Our experience started going downhill after the retainer consult on 2/18/2026, and it has been extremely frustrating and concerning ever since.
According to our original contract, retainers were priced at $300 for a pair. However, at the 2/18 visit, we were told the cost had increased to $600 per pair, or $1,250 for a set of four. This significant price increase was never clearly explained or agreed to.
At that appointment, I acknowledged the cost of the retainers and clearly stated that I could not proceed at that time. I specifically instructed Aylin that nothing should be ordered without my approval and that I would call back to confirm before moving forward. I was also told my child needed to be scanned before retainers could be ordered, and to my knowledge, no scan was done that day. We then scheduled a separate scan appointment for a later date.
Based on the treatment process, my son should have had his teeth scanned a total of three times--initially, again for refinements, and a final scan for post-treatment retainers. The lack of clarity around whether this final scan was completed further adds to the confusion and concern about how his care was managed.
Before that appointment, I called the office and spoke with Aylin to confirm that no retainers had been ordered. I again clearly stated not to proceed with anything. Despite this, I was later told the retainers had already been ordered anyway. I was then pressured to pay and even threatened with collections. This is completely unacceptable.
There were also serious concerns with the quality and oversight of treatment. Before my child was even evaluated by Dr. Manassra, we were told by Anna (who is not a dentist or orthodontist) that his Invisalign treatment was complete after the first 15 sets of trays, despite our concerns with the results.
When Dr. Manassra evaluated him, he confirmed that additional treatment was necessary, and my child required 12 more aligners. Although he was scanned for the new trays, we then waited nearly three months for them to arrive. During that delay, my son's teeth began to shift, which undermined the progress already made and raised concerns about continuity of care.
Additionally, at routine appointments to receive trays, my child was not consistently evaluated by an orthodontist and was instead simply handed the next set of aligners without any clinical assessment or provider oversight. On his final tray, my son was seen by a different orthodontist on 2/18--since Dr. Manassra was no longer with the practice--who stated that his teeth "looked good" and that his treatment was complete, despite our ongoing concerns about his bite and overall alignment. The focus of that visit was then shifted toward obtaining retainers.
On 4/15, we had an appointment with another board-certified orthodontist to obtain a second opinion. During that visit, it was determined that additional refinements were still needed due to my son's teeth and jaw not properly aligning. We agreed to transfer care, and their office called on our behalf to initiate the transfer. During that call, they spoke with Aylin, who stated that the Invisalign case was non-transferable, that my son's treatment was marked as "complete", and that four retainers had already been ordered for $1,250. She also stated that if we did not pick them up, the account would be sent to collections. She told the office staff at the new orthodontist this and this was the first time I became aware that the retainers had been ordered despite my prior instructions not to proceed.
When I later contacted Aylin directly, I questioned how the retainers could have been ordered when we had canceled the scan appointment scheduled for 4/1. She stated that my son had already been scanned on 2/18 and that we had signed a form authorizing the order on that day. This directly contradicts what we were told at the time--that a separate scan appointment was required before any retainers could be ordered--and to my knowledge, no scan was performed that day. I requested proof of the scan and she basically said to get it from Invisalign.
Based on these conflicting explanations, it raises serious concerns that a prior scan may have been used to initiate or justify ordering retainers without clear consent, potentially placing us in a position where we were later pressured for payment. This lack of transparency and consistency is deeply concerning.
After over 10 years as patients with no prior issues, this experience--especially after Dr. Florendo left--has been a complete breakdown in communication, accountability, and trust.
Changing prices from the original contract without clear consent, ordering treatment without authorization, providing inconsistent information, failing to ensure proper orthodontic oversight, and pressuring patients into payment is not acceptable. They say one thing and do another. I strongly advise others to get everything in writing and not rely on verbal assurances. read more
