Billing Discrepancies and Lack of Transparency -- Proceed With Caution…read moreI am extremely disappointed with the billing practices and lack of transparency I have experienced at this dental office. Based on my experience, I strongly encourage patients to review their statements carefully and verify all charges with their insurance company. In July 2024, I underwent extensive dental work and was told that the procedures were considered cosmetic and would not be covered by insurance. Based on that information, I paid $8,800 out of pocket, including $6,500 through financing and $2300 debit. After changing jobs, my new insurance no longer allowed me to visit this office. However, because I had previously been happy with my experience, I chose to pay out of pocket when my four-year-old had a dental emergency on August 1, 2025, so he could still receive care there.
Fast-forward to October 2026, when I requested an itemized receipt for my previous dental work. On October 23, Sarah G. sent me a breakdown showing that I had paid only $2,800. The $6,500 I had paid through financing was missing from the paperwork. I was also confused to see that procedures I had been told were not covered by insurance appeared to have been submitted to my insurance company.
After calling the office for clarification and speaking with Rita in billing, I was informed that a credit of $4,994 had been sitting on my account since August 2024 and had somehow been overlooked. I was told that I would receive an email explaining the discrepancy and that a refund would be mailed. Neither the promised email nor a clear explanation was provided.
On October 26, I requested to speak with Kelsey, the office manager. Around that time, I finally obtained the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from my former insurance company. The documentation indicated that my financial responsibility was approximately $5,000 less than what I had been led to believe I owed. Before I arrived at the office, Kelsey sent me a billing breakdown that appeared to be the same as the one I had previously received, but this version was missing the payment of $2,300. During our conversation, I felt that the explanations I received about the insurance billing and the amount of my refund were inconsistent with the documentation I had obtained. I was also told that the refund check had already been mailed that morning. Because the refund amount discussed by the office was approximately $600 less than what my insurance company calculated, my insurer recommended that I submit a balance-billing complaint so they could investigate the discrepancy themselves. I subsequently followed up with Kelsey by email. She provided an updated refund amount, deducting another $300 for a wax-up procedure that she said had been billed to insurance but not paid. However, when I contacted my insurance company, they had no record of receiving a claim for that procedure. I then requested another itemized breakdown of all services, charges, payments, and insurance claims so I could reconcile the amounts myself. As of October 28, I have received no response.
Patients should not have to spend hours tracking down their own insurance records and questioning their provider just to understand what they paid and what they are owed. I believe every patient deserves accurate billing, transparent communication, and a clear accounting of their payments and insurance claims.
I am still seeking a complete, accurate itemization and an explanation of the outstanding discrepancies. Until these issues are resolved, I would strongly recommend that patients carefully review their statements, compare them with their insurance EOBs, and keep records of every payment made.
I have a plethora of documents, audio recordings, and bank statements that I have supplied the insurance company to complete their investigation.
Proceed with caution.
