Hello,
I am reaching out regarding my 4-year-old son's…read moredental cap appointment on Tuesday, August 4, because, despite multiple attempts to contact your office directly since the visit, I have been unable to get a response.
My son is 4 years old. He was given the Benadryl/diazepam oral sedation mixture but spit it out because he did not like the taste. Rather than allowing additional time to work with him, we were repeatedly told that we were running out of time, including being told that we only had 15 minutes remaining. The interaction felt very rushed and pressured.
When he would not take the medication, staff then suggested that my husband hold our 4-year-old son down while they squirted the medication into his mouth. My husband declined because we were not comfortable with that approach to administering medication to our child. We ultimately left without the sedation being successfully completed and without the dental procedure being performed.
There was also a concerning medication communication issue during the visit. We were initially told that our son would be receiving Demerol, and only after I questioned this were we told that staff meant diazepam. I am a nurse, and I was particularly concerned to hear that an opioid medication was being referenced as the intended medication for my 4-year-old. Demerol is a medication I am very familiar with through my work in oncology, so hearing one medication and then being told that a different medication was actually intended was concerning, regardless of whether this was a verbal mistake.
What is particularly frustrating is that we are now being charged $475 for this visit -- a $100 deposit that was retained, plus an additional $375 charge. My understanding is that the additional $375 charge was because my son spit out the oral sedation. The dental procedure itself was never performed.
I am not asking for anything unreasonable. I simply want a clear, itemized breakdown of the $475 we have been charged. I would like to know exactly what each charge represents and what services were actually provided for those charges, including whether they are for medication, staff time, a facility fee, or something else.
I would also like copies of all paperwork signed during the visit, including consent forms, treatment forms, and financial/payment agreements, as we were not provided copies at the time.
Please also clarify how the $475 already paid/charged will be handled given that my son's dental caps still need to be placed. At this point, based on our experience, we do not feel comfortable returning to the practice for his future dental care, so I would also like clarification regarding any amount that should be refunded or otherwise applied.
I have now called the office twice and left two voicemails, and I have also submitted two inquiries requesting a response. I have received no call back or other response, and I have not been provided with an email address through which I can communicate with the office. I am therefore contacting you through Yelp as a last resort simply because I have been unable to get anyone from the office to respond.
I would appreciate a written response addressing the $475 charge, the requested itemized breakdown, the paperwork from the August 4 visit, and how the amount already paid will be handled.
Thank you,
Stephanie
