Created an account with Yelp just so I could share my less-than-stellar experience with this place. I'll try to make this as short, sweet, and to the point as possible with elaborations only where necessary.
I was recommended to this place by a co-worker because they schedule appointments on Saturday so I didn't have to use precious paid-time-off during the week. Months ago I had my teeth cleaned, whitened, and got porcelain veneers made for my four upper front teeth as well as a crown for a molar. The work was painful as expected but, by and large, everything went smoothly and my teeth look great (for now)...
...I was told that I grind my teeth in my sleep...
So, on the same day (this is sometime back in May) I got my veneers and crown fitted into place and they made a mold of my 'new' mouth for a night guard to protect my teeth and veneers. All they ever said was, "it'll be ready in three weeks, just swing by and pick it up!"
I ended up helping my parents every weekend for a month and a half and completely forgot about it. I was never called, texted, or emailed any notification stating, "hey! your night guard that you spent hundreds of dollars on is waiting for you here at our office!" Not a word.
I finally remember and had the time this previous Saturday 'to swing by and pick it up'. And this is when I started getting pissed...
I walk in to pick it up. The doofus front desk girl that I had to deal with on Saturday and today, who has zero empathy, disingenuous concern, and pathetic customer service experience tells me, "just wait and we'll be right with you!" I'm expecting to be in and out so that I can make it to a lunch date on time. I waited for 10-15 minutes before thinking, "what the hell is wrong with you people?!..." I ask what the hold up is and doofus says, "well we're having to fit you in to the schedule so that you can get fitted for your guard..." ("it'll be ready in three weeks, just swing by and pick it up!")... WHAT??? I now tell doofus and several other disingenuously concerned staff members that I was never told this nor was I set up for a follow-up appointment to get 'fitted' for an exact mold of my teeth (which sounds redundant). Doofus told me, "it just takes like 10 minutes!"
I didn't have time for their Mickey Mouse B.S. because of the lunch date, so they scheduled me an appointment during my lunch break (and I had made a point of telling them I was going to be doing this on my lunch break) on Monday at 2pm to get 'fitted' for my night guard. And this is when the straw broke the camel's back...
Remember, I'm on my lunch break from the office and this is supposed to be in and out... 10-15 minutes, right? 35 minutes past my appointment time and the same front desk doofus girl from Saturday finally has the gumption to call me over. She proceeds to tell me that, "someone 'misplaced' (translation: LOST/THREW OUT) my night guard and that my teeth have probably shifted anyways because the original was made back in May and that they can make a new mold in like 15 minutes..." 15 minutes my a$$. More like 30-45 minutes in addition to the 20 minutes to and from work by The Galleria AND the 35 minutes y'all made me wait while 10 other people with the same time of appointment went before me AND THEN be forced to come back AGAIN to get 'fitted' after three weeks of waiting. That was it. I had all that I could take. I told doofus that I want my money back (which she then replies happily with no empathy or any way to make things right, "OKAY! That will have to be mailed on a check by our accountant on Friday! Sorry! (disingenuous)", and to tell Dr. Barfield that I'll just use night guards from CVS.
PATHETIC... You're supposed to leave the dentist's office with a nice clean feeling in your mouth, but I left with the taste of $hit in my mine... The thing of it is this was something relatively small and simple and they epically and utterly blew it on all levels. Off of the chart incompetence, zero empathy, zero attempt to make it right or fight to keep my business. From what I've experienced and observed of the staff there was no point in losing my $hit, beyond the slamming of their doors as I left, because it would've done no good at (fallen on deaf, unconcerned, nonchalant ears) and all I would've accomplished would be to show my a$$. In retrospect, reading what I've typed thus far, I have nothing against Dr. Barfield as a person (really nice and blunt guy once you get to know him), nor his hygienists (unless one of them is responsible for 'losing' my $300 night guard), but I have nothing good to say about his front of the house staff and how his practice is managed.
Needless to say, I am getting my refund check and transferring my dental records to another dentist. I don't need to feel like someone is pissing in my pocket and telling me it's rain. I'm never doing business here ever again and I will never recommend this practice to any of my friends or family. read more