TLDR: Tried to charge me over 3k for 250 dollars worth of work…read more
I had a very uncomfortable first experience at DeMarco Family Dental. The staff were friendly, but it felt overly performative and, at times, like I was being spoken to as if I were a child. Since it was my first visit, the receptionist gave me a goodie bag, showed me around the office, and even read me their office motto that they apparently read every morning. It felt less like a dental appointment and more like a strange orientation.
During my exam, I was told I needed three crowns and one filling. I was shocked because I had not expected to need such major dental work, but I trusted their recommendation enough to schedule a financial appointment to review the cost.
That financial appointment is where things really went downhill. I was told the treatment would cost over $3,000 if I paid on the day of my next appointment, but just over $2,000 if I prepaid that day. That immediately made me uncomfortable. I do not understand why a dental office would have a "prepay today" discount that changes the price by around $1,000. It felt like pressure sales tactics, not healthcare.
During the financial meeting, I was also made very uncomfortable by the person reviewing the costs with me. I was wearing an FAA sweatshirt, and she asked if my husband worked for the FAA. I told her, "No, I do." The assumption that it must have been my husband's job and not mine was extremely frustrating. She then proceeded to ask what my husband does for work, which felt completely irrelevant and inappropriate since he is not a patient there and was not present at the meeting. She then started commenting about how everyone at the FAA must make good money. In the context of being asked to agree to thousands of dollars in dental work, it felt like another tactic to get me to accept the outrageous cost.
After feeling uneasy, I went to another in-network dentist for a second opinion. They found the same cavities but told me there was no reason I should have been recommended crowns. Instead, I only needed a few simple fillings, which will cost about $250 total. Since both dentists are in-network with my insurance, there should not have been a difference of thousands of dollars.
I am very glad I got a second opinion before moving forward. Based on my experience, I would strongly recommend that anyone who is told they need expensive treatment here get another opinion before committing or prepaying.
