I'm not sure what's worse about Dr. Boynton's office - their utter incompetence or complete indifference to patients and their concerns. While my surgery was successful and I did not have complications, I shouldn't have to choose between technical proficiency and basic patient care. A good doctor's office offers the package deal; this is not that office.
I had a gum graft procedure at Dr. Boynton's office in April 2018. He came highly recommended by my (wonderful) dentist. Because I trusted my dentist, I gifted Dr. Boynton and his office with that trust - a trust they most certainly didn't earn.
I had a consultation and scheduled my procedure a few months later when my dentist advised me that I absolutely needed to undergo this surgery. About 7 to 10 days prior to my surgery, I emailed Boynton's office, as I had yet to hear from anyone there with instructions. I wanted to make sure I was following orders about what medications to stop and when prior to my procedure.
I opted for IV sedation, an expensive choice that I almost didn't consider, as the billing person in their office convinced me that it would almost certainly not be covered by insurance (insurance DID cover it - I'll get to the billing incompetence later). The anesthesiologist was supposed to contact me the night before my procedure with instructions. I sat by my phone all day - he never called. In fact, I had to call my own mother, who happens to be a nurse, for instructions as to how late I could eat/drink so that I could take the pre-meds. This did not instill confidence in Boynton or his associates.
I awoke the following morning to a frantic email and text message from the receptionist at Boynton's office, telling me not to eat or drink anything, that it was URGENT that I call them. When I called, I asked why it was that I never heard from anesthesiologist - I was told that HE WROTE MY PHONE NUMBER DOWN INCORRECTLY! The receptionists put the anesthetist on the phone and he was short-tempered, cutting me off mid-sentence and scolding me as I tried to express my frustration. At this point, I was a few hours away from surgery, I was worried, and considered cancelling my appointment.
Upon arrival at Boynton's office, I was immediately ambushed by billing, asking if we could pay $1500. No notice, and just before I was to go under the knife. This seemed highly unprofessional, however I obliged.
Boynton's office sent me home with a folder of post-op instructions - most of which were out of date and not pertaining to my specific surgery, a fact I would have never learned had we not called the office to ask about a medicated mouthwash for which we never received a prescription, for example. How hard is it to provide your patients with up-to-date post-op instructions?! This did not inspire confidence.
After surgery, when I asked what signs I should be looking for to make sure the wounds were healing correctly, I was told "Don't look. If you move your lip, you can displace the tissue graft." They were condescending and made me feel stupid for simply asking for information about my procedure and trying to be proactive with my recovery.
My post-op interactions with Boynton's office were no less infuriating. The plastic mouthguard I had to wear was made with an air bubble/rough spot that caused pain and discomfort. When I raised this issue, Dr. Boynton first told me to fix it myself, before finally agreeing to fix it for me, nearly 3 days later. When I called the week after surgery with a question for the nurse, I was told someone would call me back the same day, but that never happened. When I returned to the office to get my stitches removed, the nurse initiated the process without using any sort of numbing agent; it was not until they were halfway through that Dr. Boynton offered this option to me.
Billing: Just this week did we settle billing with Boynton's office, 8 months post-surgery! We received incorrect statement after incorrect statement. It seems there is no one in their office that even *slightly* understands billing or insurance companies. How is that possible in a medical office?! The first time around, they submitted the info to our insurance company incorrectly; the claim was rejected. We then spent hours calling our insurance company, calling and emailing Boynton's office. When we finally discovered that our insurance covered the lion's share of the procedure and we were owed a $1000+ refund from Boynton's office, we received a begrudging email from billing, informing us that they will discontinue accepting our insurance! Great, because I can assure you, I never want to step foot in that office again.
Even when all goes well, gum grafting is a painful procedure. I did not feel I was in good hands, my concerns were met with incompetence and indifference every step of the way; I deserved better. I will never return and would never recommend this office to anyone. read more
