Update:
I received…read moremy bill and called to make a payment, left a VM and received a call back. I said, "Yes, I was calling to pay my bill." The woman says, "Yeah, we read your Yelp review, this is Dr. Brockloff's wife, I have to say it was the most outlandish thing I have ever read for a 10 minute consultation visit!" I said, "Well ma'am it was the most outlandish experience I have ever had in a healthcare setting." She said, "Well, we don't want your money, we are going to write this off, but you never come back here again." I said, "Clearly you never have to worry about that."
Initial Review:
I feel the need to preface this review with my credentials as a person, because this experience was so bizarre... I am 41, I have a masters degree in leadership, I am a successful professional, I am a mom, a wife. None of this should matter when going to the Dr. but I want you to know who I am before you read what I experienced.
Years ago I had a tooth extracted and never got an implant. I now need one so I don't lose the tooth above it. In the meantime of scheduling the implant visit, I bit down on a piece of sea salt and injured the next tooth. I went to my dentist who did an x-ray, but he was unable to see a crack and he said I should go get a 360 x-ray. I went to Akron Highland Square because they could do the x-ray, my implant and were in network with my insurance. This was my first visit with this practice and my last.
I took the early appointment as I had to work that day. I did the x-ray and they sat me in some weird corner "nook" by the windows, where the front desk and the people in the waiting room could likely hear any discussion as it was just on the other side of the main door and the open window at the front counter (HIPAA?). Odd, but it gets way worse.
The Dr. comes in to discuss and I went to point at the tooth (and lack thereof), I guess I don't know why, I don't talk about my teeth with people often and I talk with my hands... I also suppose it is gross, but I am at the dentist to talk about my teeth... Dr. Brokloff screams at me (a 41 year old woman), DO NOT DO THAT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? THAT IS DISGUSTING! WOULD. YOU. DO. THAT. AT. YOUR. GYNECOLOGIST!? I have now known this man for 2 full minutes and this is what he says to me. Now, I mentioned I am a mother, to a daughter... What if I was a 15 year old girl, or a 23 year old young woman? How would they be expected to handle this interaction?! I don't give a damn how good this dude thinks he is at his job, under no circumstances is this type of behavior acceptable. My gynecologist? That comment was right on the top of his mind and tip of his tongue as an appropriate thing to say to a woman and paying customer. Not to mention the loud manner in which he berated and dressed me down in that little weird nook in front of everyone.
We continued the appointment, (that I should have walked out of) and he proceeded to tell me about the process or whatever. To which I had to explain, I have a severe needle phobia (I go through this any time I have to go to a new Dr. where needles will be involved, it is embarrassing) and he said, "I don't care, that has nothing to do with me." I explained I would need something like a Valium or Xanax and he said, "I am not giving you anything for this." I told him listen, I did 15 hours of labor with no needle sticks, I have had teeth filled without numbing because I can't do needles and he just got more dismissive and rude. Then proceeds to tell me about the Dental Vibe and how I need to Google it and how he made YouTube videos of it. He said something about, "A lot of people don't like the dentist." I explained my husband was in the Navy, HE has a dental phobia, I have a needle phobia. Then he perks up and says, "Oh, your husband was in the Navy, that's great, I work at the VA so I am technically in the military." No dude, you are absolutely NOT in the military, shame on you.
The level of arrogance, entitlement, misogyny this man has seeping from his pores and his mouth. It was grotesque and inappropriate behavior. I don't know how I missed the reviews, but have since then found where others had similar experiences, he made negative comments on a woman's makeup etc. I called and spoke with other practices (as I now have to find someone else) who said they have heard this about him, that you either like him or you hate him and that he does a good job, but...
PSA: Specifically if you are a woman- there are other oral surgeons out there who don't have the capability to behave like this.