I first met Dr. Nguyen at Pacific Dental in Temecula last year. I was new to the area and they were part of my insurance network.
He acted like more of a used-car salesman than a healthcare provider.
As I was having x-rays, the tech tried to talk me into also having my teeth whitened. I have never had problems with my teeth.in fact, previous dentists have always complimented my good oral hygiene, have told me my teeth are "great."
Well, according to Dr. Nguyen I was in the advanced stages of periodontal disease, needed laser treatments on my gums, a deep cleaning, etc. I was stunned. He showed me x-rays with alleged "pockets" etc.
Why didnt my trusted dentist back east find this 6 mos earlier?
I was told that I needed a crown (which I did believe). But I was shocked when the tech told me that I "had a choice between an 'unhygienic' crown (the less - expensive, porcelain-coated, silver crown) or their top of the line, ceramic crown.
"UNHYGIENIC"??? I work in healthcare and could not believe that a dental practice would allow their staff to describe a PRODUCT THAT THEY SELL this way. My first thought was, if it's "unhygienic" why would you offer it to patients?
VERY SHADY!
Oddly enough, Dr. Nguyen also diagnosed my husband with the same periodontal disease issues. Hmmmm... And he DOES have dental problems. They also tried to upsell him like crazy, too.
I had such a bad, creepy feeling about this place that I decided to NEVER return. I did not feel that they had my best interests at heart - a only a deep concern about their bottom line.
When an x-ray tech is trying to upsell patients on teeth whitening, that says a lot. It's so smarmy.
Six months later, I decided not to return to Pacific Dental.instead, I made an appointment at Meadows Dental. When I filled out the new patient forms, one question asked, "what did you not like about your last dentist?"
I answered: "I felt like I was on a used-car lot. The dentist seemed more concerned with making a sale than helping me."
So, imagine my shock when Dr. Nguyen walked into the exam room. He asked me why I thought I had been treated badly by him at the other office. I told him that I dont like having "upgrades" forced on me when I'm there for a cleaning.
Next, he told me he'd be right back. I sat in the chair, with the little paper bib on for nearly an hour.
I finally realized he was not coming back so I took off the bib and walked out. As I was leaving, the receptionist looked at with "fake sincerity" and said, "I'm so sorry!"
If this is how a PATIENT is treated for expressing their opinion - an opinion that involved being unhappy with their service/level of care - then something is seriously wrong with Dr. Lynda Watanabe who owns this chain of SCAMMY dental offices. If this is how she is teaching/training her staff, I hope other people realize that they are being CONNED.
I believe most people walk into a dentist office knowing that they will usually not be paying for anything.in many cases, cleanings, x-rays, and other minor procedures are 100% covered by insurance. If the dentist say, "you have periodontal disease and need X, Y, and Z" it will scare most patients. Especially if they are not savvy about medical care.
To assuage my suspicions, I spoke with two reputable, well-respected dentists. They were shocked by how I was treated and urged me to file a complaint with the state. Havent done that yet. He said that no dentist/doctor should be allowed to treat patients that way.
So, Dr. Nguyen and Dr. Watanabe... Good luck. You may be making money by scamming people who dont know any better, but eventually more people will figure out how you operate.
*if you are looking for a reputable dentist, please find a practice that is not owned/managed by drs. Lynda watanabe or dr. Mau nyguen. They truly are con artists and will lie to you and scam you*
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