WARNING: FIND A DIFFERENT ORAL SURGEON!
My dentist referred me to Malmquist's office for an emergency extraction of all four wisdom teeth. I have waited for the last six weeks for my new health insurance to kick in, the entire time dealing with massive pain in my jaw, neck, and pounding headaches. The day my insurance went active they got me in for a consultation, which is $90.00 for about ten minutes of their time (not covered by insurance).
They got me an appointment less than a week later to have the procedure. I got childcare for three days, got the time off work, arranged rides to and from, and a myriad of other things that have to be dealt with each day that I wasn't going to be able to handle. When I showed up for the appointment, they wanted a check for over a $1000.00 for the portion not covered by insurance. Given that I was going to be put under, I brought nothing with me. No checkbook. I told them I could make a call and get them a card number, which I did in under 5 minutes. Ready to hand them the phone and get the process started, they said that it was too late and they would have to reschedule for several weeks later!
The fundamental problem I have with this office, and many other modern medical establishments is that people are treated less like human patients and more like cattle being shoved through at the highest possible volume to maximize profits. Almost $3000 would have changed hands for this procedure. This would have bought me a 1 hour appointment?! Their schedule is so cramped that 5 minutes could make or break it? If I pay someone $3000 for anything, I expect more than this. What a racket.
Not to mention, their basement office is creepy, windowless, and fluorescent-lit. The elevator music playing there is enough to make you want to pull out your own teeth. The mole-like people working there are insufferable and without compassion.
The experience was a waste of time and money. Now I wait two weeks to get into another office while I am barely able to work and function due to the insane pressure in my head and neck from these teeth. They were fully aware of the agonizing pain I'm in, and were fully capable of taking the card number and doing the procedure, but they are so bureaucratic they let me leave and deal with this pain for weeks longer. If this isn't a violation of the Hippocratic Oath, I don't know what is.
It's pretty clear that this guy is more concerned about helping himself and building his collection of horrible, tasteless art and autographs from famous republicans that cover the walls of their office.
FAIL. DO NOT GO HERE. read more