I was originally not going to write a review, because dental care (and health care in general) can be so subjective based on the type of care you would like to receive, but then I received a call tonight. Even after my expression of dissatisfaction with my whole process, the office manager still phoned to say I was getting billed for a fluoride treatment I didn't even want and that I was told would be covered at time of service, so I am opting to write a review of the full experience. Here goes:
I recently moved back to Seattle and found Dr. Kim as she is close to my house. I saw my dentist in SoCal for just under 3 years before this (and she is amazing, message me if you need a dentist in LA). This was just a regular 6 month check up. Within a short amount of time in the chair, I was told I had SIX cavities. Not only that, but Dr. Kim was extremely unsympathetic or responsive to my shock and concern that 6 cavities could have formed in 6 short months in a 30 (something) year old woman with very good teeth (I have had one cavity in the last 10 years and before that a few right after college, but NONE growing up). Dr. Kim even stated I had such great teeth and it was "such a shame" that I had six cavities.
Dr. Kim then promptly left me to have the hygienist finish up. (I do have to say that the hygienist did give a nice flossing technique recommendation which I appreciated). During the general cleaning I was also told about the fluoride treatment they were going to do and the hygienist checked with the office manager/receptionist to make sure it was covered by my insurance. I said that if there was any question regarding whether it was covered then I would not want the treatment (lots of fluoride in the water in these parts :)). She said she reviewed the coverage and said that I was eligible because it was new insurance / new time period.
As for Dr. Kim, I only saw her at the end when I was leaving just because she happened to be out in the reception area. I expressed my confusion and concern for the 6 cavities and asked if we could look at the X-rays. She said that it would be very hard to see in the X-rays because they were between my teeth (which is fine). I then got my estimate which was $1k to be billed to my insurance and $500 to be paid out of pocket. She said that once she got in there and looked at my teeth she would get to know them better, but I guess that was only going to be after I was confirmed to be paying her for the 6 cavities. She did convey that she understood that it must be hard because I didn't know her, but I still felt like she barely took the time to get to know me (the hygienist worked on my teeth over 90% of the time). Anyway, I took the estimate home and then asked for my X-rays to be sent (it took a couple of emails and a phone call to receive these).
I recently provided that estimate and x-rays to my previous dentist and, although she caveated with not being able to see my teeth "live" that she was very wary of recommending 6 fillings and that I had very good enamel and it would seem unlikely that cavities would be necessary. She also stated that in my last visit (6 months ago) there were two teeth that she had placed on the "watch" list. She recommended that I find another provider and even mention that she showed my file, current and historical x-rays, and the estimate to another dentist in Los Angeles to get his opinion and he stated the same thing.
In the end I was just going to go ahead and just move on to another dentist without a Yelp review, but then I got a voicemail from Dr. Kim's office stating that my insurance didn't cover my Fluoride treatment and that I was going to be sent a bill for the outstanding balance. This message was left with not so much of an apology as to the misrepresentation at time of treatment, and although the amount is nominal, I am now just that much more frustrated with this whole process.
Again, patient/dentist relationships are personal. I understand that Dr. Kim might just be extremely proactive in her dental care, but her bedside manner was also not something that I appreciated. If she had opted to say "here are two teeth that I think I have to make a move on and here are the others that you need to watch via aggressive flossing and sonicare" maybe I would have been more likely to maintain her and also recommend her to others, but again, maybe she just goes big or goes home when it comes to aggressive care. Dr. Kim seemed very nice and well intentioned, but yet the overall experience left me feeling like I was just another mouth full of prospective dollars.
UPDATE: as a professional courtesy Dr. Chan waived the flouride treatment fee that my insurance was not going to cover, again, only $24, but it was the principle and I do appreciate the gesture. read more
