My experience is best described as like when you go into a quick oil change place and they try to sell you the $200 radiator flush and all you came in for was the $29.99 oil change. I should have heeded the warning from my wife but I went to Aspen Dental in Danbury Ct. I decided with the New Year, I would call for a simple cleaning and check up. Well I went into the office and x-rays were taken and then I saw the dentist. I advised him prior that I had no problems with my teeth, no pain, no issues except for one filling (actually just a portion) of the filling that had fallen out about few months prior. But still with that I had no pain, no problems. I wanted a cleaning and the filling re-filled. First he started in with the you need a deep cleaning and scaling. As for the filling that would be simple and easy and we can schedule that for next week. He also recommended a cancer screening. I asked him why I need a cancer screening. Was it my age? (47). There was no history of cancer in my family. Well he never gave me an answer.
While I was waiting for the cost of this deep cleaning the agent was having a long conversation with the officer manager or a better title would be sales manager. The total was $3400 of which I was personally responsible for $1750. They claim that the anti-biotic shots were not covered by my insurance. (Since then I have checked with my insurance and another reputable dentist and was advised that those shots are only necessary if there is an infection but not a routine). I returned on January 19th, for my simple filling. Again, I wish to repeat that I had no pain, no problems and no issues with ANY of my teeth including the tooth with some of the filling missing. Well I sit in the chair and the dentist begins to work. Prior to the procedure he explained nothing. The only question he asked was what color filling do I want? Well unbeknownst to me (he had numbed the area) he was scraping out the entire old filling. He then re-filled as a temporary filling. So thinking all was done and ok, he claims he could only do a temporary filling because he found damage to the pulp of the tooth. Mind you I did not ask him to scrape out the old filling but to fill the area that was missing. He claims I now need a root canal, which of course is close to $4500 and I would have to pay $2000 out of pocket. Not to mention that since I have left the office I have had intermittent pain in that tooth. When I came in I had no problems.
In addition that evening after the procedure and when the numbing wore off I was in severe pain. I called the office immediately and gave the dentist the pharmacy number where he said he would call in pain killers. Today is the 25th and let's just say I am still waiting for him to call in the prescription. When I called back to see why it hadn't been called in, he stated the number I gave him was a residence number. Absolutely BS. After reading numerous complaints and listening again to my wife's experience, I clearly see their ploy. It is called up-selling or up-charging. You come in for a simple procedure and their job is to increase your bill so that there is an overage, up and beyond what your insurance will cover. It is that plain and simple. They are more concerned with selling services than the patient.
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