I had the most unpleasant experience in J. Bradford Smith's office.
In August 2023 I went to J Bradford Smith's office to get a filling. The appointment had been made in February 2023. When I arrived, they had me down for a cleaning and I politely clarified that I was due for a filling. Taking 20-ish minutes to sort, the office manager Victoria was being a little frosty with me. The health room nurse at her son's school kept calling her, as her son was trying to get out of school but Victoria kept saying her son was fine. I calmly asked to speak to the dentist because I made the appointment in the spring and was getting ready to travel internationally for work, on top of already waiting 6 months for the two fillings. I just needed a solution but she was turning mean, nor would she let me speak to the dentist. I then showed Victoria the appointment card I had been given for the filling. She then relaxed, I assume because I had appointment proof, and she gave me an appointment for the following week for the fillings. Victoria also told me she'd call me and tell me what I'd have to pay out of pocket for the filling.
She didn't call me so when I arrived, (and I was 3 minutes late something she was keen to call me out on). I politely mentioned she didn't let me know what I'd have to pay out of pocket. She immediately got an attitude, pressuring me to sign a document of what I'd have to pay out of pocket. I began recording the way she was treating me. I told her I wanted to read over the sheet first. She got angrier. I sat and read the sheet then walked back up to sign, and told her I didn't like how she was talking to me, especially since I was calm and non-pugilistic. I asked to speak to the dentist. She said I couldn't, that he was busy, and that she was in charge of the office- that the dentist gave her power to make decisions. I sat in the lobby to be called back. I was called to the desk and Victoria told me I was no longer welcomed as a patient. I asked why. She only told me that the dental assistant Jessica made the decision. I asked to speak to J. Bradford Smith. She wouldn't let me. I thought that was arrogant and she became nasty in front of other patients, one of who told me that they noticed her rudeness. She demanded I leave. So, I left.
In speaking with other dental professionals, they noted that oftentimes dentists are in the back, unaware of what goes on at the front and that it would be good if I could speak with the dentist to let him know. So, I sent him a message to his private Facebook account. I didn't want to go back as a patient but to share my experience. He never checked the message. How I was treated stayed with me for months. So, a few weeks ago, I went to his house (finding his address in the telephone book) to share the note I had written to him on Facebook, and just to briefly say I didn't like how I was treated- that was my motive. My father went with me, and just as the dentist opened the door, I noted that I was a former patient and was sorry to knock on his home door but that I wanted to share how I was treated by Victoria, he slammed the door and demanded I get off his property.
He later sent a letter, saying he felt I assaulted his staff. Anyone who hears the conversation would make that judgement for themselves, and see that I was calm and didn't give the office manager any reason to treat me how she did. As a dental professional noted to me, "if he would have called me, I'd tell them that you wouldn't hurt a fly. Just know that we're not all like that."
I would hope that Victoria, J. Bradford Smith, and Jessica when being honest with themselves would see that I am not a threat, just a wronged former patient. I would hope that Smith would want to make any amendments to the running of his office, remembering that being a dentist is to serve others and to listen, not hastily jumping to any conclusions slamming doors. We're all adults and if they had been treated how they treated me, they would feel miffed and wronged. read more
