On Tuesday, November 11, I went into Albania Dental, LLC to have my bridge repaired. After waiting in the dental chair for about 15 minutes, the dentist came in and I showed her the two teeth I had in a tissue which came unglued in my left upper jaw after approximately 25 years. The bridge was held in place by two pieces of silver on either ends which was then cemented to my own teeth. The dentist, Maria Jimenez informed me that she suggest that I put two implants in my mouth rather than repair the bridge. I told her I did not want implants and I only wanted my bridge repaired. She told me that she could not guarantee that the bridge would hold but she would try.
I had brought in a 30 day x-ray I had taken from my previous dentist who did not do bridge work. The dentist looked at my teeth and informed me that she would have to use a hand tool to remove the old cement. I gave my permission. She then asked me do you want to clean your teeth? I answered in the affirmative because I had missed my last cleaning. She walked out and the receptionist came in to inform me that the cost to do the work on my mouth was $490.00. I have no insurance and I pay for all my dental work, so I told her I was willing to pay and that it was okay with me.
An assistant came in and took two bitewings x-rays, when I saw it on the monitor, I told her those look like the very same x-rays I brought in with me. She went to the receptionist who asked me again, when I had my x-ray done, and I told her again in September. The Dentist then sent in her hygienist to take panoramic x-rays of my mouth and she proceeded to tell me again about the implants and how simple and painless it was. I told her again, that I was not interested at this time and I only came in to repair my bridge with the teeth that I had and I would think about the implants. I was then bombarded with a video about implants, veneer and teeth whitening which played in a loop over and over while I sat in the dental chair. This went on for approximately one hour and a half. I kept asking the assistant where was the dentist but I could hear her attending to at least three other individuals who came in complaining about pain from their implants.
Finally, the dentist came in and apologize for keeping me waiting and clean the old cement from my teeth and clean my teeth with a water pik cleaner herself, not the hygienist, it was wet messy and quick. She then put two pieces of cotton in my mouth and left me again to watch the video for approximately half an hour. She then returned and put red pasty cement onto my teeth and snapped the bridge back into place. It fitted like a glove and I was very happy. I has to remain with the suction in my mouth for another 20 minutes while she attended to another patient when she finally came in she said to me, if I do not hear from you for the implants, I will call you in six months for a cleaning; I then left. I paid my $490.00 on my credit card and signed the receipt was not given an itemized receipt and I left.
On Thursday, November 13, while driving home from work, I felt the teeth in my mouth, the bridge had come unglued. I wanted the morning of November 14 and called the doctor's office to have the work repaired. I was told by the receptionist, who was very irate that the denist told me to have implants. I told her I understood that the bridge would not have lasted another 25 years; nevertheless, I expected it to last at least one year, it did not even last two days and I paid $490.00.
She said she would only being me in at 11:00 that morning, I told her I was trying from 9:00 am to get through to your office and it was not open. I live half an hour away and it was already after 10:00 am, that there was not way I could make this appoint. I then began asking her what did I pay the $490.00 for and she became very belligerent and told me I agreed to the price. I told her yes I did but it was to get my bridge repaired and not that bridge is back in my hand. I asked for another appointment and she said the only one I have it Tuesday of the following week, so the entire weekend and then some, I have to go without being able to eat on one side of my mouth. I then asked for a detailed itemized bill and my old x-ray I brought in a copy of the new x-ray the took, unnecessarily. She said okay.
When I walked in four hours later, she only had the bill printed out for me and had to ran from one room to the next to locate my old x-ray and then proceeded to inform me that they did not have the time to print the x-ray they took and that I had to sign a release agreeing to pay $50.00 for a copy of the x-ray they charged me $200.00, according to their itemized receipt.
I am going to send this to consumer protection and the state attorney general office because I believe I am entitled to get my x-ray without having to pay a $50.00 fee.
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