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Three months ago I set a appointment with Aspen Dental for extensive dental work. I was told they could not see me until I contacted my insurance co to make sure the insurance was set up for their E.Long MA office. This took almost 3 weeks. I finally get in I told I need a lot of work I should also sign up for careington Dental discounts and I already had care credit. I do not seem to be having luck getting in for appointments they are over booking and you can only get in onces may twice in a month for extensive work. The accountant lead me to believe my insurance, careinton dental discounts would be used then my care credit account would handle what was not covered by insurance. A few weeks ago I get a threat call from care credit stating I have a $7000 bill and owe over $342 for a minimum payment. I am clueless on what the charge is for since no work been done. I rush in the payment worried about my credit to find Aspen billed upfront no work done charges to care credit. I contacted the recent account person was lead to believe I would be refunded and only billed for services done a few cleanings and a filling that should have been billed to my dental insurance. That was not done they do not have openings for appointments, the computer system does not work and the phone system shut down at this office for 3 days. The account original person never cleared it with me and quit the new person is clueless and I am now fighting to get refunded, no work is done and I can not go to a new dentist until I get my care credit refunded for the $7000 . Care credit says it may take 90 more days and Aspen said they do not know how to refund me. I am out of money and no work done. I need to get to a dentist and I can not move on from this. I am upset and stressed out. I am getting the run around from Aspen Dental and Care Credit on my refund. I am now going to try to find a lawyer or contact the MA attorney general office for help. I am ripped off and cheated.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I had a similar situation with Aspen Dental in Evansville, IN. In May I called and asked for an appointment to get my teeth cleaned. They set me up for the following Friday, but said that I would have to come in for a consultation first; and then I would have to set another appointment for the cleaning. This sounded odd, but the dentist at Aspen Dental was recommended by Blue Cross, my insurance company.
When I went to my appointment, I had to fill out an excessive amount of paperwork. After waiting nearly half an hour, a hygienist brought me in for x-rays. I was told they would take 18 x-rays! 18! The most x-rays I have ever had taken at the dentist was 3-5. The tech kept messing up and had to bring another hygienist in...They ended up taking 30. I was painful and unnecessary.
From there, the hygienist brought me to the dentist. He was foreign and I had a hard time understanding him. When he looked at my x-ray he said "Good news, no cavities." He then asked if that was what I was expecting and I replied "Yes, I haven't had cavities since I was a child." Well, then he looked at my mouth at he said "Actually, you have a few small cavities and you will need three fillings." He never showed me which teeth had "cavities" and at that point I was very distrustful of Aspen Dental.
From there I was taken to billing. The bill said I was billed for a cleaning and 3 fillings. I had to pay $469.40 when all I had done at that point was have x-rays taken. She took my insurance information and I assumed the x-rays and cleaning were charged to my insurance; apparently not. I also had to make 2 more appointments. The billing lady said they actually had time to get me in for a cleaning, but I would have to make 2 more appointments: 1 for the fillings and 1 for the second part of the cleaning. I thought to myself, 2nd part of the cleaning? I've never had to have 2 visits for a cleaning. I didn't know what to think and booked 2 more visits.
I met with ANOTHER hygienist after that for the "1st part of the cleaning." She scraped my teeth, flossed and then cleaned them, but I never had a fluoride treatment. After she finished she asked if I flossed often. I said every couple weeks, not often enough. And she replied that my gums "are in really bad shape." She never told me what was wrong, but she gave me a toothbrush that she said would help. After that I left.
When I got home I found out the toothbrush was an electric toothbrush; also included in the bag was fluoride. I was not happy I wasn't informed of this and I left everything in the bag and called my mom. She was also very weary of their business when I told her what happened.
The next day I called Aspen Dental to find out what exactly I paid for because the bill only said I was charged for a cleaning 3 and fillings. When I talked to the same billing woman as the day before, I learned I paid $130 for the toothbrush that they were "giving me!" I also paid $20 for the fluoride. Nothing was charged to my insurance, they put everything on my credit card. I was also told that I was billed for having a debridement. I was like what is that? When I looked it up, it's a procedure done...cutting off infected gum tissue. The billing lady said the hygienist said I had gum disease! Wait...how did the hygienist know I had gum disease before I ever saw her?!? I saw the billing lady before that hygienist.
After I learned this, I scheduled an appointment with my family dentist 2 and 1/2 hours away in Madison, IN. The reason I didn't go to that dentist in the 1st place was because that's where I went as a child and I had just moved for a new job after college and was trying to find a dentist closer to me. When I met with my family dentist, he looked at my x-ray and he said, "I would hate to say that someone is lying, but you don't have any cavities and you definitely don't have gum disease." The dentist and the hygienist lied and billed me for things that I didn't have and didn't need to have done.
I was furious.
The next day, once again, I called the billing lady. I told her that I was wrongfully billed. She says I was not and that I was charged correctly. I was on the phone with her for an hour trying to get reimbursed. I shouldn't have owed Aspen Dental anything because my insurance pays for x-rays and cleanings.
My appointment was in May 2008. I am still going back and forth with Aspen Dental and it's September 26th, 2008. I was reimbursed the full amount that I was billed (469.40) and I was told by the billing lady the beginning of August that everything was taken care of. However, just yesterday I received a call from the billing lady AGAIN. She says I was overpaid and I owe $184. What? I went through my credit card statements and come to find out, the reimbursed me $157 too much. They're also charging me another $27 that my insurance company would not pay. The insurance company wouldn't pay for it because Aspen Dental didn't specify what the cost was for. After the insurance company contacted Aspen Dental, they learned the $27 was for a drug used for the debridement...I NEVER had a debridement and I was NEVER given any drugs. So I am still stressing out about this "bill" that I am not liable for. This is ridiculous.
I am furious with this company. They should not be able to legally practice business.
Allie at Aspen Dental! You people are nothing but a bunch of rip off artist! Tell us we need to do a consult. Make us sign the papers. I mean, if we don't, we don't get seen right?
I recently came in and my kids had their teeth cleaned. Lady asked me if I wanted the youngest teeth flourided. I said only if my insurance pays for it. She says "let me check" she comes back and says yes it is covered. So I told her to do it. Now I have a bill saying I owe for BOTH of my kids getting flouride. Not to mention getting charged for sealants too, that was supposed to be covered. So we call the district manager who is VERY RUDE. She says we signed those papers. So, they can do whatever is on that paper regardless if insurance pays or not. THEY DON'T CARE! They have your signature! DON'T SIGN THE PAPERS AT THE CONSULTATION! She even said "I don't care if you pay or not, it will go to collections". WE WILL NEVER GO BACK. I WILL MAKE SURE ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY NEVER GO THERE!
Ohhh GO LOOK AT THE BETTER BUSINESS ! D plus rating and 311 COMPLAINTS in the last 36 months, 160 in the last 12! ALL ABOUT THE SAME CRAP THEY DID TO ME!
WOW. I am canceling the appointment that I just made. I don't have dental insurance and the appeal is that Aspen Dental has payment plans. I have a friend that is the office manager at a local dentist's office (one that I can't afford) that warned me not to go there because they correct a lot of their mistakes (Evansville, IN). I made the appointment anyway, reluctantly. Then I decided to research it. I usually give the benefit of the doubt, but there are wayyyyyyy too many consistent complaints out there for this company. They sound like real scam artists. People need to complaint to their attorney general to help put a stop to businesses like these. Looks like I'll be visiting the local universities instead.
I am sooo glad i checked this Aspen Dental out, i was going to make an appt. with them. NOT anymore! These days i feel like you have to check out every person/ buisness because people/buisnesses are always trying to screw YOU!