San Marcos Dental Group

Dear Revdex.com,
Thank you for your email
and brining this to our attention.  We
have been in touch with Ms. [redacted] and pleased to report that we
have come to a resolution in which satisfied all parties involved. 
To protect Patient Privacy
we are not able to give...

specifics on her Dental Treatment; however, we can
consider this situation resolved in the patients favor.
Thank you for your time.
Best Regards,
[redacted], Operations
Manager

Review: We have a contract to adjust teeth for my son for $997.00 co-insurance pay. I agree to pay $580.00 down payment + $34.75 per month for 12 months. However, beside what are being paid, my AMEX and HSA (Health Savings Account) and maybe insurance company as well were charged additional money without authorization. My wife and I have been trying to resolve this issue thru phone and face to face several times without success.

$580.00 was charged twice on AMEX on 09/30/13 and again on HSA (Health Savings Account) on 10/20/2013.

$110.00 was charged to AMEX without authorization on 11/11/13.

$110.00 + $74.00 + $210.50 were charged to HSA without authorization on 11/20/13.

$222.80 was charged to HSA without authorization on 11/25/13.Desired Settlement: $580.00 refund to AMEX.

$110.00 refund to AMEX.

$110.00 + $74.00 + $210.50 refund to HSA.

$222.80 refund to HSA.

Business

Response:

Dear

Revdex.com;

This letter is

in response to your complaint received on March 10, 2014 concerning Billing transactions in

the office of San Marcos Dental Group on 9/30/13, 10/18/13, and 11/11/13.

Review: Since August 27, 2013, I have been attempting to have a $1857 charge to my [redacted] card removed because I rescinded authority to charge prior to the charge being submitted and for invalid services provided. $750 was removed on August 27 (after many emails and telephone calls on the same day) but $1107 remains which is improper. Within 5 minutes of existing the San Marcos Dental Group office I called to cancel all services with San Marcos Dental Group (DBA for NOSTI AND REAGAN DENTAL CORPORATION) and sent emails. I received the following email in return: "Hello [redacted]; "I did call the number below you've provided and the representative [redacted] confirmed that [redacted] Health Care is your Medical Plan, not Dental Plan. You are insured with [redacted] Health Care and they provide members like yourself with a dental supplemental benefit. This sometimes leads to different insurance carriers. In this case, yours is [redacted] Dental through [redacted]. Feel free to call the number I provided you in my previous email to call [redacted] Dental yourself to verify. Thank you, [redacted]." This was a deliberate falsehood in attempts to hide the issues which is improper service and attempts to bill us for $1107 without contacting [redacted] Health Care. San Marcos Dental Group is listed as our Dental Medicare Provider and they are sent $ every month to be available to us at certain prices. The Credit Card company (two calls with representatives and [redacted]) indicate that as a bank they can only rely on the information that San Marcos Dental Group sent which is incorrect information. I do not have a crown and [redacted] stated that San Marcos Dental Group (DBA for NOSTI AND REAGAN DENTAL CORPORATION) in their documentation to support their billing of me stated that I have a crown and that San Marcos Dental Group contacted [redacted] Health Care, our Medicare Insurance Provider which is not true. I do not have a crown and I just talked with [redacted] Health Plan again this morning and they state that this dental office is our dental provider in our [redacted] Health Plan. What is the reason for this continued dispute? I am at a loss to understand when this corporation is in the network and assigned as my dental provider. I formally request a written resolution to this matter be remitted to me at the address above.Desired Settlement: I do not have a crown and no crown was made during the time I was in the office or within the 5 minutes after I existed. I called immediately to cancel all future services. The Credit Card company (two calls with representatives and [redacted]) indicate the information provided to [redacted] by NOSTI AND REAGAN DENTAL CORPORATION (San Marcos Dental Group) was erroneous. I desire this information to be corrected and that I be charged no more than the amount that NOSTI AND REAGAN DENTAL CORPORATION (San Marcos Dental Group) has contracted with [redacted] Health Care to charge me. [redacted] Health Care has no record of NOSTI AND REAGAN DENTAL CORPORATION (San Marcos Dental Group) contacting their offices about me but do show that they are my dental provider.

Business

Response:

Thank you Revdex.com for bringing this to our attention. We have been in contact with the patient to reslove this matter.

Dear [redacted];

This is our 3rd attempt to try resolving this issue with you. We first responded to your email on August 27th 2013 explaining your rendered treatment and services with Dr [redacted] and second a phone call was made to you on August 28th which you refused to talk with us, however; your wife spoke on your behalf.

This is a final response to your recent request for a refund for the monies paid towards the crown on tooth number 15. As you are aware, you were seen on August 27, 2013 on an emergency basis relative to tooth number 15. Clinical examination and radiographic exam revealed recurrent decay existing on tooth 15 and existing crown. We advised you that although the tooth had a good prognosis for a new crown the tooth needed root canal therapy before the cementation of the permanent crown. A new crown was prepared, a crown was temporarily seated and you were given a referral for a root canal. Upon completion of the root canal therapy we would cement your permanent restoration. You elected and consented to have these services performed on August 27, 2013. At that time you also were advised that without the root canal the crown could not be permanently seated.

Shortly after you left on the same day, your wife called the office and requested monies paid to the office in the amount of $1857.00 be reversed. We notified your wife that treatment had already been rendered and the only treatment not rendered was the root canal. You prepaid $750.00 for the root canal and we reversed this charge that same day. The $1,107.00 is still a valid transaction. Attached is our response to carecredit for your dispute and all your dental records including x-rays. The point of contact for your Dental Insurance ([redacted] DENTAL) is 866-261-4275 and spoke with supervisor [redacted] on August 28, 2013. [redacted] has also concluded that the dispute you filed with them is closed and came back in our favor and the charges were valid.

Therefore, your request for a refund is denied. However, should you wish to return to our office to review your treatment options we would be happy to assist you.

In closing, you had agreed to complete the treatment and root canal therapy necessary to allow permanent cementation of the crown on tooth number 15. However, you are opting out to not to comply with your diagnoses and completing root canal therapy required before the permanent restoration. Your request for a full refund is denied. If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact me at (760) 746-2045.

Respectfully,

Dr [redacted] and [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

Complaint #[redacted] submitted on 9/11/2013

Review: My family and I went to this dentist for the first time in several years. We had previously had routine cleanings from another dentist in another area. When we returned to San Marcos Dental, we were told that we needed several types of additional work on our teeth which in total amounted to $5-10k depending upon various factors. Maybe our old dentist missed something or maybe they were trying to scam us, I'm not sure. But I did feel very uncomfortable and felt they were pushing the services on us. I politely said no and said we would think about it. I was not told that anything was due at that time. A few months later I received a bill for $50. When I called they said it was part of my deductible. I then received another bill for $23, again supposedly for our deductible. I paid the bill on April 17th, but was sent to collections. My bank shows it was cashed on April 29th. Since April 29th, I've received two more letters from the collection agency. I called San Marcos Dental after I received the first letter and they agreed that they received a payment from me and said they just hadn't notified the collection service yet. A month later I received another letter and I called again. It's still not resolved and I'm worried my credit will be affected.Desired Settlement: I want this cleared from the collection agency and I would like assurance that my credit has not been affected. I would also like to see a policy in place that notifies the patient that a payment is due at the time the services are performed, not months after.

Business

Response:

To whom

it may concern;

Review: I chose to come to this office because the dentist I wanted to see participates with my Medicare Dental HMO plan..

He is my "primary care dentist". I came to him with tooth #8 broken at the root and dangling dangerously in the front of my mouth. It required immediate attention. I asked only to have the tooth extracted and a temporary put in it's place. He said it was impossible to do without preparing the entire arch for a bridge from 6-11. I didn't want to go home with a hole in the front of my mouth and besides I knew teeth 9 and 10 were compromised

He showed me my teeth and went over options 'til my eyes glossed over. I could barely see the screen. I wear glasses and I'm almost 69 years of age. I agreed the bridge was probably the best option if I didn't want a partial so I asked if he would do a 6 unit PFM 3 abutment and 3 pontic with porcelain margins. He refused saying he didn't do that. His best option was to do the extractions with bone grafts on 8-10 and a full BLUBLOC bridge on 6-11. He sent me off with Nadyne the insurance coordinator to discuss fees. After much haggling and her interpretation of my insurance fee schedule I agreed to the most expensive bridge they offer and was required to pay $6,111.00 in advance for all services.Since receiving the extractions and bone grafts on the first visit facts have emerged in my research and due diligence that cause me concern enough to ask to leave the practice to have my bridge completed elsewhere. I have obtained 4 second opinions none of which support the use of emax material for anything over 3 units. Now Dr. [redacted] agrees to the PFM with porcelain margins but refuses to honor my insurance fee schedule or to fix my broken temporaryuntil after his office completes a benefits review with my dental insurance that could take 2-4 weeks.Desired Settlement: San Marcos Dental and Pacific Dental Services follow a business model that had I known of in advance I'd have NEVER allowed them to treat me. I want OUT.

I am willing to pay for the extractions and bone grafts and even something for the prep work Dr. [redacted] did on teeth 6-11 just to get away from them, about $1400. Dr. [redacted] offered me 25% of $6,000 and he hasn't even taken a final impression or sent anything to the lab. Only prepped two teeth for the temporary that needed to be in place for the bone grafts to heal in 4-6 weeks anyway. I want a refund for the undelivered bridge I paid nearly $800.00 a unit for. That comes to about $4600.00. I gave Dr. [redacted] a written proposal to this effect and his reply was that it would have to be submitted to the office manager meanwhile he enticed me back into the office to supposedly repair my broken temporary which he then refused to do after I refused the BLU BLOC Bridge. I submit [redacted] a supervisor with Blue Shield benefits department confirmed my eligibility for a PFM bridge at the close of business yesterday and it was unreasonable for this office to withhold treatment.

Business

Response:

Dear Revdex.com,