Valley Pediatric Dentistry

I find myself writing this letter in regards to the service that was witnessed as well as provided by Valley Pediatric Dentistry on November 13, 2015 at approximately 0925. This was a stressful time for my wife and I, mainly due to the fact that our 17-Month-Old daughter was about to undergo anesthesia for a procedure at this establishment. Now, dont get me wrong, the entire time we were in the lobby my nerves were on end, and up until we left that place, Ive done my best to mind my own damn business, stay out of others, and keep my composure, until now.Everything began immediately after our arrival to our check-in. Our appointment was originally scheduled for 1040, which later turned in to 0930 and advised to show up early to finalize any paperwork. Upon our arrival, we noticed a mother, and possibly her father in the waiting room waiting on their child to be done with their procedure. Said child came out, and was immediately coddled by whom I believe to be grandpa, while Mom went to the counter to handle the bill.Now, this mother, confidently approached the desk, with her debit card in hand ready to pay what she believed was agreed upon, Im assuming, at the consultation.Unbeknownst to her, she was told her $200 deposit she had agreed to pay prior to the procedure, which secured her appointment had yet to be charged to her card, and she was now obligated to pay for the entire anesthesia cost, which ended up being $800. Obviously caught off guard, the woman began to play it cool and try to reason with the receptionist that an agreement was made to pay a certain amount, albeit the original estimate spoken about by the dentist/anesthesiologist etc There was an obvious receptionist in training, and a receptionist who may I add, was the most unprofessional person I have ever encountered.As stated earlier. I mind my own business, and stay out of others. That is, until I hear something that strikes a chord with possibly pertaining to my family. I overheard what was happening with this woman and began to look at my wife and wonder if we were about to be in the same situation as the woman in front of us. My wife looked back at me, obviously concerned for my daughter, oblivious to what I had just heard, and when I asked her, she had stated that she hadnt seen any charges for the $200 deposit for anesthesia which would secure our appointment we had both agreed upon being charged at OUR consultation, either. Needless to say, we were in it now. My daughter was taken to the back, my wife and I both helped secure her so the anesthesiologist could administer the gas mask, and after about 30 seconds, she was asleep. We were asked to wait outside in the lobby, which we did.The entire time outside we were on edge. Originally, at our consultation we were told it would be a total of 30 minute, basically filling cavities type of procedure. As the minutes ticked past the 30 minutes mark, we were not given any type of update from anybody, as to the status of our daughter. We both grew more and more concerned. Me, still stewing on how the front desk had handled the patients family before us, and also not being told what was going on, but hey, no news is good news right?After approximately and hour and fifteen minutes, the dentist came out and with a smile, reassuringly advised us everything was alright, my daughter was doing good, and rather than what was briefed at the consultation, the procedure ended up being more than they expected. While she was under they ended up installing caps on my daughters four front teeth.Now, comes the bill for me. Go figure, it was the exact same situation as the patient before me. At the time of consultation, we were provided a form, which required credit card information, which was to be charged $200, to secure our appointment with the anesthesiologist. The woman behind the desk gave me the exact same scripted line she gave the patient in front of me. We didnt charge your card, the form was just necessary to secure your appointment. I simply asked why didnt you charge my card, thats what I believed was agreed upon by signing and giving you the card information. She rudely responded no, it was explained where in which I cut her off saying that there is obviously some sort of miscommunication, because the lady in front of me just had the same issue, and she retorted with, no, her card didnt work. All in all, my original quote for anesthesia was $400.00. We ended up paying $700 out of pocket at the time of service because this facility failed to provide us with a more accurate estimate. Had I been informed that I should bring upwards of $800 I would not be writing this letter. There are definitely issues that need addressed here. Whether it is the dentists providing a more detailed examination at the original consultation, or the secretaries doing a better job at handling customer issues, I dont know. What I do know is I plan to get the word out about the way this establishment conducts business.Desired SettlementEnsure all staff are trained in some form of customer relations and how to operate in a professional environment.Business Response In response to the complaint by [redacted], Valley Pediatric Dentistry would like to apologize for any misunderstanding. We also understand, due to the circumstances of why Mr. & [redacted] along with their 17 month old daughter were at Valley Pediatric Dentistry, would make for a very stressful and emotional time in their lives. With this in mind I believe that there were many facts that were over looked or forgotten about by the [redacted] Family. All financial paperwork reviewed and signed by the responsible party ie: Mr [redacted], is clearly marked as an ESTIMATE. This consists of multiple forms, not only for the Dental Treatment cost, but also the Anesthesia Fees which are based on an estimated length of time for the procedure. Being that Valley Pediatric Dentistry has a private, Licensed Anesthesiologist, the Anesthesia fees as well as the Anesthesia deposit are collected/processed by the Anesthesia provider, not Valley Pediatric Dentistry. In this complaint, [redacted] also forgot to mention that our highly qualified, Licensed Pediatric Dentist, [redacted], DMD. explained the procedure to them at both the initial evaluation weeks prior to the procedure as well as prior to the procedure, the day of. Once the procedure had began, Dr. [redacted] once again spoke to Mr. & Mrs. [redacted] to update them on the status of their young childs' dental situation. Had [redacted] expressed his dissatisfaction/concerns while in the office of Valley Pediatric Dentistry, I believe that his issue and misunderstandings would have been resolved with an uneventful conclusion with all parties involved being satisfied.Ultimately, the purpose of Valley Pediatric Dentistry is to treat every patient with the utmost care and provide the best treatment possible.