Before I begin- I gave this office and Dentist every opportunity to connect and resolve the concerns via telephone and/or meeting. The requests fell on deaf ears so here we go...
I have a 12yr background in dentistry (patient's daughter), so I know the proper standards of care. My mother was a patient here of record for about 3+ years after she retired and was left with small options for affordable dental insurance.
Dentists should not dictate the care patients are receiving judging by their dental insurance whether PPO, HMO, Medicare. They should be treated fairly.
This office DOES NOT offer proper standard of care- so please be very cautious coming here- especially older patients or those with state aid/Medicare/Medicaid.
My mother has always suffered from gingivitis and periodontal disease like most people in the USA. This office has been having the dentist see patients for dental cleanings because they refuse to employ a proper Dental Hygienist to help with these preventative procedures. (don't tell me there are no staff and that there is a shortage from COVID still, you can find a great Hygienist if you pay them fairly and treat them right- be ready to shell out $45-50 per hour, they are worth it)
To make a short story long- A dentist does not go to dental school to provide cleanings and these sorts of preventative procedures- they went to school to learn how to 'drill and fill' and to produce, well at least this dentist here at Valley Dental Care did. Dentist make MAYBE a few $100 if that for these types of preventative visits so what this office does is they double/triple side book patients in for cleanings while the Dentist is seeing other patients for PRODUCTIVE visits- like fillings and crowns etc (that actually bring in $$) Never ONCE in my entire dental career have I ever heard of a patient, who has crowns, partials, AND an implant to not have their gums charted at least 1x per year OR have a 3-month perio-maintenance cleaning to last less than the standard 50-60mins.
Not until I dropped my mom off for her 3-month dental cleaning appointment (which she was 3months delayed for due to knee replacement- So I knew this appointment would be at LEAST an HOUR) but she returned to my car just after 10 short mins. I asked her what they did, and she stated the Dentist came in and looked in her mouth and took the gritty paste (prophy paste) and used a dental hygiene cup attachment, cleaned her teeth and sent her on her way. I was APPAULLED.
I called the office later that day to inquire of the procedure she had, and the front desk person was confused and put me on hold to speak with I am assuming an assistant to confirm the visit. I complained then and requested she offer my mother another perio-maint appointment since I know the following was not completed: my mother did NOT have her teeth scaled properly; she did not have her gums charted (where they call out #s 2,3,4,5 etc), no probing- this was completely negligent on the Dentist's part.
By not completing the cleaning as required- you are putting my mother at risk of further progression of the disease. I mean, I get it- as a struggling Dentist--who wouldn't put their patients at further risk of root resorption and bone loss because HEY! more $$ in the dentist's pocket when he/she tells you that now it's time for a crown or maybe even an implant or worse- lets extract all teeth and pop in dentures!
If this is how you expect to grow a practice or stay in business with an active dental license you are greatly underestimating your future and are on the edge of lawsuits.
This office does not advocate for their patient's oral health, especially the elderly. The will also take you for everything you are worth- they will take x-rays regularly 1x per year or more and then blame insurance that you have a frequency limitation and that your insurance is a contract between you and them and NOT the office so the $200+ dollars in unnecessary x-rays/radiographs they took TOO EARLY are now patient balance because they would rather charge the patient than go the extra mile and know the frequency of coverage and wait a week or reschedule an appointment to when it would have been covered.
This review is in no way a threat, it's a promise that you will have a report to the Licensing Board about your malpractice.
Current and future patients BEWARE- RUN- SAVE YOUR $$ and the teeth you still have and go somewhere else before you become a victim of negligence, elder abuse, or worse! read more