Everyone I dealt with was incredibly nice, and I appreciated the thorough cleaning and exam, as…read morewell as the detailed explanations of any issues they spotted. However, I have some serious concerns about this practice otherwise.
In addition to experiencing multiple botched procedures (a filling that resulted in permanent sensitivity, a veneer replacement that was prepped for the wrong tooth the first time around, followed by a finished product I only later realized was a replica of...the wrong tooth, and a questionable experience with a bite guard fitting)--my greatest concern is that I believe the practice positioned elective and/or wholly unnecessary procedures as critical to my health as a means to make money.
In fact, I am deeply suspicious that they may have drilled one or more of my healthy teeth --which is a disturbing thought under any circumstance, and even more so given one of the fillings resulted in permanent sensitivity on a tooth with no issues before the procedure was done.
What on earth would lead me to believe this? For starters, there was a pretty startling difference between the exam I had with my previous dentist--who gave me a glowing review of my teeth--and my first exam with Peninsula, where I was stunned to learn I had developed FIVE cavities in the roughly 12-18 months between the two appointments, which was more than all the cavities I had in the prior 30-odd years combined.
That said, I knew I was overdue for a dental appointment, and I had been less compliant with daily flossing after having recently had a child, so despite my surprise, I didn't think too long about it.
After the poor report and an impassioned pitch from the hygienist about my need for orthodontics if I hoped to maintain my dental health and facial structure (all news to me), I was sent home with a prescription toothpaste and a follow-up appt for fillings and a bite guard fitting, which went more or less as expected.
At the three-month follow-up, imagine my surprise when, after using my prescription toothpaste and loyally brushing and flossing, I was told I had a new cavity since the last appt, and that there were several other spots they were watching closely. Again, I was scheduled for another three months out for a filling and cleaning, and in between, I also saw them for a less-than-ideal veneer replacement.
When I was told YET again that I had a new cavity at that next appointment, I expressed my utter shock and dismay about my deteriorating dental health, despite following cleaning guidance to a tee, and never having had any such issues before. The hygienist suggested maybe the bacteria or amount of saliva in my mouth changed on account of the medication I was taking, or due to hormone fluctuations, and the dentist attributed it to the deep grooves of my teeth--which didn't exactly put my mind at ease, despite sounding feasible enough.
At the time, I had an appointment scheduled for the braces they strongly encouraged me to get. But after the botched veneer, the sensitive filling, and the seemingly inexplicable spate of cavities that continued to develop between each appt, I felt increasingly uncomfortable with and suspicious about the entire situation, and I never returned.
It took me a really, really, really long time to make an appt with a new dentist after my experience with Peninsula, and I was nervous about what he would find given how overdue I was for an exam, and how awful my reports had been at Peninsula. I finally got back in the chair again today, and was relieved to receive another glowing report and lots of compliments about my teeth and the care I take of them.
Interestingly, neither the hygienist or the dentist saw any indication of cavities or any "areas of decay" that Peninsula was monitoring, nor did either make any suggestion about my need for orthodontics, despite the practice offering the service. After a very thorough exam, cleaning, and fluoride treamtment--during which I received numerous compliments about my teeth--they stressed the importance of me wearing the bite guard I already own, and told me to come again in 6 months for a regular cleaning. I am happy to find a dentist I trust in the area.
But I left feeling more dubious than ever about my experience with Peninsula, which I gave two stars on account of the friendly staff and nice office. Given I have no solid proof of malfeasance, I will leave a sliver of room for the notion that I found Peninsula during a moment of rare and acute dental dysfunction, and the the massive amount of dental work they completed or recommended was on the up and up. But it strikes me as unlikely.
