I wanted to like this place, but what I found is a dentist who was using dishonesty to sell more expensive procedures.
What happened? A few months ago, I went in for a routine cleaning--the kind insurance pays for every six months. At that appointment for a routine cleaning, the dentist said I had gum recession, and also said I needed a deep cleaning. This surprised me, because I have had gum recession my whole life, and no dentist has ever suggested a deep cleaning. In fact, I'd been to Durango Dental six months before, and the prior dentist I'd seen there--Dr. Pang--hadn't suggested it.
But for some reason, on my most recent visit, the new dentist, whom I had not seen before, said I needed a deep cleaning. This new dentist also said I should come see their periodontist for gum grafts to fill in my recession, and that the periodontist would not see me, and would not do the gum surgery, until after I had the deep cleaning.
When she said this, I had a feeling that the dentist wasn't telling me the truth. I had a strong feeling that the dentist was telling me a fib that I had to have the deep cleaning before I could get the gum graft, in order to sell the deep cleaning, which costs much more than a routine cleaning.
Why did I have that feeling? Because when I hesitated about doing the more expensive deep cleaning, she acted as if she was doing me a favor to do the routine cleaning that I came in for. She kept saying, "Well, as a courtesy, I will do the complimentary cleaning for you this time" (by complimentary cleaning, she meant the routine cleaning that my insurance company pays for every six months).
When she kept saying, "complimentary cleaning" it didn't feel right to me. It felt dishonest. I finally asked her, "Why are you calling this a 'complimentary cleaning', and acting like you're doing me a favor if you provide one? This cleaning that you're calling 'complimentary' is paid for by my insurance company. Why are you suggesting that you're doing me a favor of providing a free service when my insurance company is paying for this?"
How did she respond? She said, "Because I don't get paid when you have the routine cleaning."
At that point, I could see what was going on. When she said, "Because I DON'T GET PAID when you have the routine cleaning," It seemed clear to me that she was suggesting the deep cleaning because it cost more money. In other words, she was going to "get paid" if she sold a more expensive procedure. She wouldn't "get paid" if she did the routine cleaning. She was calling the routine cleaning "complimentary" because it wasn't going to put money in her pocket.
At that point, I left the office. I didn't trust her. I wondered to myself, do I really need a deep cleaning before their periodontist will see me? Do I really need a deep cleaning before I can have the gum graft done?
It turns out that she was not telling the truth. She was in fact lying to me when she said the periodontist wouldn't even see me if I didn't have the deep cleaning.
How do I know? Today I had my appointment with their periodontist. Not only was he was willing to see me without a deep cleaning. He was willing to do the procedure without a deep cleaning.
So what did I glean from this experience? Maybe I need a deep cleaning and maybe I don't. But I can't trust Durango Dental to tell me the truth about that, so now can hopefully find a dentist who will tell me the truth in a way that's not tinged with the desire to line their own pocket. If I need it fine. If I don't need it, also fine. But I will never know the truth when it's clear the dentist is thinking about their commission/bonus from selling a more expensive (and painful) procedure.
P.S. I went to see the periodontist in their office because he was an independent contractor and I thought he might conduct himself more professionally. That experience also was a disaster. I'll save it for another review. read more