ComplaintsforGibbs Prevost, DDS

• Initial Complaint

  08/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I paid $1305 for zirconia onlay restoration on my tooth. I did not receive what I paid for. Dr. ******* placed the restoration of the wrong shade. He admitted his mistake and offered to correct the color by replacing the onlay with a crown. I declined that solution because it would require removing more of my tooth structure. I wanted the most conservative restoration to save my tooth from the additional removal of its structure. I requested a refund for a color mismatch, and the dentist refused to provide a refund calling my request unreasonable. He changed the story. He said the color mismatch was caused by my natural teeth color. He added that it cannot be seen since it is a side tooth. However, it is visible. He also said that he spent too much time on my appointments. He seemed more interested in sharing the appointment time between multiple patients than ensuring he delivered the exact product he was paid for. After I wrote him details reminding him how he already admitted his mistake, he offered a small portion of a refund under the terms that I would sign an agreement that I would never complain about my tooth. However, my post-restoration sensitivity to chewing, biting, and cold persists. I did not have these symptoms before the procedure. Even though I agreed to wait for an improvement, there is no guarantee there will be an improvement. Therefore, I told him that I would not sign an agreement about not complaining again. I experienced unprofessional treatment in his dental office. His front office staff was rude after I discovered the color mismatch. Without a sign of compassion, some people of the front office staff tried to hide me from other patients in a conference room by pointing there with their gestures of annoyance. I want a full refund, in the amount of $1,305.00. It cost me additional time and stress. I lost additional time writing to the dentist about the details of his mistakes that he tried not to remember.

  Business response

  08/24/2023

  Dear BBB,

  This response is to complaint ********. This patient came to  me for my opinion (and resultant treatment  of the problems of tooth #19. On  her initial appointment I spent a large amount of time  explaining the various options for type of restoration of this tooth, as well as the pros and cons of the options, and the potential materials of the restoration. She chose an onlay restoration made of Zirconia. I prepared the tooth for an onlay , and restored the tooth with the Zirconia restoration , as agreed upon. Dental restorations are a service rendered, not a product to be "bought". The resulting restoration service delivered to her was done pain free, with care, compassion, professionalism, and excellence in every regard except the shade match to her other teeth. I will return to that after a few sentences.

  On the day that the onlay was placed on here tooth, with a permanent cement, before  I cemented  the onlay, I sked her if she would like to see it. This was after approximately 30 minutes of adjusting the onlay to fit and bite correctly with her other teeth. She replied,"No. I trust you. "  I receive this type of reply frequently when a restoration is not very visible in a person's oral cavity.  I had no reason to believe that she would be concerned that it was not a perfect match in color to her teeth. She had been in my chair for quite some time, and I believed  she would be pleased with the restoration, especially since she had not even asked to see it. So I cemented it.  When she got out of the dental chair, she went to the bathroom. There, she looked at the restoration, and then expressed displeasure with it to my front office personnel.  They returned her to my dental chair, where I then looked at the shade guide, and honestly observed to her that the onlay  shade was not a good match to the shade we selected. I apologized to her, as this rarely occurs, but also honestly said this should not be a problem , because the tooth is the next to back tooth in her mouth, and would not be observable to other people.  Initially, she seemed to be placated by these honest and true observations.

  Soon afterwards, however, she demanded a full refund for the service rendered.  She sought the opinion of another dentist, as evidenced by her having the x-rays from that office sent to us. Upon her returning to our office again, she then brought up the issues of sensitivity that are common to teeth having deeply invasive and extensive dental treatment. i explained to her that this is quite common, and usually abate in time, but I could not predict when that could occur.  She then asked me if I would do a complete exam and x-rays of her mouth for free. She cited that because the onlay was not the correct color because of my mistake, she would like me to do  that.  I agreed to do that as a gesture of goodwill. I spent the time explaining all her pertinent dental situations, and reassuring her that tooth #19 was likely to be healthy and last a long time .Again she appeared to be satisfied. But again later she then demanded a full refund of fees paid.

  Now to discuss the shade of the onlay. It is next to impossible to get an identical shade match of any onlay or crown. It is asking glass(porcelain), to look like enamel  And her teeth have a two toned look of color, indicative of probably taking tetracyclines earlier in life. That makes the matching of shade  very closely at all virtually impossible.  I later explained that to her. Her complaint makes it seem that I was using that as an excuse . I was not!!! I was simply stating  a well known series of facts.  My only "mistakes" in this entire procedure was not thinking to tell her these facts while I was examining, explaining many other details, and restoring her  tooth, and possibly not insisting that she see the onlay before it was cemented.  She had the opportunity to do this!!!  But she declined, which I frequently have happen  when a patient is not concerned about a perfect color match!

  I delivered an excellent service to this patientI   My photos and x-rays document these facts. I attempted on multiple levels to placate her.  I gave her extra services for free. I did not charge her for a consult when I spent extra time with her before I ever worked on her tooth. I even offered to  give her a portion of the fee she paid, despite the fact that she had no reasonable reason to be given that.  I can recognize now that I cannot make her happy.

  One of my voluntary activities is that I have served many years on my area dental society's peer review committee.  I have evaluated many patient complaints against dentists by patients. I am qualified to evaluate when a patient has a legitimate complaint against the services(not a product), that a dentist provides.  I am 100% certain that this is not one of those legitimate complaints. This patient now has an excellent long term  restoration of a badly compromised  tooth that she did not have when she came to my office.

  Thank you for your evaluation of this unfortunate circumstance. I have never had a complaint to the BBB previously, and I hope this will be my only one!

   

  Customer response

  08/26/2023

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

  I filed my complaint about *** ******* because I did not receive what I paid for.

  
  *** ******* placed the onlay restoration of the wrong shade on my tooth. Before placing the onlay on my tooth, he did not compare the shade of the onlay from his dental lab with my shade sample he selected during the initial appointment. In addition, I have persistent sensitivity and toothache to biting and chewing on the tooth. I did not have these symptoms before the restoration, and I will likely need to address them with a dentist. Moreover, *** ******* did not provide any details about the warranty for the onlay restoration even after I repeatedly asked about that. He did not give me any formal warranty. A new dentist will not provide any warranty on the work done by another dentist. I want a full refund because I did not receive what I paid for and because my restoration will not be supported by a warranty with another dentist. *** ******* offered me a small potion for a refund under the terms that I never complain again. However, my post-restoration symptoms persist.      

  Since I did not receive what I paid for and my post-restoration symptoms persist, I will need another dentist to take care of my tooth. Since *** ******* did not provide me with any details on the formal warranty for the expensive restoration, and since another dentist will not cover the warranty on the work done by someone else, my request for a full refund is rightful. 

  I have not received what I paid for. In addition, I have new problems with my tooth – the sensitivity I did not have before the restoration. *** ******* wanted me to sign an agreement to give me a small refund under the terms that I would never complain again about my tooth. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *******

  Business response

  08/29/2023

  Dear BBB; 

  The complaintant  has now raised a couple of issues I should address. First, the observation that her tooth had no discomfort before it was worked on, and now it does have sensitivity. This is a common situation, and the discomfort  almost always will abate in time. I explained that to her. The unsaid inference from that is that I caused that discomfort.  The diseased, broken nature of the tooth caused thqt discomfort that accompanied the  treatment. Pain and discomfort are a part of the recovery process of almost all surgery. Dental treatment is a surgery! That is why the dental degree  of a dentist is a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery).   As to there being a discussion of warranty, that is something that is done with products, not medical procedures. Warrranties cannot be assured for how tissues will respond  to surgery.  That being said, I know of no doctors ever giving  a warranty for a medical procedure!  Most will give an assurance that the medical procedure will accomplish what was expected.  I did that  for this person. I assured her that the restoration of tooth #19 will last for many years. And it will, assuming it is maintained and taken care of as it should be .

  Th address the shade of the onlay again, the fact that the shade is not perfect is  unfortunate.  In all honesty, it could never be perfect. The shade, however, has no bearing on how well the procedure was performed. The restoration is very unlikely to be seen by anyone else due to its position in her mouth, as well. 

  This is a situation where two people will not be able to agree.   I wish this were not so, but I accept this fact.  I wish her well in the future.

   

  Sincerely,

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

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