I visited this clinic for an oral hygiene appointment and a consultation. I was told that I needed a crown and treatment for two cavities.
On August 28, I called the clinic to move forward with the treatment, and I was scheduled for September 17. I was told that the treatment would take approximately three hours and would be completed in one day. I took the day off work specifically for this appointment.
Then, on September 15 -- just two days before my scheduled appointment -- I received a call from the clinic. I was told that they wanted to reschedule my treatment to September 21, which I refused because I had already taken September 17 off from work. At the same time, I was told that I needed to pay a $200 deposit to keep my September 17 appointment.
This was the first time anyone mentioned a deposit to me. When I scheduled the treatment on August 28, nobody told me that a $200 deposit would be required. If I had known about this requirement from the beginning, I could have considered it and decided whether I was comfortable with those terms before scheduling the treatment.
I also wanted to make sure I had the final treatment plan and exact cost before proceeding. In addition, during this time, a small piece of my tooth had chipped, so I requested another consultation before starting the treatment. I went to the clinic on September 16, where they performed an examination and took an X-ray. I was told that everything looked fine, the treatment plan had not changed, and the price remained the same.
At the front desk, I was then asked whether I wanted to pay for the service in advance. I said no, because my treatment was scheduled for the following day and I preferred to pay when the treatment was actually performed.
About 5-10 minutes after I left the clinic, I received another phone call. A woman told me that I had to pay the $200 deposit immediately because the doctor would be spending approximately three hours on my treatment and this was their policy to make sure patients show up.
I was very surprised by this. Again, nobody had mentioned this policy when I scheduled the appointment on August 28. I had already waited almost three weeks for this appointment, taken a day off work, and adjusted my schedule around it. At the same time, the clinic had just asked me to change the appointment date from September 17 to September 21. It felt unfair that the clinic could ask me to change a date I had arranged my schedule around, while I was being told that I had to pay a $200 deposit to protect their schedule.
I ultimately refused to pay the deposit on September 16, especially since the treatment was scheduled for the very next day. I was then told that if I did not pay the deposit, they would cancel my appointment. I did not ask them to cancel it; that was the condition they gave me.
My main issue is not simply the $200 deposit. My issue is the lack of transparency and the way this was handled. A $200 deposit is not a small amount, and patients should be informed about such requirements when they schedule a procedure -- especially when the procedure is expected to take three hours. I should have been given the opportunity to know the full terms in advance and decide whether I was comfortable with them.
Instead, this requirement was introduced just two days before my appointment, after I had already taken time off work, and then I was given an ultimatum the day before treatment: pay the deposit or lose the appointment.
Based on my experience, I was very disappointed with the communication and the way the situation was handled. I expected clear and consistent terms from the beginning, especially when it comes to a significant financial commitment and a major dental procedure. read more