Dr. Shin seemed nice, and I initially trusted him. After this experience, I cannot recommend this…read moreoffice. Repeatedly asking for a clear insurance estimate should not result in days of unanswered questions, contradictory information, and callbacks that never happen from unhelpful and unapologetic staff.
I made an appointment after a crown placed years ago by another dentist came off. Dr. Shin took an X-ray and said the crown needed to be replaced because he saw a cavity forming beneath the buildup supporting it. He also said he would not know whether I needed a root canal until he began the work. This surprised me because I had no pain or sensitivity whatsoever, even with the crown off and the tooth exposed.
I had expected to have the crown re-cemented and had not set aside hours for additional treatment. I asked for an itemized estimate showing my costs, with and without a root canal, after insurance. He wrote down:
Crown: $2,650; with insurance: $1,350
Root canal: $2,300; with insurance: $1,150
He said he did not need to reattach the crown. His assistant, Emma, placed it in a ziplock bag, and I paid my $25 copay and left with instructions to call when I was ready to schedule.
Before booking, I contacted Delta Dental, which confirmed that Dr. Shin is an in-network provider. The representative told me the quoted amounts did not make sense under his contracted rates. According to the representative, even if I needed a new buildup after post removal and the doctor billed for "upgraded techniques" and "upgraded fabricated materials," my crown estimate should not have been $1,350.
Delta Dental advised me to ask the office to submit a "Pre-Treatment Determination/Estimate" so it could review the proposed treatment, apply Dr. Shin's contracted rates, and clarify what insurance would pay and what I would owe. That is a reasonable request, especially since I was told I would have to pay my portion at the treatment appointment.
What followed was several days of getting nowhere.
On Tuesday, the same day as my appointment, I called and spoke with Emma. She said she could not submit the estimate to Delta Dental because only the doctor could do it. She told me he would call after finishing with his patient. He never called.
On Wednesday, I called during business hours and reached voicemail. Again, no callback.
On Thursday, another staff member told me that only Emma could submit the estimate to Delta Dental and that she would call me Friday.
By Friday morning, I still had not heard from Emma, so I called again. She told me there was no office manager and repeated that she could not submit the estimate because only the doctor could. I reminded her that I had been waiting for his call since Tuesday. She again said she would speak with him and that he would have to call me back.
At approximately 4 p.m. Friday, with the workweek ending, I called again. Still no answers. Emma said there was no one else I could speak with. She said she had told the doctor about my calls, but continued asking whether I wanted to book the appointment.
I explained, again, that the estimate did not match what Delta Dental had told me about the office's contracted rates. Before scheduling treatment, I needed someone to explain the discrepancy or submit the requested pretreatment estimate.
When could the doctor call me? She did not know. Could he submit the estimate to Delta Dental, and when? She did not know.
By Friday afternoon, after a Tuesday appointment and five follow-up calls, I still had my crown in a ziplock bag and no explanation of the charges. The office kept asking me to schedule treatment while leaving my billing questions unanswered.
I cannot explain why the quoted costs differed from what Delta Dental told me, because the office never gave me an explanation. What I can say is that this experience destroyed my confidence in its billing practices and patient care. The contradictory answers, lack of follow-through, and repeated failure to return my calls were unprofessional and unacceptable.
I liked Dr. Shin and wanted to trust his office. But patients deserve clear pricing and basic communication before agreeing to treatment. I received neither. Avoid this office if you want actual service. Based on the other 1 star reviews here and on other platforms, it seems this office is not ethical and participates in insurance fraud and patients seeking care are the victims. See the photos - BOTH were with my insurance applied. Go to University Park Dental if you have this HMO!
