I feel compelled to edit my original review for Rippe Dental down to one star despite a front…read moreoffice staff and hygienists that are very friendly, courteous and professional (Cassidee in particular). The fact is, cleanings and routine exams are great when they go as planned, but the real test occurs when you have actual dental work performed.
To that end, Rippe fails beyond measure. There were red flags too, but sadly, I ignored or missed them. First was when my wife told me that she had a dentist try and upsell her on additional work and then it was my daughter telling me that she was both shamed for not actively flossing enough (I believe she said 4 times) and being manhandled by her dentist during an exam (her description). We joked about it, but it was likely an indicator of something being off. Looking back, I wish I didn't brush off these two incidents because it apparently was a trend considering what happened to me, and caused me to find a new dentist.
The dentist I was working with informed me that I had a small cavity underneath a previously put in crown and that the cavity needed to be filled. I hesitated because I had symptoms other than food being trapped occasionally. Annoying, but not enough to warrant the procedure. When I mentioned that, the dentist told that if I didn't do it, I would eventually require a root canal. Thus, I did the procedure for a little under $2k. Unfortunately, about a week later, I felt pain when I bit into something hard, plus the tooth was sensitive to hot or cold foods/drinks, which wasn't the case prior to the procedure.
Thus, I contacted my dentist and was told to come back in. The dentist said the crown was put in well with no obvious issues, and suggested that I take prednisone and he filed down my mouthguard (for snoring) because he thought the snug fit might be irritating the tooth a bit. He also mentioned that I still might need a root canal after the procedure. I wish I said something right then, but I was too stunned to respond. My only thought was, you told me I needed this procedure to avoid a root canal and following the procedure.....I need a root canal?
So, I took the prednisone and used the modified mouthguard, but nothing improved. Then, I received an email from Rippe stating that it had been a month since the procedure and asking me for a review or something like that. I responded by saying they really don't want me leaving a review at this time. Accordingly, I received a phone call from the office administrator, who was pleasant enough, and told me that Dr. Rippe would look at my x-rays and get back to me. She called a few hours later and told me that Dr. Rippe thought it was a large cavity that was sitting near a nerve so this happens occasionally. Again, I was stunned and told her that the other dentist said it was a small cavity, didn't mention anything about proximity to a nerve, and never once mentioned that it was possible that I might still need a root canal after the procedure. Had I been told any of this, I might have had reasonable expectations going in, may have inquired about a root canal instead, or at least have made an informed decision. I was also surprised that Dr. Rippe couldn't be bothered to hop on the phone himself to discuss, but I guess he was too busy.
In the end, the administrator said that perhaps they could have done a better job explaining the procedure and potential outcomes, but in no way took any responsibility, and they basically said that dental work occasionally exposes underlying issues. I was completely turned off by the lack of empathy or responsibility taken, which prompted me to move my family to a new practice. When I shared my experience with my new dentist, she was shocked. Now, I just don't want another family to experience what we did, so if you start hearing an upselling pitch, consider it your first red flag. I also expect a response to this review from Rippe suggesting that I'm in the wrong again or that something other than what actually happened, happened. Regardless, good luck to all patients with your care.
Not sure why my name is showing up as being from SF, but I'm a local here in CO.
