My experience with Dr. Buchanan was the most unprofessional I've ever experienced.
Though her fee was very high, I bit the bullet and paid to be seen by what I thought was a TMJ Disorders and Orofacial Pain Specialist. I paid up front and signed forms. I was told that payment was non-refundable, which was odd. Then I was ushered into the office where a single dental chair sat. Instead of being seated there for an examination, Dr. Buchanan had us sit elsewhere for what I thought would be an initial chat about medical and dental history, and brief general lifestyle questions, before moving on to the physical examination.
Instead, she spent the entire hour--yes, the entire hour--asking me probing questions about not only my medical and dental health history, but my entire life, as if it were a therapy session. I figured well, this must be what this type of specialist does and then with this information, she'll do an examination and come up with a treatment program to very specifically fit me. What I didn't realize at the time was that she was taking detailed notes that were not just about my medical and dental history, but she had written down very personal details that had nothing at all to do with my dental care. Because I had been told that payment was non-refundable (which should have been a red flag), I figured well, let's see what happens next. Nothing happened next. Apparently that was the end of the hour.
She never did a physical examination. No diagnosis or treatment plan was offered, as mentioned on her website.
"NEW PATIENT CONSULTATION
Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD), Jaw Pain, Face Pain, TMJ Noises
Dr. Buchanan will listen to your history of discomfort and guide you through the process of identifying the underlying cause of your problem. She will do a physical examination of your jaw, head, and neck and give you a diagnosis.
Dr. Buchanan will utilize her expertise to develop a treatment plan that is individually tailored to your specific needs."
She thanked me for coming in and told me I could make a follow-up appt.
This was the extent of her TMJ expertise and the service she provided.
All of this (including a couple thousand dollars) would have been bad enough, but when I went to visit my longtime dentist for a check-up, he showed me the pages of the "patient history" report that Dr. Buchanan had forwarded not only to him, I discovered later, but to my GP, as well! Not a report of her dental examination and treatment recommendations--because there were none--but basically a life-history that included private personal details that I never imagined a dentist would include in a report being sent to other--or to actual--healthcare professionals. I was mortified. And so were my dentist and GP. My dentist said that he had never in his entire career received such an odd "report" from another healthcare professional.
No, definitely not recommended. And I'm not sure how she has been able to continue practicing. read more
