I am incredibly disappointed with my experience at your office on Monday, 02/15/2016, and will not be returning or speaking highly of your office ever again.
Let me begin by stating that my issue is with Dr. Hilton. The rest of the staff was incredibly helpful, nice, and accommodating. The dental hygienist that has done my dental cleanings during both of my visits to your office provided the best cleanings I've had.
The week before my appointment I requested a prescription for valium to take during my appointment due to the fact that I do not handle the drilling when I get fillings well, and was not in a financial position to pay $85.00 per half hour for the nitrous gas. I have taken both Xanax and Klonopin in the past, and did not experience any relief in anxiety with either of them. I spoke with my psychiatrist who, unlike a dentist, specializes in these types of medicines and he stated that in some cases patients do not respond to benzodiazepines. As I had never tried valium, I thought it might work to calm my nerves and anxiety for this appointment because it was the more affordable option. I took two 5mg pills forty-five minutes before my appointment, and was still just as terrified before and during the procedure as I would have been without the medicine. I didn't feel drowsy, or out of the ordinary. On the drive there, my husband commented that I didn't seem any different than usual so he was confused as to why he had to drive me. During my visit, multiple times, I told various staff members that the valium was not doing anything. I know they relayed this information to Dr. Hilton because I heard one of them tell him as I was lying in the chair and unable to respond or defend myself due to my mouth being full of equipment. His response to the technician was, "oh.. she's definitely feeling it," and then looked down at me and said, "hellllooo.. are you with us?" to which I responded with a nod because I was unable to speak. I was completely lucid, aware of what was going on, and incredibly anxious. Once I was able to speak, and prior to the drilling, he asked me why I was so anxious about the procedure. I stated that it was just something that had always made me anxious, and I wasn't sure why. He then proceeded to say to me, "we do this stuff on two year olds all the time, and they're not scared. Two year olds can handle it." 1) Two year olds do not have the mental capacity to understand what is about to happen to them, therefore they do not have the ability to be scared, 2) That was an incredibly condescending, demeaning, and rude comment to make to a PAYING customer, and 3) people do not necessarily need a "bad experience" to have a fear of something. There are plenty of people with a fear of heights-does that mean that each and every one of them has fallen off of a mountain, therefore creating that fear of heights? No.
During my dental cleaning and prior to my cavity fillings, I was able to have a completely normal conversation (when my mouth was free of tools) with my hygienist despite having already taken the medication that Dr. Hilton seemed to think was affecting me despite me stating otherwise. As cleanings do not bother me, I was calm and alert. Once I got into Dr. Hilton's chair and witnessed him blatantly IGNORE and DISMISS my worries (what "doctor" dismisses a patient's concerns??!), I began shaking and crying involuntarily because I was terrified and ANXIOUS (you know.. anxiety.. the thing the medicine that wasn't working was supposed to help with) about the procedure. As I was already numbed and there, I opted to stay and get the cavities taken care of, but will NEVER return. I requested the nitrous before Dr. Hilton began, and he didn't even respond with a yes or no. He simply moved forward with prepping for the procedure. Upon leaving your office, my husband commented on the fact that I seemed incredibly anxious and that I didn't appear to be out of it at all despite the valium. Additionally, I felt the same and would have been entirely capable of driving myself home had he not been there.
When I got home, I researched whether or not nitrous and valium could be mixed, AND called my primary care doctor to ask if there are any adverse effects of this mixture. Both my doctor and my research confirmed that the two could be mixed.
While I am extremely frustrated that I sat through six fillings crying, shaking, and tensed up when I could have been given nitrous, my main issue is with the treatment I received from Dr. Hilton. I don't know if he's just been in the business too long, and has stopped remembering that the patients are the ones that pay his bills at the end of the day, or if he just doesn't care, but I have never experienced such blatant disrespect from any type of medical professional. read more
