Was told I needed a root canal by my former dentist. I had no pain and wanted a second opinion so I went to Sam English Mechanicsville. Was told I only needed a crown. After tooth received temporary crown I started having immense pain. Was then told I DID need a root canal after all. Still had immense pain. Even after a two rounds of antibiotics. Was told I could not have another round of antibiotics and it would feel better after permanent crown. Still had immense pain. Went back week after week to be filed down and told I was grinding my teeth at night and to go buy a mouthpiece. I knew I was not grinding my teeth. At this point, becoming very suspicious about why permanent crown was applied despite pain. Went back again and dentist was gone. Had moved. No letter, notice, or phone call ahead of time "that's not required". That would've been good customer service and professional but apparently "not required" is good enough for $800 out of pocket. I feel like she slapped on the permanent crown to receive payment before leaving. Saw second dentist who said to get a 3-D X-Ray and email it to him results. This is the first time I found out what an endodontist was, a professional who should be doing root canals. Most dentists send you to one. Found that out too late. 3-D X-ray did not show missed infected canal which I would find out much later from an honest endodontist. The second dentist made me even more suspicious by telling me to only send X-ray to him and it was his specialty-but he wasn't an endodontist? He then tells me the whole procedure done over would be full price. They can code your visit however they want apparently. I had a really bad feeling about his statements. It had been less than a year and I STILL had pain but they felt entitled to double charge for a procedure that had obviously been botched that they were not equipped to handle in the first place? I lived with intermittent pain. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I had missed work, my husband had missed work to take care of me, I couldn't go to the gym, I stopped running. It was all unnecessary sacrificing I would come to find out after returning and shocker- another new dentist- only one left in the whole office running around like a chicken with her head cut off. She was in over her head. She didn't mess with me for one second before she sent me out to where I should've been sent in the very first place. An endodontist. He found the infected canal that had been missed in less than 5 minutes. He saw it with his eyes through a microscope. He explained how a 3-D X-ray is not even the Be all End all. Another $310 out of pocket in addition to a total $100 3-D X-ray and 4 total rounds of antibiotics. 2 from dentist #1. 1 from dentist #2 and one from the endodontist. On top of all this. The dentist did not get a code from insurance company and tried to saddle me with a $1200 charge. The office manager tried to blame me which I immediately called the insurance company and the endodontist to inform them of this accusation. The insurance explained I had zero blame in the matter and the endodontist said they would handle it with the dentist's office. After that, Sam English still feels entitled to keep all my $800 for botched root canal. "That happens sometimes" was their reason. What business botches a job, puts a patient through months of unnecessary pain, and insists they deserve to keep payment for what they had to send me out of office to fix? To me, seems like malpractice and neglect. I asked for at least the $310 that I was charged by endodontist to fix the repair. Went up through the ranks asking for my money back and was actually screamed at and hung up on by district office manager. She also put me on hold for ten minutes. I was persistent but she was cruel and unprofessional in return. The switch really flipped when I repeated everything she said to let her know I was documenting the account of her actions. I would personally recommend only going to an endodontist for a root canal. And, if your dentist wants to do it and won't send you, go to another dentist. I am 46 and my experience with this company is the worst I have ever had. After getting cleaned out by endodontist I had to return to dentist to get crown filled back in from hole drilled to remove missed canal. They wanted to charge me for that visit also. Finally got that dismissed. I waited and hour and 5 minutes past my appointment time that day. I had to say something first and was told my cleaning was in a minute. Too bad I wasn't there for a cleaning. I was apologized to for that mistake and told to go relax in front of the fish tank for the long wait? Still only the one dentist in the whole office. While finally in the chair waiting the same woman tried again to take me for my cleaning. She apologized again. read more