ComplaintsforPlaza Dental Center

• Initial Complaint

  12/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  This office scheduled dentist appointment for me, my wife and ********* for the same time (2pm) on 12/5/2022. I called to advise them that while my wife and kids would be there, I was no longer able to make the appointment due to an unexpected work conflict. They charged me $50 for my cancellation even though my wife and kids were still going to the appointment and this the dentist office was not impacted in any way by my cancelation. When Ive had to cancel on prior occasion this fee wasnt assessed or even mentioned by their office, so they have no consistent or know practice of when and how it applies, and its use by them here is deceptive. Moreover its use here is completely unwarranted and unethical given my family was still going to the scheduled appointment and they were advised as much, such that it had zero impact in their scheduling.

• Initial Complaint

  04/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had an appointment at Plaza Dental today. I was running late. They called me 5 minutes after my appointment time and I told them I was on my way. They asked that I arrive within 10 minutes of my appointment time. I arrived 7 minutes later (within 12 minutes of the appointment time) and they demanded that I pay a $50 fee. I asked to see where the 10 minute late policy was written in their terms/conditions and where I had signed to agree to this. They showed me a consent form from almost 3 years ago that did not have any statement on a 10 minute late policy and also did not state that there is a $50 late fee on it anywhere. The staff were extremely rude and bullied me into paying $50 in a very threatening manner. This is a hostile business that does not care at all about patients and threaten legal action to patients who are in need of medical care. At the core of my complaint is that this business imposes arbitrary fees and rules that customers/patients never agreed to or signed. See the other complaints by other patients who have suffered at the hands of this business.

  Business response

  05/10/2022

  To whom this may concern:

  
  

  I have tried several times to log in online and reset our password and it is still not letting us log in.  Attached is the complaint we received along with supporting documents. 

  ID# ******** (********)

  
  

  ***** had a 6pm confirmed cleaning appt. in our office.  We called the patient 5 mins after her appointment time, She said "oh I lost track of time" and asked if she could still come. We told her we have a grace period of 10 mins so if she can get here in 5 mins then we can see her, otherwise we will need to reschedule. She said she doesn't mind rescheduling, but then did mind after we let her know of the $50 broken appointment fee. She said she would try to make it then, let her know if she isn't here within the 10 min, we will still need to collect the fee since it's considered a broken appointment and then reschedule her after the fee is paid.  Pt. arrived at 6:12pm after the grace period and did not want to pay fee.  Told the patient that the fee does stand.  There are exceptions in emergency situations, but let the patient know that she just told us that she lost track of time which is not an emergency.  Explained to the patient that it is her choice not to pay, but the balance is due and if not paid there would be late fees accrued and after 3 months sent to a collection agency.  Patient asked if that was stated anywhere. Told her that it was in the office policy she signed on her health history.  She asked for a copy of that.  Gave the patient her signed copy.

  
  

  
  

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

  Customer response

  05/11/2022

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  In the form signed it does not state (1) the amount needed to be paid for the late policy, and (2) what the grace period is before the fee is charged. To be told 5 minutes before the grace policy is over that I have 5 minutes to arrive is unreasonable and unfair. Because these two items were not explicitly detailed up front, omission of information does not give this business the right to fill in that blank with whatever information they want to in order to meet their needs. By that logic, they can charge $1,000 for being 1 minute late. When I asked to see formal paperwork indicating this exact policy of $50 with late shows more than 10 minutes after the appointment, they showed me the general form instead (that they attached in their initial response to the BBB complaint) and were unable to produce any additional documents stating the exact policy they enforced on me. Beyond the policy, it was the rudeness and cold-heartedness of the two staff members I interacted with that was the most disappointing. While I understand that it is a business, they are also a practice that caters to patients, and I am truly disappointed that a patient-facing business treats people in this manner. It is not ethical to practice health care with such blanket statements that clearly allows this business to exploit patients and their situations. This policy needs to be changed such that the expectations are explicitly stated up front and if any changes are made, patients should be re-consented. 

  
  

  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

• Initial Complaint

  11/19/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I reviewed my credit report with ******* and that Plaza Dental had reported a bill for $76. I called inquired about the charge and was told the charge is for an appointment I had made and show up for the appointment. I never made an appointment with Plaza Dental. The receptionist looked thru the records and found the there are multiple patients with my name. She spoke with the Office Manager *****, who was to call the agency to have it removed from my credit this was September 1, 2021. I reviewed my credit report again Monday 15,2021, and the charge is still on my credit. I've not made an appointment nor been in that office in thirty plus years, my last appointment I was between the age of 16-18 and on my mothers insurance. I called again today and was sent to voicemail when it shows the office is open until six (6) pm. I want this charge removed from my credit ASAP, the bill for this NO SHOW for a appointment is not mine. I want my medical file sent to me and my personal information removed from their data base. There need to be better checks and balance in their office so this does not happen again to ensure this for me, I've called twice spoke with a Plaza Dental about this issue and it is not resolved. I've started my complaint with the BBB if not resolved I will move up the chain my next stop HIPPA and all other agencies and with an Attorney. I'm hoping for a resolution with the removal of this charge from my credit report. This is not my bill and I should not have to pay the cost for it, they need to find the correct ****** ******** and bill her and or place this bill on her credit report. For the number of patients they have with this name they need a system in place, ie numbers, symbols or a middle initial something need to be in place so this doesn't happen again. I'm asking for this to be removed from my credit, my medical file and my personal information removed from their system and to clear my name with all three reporting agencies.

• Initial Complaint

  11/03/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have gone here for years, but I will never go to this office again. An unitemized bill was sent to my mother for over $600 in 2020 for some previous services I received. A few weeks later, I received another unitemized bill (addressed to me this time) for over $900. When I spoke with *****, she had a nasty attitude and was very unknowledgeable (her excuse was that she just started in the position and wasn't sure about claims/bills that the previous rep handled). On the same call, ***** told me the bills were from dates of service in 2019 and said they didn't have my correct insurance on file. I asked why I was just being notified about this when I visited the office in 2020, and no one ever mentioned any past due bills. SN: Anybody who has visited this office knows they never let you leave without paying your copay or check-in/out without paying a past due balance. I asked ***** to send me an itemized bill with the correct dates of services so that I could investigate because any time I've ever visited the office, I provided them with the correct insurance information. ***** sent out a new unitemized bill with a $10 late fee attached and a handwritten note advising me to call the office with questions. I printed off the EOBs from my insurance in 2019, and each claim was paid. When I called the office to let ***** know, she told me the bills were from visits in 2020. At that point, I asked why I was receiving bills a year later, and she told me it was because they were waiting for a year for the claims to be processed by the insurance, and they had just received notice that the insurance was not paying. Later, I called the insurance that I had in 2020, and they confirmed the three claims were submitted to the insurance-all three claims totaled around $460- two claims were paid, and the third claim did not pay because it was submitted incorrectly. They also explained that the payments were sent to me, and they would reissue the checks for two of the claims and that

  Business response

  11/04/2021

  To properly respond to this claim a HIPAA form would need to be signed by ******.  I believe you offer this on your website for them to sign to share personal information regarding ****** with you.

• Initial Complaint

  10/25/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am a new patient at Plaza Dental Center. I scheduled for a cleaning on Thursday, October 14th. I had x-rays done and a comprehensive exam performed. They said they could not do the cleaning today, but will reschedule for a later date. I agreed. The hygienist then pulled up a calendar, while I was still in the chair away from my cellular device and belonings, and verbalized "monday, october 18th at 8:30 am work for you?" Then the dentist came in and did an exam on my mouth as well and then I went to the front desk. They did not confirm my appointment at the desk, but said "have a great day and we will see you next week." I had a lot going on that day, including a doctor's appointment and I still had to attend work. I went to the doctor's appointment and back to work and the next day, I received a text saying "post visit survey" and realized they did not give me an appointment card, nor did I write it in my phone, since I was still in the chair receiving care and couldn't have handheld devices on me. I called the office, they were closed. I called Saturday, they were did not answer. However, I still received emails and texts from their office, but none of them listed the upcoming appointment. On Monday, they called me at 8:00 am, but I was in Indiana (the office is located in St. Louis) driving back to St. Louis and thus, I missed the appointment. I called the receptionist and told her I tried reaching out multiple times and couldn't get in touch with them to see when my upcoming appointment was and she said I didn't leave a voicemail and I said well, if the office was closed, I didn't think a voicemail would be appropriate, since I was going to call first thing Monday morning to try to figure out my appointment. I didn't just aimlessly and on purpose miss my appointment. I have call logs where I tried to call and could not reach your office. She insisted I must pay the $50.000 before I could reschedule my appointment and now I am on a "do not schedule".

  Business response

  10/26/2021

  Patient was verbally made aware of our office policy and signed off on our paper work acknowledging and agreeing to our those terms before being seated in the treatment room on his first appointment.  Attached will you find our office policy and his signature agreeing to the terms.

  Customer response

  10/27/2021

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

  I understand that is the form I signed, but I already have received 3 different text reminders from now dentist office. Perhaps this office can do better about that in the future. 
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ************

*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. ↩