ComplaintsforDentalWorks

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 12/10/23 I went to dental works and paid $300 to get a new mold for my retainers because they were in the process of breaking. It should only take a day or two to get molded. The man who did the molding told me it should be ready by next week some time, and then laughed and said he’s a little behind on a few but should be getting caught up… eventually my retainers break completely and a month goes by no one contacts me about my retainers. I call them numerous times within a 2 or 3 week span. No one contacts me no one give me any answers no one calls me. I call no one answers. Leave a message no one answers. At this point my teeth have shifted, and I’m concerned my retainers will break when I do get them. I go into the office clearly upset because it seems like they’re ignoring me on purpose. I’m upset trying to get some answers and the guy who did my mold tells me they’ll be done tomorrow. When I leave they call me saying I was rude, I’m a spoiled brat, I don’t know how the real world works. And they will no longer be making my retainers for me. A PRODUCT I PAID FOR 6 WEEKS AGO. The she hung up on me while I was trying to talk to her. Now my teeth have shifted bc I had no retainer for 6 weeks because of them and I have to get remolded for retainers. Maybe I was unprofessional when I went in there but I was upset because of their unprofessionalism. They have my original molding and I want my retainers.

  Business response

  01/24/2024

  I was alerted by the practice team that a patient (Ms. *********) came into the office today to inquire about the status of an essex retainer that was being fabricating for her. According to the patient's account ledger, she came into the practice on December 12, 2023 requesting a replacement retainer. Impressions were made and the patient paid $290.90 with a ******** card. The patient was told she would be contacted once the retainer was ready. As of today, the retainer still has not been fabricated. This practice location is very small (only 4 employees) and is understaffed. There is currently no front office staff at this location and the back office staff has been trying to cover both the front and back. We are aware that phone calls are going unanswered and unreturned in a timely fashion, and we are working to hire/train new staff. In addition to staffing issues, the practice has also been intermittently closed throughout the holidays due to water/sewer issues within the complex. The landlord has been working to rectify these issues, but several businesses, including DentalWorks, have been negatively impacted by these utility issues (which are of no fault of DentalWorks). 

  I was informed that during Ms. *********'s visit to the practice today, she behaved in a loud, obnoxious, demanding and threatening manner with the staff, and in front of other patients as well as technicians who were in the office installing new equipment. The dentist, who is also the practice owner, was not present during Ms. *********'s visit, but when he was informed about the incident he asked that I be contacted and the patient asked not to return.

  I reached out by phone to Ms. ********* and conveyed the message. I told her that her credit card would be refunded the full amount of $290.90. She indicated that she would prefer to get the retainer and not the refund. However, based on her behavior, and at the practice owner's request, that is not an option. I explained that the refund will be processed at our corporate level (the practice does not have the ability to refund from the practice location) and that she should see the funds back on her card within the next several days. Ms. ********* and I had a nice, cordial conversation. It is unfortunate that this incident occurred, and Ms. ********* expressed her regret as well. 

  If I may be of further assistance, please let me know.

  Susan H. Smith, Area Business Manager, DentalWorks (a Sonrava Health company)

  [email protected]

• Initial Complaint

  08/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Had a crown made for my front tooth the crown was made.during the time is was being put on it was lost.the temporary crown was put back on.Its been two weeks haven't heard anything from the Dentist office.My calls have not been returned.Im out ofa thousand dollars and a crown I don't know what to do please help.

  Business response

  09/05/2023

  The patient was informed we had to send the impression bcak out for a new crown to be made and we would try to rush it but it is up to the lab as to how quick we can get it back. I called the lab and got the date of expected return and called and scheduled the patient.

• Initial Complaint

  11/29/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I went to DentalWorks on 11/23/2021 in order to get a deep cleaning of my teeth done. This service was provided, but upon arriving at home I realized that they had broken the permanent retainer on my bottom teeth. I called the office and the hygienist who had cleaned my teeth was very condescending and told me that there is no way of knowing that it broke in the office and dismissed my complaints. I do know however that it broke in the office because in my xrays taken at my previous appointment on 10/25/2021 my retainer was not broken, and I also look at and feel my retainer on a daily basis. I made an appointment to come back into the office on Monday, 11/29/2021 so the dentist could look at my retainer and fix the problem. Once the dentist came into my exam room he was extremely condescending, calling me a child and to grow up. To be clear, I did not say anything to anger the dentist and I sat there silently while he degraded me. The dentist asked if I would be willing to switch to a removable retainer to which I declined because I have had that in the past and it did not work for me. Rather than respecting my answer and working toward a solution he continued to degrade me, calling me a child and telling me to grow up. I would like to note that I went to the dentist for dental work, not for life advice. His behavior the entire visit was to deny that the issue had happened at his office and then to blame me for the issue. I have never had the owner of a business treat me so rudely, and I have never been degraded in such a way. The cost of my xrays on 10/25/2021 was $264.00 and the cost of my cleaning on 11/23/2021 was $227.00. I would like the total cost of $491.00 refunded to me, since the dentist ultimately caused more problems for my teeth and then did nothing to resolve the issue.

• Initial Complaint

  11/20/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I made an appointment with this dentist's office to have a filling replaced on my front canine tooth. I was told by the dental hygenist that the only charge up-front would be the $10 Covid PPE fee. After I got into the chair I was told that there would be an additional charge for X-rays that they would need to update to know what to do about the missing filling. I said OK. I paid what was ultimately an $80 co-pay for the Xrays and my insurance was successfully billed for the rest. After a wait I heard the dentist and the dental hygenist talking. The dentist said to the hygenist "this crown is at the bottom of my priority list." Then he walked into the room and told me, after I had been in the office for an hour, that he wasn't going to be able to do anything about the crown but that I could prepay $200 to get on his schedule to have the missing filling replaced at a later date. I said that I didn't feel comfortable pre-paying for a full second visit with an undetermined time to come in and get the filling placed, and so I left. I called another dentist's office, ******* *** ******* in Clemmons, NC that was able to get me in the next week to replace the filling in about 5 minutes total (a 5 minute visit, in and out), for less than what I paid to get no progress towards a replaced filling at this dentist's office. I left a negative **** review to this effect online. At that point I noticed other reviews that suggested that this office regularly schedules two visits for routine care in order to hike the prices. Subsequently, I got a NEW bill from this office for approximately $60 for, I guess, the brief conversation I had with the dentist in which he told me that he wasn't willing or able to help me with what I came in for without prepaying $200 for a second visit at an undetermined time. This bill I refuse to pay on principle. It has gone into collections and I wrote a detailed cease and desist to the collection agency because I am the victim of fraud.

  Customer response

  12/02/2021

  I have not heard from the business in response to my complaint.

  
  

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