My granddaughter started orthodontic treatment with a private dentist in 2003. She was due to have her braces off in July. We moved from the area and went to Western Dental Orthodontics in our new town in March. My granddaughter had minimal spaces to close and that was all that was left for her treatment. However Western Dental would not continue treatment from another dentist and demanded we start treatment all over again. The consulting dentist did say she would only have the braces on about 6 months. I gave them all of our insurance information and began treatment. They never billed insurance and the turn over of employees was such that by the time insurance was billed it was denied due to the length of time they took to bill. They quoted me a price of $3800 and I was to pay $99 a month. I agreed because my granddaughter was going into her senior year in high school and was quite upset about the whole situation. Shortly after starting treatment with that dentist he located to a different office and a new dentist came in. Western Dental assured me and Jaymee that the new doctor was quite capable of completing her treatment in a timely manner even though I had several concerns. Again Western Dental assured me this man was quite capable and was a quality doctor. He refused to use gloves, seldom washed his hands between patients and seemed to be quite forgetful. I believe he was in his mid 70's. This dentist immediately decided to change the treatment plan the first dentist had set up and ordered a new pallet expander which she had in and he expanded her pallet for an additional 6 months. Jaymee's teeth became very loose in this time, but he continued with treatment I felt was questionable and was always assurred that he was doing the correct treatment. He then instructed her to wear very heavy rubber bands put a chain on her teeth and a very light wire which caused all of her teeth to move backwards and become even more loose. I again questioned this. I took Jaymee to her general dentist for a check up and cleaning and was told at that time her teeth were so loose and there was shortening of her roots due to his treatment. I became quite alarmed and asked to be transferred to the office that the original dentist was now at even though it is 50 miles from my home. When the dentist saw her he confirmed that She DID NOT need the second pallet expander that the other dentist had prescribed also that the chain on a light wire caused her teeth to be pulled backwards. The heavy rubber band wear and pallet expander caused her teeth to become loose. It has taken this dentis 4 months to get Jaymee's teeth pulled forward in their original position. Due to this situation as well as th high concern of root shortening and bone lose I got in contact with their regional manager, Rosemary. She was supposed to have a meeting with myself and the office manager and did not show more than once. She offered over the phone that there would be no more payments necessary on this case and they would complete the work as necessary with the original dentist. I did not ask for compensation although this has been quite upsetting to my granddaughter, nor did I complain that the office is more than fifty miles from my house. I felt satisfied, and my granddaughter was due to have her braces off by the end of the year. All of a sudden I got a phone call from a very rude collection agent that is demanding $1800 and they will not complete my granddaughters treatment. The manager that was working there at the time has since quit her job, they do not have a manager and Rosemary (regional manager) states she does not remember having talked to me.
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