I wrote this Jan 1, the day after my unpleasant encounter with your employee.  What she said is in quotes.  If this employee was admonished, you should have told me.  This issue might have been closed in your eyes, but not in mine.  The employee should have apologized to me today.  As a customer, it is my right to question billing.  This employee acted as if I were a con woman.  I do not know the difference between our debit and credit cards.  I genuinely presumed that the card I handed her was a debit card.  She did not say to me after running the card that she had to run it through as a debit card.  She simply handed me the receipt, which, by the way, is so tiny it can easily be lost.  You have the capability to create letter-paper-sized statements so why not give the customer one to show what's been paid?  "I explained this to you before you signed."  Actually, I remember a different person coming in.  I have about 20 doctors, half here and half in New York.  It is unreasonable to think I can remember everything someone tells me, especially some time prior.  This started off rudely.  A polite receptionist would have not tried to put the blame on me, but, instead, figure out a way to say this without attacking the customer.  This employee wants to show that she is right, and superior, and the customer is wrong. "I don't get paid enough for this."  I can't imagine any employer putting up with this.  "I'm not talking to people slamming things down."  I might have more forcefully than usual placed my things on the counter, but I did not slam them. "We don't have customers.  We have patients."   "Take it up with your bank."  Another rude remark that could have been softened with politeness.  "I'll have to send this to corporate."  Who cares what your office's internal process is?  She was obviously trying to make me feel petty, guilty, and troublesome for requesting a refund.  "You said it was a debit card.  It's a credit card."  This was accusatory.  Your employee needs to learn how to rein in her impatience and try to understand the customer's point of view without raising hackles.  She has apparently not heard of using "I" sentences rather than "you."  The latter is blaming, targeting the customer.   "Your bank said it was a credit card."  How did the bank know?  I didn't know.  I had no idea.   "Those are not service dates.  They are the dates we made up your treatment plan."  This is nonsensical.  Why hand this out to patients?  Especially without explanation.  You need a better protocol so the customer can easily determine when treatment is scheduled, what treatment, and how much it will cost.  Your current "treatment plan" is written solely as a plan for your office, not the patient.   "They did a core and mortar instead of xxxx so it cost $321 instead of $97."  I have no idea what this is.  Dentist did a number of things.  Employee shouldn't state things as if the customer ought to know what they mean.  Besides, the dentist made a mistake that day.  I suspect this is him rectifying it.  If that's the case, why am I charged for his mistake? "$50 balance because on day A you had this additional service that cost $48.  Then additional $2 on next service date." Other grievances:Dentist and associate never introduced themselves to me from Day One. Associate constantly laughing while my procedures going on.Dentist and associate chatted incessantly.Dentist and associate would leave room with no notice.  Took my glasses from me and placed them where I couldn't reach them.No explanation of what was being done.There for 2-1/2 hours.  No offers of a break.  I requested one.Dentist jabbed my lip a couple times with sharp instrument, but no recognition or apology.I know their names now from listening to them.  Julie hums the entire time, which is annoying. I know your office discussed the issue of Dec 31, because each of you were concerned about my rings.  Thank you.  The receptionist facing out front was obviously prepared to deal with me so that the other employee and I didn't have to react.  I gave her a debit card (I learned last night that a debit card has "debit" printed on it.  I didn't know this previously.).  She said it was declined.  I paid with another card.  My husband later assured me the card is fine, that I had to use a PIN with it.  She didn't ask me for a pin, so was that the issue?  I don't know. When I mentioned to Dr. Risk and Julie that I was surprised that no one called me to apologize for how the employee had treated me, Julie said, "I apologized that day."  I said I didn't remember it.  It did vaguely come back to me later, but it would have been appropriate to really apologize in that moment today.  Dr. Risk sat there and said nothing.  It was very upsetting to me today to have to sit there while necessary work was being done, knowing that your office would not apologize to me in any other way besides Julie's attempt on Dec. 31 that was more an apology that I was upset. read more

I originally was getting bills from them, stating there was an amount owed through text for what was described as services on particular dates. When I called they said it was a service that I could get or opt out. I stopped the texts. Now they are sending emails. There's no explanation for what it is and it is using everybody in my account as having gone there and accrued this bill. I called again and they said that there's nothing that they could do about it that it's coming from their corporate and I could ignore it again. It's very disheartening to get a bill from somebody when they know that I don't owe them and I believe it's a fraudulent practice because many people wouldn't know to look at the patient portal. They would just pay it. read more

Wish 1/2 star was an option. Arrived at 12:20 pm today - 3/15/23 - for my 6 month cleaning scheduled at 12:30 pm at the Solomons office. The door chimed when I entered and no one was at the front desk. So I started up a conversation with the woman and daughter who were also waiting. Their appointment time was also 12:30. Time goes by and I check my phone and its 12:40. Haven't heard nor seen anyone who works there. I walk down the hallway towards the dentistry rooms and call out "Hello?" a couple times. Walk a bit further and find a girl doing a cleaning. I ask "Is anyone here for the front desk? I hate to bother you but can you go find someone?" She tells me "yes" and they are having their St. Patricks Day luncheon. Ummm...okay. So then this young woman comes down the hall and apologizes and I respond saying its very unprofessional to schedule appointments and not honor the time. I didn't yell or make a scene. Just stated the facts. They were in the wrong. I immediately get called back to a room by another young woman who told me she was assisting the dental hygienist and she did the usual intake of info including taking my BP, which was a bit high because I was annoyed and told her so - I didn't yell or was rude at all. After that an older woman came in to apologize again and I once again said it was unprofessional to schedule appointments and not respect those times - not rudely or confrontational. Then she basically told me that the hygienist would not be coming in because she was crying in the back after feeling attacked. EXCUSE ME!?! We then had short conversation and I mentioned that someone should have come out when they heard the door chime, checked me in, and said they'd be with me shortly. That would have been the professional approach. And then she alluded that no one wanted to work with me. I told her this would be the last time I'd be using them since I rarely see the dentist after cleanings (to which she said wasn't their protocol or procedure) and she seemed fine with that after basically twisting it around like I was the one in the wrong. I have never interacted with more unprofessional people. I've included pictures of the multiple texts that I confirmed my appointment at TWELVE-THIRTY and the voice mail they left (even though my auto text called them Tyler dental instead of Tide Water). When you harass your clients to CONFIRM their appointment you as 'professionals' should honor those appointment times and plan your holiday lunches accordingly. I don't mind waiting for an appointment as long as the staff acknowledges my arrival. And if they have young women working there with skin as thin as tissue paper that cry because they're confronted with the truth, I hope they offer coloring books and crayons to soothe those hurt feelings. I've already scheduled an appointment with a new dentist in town with the most pleasant receptionist I've ever spoken with! read more

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It's Nov 2022.... And they are requiring masks....Until you are having work done and sit there breathing freely for a long time completely unmasked. What exactly is the point then?! If they're that uneducated about masking I'm not going to trust them with my dental care. read more

My wife called on this past Monday and they took me immediately as a new patient. I had a chiped tooth And I told the dentist I want to remove it because the pain was so bad. He told me he could save the tooth so I agreed. I got a root canal within 3 days by the same dentist and they didn't refer me to someone else. I felt no pain during the procedure and this is me and my wife's new dentist. By the way the dental assistant was awesome as well read more

Tidewater Dental - Solomons - Cosmetic Dentists Near Me - Solomons, Maryland

The only positive thing I have experienced here is the dental hygienist (I think her name is Karen); she is great, has a gentle touch and is extremely thorough. That's it. The receptionists are rude, they make you fill out annual paper work every 6 months (even when all is exactly the same AND I did it 6 months ago). I did not have my reading glasses, could not read the forms, told her I filled everything out last appointment 6 months ago, and nothing has changed, but she refused to let me get my cleaning done because I couldn't fill them out again. This dentist always recommends all kinds of procedures (hundreds of dollars worth), but my second opinions always say I'm fine. Still am, years later. I know of 3 other people that had the exact same story at the Solomons Tidewater: told they needed hundreds of dollars of work done, but their second opinions always disagree. I started at the Lusby office. The dentist there started filing down one of my good teeth WITHOUT getting my approval, so that the new crown would fit better. Guess he was sick of grinding the crown. Of course, now my "good tooth" is now sensitive. Get a second opinion; it's worth it, and will likely save you money, and your teeth, in the end. read more

My recent dentist experience was great! The staff is very friendly & professional!! The front desk assistants speak with you, rather then down to you. Always working around your schedule not theirs! Attentive Dr's like Dr. Friedman & Newly acquired Dr. Friend are great and don't feel overbearing! They care when we take our teeth for granted! They give me many options for treatment if required! The even went so far as to giving some tips for prevention if you choose treatment! I got the feeling that their goal is my Health and prevention of further problems not $$$! read more

BEWARE! Had a crown done by Dr. Friedman and it never fit correctly. It came off 4 times in six months, and every time I went back to get it re-cemented he made me feel like I had done something to make it come off AND they charged me every time! I paid to have it redone by a real dentist at Prince Frederick Dental and have had no problems. My only other option was to let Dr. Friedman redo it, and I wasn't going to do that! read more

First visit at Tidewater was ok as the dentist, older gentleman, pretty much told me what my previous dentists had told me for 5 years. Well the older guy retired. On my next visit met my new dentist and he told me I had major dental problems and I should schedule a series of repair procedures with the front desk. Front desk went over finance options. Scared the heck out of me. I sought a second and third opinions. Long story short I have no dental problems. Be aware that's all I'm saying read more