SUMMARY:
- High…read morepressure upselling of dental procedures using scare tactics
- Shady financing tactics: Charged my credit card upfront lumpsum $5300 payment for dental work not yet done. Failure to refund $3,877 of that $5,300 for work they never did.
- Opaque billing / no receipts for procedures
- Dodgy / poorly maintained anesthesia equipment.
- Dentists apparently more concerned with driving Porsches than conducting honest business transactions with patients.
- Friendly staff, clean office in an upscale strip mall.
-Did I mention high pressure upselling / death threats yet?
Keep reading....
MY REDONDO DENTAL EXPERIENCE:
I chipped a molar.
I wasn't in pain, but figured I should get it looked at by a dentist. Redondo Dental is located near me. The office appeared clean and the reception staff were polite and friendly. After the initial "free exam", I was told I needed a root canal and crown for the chipped tooth - and a tooth next to it (upselling) by Dentist Caroline Shelly. When I asked how much this would cost, Dr. Shelly vacated the exam room as though she'd just eaten a rotten Chipotle burrito.
"That sucks!" I thought to myself "But that's what she gets for eating at Chipotle..."
I was left splayed out in the treatment chair as I contemplated this, still wearing an exam bib. Suddenly, the office manager / closer Lizeth Duran entered for the money shot. She slid a computer screen in front of me, and said the cash price for the procedures was $10,000, but that she could "help me out" if I bought dental insurance from her vendor, and if I financed everything through a company called Care Credit.
Then it would "only" cost me $5,304 - which I could pay off over 2 years with zero interest if I paid in full by the deadline. Normally, I only expect to encounter high pressure sales tactics when purchasing used cars or negotiating with hookers. Most dental practices refrain from such tactics. Not Redondo Dentistry though...
Apparently Dr Shelly's exit was part of a financial ruse
=(
I get extremely anxious in dental offices, so my capacity to evaluate the scam / financial offer in front of me was diminished. I was not given the mandatory disclosures that accompany credit agreements / loans. I was only shown a screen with the bottom line number and told to sign. Pushing dodgy upfront financial agreements on anxious patients with broken teeth is beneath contempt IMO. It tells you everything you need to know about the ethics of the dentists who own this practice though. I do not blame the staff . They are employees who work for the dentists. I suspect the dentists direct Ms Duran to use high pressure tactics with every patient. The credit agreement I signed meant my credit account was debited the entire $5,304 IMMEDIATELY. This was not disclosed to me by Ms Duran - or anyone else.
It gets worse: When I went in to get the root canal done, the endodotist was unable to complete the procedure - supposedly because I couldn't open my mouth wide enough. That expereince was quite unpleasant. I found the endodotist Dr. Leiza Walia quite high strung. She berated me for not being able to open my mouth wide enough, saying I "wasn't cooperating" after giving me the most massive head numbing novacaine injection ever. I was head-down feet-up in the chair, choking on my own spit Dr. Leiza saying "OPEN!!!" and "BREATHE!!!" repeatedly.
Finally she says: "If you keep fighting me we are gonna have to STOP and you'll LOSE THE TOOTH!!! DO YOU WANT TO STOP??" Hell yes I wanted to stop! Stop BERATING ME! I couldn't open my mouth any wider!
After that traumatic experience, I unwisely decided that since I'd already paid $5,000, I might as well get a deep cleaning / root scaling done. As part of this proceedure, I decided to try nitrous oxide sedation because of my extreme anxiety. When the hygienist Lizbet (who was wonderful) tried to administer the anesthesia, the nose canula thingy wouldn't work properly- it simply wasn't supplying enough oxygen to keep me alive. I don't blame the hygienist. It's not her job to maintain anesthesia equipment. Malfunctioning equipment like this can actually be life threatening. It is supposed to be maintained by qualified technicians.
The deep cleaning required 4 visits. They tried to charge me for sedation at each visit, even though I told them I didn't want it after the first attempt.
Oh, yeah.... Dr Shelly told me my broken tooth could be "fatal" if not extracted. Even though it wasn't infected and I wasn't in pain, my molar might murder me at moment unless extracted. I'm amazed she was able to keep a straight face, but many dentists are psychopaths...
CONCLUSION:
I've been trying to get a refund since August. I've spoken with staff or the office manager 4 times now. In person. I was promised a check "within 2 weeks" over a month ago now.
Still no check...
Beware Redondo Dentistry. Shady outfit. Don't let them anywhere near your mouth. Or wallet.
You've been warned.