing ceramic, then I specified I asked for gold only for them to come back saying its more. This happened BOTH times. Its predatory to tell customer its the same price then change it cause theyre sitting down for a crown theyve been waiting to get for weeks. I have spoken to multiple dentists about this and they all verified it does not cost more the only difference is slightly more chair time because you have to come back in. *************************** uses predatory practices to get people to use her in house machine that makes her more money, costs her less time seeing a patient and the crowns dont last nearly as long so repeat business. 
  

  In addition to this the previously agreed upon bill/price was up charged for their exam (which my insurance accepting dentist already did) so they could look in my mouth to see their already broken crown which myself and another dentist already told them was broken. 
  

  I am a single parent on an income of less than $30,000 a year. This is how you treat people? Both times they did this shows its not a mistake. Your own employees are telling people its the same price. Then you change it. What can a person do if they cannot afford more? Wait to schedule with a different dentist for how many more weeks? So I have to get a root canal? Oh wait that already happened to me with *************************** when I needed to get the crown originally. 

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

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