I really wanted to like Dr. Moon and his office. Let me start by saying he's kind and has a great demeanor with kids. Our initial consultation was great. Tami was kind and patient, taking x-rays and getting intake information. Then we sat with Dr. Moon and he explained that we had two options for an appliance: a removable retainer or a fixed metal piece. He estimated it would be 3-4 months of wear. Everything sounded great! We chose the permanent metal appliance and I called on the phone to say yes and get things started.
The first issue was that the emailed bill was double what I was told in the office. Several phone calls back and forth sorted that out.
Then, a month later, when the appliance was supposed to be arriving, we were told to come in for photos again because the last round didn't work. So we had to come in again and then wait an additional month for the appliance to come in.
Then, a month later and behind schedule when the appliance arrived, it wasn't what Dr. Moon said it would be. It was a retainer, not a fixed metal piece. So rather than wait another month or more for the correct appliance, I said fine, let's do this. Except retainers are not meant to be worn all the time. So my son has extra plaque that we can't get to, food stuck between the retainer and the roof of his mouth, and it's uncomfortable.
In the meantime, I keep getting appointment reminders to make a payment and get the process started? I called twice to ask why I keep getting these messages since we have signed on and we are a patient. No one knows I guess? The messages still come in about once a month.
The appliance is meant to fix two issues. It has resolved one of the issues, which is awesome. For the second issue, this is just not the right appliance to fix it. I think he was trying to make one appliance that would address both issues, but it's not working. So each time we come in, they say, "Oh so close! We think it will come off next time!" And then the next appointment comes and we hear the same story. There's a rubber band in the back that breaks almost immediately after it's put in. So the appliance isn't working.
The final straw is that the assistant that my son sees when he comes in is rude and rough with him. Two appointments ago, she complained that he has too much saliva?? And it is making her job hard?? The last appointment, see complained that his breathing is fogging up her mirror and making her job hard? She complains that his mouth is too small and that it shouldn't be this hard. She uses an unnecessarily stern voice with him and acts like he's being difficult. He's an 8 year old and he does whatever she asks . . .
So I called to say hey, we just want to get this appliance out. It's not fixing the second issue and this has been going on long enough. They told me it would need to stay in another 7 weeks and that it's 90 percent corrected. We saw my son's dentist and he said the tooth is pretty much in the same place it was, so maybe 10 percent corrected. I think they're dragging this out because they want to be able to say they corrected the issue. But this device is not fixing the problem.
They said they would take the retainer out if my son "just couldn't handle it."
My son is not the problem. The problem is the appliance doesn't do what it needs to do, and in the meantime he's getting plaque buildup, food stuck in his teeth, and we keep making more appointments and coming back only to be told we need to wait longer. On top of that, the appointments with the rude assistant are unpleasant.
There's just been too many issues for me to want to continue seeing this orthodontist. Are they under-staffed? Overworked? Underpaid? Under trained? I don't know what the problem is. But I know that our intake and consultation was GREAT and everything after that has been a mess. They know what they need to do to land a patient. But once they have you and your money, it's just a mess. read more
