I was new to the area and scheduled a cleaning with the Lake Mary office of Coast Dental. From the moment I made an appointment I was lied to! The receptionist told me I was coming in for a CLEANING. This is important to remember as my story unfolds.
When I get to the office, it is so dumpy. The receptionists are discussing how much chocolate they've eaten and what guys have called them this week despite a lobby full of people, and one of the women there needed emergency services. I almost walked out immediately after seeing this and the messy waiting area with its torn chairs and dingy atmosphere. The bathroom was equally disgusting. I'm a working mother and didn't have another free spot for to schedule a dental visit, so I stayed. I waited for a good 30 minutes. Finally, I am taken back for X-rays.
Their equipment is old. It took the X-ray technician 18 shots to get the profile of my mouth. I have never had to take so many shots. Also, the space is so cramped that other Coast Dental employees kept walking in and out of the room and interrupting my x-rays. And, they actually had to DEVELOP the x-rays, which made more waiting. At my old dental office the x-rays immediately process to a computer screen.
After the x-rays are finished, I wait LONGER just to see the doctor. Don't fall for their "oral cancer screening test." The first words out of her mouth when she looked at mine were "Oral cancer screening recommended." They try to scare you into getting one so they can take your money. Then she tells me I have a small cavity that needs to be taken care of. I know I don't have a cavity. I have no symptoms of one and at my last dental office they told me I had problem areas to watch and take extra care of, but that no cavity work was necessary.
Then the next employee comes in to measure my gums. The woman assisting her was completely unprofessional. She kept joking with her co-worker and slowing down the process. After the measurements were done, I waited EVEN LONGER just to have the unprofessional woman come back and tell me that the hygienist doesn't have time for me today because it's 5pm. She said that because I was a new patient it was up to the hygienist to decide to clean my teeth. She didn't explain to me that their office never cleans new patient teeth on the first visit, which I have later learned from speaking to company representatives. And, she tells me that my bill isn't right, they should have charged me an extra $20 for the x-rays. WHAT DO I HAVE INSURANCE FOR???
I walked out after she tried to add charges to my bill and seeing how the office cares little for their patient's time. I called my insurance company and told them that I did not receive the services (a CLEANING) that were scheduled. Coast Dental still sends me a bill in the mail! The bill's description vaguely states that it is for "services." No itemization— nothing.
I was told my teeth would be cleaned when I made the appointment. No one at Coast Dental of Lake Mary at any point told me that it is their policy to do cleanings on a separate appointment. I would not have gone to this office if I had known that— I don't have that kind of time. This is a cooperation-run company that only wants your money & beware!
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