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Ok, i'll admit it, I skipped going to the dentist for many years. So I made an appointment to go see dentalworks at their new location in durham, nc at southpoint. I was lured in by the promise of "free whitening for life". I should have thought something was amiss when I made the appointment and they wanted to charge $120 for just the exam — no cleaning included. However, it's been a while, so I didn't know any better. Another red flag should have been that the receptionist kept mentioning that I might need a "deep clean" if things were really bad. The "treatment coordinator" asked me right away (after dealing with the rude receptionists) if I had an electric toothbrush and then began to try and sell me one they sell there. Then the "hygenist" came in and did an exam. She said each gum was bleeding when she did her measurements and that there were "pockets of infection" all over my mouth. She said several of my teeth had "mobility", meaning they are moving all around due to loose gums. She said I had calculus buil-up and bone loss. She said I had stage two periodontal disease. Then she mentioned me buying the electric toothbrush as well. She said the x-rays of my back teeth didn't show the severity of the bone loss and pockets of infection and gum disease so she wouldn't even show them to me. She showed me my front teeth and tried to point out the calculus build-up (which I could not see) and how my gums were well below the level they should be at and pointed to areas of bone loss. I was very, very upset to say the least. Then the dentist (who was not the dentist they feautre on their website, photo and bio and all that jazz) came in and confirmirmed I had bone loss and that this was "serious". I had a tooth that had a previous root canal and he said the root canal needed to be done all over again and that I needed to see an endodontist, which he recommended. He said my tooth was infected again and that there was decay. He said I needed a crown on the tooth as well. When it was all over with, the "treatment coordinator" tried to have me buy antiseptic mouthwash and fluoride toothpaste from them for almost $50 (I later got it for $6 at walgreens). My "treatment estimate" (which stated I would come back every 3 months for cleanings in order to get my lifetime free whitening) came to a whopping $2, 966. I called the endodontist they recommended and that estimate came to about 2k. So I was looking at almost 6k in dental work. I was floored, depressed, and dumbfounded. I asked them to give me information to take home on periodontal disease and they had none to give me other than a booklet saying why I needed to come back every 3 months. I noticed other people leaving with the special toothpaste. I looked at images of gum disease online and read and watched youtube videos. My gums were a healthy light pink and I had no symptoms. Their "deep clean" alone would have been 1k. I went to another dentist where a dear friend's wife works, and dentalworks emailed over someone else's xrays and were rude to the staff at the new place. They eventually sent the correct ones. My new dentist said I have absolutely no pockets of infection, no bone loss, no mobility in my teeth and don't even need a crown or a second root canal. I don't have the gum disease they claimed I had and I didn't even need the mouthwash. Total cost for new dentist (including cleaning, exam, internal bleaching, permanent filling, and whitening)? $830. I wish I had done my research and read the similar complaints filed around the country on dentalworks. This place is a scam and is taking advantage of people. Do not go there.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Although I my Dental Works experience wasn't in Raleigh office, it was in North Carolina, Charlotte on Eastway Dr. to be specific. I was a patient of this office for several years due to the proximity to my residence. I too experienced the same gum disease scam, the same selling me products I didn't need and lastly charging for services that didn't take place. 2 weeks ago today, I called the office on Eastway Dr. in Charlotte, NC to inquire about any credits I may have on my account. This office always requires that you pay in advance of any services and in most every occasion, there was always a credit remaining on my account. Having not heard anything from my initial call to the office manager Keana, I called again to today and spoke to Ricky, who indicated there were no notes on the account and that she'd attempt to reach Keana, who was out of the office until Monday. I changed dentist offices because of the hard sell of products, the billing problems, the scheduling nightmares and now that I've changed dentist, I'm having to make multiple calls to get my money. My advice would be to not visit Dental Works under any circumstances. The staff is constantly changing and you're treated as if your money is the only interest they have in you.
I needed a filling, I found Dental Works in Pleasant Hills (near West Mifflin area) on line and THOUGHT I would be getting an emergency appointment -- not the case. Don't fall for the "emergency" appointments they advertise.
When I got their, they said, "We have a special for free xrays and an exam" I said that's fine as long as I can get my filling done. I repeat, I said, "That's fine, as long as I could get my filling done" This girl comes back takes my X-Rays and I asked her if I could be numbed because my tooth was hurting, she said the Dr. has to look first. Okay, fine.
I'm looking at the X-Rays and the tech girl told me I couldn't take pictures. 1. I wasn't trying too 2. If I wanted too -- I could. They can't claim they are protecting privacy because that's another thing, the employees were taking pictures with a patient. Not like my xrays were facing the door. ;-)
In Pennsylvania you are by law allowed to have copies of your x-rays. just an FYI.
So they take all these xrays,
then the dr (who was nice by the way!) tells me what I need done and then lady from The Sales Department (Billing) comes in w/ a "Treatment Plan" and says this is all what you need done. I was furious. I told her I knew what I needed done and reminded her why I was there. After her avoiding my question, I asked; "Am I going to get my filling, what I MADE THE APPOINTMENT FOR" she then tells me I needed to get the "deep cleaning" you have an infection.. The deep cleaning was $600. I told her I could go to Pitt School Dental and get it done for $100 -- I only said that because I pissed + I have had them before and they are not that expensive, they're usually done by a dental hygienist & usually are around $200.00
I instantly knew this was another Aspen Dental like scam. I avoid Aspen Dental for this very reason. Dental Works is just like Aspen Dental - Avoid places like this. They are out for your money. They are NOT even owned by dentists.
I demanded they give me an antibiotic (they said it was infected) and something for pain. Since they willingly tried to lure me in to trick me. The lady said it would be $38 for an antibiotic and for pain meds it would be $100 (total) I was so angry. I wrote the check, I was furious, I don't like taking pain meds or When I got home, I told my husband and he was livid. I called corporate and the lady was appalled and said she never heard of that, she did call me back and tell me to rip up the check.
Note: I didn't even realize the Sales Department has diagnosed me with an infection. I did find a deal dentist and I didn't have an infection. After doing research, I learned that the staff are under pressure to upsell and this is a common problem with Dental Works and Aspen Dental.
1. If your tooth was hurting so badly you probably did not need "just a filling." You probably needed a root canal or extraction.
2. It was foolish to do all these x-rays if you had a specific urgent problem that day. The purpose was to get you to commit to a treatment plan THAT DAY, and probably bill your credit card for ALL OF IT.
I have never heard of charging a separate fee for prescribing antibiotics, in addition to an emergency exam fee.
WHY THE HECK ARE YOU SO ATTRACTED TO DENTAL CHAINS? You should avoid them like the plague. Don't even THINK of going to one again. How do you figure that corporate chains owned by investor groups will provide you the best care? Thank goodness you came to your senses and went to a private dentist.
I think "deep cleaning" in most cases and being charged hundreds more dollars for it (when many patients have said, including myself, that it took a few minutes, if that, longer than a regular cleaning) is total crap. Also, a dentist told me WHY? a deep cleaning when the dentist should just KEEP UP with the needed cleaning on the visit which is EXACTLY WHAT HE DID, one time tell me it was "deeper" and charging me $20. more NOT $300. or that kind of nonsense. And that way, he was also keeping my cleaning where it should be instead of waiting and then tell me (like one dentist did) oh today instead of $75. (or so) for your cleaning, it will cost about $600. for a deep cleaning which turned out to take about the same time and I could tell, was not any more aggressive than a typical good, cleaning I would routinely get at a previous dentist, before he moved away from the area. Private dentists can be good or bad, it doesn't depend on private or "chain", it depends mostly on your dentist in my experience.
This was absolutely the worst "bait and switch" ive ever seen.. you advertise on your site prices that plainly say one thing.. then when you get there it magically jumps up several hundred dollars!? your site says fillings are $122.. or something close to that.. then I drive all the way there from NC, a hour and half only for the manager to tell me its $340? and when i say that to him he has the nerve to tell me.."i'll call corp office and have them take look at the site".. yeah.. like they are going to listen, or that he's really going to make a difference...insulting!
I had very similar experience at the Dental Works Office in Michigan. I felt like the only thing they were counting in my mouth was how many dollars they could rack up. I fell for the deep cleaning scam and although I had major dental coverage I left out paying them a whooping $400.00 out of pocket expense in addition to what my dental coverage paid. When I asked them how much did my insurance cover I kept getting the run around telling me that they don't know yet and there should be a credit on my account after the insurance paid their portion. Needless to say, I never saw any credit on my account. I hadn't been to the dentist in a while so I didn't know if $400 was fair pricing for deep clean service. Ignorance is bliss, after I got the cleaning done, I went back l and got 4 fillings. A few weeks later I was still in pain so I went back to explain to the doctor that I was feeling pain and sensitivity where he had done fillings that I wasn't experiencing before the service. I also told him that I was getting a weird vibe from him as if he didn't like the fact that I was complaining. He raised back in his chair and impolitely explained that he refused to continue to look at my issue (of which he caused during my filings) and left the room and left me in the chair. I do NOT recommend Dental Works the prices and service is horrible.