I know this sounds cliche, but if I could give 0 stars, I would. This dental office was a very bad experience. First, I want to preface this review by saying that I am not usually one to lose my cool to customer service employees or healthcare providers, as I am also a healthcare professional who is in a customer-facing role.
I needed to get a deep cleaning done and was scheduling with the front desk admin Marie after my consultation with Dr. Moncada. They were very far booked out. I had called about a week earlier on the phone (before my consultation) to try to book (I already knew I needed a deep cleaning from another periodontist who, unfortunately, doesn't do deep cleanings) and had suggested a date over the phone to do the first cleaning, but Marie said it'd be best to see what Dr. Moncada would recommend after the consultation before booking. Fair enough.
After the in-person consultation, she booked me for 2 appointments a month into the future, 1 week apart (one appointment for each side of my mouth). Apparently, this office still uses a paper calendar to schedule, and this would be the source of their disorganization.
So a week later, Marie calls me 2 days before the date I had originally suggested on the phone for the first cleaning (that she refused to schedule on the phone) to remind me of my upcoming appointment in 2 days. I was like, "you said you couldn't schedule me." Furthermore, when I was trying to schedule my deep cleanings after the in-person consultation and was upset she didn't have any sooner openings, NOWHERE did she tell me that I already had an appointment on the books for the next week where I could've done a first cleaning. I had already made plans for that day and could not make the appointment. But it's okay, people make mistakes, so one mistake is no biggie. I'll wait a few more weeks for my scheduled first cleaning.
Fast forward a month later, I get the first deep cleaning, and on the way out, I confirm with Marie that I have my second deep cleaning the following week. She looks at her paper calendar and says no, I'm not on the schedule. WTF?!?! I actually already took a PTO day off from work to make this appointment, and I have a type of job where someone is scheduled to cover me on days off. Since my company had already found someone to take my shift, I WOULD NO LONGER be able to work that day, and basically WASTED a valuable PTO day. She was unapologetic and *kept insisting* she did not schedule me. And she acted like I should just schedule another random weekday easily, as if I were sitting idly at home and able to come in any day of the week because I either don't work or have that flexible of a job. No empathy whatever! No organization whatsoever! One mistake was ok, but 2 BIG mistakes like this was a no-no!
I am an organized healthcare professional myself, and I keep track of my calendar very well. I would *never* add anything to my calendar unless I confirmed with you, and you had confirmed my second appointment when I originally booked. As most deep cleanings are done over 2 visits anyway, it would not have made sense for me to just book 1 appointment and not the second. She then starts raising her voice at me (talk about victim-blaming!) and recruits one of her patients in the office to join in the verbal assault. YOU made the mistake, not me, and it was a mistake that cost me a valuable PTO day. And you're not going to try to accommodate me or try to make the situation better due to your mistake? Dr. Moncada then walks out and asks, "you're still here" but Marie immediately cuts him off and begins ranting about me to him and the other patient and prevents me from even speaking my side of the story.
As this was WAY too heated of a situation now, I just walked out of the office. A few minutes later, Marie calls me and tells me "Dr. Moncada says you have to find a new periodontist now." WOW, JUST WOW! Making a mistake, not owning up to it or trying to make things right, victim blaming, and then turning the patient away. I was going to find a new periodontist anyway since this office was too disorganized, but I was sincerely hoping that call would've come from Dr. Moncada, who would seek to understand my side of the story and hopefully try to make things right (perhaps by squeezing me in for an appointment on the misunderstood day?). Dr. Moncada obviously has no customer service or managerial skills. If you value your time and sanity, stay away from this office. read more
