Aspen Dental

This office doesn’t even deserve a 1. I saw a different branch of Aspen Dental on 3/1/22 and signed a treatment agreement and they were fully aware that my insurance paid $1000 and I prepaid my portion. I specifically asked if this covered all the dental cleaning they proposed every 3 months and was told yes it did. So I signed agreement thinking that Mar, Jun, Sept and Dec cleaning would be paid for. However, my branch keeps losing their hygienists and they cancelled my Sept cleaning. I called in October and was instructed to call this branch if I wanted my teeth cleaned. So I made and went to appointed and upon arrival receptionist said that I had to pay an additional $118 if I wanted my teeth cleaned. I stated something was wrong, that I had prepaid and was told that I had a credit balance of $38 and they required $118 to complete my cleaning. I stated that if they were going to charge me more for this cleaning that they would not be performing any other services for me. I was taken to hygienists and asked how I was. I stated I was pissed and repeated that I was being charged $118 more for my cleaning and they had lied to me and would not be performing any more services for me. Hygienist took 20 min to clean my teeth which included poking my gums to measure bone loss, scraping plaque and polishing with gritty stuff. After final rinse to remove gritty stuff, the patient towel was removed and I stood up. I was not offered the tooth paste or rinse I previously received so asked hygienist about them. She instructed her assistant to get them and she got the regular toothpaste and tooth brush you get with general cleaning. This clearly indicated that hygienist had no idea what my treatment plan was and I stated that was not the supplies that I was given previously. Last Friday I received an additional bill and today went to my regular dentist to get a printed copy of my treatment plan to compare it with what they had billed Medicare. I told my regular dentist they had billed for a Fluoride treatment that I did not receive which she listened to me, but didn’t adjust. I said that I never get the Fluoride treatments because insurance doesn’t cover them for adults. She then stated the charges that were causing the issues were billed by this division and sent me to talk with Office Manager Christina. My attempts to convey that I was billed for services not received, not informed of and did not consent to were met with statements that I had signed the treatment agreement with the other division. The agreement which Christina repeatedly said did not include this cleaning. It was charted that they performed the Perio Maint, Gingival Irrigations and stated I got a regular cleaning and was offered regular tooth paste upon completion when I asked about it. However, I was billed for the Neutral Sod Gel and Antimicrobial Rinse that I was not offered and did not receive. I was billed for an Oral ID, which my regular dentist said was an examine of mouth for cancer. In my experience, this is performed by the Dentist whom I did not see at all. Christina told me the hygienist did it while she was cleaning my teeth after I had clearly stated that they would not be performing any other services for me and that she probably didn’t tell me because I was already pissed about being blindsided with an additional charge for the cleaning that was already late. Apparently, they ignore your statements that you do not want them to perform any other service and do not inform you so that you can exercise the right of refusal. Additionally, they charged for a Topical Fluoride Treatment which Christina said they performed while cleaning my teeth. I used to work for a dental company and called two dentists when I got home. You cannot apply the Fluoride while cleaning your teeth according to another dentist. Christina, representing the owner, refused to remove or write off these charges, or see the absurdity of the charted charges and stated that they would turn it over for collection and would be sending me a letter refusing future service. I stated that they would not need to send letter because I had already stated the exact same thing before I sat down for the brief cleaning. I found that it was ridiculous that she referred to their charting and justified not informing me of additional costs due to a treatment plan by another branch, that Christina repeatedly stated did not include this cleaning. If the agreement doesn't include this cleaning, then you can't use it for justification to charge for things patient (me) is not informed of. The other branch didn’t care if I got the cleaning and I only wanted it because I had already been told I had prepaid for it. How can anyone bill for services that you refuse any more treatment from them upon arrival, did not state they were going to do those services, billed your insurance, did not inform you or give you your right of refusal and say you have to pay them because they charted it after you left. As an elderly adult, on SS, I feel this office already had their refusal ready after I found out the other office had emailed them. For the record I refused deep cleanings and frequent cleanings from several other Dentists when informed of my out of pocket expense and should have had my right of refusal with this office, especially after stating Aspen Dental would not be performing any other services for me prior to allowing the 20 minute cleaning.

My partial is staining inbetween the acrylic and the teeth. I informed the office, and was told that my 90 days was over. To find out, I have 2 year warranty. Called corporate 8 times. No return call after call 1. Then contacted complaint office. Ext 201700. No return call after call 1. I've called 13 times and am getting no where.
Now where do I turn?