I liked my old dentist, but the poor fella had a stroke last year and had to sell his practice. I called to confirm the appointment I had and some other dental office answered the phone to inform me I’d been sold out to this new guy. And did I want to make an appointment? (So they didn’t honor the appointment I already had. This was a good thing, as it turned out.) So I asked the mumbler on the phone, “Do you accept Delta Dental insurance?” Yes, she said, We do. Great. I booked an appointment.
A month later, I get in there and before they’ll even take me back, they collect $65 from me. What happened to the $30 co-pay? I inquire. Rather than answering the question, the little twit just itemized what all they were charging me for. I still didn’t quite grok what was going on until after the x-rays and I get to the actual exam with the dentist. He informs me that I have six new cavities and such terrible peridontal disease, that I require a full mouth deep clean. They want to do that deep clean all at once. (When I’ve had it done before, they usually split that up into two or four appointments.) Then they present me with a bill for around $1500 for the deep clean plus fillings. First, I asked if my old dentist was such a shitty dentist that I’d been seeing him every 4-6 months for several years and, what, he just never noticed all these cavities? No answer to that except, “You NEED this work, now pay up.” A. I’m not convinced that I need jacksquat, thankyouverymuch, and B. Why didn’t you all run this through my insurance first so I how much I actually have to pay out of pocket?
That’s when I finally figured out what they did. Twit says, “Well, we don’t run through your insurance. We collect 100% up front, cash, from you, and then if you want, we will file a claim for you.”
“I thought you said you accepted Delta Dental when I called to make this appointment?”
:: deer in headlights ::
I got up and walked out. The hygenist followed me, begging me to let her clean my teeth. I told her it made no damn sense whatsoever to pay full price to let her do it, knowing full well that my insurance will not reimburse me 100% for using an out-of-network dentist. I question again, why didn’t the mumbling twit on the phone TELL me when I specifically ASKED, that they don’t accept my insurance? I assured her that I was going straight home to get on Delta Dental’s website and find a network dentist who actually DOES accept the insurance. Why pay her $1500 when I could get the whole thing done for a $30 copayment? They just stared at me, wide-eyed, as if nobody has ever asserted their patient rights, been misled, fired their dentist, or actually had dental insurance that covers simple shit like cleanings and fillings.
So not only did I just fire my dentist, but I also wrote a scathing review on Angie’s List about answering potential patients’ questions honestly in the first place. I never would have made the appointment if they’d told me up front. But the Mumbling Twit apparently thinks “filing a claim on your behalf” is the same thing as “we accept payment directly from the insurer.” It is not. It was classic bait-and-switch: tell me what they think I want to hear to get me in the door and collect my $65 and then act like there is no such thing as dental insurance and I’d have to pay 100% anywhere I go. They are lying liars and they can suck me.
Personal Responsibility: I have to admit, it is 100% completely and totally on me that I did not get on Delta Dental’s website to confirm this dentist was in-network before I showed up for my appointment. That is my fault and a mistake I won’t make again. Still no excuse for lying to me just to get my $65.
