So many customer service issues of late! Help me stay strong!
DENTIST ISSUE still ongoing: The office "withdrew" the charge from the Collection Agency. I have no idea what that means. Even though MR FS and I were receiving the bills, the charge was put under the name of our 22 year old daughter. I know this because she got a call from the Agency! Does anyone know if this will affect her credit rating in the future?
Mr FS has said that he is willing to stick with this dentist. She IS good, though her receptionist/bill person is awful. We have asked for an itemized list of the procedures the dentist recommended before the debacle. They totaled $5000 (no insurance for this). We have asked three times and not received one.
We have also asked for a letter to be signed by the dentist attesting to the fact that the receptionist sent the $200 bill to collection AFTER we had attempted to pay by phone and left a message. She did not read the messages. We are afraid that years after the dentist retires, my daughter may be haunted by this charge. However, the receptionist has not followed through on this either.
We have also asked that the Collection Agency send us something to the effect that the charge is not part of my daughter's record. the receptionist said there is no way to get in touch with the agency.
As I type this, I cannot believe that we are putting up with this service. The dentist herself is excellent.
There are only two good dentists in the area. I have been appalled by the quality of very expensive service provided by dentists in the area. Our previous dentist was--we now realize--negligent in many ways. So we have been willing to try to stay with a very good dentist within walking distance of our house.
Are we crazy?
Custom Search
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
6 comments:
I don't think your crazy and I can understand that it's worth it to put up with some shoddy customer service for the sake of an excellent dentist, but this is ridiculous! I don't have much experience with this, except for a similar debacle with our mortgage company that was eventually resolved, but I'm wondering if you could try your local Better Business Bureau. A for-profit dental office IS a business, right?
"Your" ugh. Of course I meant "you're."
Yes, the collection issue could haunt your daughter for a few years and will probably impact her credit score. But she is only 22 and has time on her side. I would contact your state dental association or the state's professional licensing bureau to see if there is another recourse with the dentist. There is also to possibility that the accounting within the DDS office is shoddy at best and maybe much more. You need to create a paper trail going forward to see what resolution or redress is available. I would, however, look for another DDS elsewhere, even if a bit of a drive (medical mileage may be tax deductible by the way). I get itemized documents spelling out future procedures (new crown, etc.) all the time. Someone pushes a button on the computer and out it comes on the printer. Easy peasy. What really is suspicious to me is the "no way to contact the collection agency." Then how did the DDS/staff contact it to begin with?? Bullpuckies!
I just Googled top DDS in NOLA and found several lists. Some additional research needs to be done but I would not spend $5,000 on dental work for which I could not get an itemized statement before any procedures are down. There are consumer-generated lists that also rate DDS offices. Good luck.
Can't Miss Em can also check her credit reports and then write them to include a statement that she disputes that entry--that it was someone else's dental work? Work the problem from both ends that way.
@PC, Dotsy,mj--Thank you all for your supportive comments and suggestions. See today's post for the newest episode of the saga--unbelievably, the dentist fired us (a blessing in disguise, I think) but a certified letter of unknown contents is awaiting us at the post office.
Post a Comment