It really pains me to give a negative review of this place, because I love the dental hygienist and the front desk staff, but to be objective, I think it is necessary.
I had been seeing Dr Olga for three years. For average services, cleanings, x-rays, etc., this is a fine establishment. For anything else, however, I'd highly recommend switching doctors as I feel they recommend unnecessary services, and overcharge. Read on for a recap of my experience to further explain:
About two years ago, I chipped one of my bottom center teeth and went to see what my options were. I decided to schedule a cleaning for the same appointment to get everything out of the way in one swoop, and was told that I needed to get a crown. I was surprised and reluctant to do this since the chip is minor and cosmetic. I'm pretty diplomatic, and I just didn't feel that a crown was warranted so asked about filling out the chip with a temporary filling. I was told it wouldn't work and that I needed a crown (despite that my front tooth was majorly cracked from when I was younger and even THAT is just a temporarily filling). At my urging, I was reluctantly given an estimate for a crown and a "temporary" fix, but was told that I would have to make a separate appointment to have this done. One thing led to another, I'm a busy gal, and I never made it back to get the chip repaired.
The next time I went for my cleaning, I asked for a reminder of the estimate as the chip really does bother me and I DO want to get it done, and the price increased by over $100. Deterred, I put this on the back burner again.
Last month, I was eating a soft breakfast, and one of my molars chipped off [I grind my teeth in a very serious way]. When the chip happened, I was imminently leaving [two days] for Sundance for work, then back for one day and then leaving again to go visit my sister for three weeks. Dr Olga was able to fit me in, and I explained that I was leaving town the next day but wanted to get everything checked out to make sure the tooth wasn't at risk of splitting further.
When I got to Dr Olgas, low and behold, she told me: "you need a crown." I explained that I figured that would be her response, but that I was leaving the next day and was NOT getting a crown right then, and if I needed a crown it must be serious enough to warrant a temporary solution to protect the tooth during my month of travel / avoid a root canal / help with the pain of my tongue cutting along the chip. We had a bit of a contentious back and forth where I felt that I my opinion was being totally cast aside and like I was absurd for asking for a temporary solution. Reluctantly, Dr Olga put on a "temporary filling." In my mind, this would be the equivalent to what i have had on my front tooth for +10 years, and I was content. I didn't eat or drink anything for three hours, three times the recommended amount, and the temporary "filling" came off that very night. I actually peeled part of it off. It was the equivalent of sticky tack.
To back things up for a moment, when I left Dr Olga's I received a quote for the recommended crown from the front desk staff. The estimate was for $700. What! I asked if this was just my portion, or the TOTAL cost for insurance AND my responsibility, and was told no. $700 is just what i owed. I felt this was exorbitant, called my insurance company, and was told that my maximum out of pocket cost for a crown was $350.
Outraged feeling again and again that I was just having crowns thrust upon me for minor problems, coupled with the feeling that I was being severely over charged, I immediately switched dental providers.
Long story short, and low and behold, I don't need a crown right now. The chip is not major and the health of my tooth is not majorly jeopardized. Of course I may need a crown in the future, but was told it was absolutely not necessary right now, and was ultimately given exactly what I had asked Dr Olga for: a less expensive, sturdy, comfortable, temporary filling.
Will never go back here, and am in the process of switching my partner's provider, too. I don't like having unnecessary expenses and procedures thrust upon me, especially when I feel that the doctor doesn't listen to me, regard my circumstances or have my objective best interest at heart. read more