Lindsay
03-16-2007, 11:29 AM
Smile Care is a large dental/orthodontic/oral surgery clinic on the corner of West 9th and Stony Point Rd (right next to the Stony Point Grill).
My insurance company sent me to this place to get my wisdom teeth out. I cannot express in words how completely disgusted I am with this company. My treatment was beyond sub-par. This place is best described as a butcher. Or, when I am feeling generous, a chop shop.
I have moderately severe TMJ (lockjaw). I had four impacted wisdom teeth exacerbating the TMJ and causing serious pain throughout my mouth because of the crowding issues. They told me that the surgery was going to exacerbate my TMJ and that I would probably be in a lot of pain. They did not go over any options with me to have my teeth removed in stages, and they refused to give me stronger pain medication than regular Vicodin. Also they only gave me 20 Vicodin, which is enough for about 24 hours *if your pain is minor to moderate* which mine was/is not.
Their bedside mannar left a lot to be desired. It was clear that I was just a number to them. This I do not blame on them as they are a large clinic and I do understand that it can be hard to give individualized attention when you have so much to do. Still, I think they could have been a lot more sensitive to my needs and fears about the surgery. Basicly, they simply went over the risks and that was that. They also told me to pump and dump which is ridiculous -LOTS of nursing women I've known have gotten their wisdom teeth removed without any problems, and general anisthesia is not contradicted in nursing (what do you think women who have emergency C sections do?)
After it was done (I essentially blinked and it was over, there was no counting from 100, no warning before they put me out), they stuck me in a wheelchair and sent me on my way. They did not make a post operative appointment for me, or tell me I needed one. They did not go over aftercare with me, they merely handed a sheet to my husband which I just happened to come across after I came home -and not before I laid down for a minute and rinsed my mouth a little, before I was supposed to.
Once I was home, I took two Vicodin still hoping it would be enough. When the Novacaine started to wear off, the pain was so intense all I could do was cry. I couldn't even drink a milkshake it hurt so bad to even open my mouth. I spent the next few hours at Kaiser getting stronger pain medication, which thankfully my regular doctor was kind enough to give me.
Since then, I have been recovering very slowly. The swelling didn't go down until late yesterday afternoon. I've been running a fever. The pain is only manageable because I am taking Percocet every 4 hours, and 800mg of Ibuprofen every 6, and icing my face every hour. I even went to the ER at one point because I didn't know if it was normal to be in this much pain after 3 days (the people at Kaiser seemed to think it is normal).
So, I called my dentist who said they'd prefer to have me go back to Smile Care for a post Op appointment -you know, the one they were supposed to make for me but never did. I called Smile Care. They said they can't fit me in until Monday. I asked if I could be assured that it's safe to wait until Monday and they started aruging about why they can't see me until then, instead of answering my question. Then they said they'd "fit me in between surgeries" on Monday. EXCUSE ME? They won't even make a ****ing appointment for me? "No, we don't do that. There is time between the consultations and surgeries, but you may have to wait about a half hour." At that point I said plainly that I would not be coming back EVER.
I called my dentist and explained the situation, begging the receptionist not to send me back to that butcher! She was like, ok, we will see you, but your insurance may not cover it. That's fine, I'll pay full price to see my much more patient friendly private practice dentist. She asked that I get the x-rays from Smile Care. So I called Smile Care again, and they *refused to release the X RAYS to me* Which I am pretty sure is illegal. Their excuse is that they sent the x-rays to my insurance company, which probably IS true but I doubt that they didn't make a copy. And, if they didn't make a copy, that's simply incompetant. Seems to me you would always need to have a copy of x rays on file, should they get lost in the mail or who knows what.
Also Smile Care, when they called me to confirm my appointment, told me that my max co pay with my insurance plan was $300. In actuality it was $1500. The surgery co pay for me was $1,000. Who knows if they are lying or if I am getting screwed there too. Frankly I don't even want to pay them after the way they treated me, but my credit is already bad enough and the mere thought of having them calling me should my account ever go to collections makes me shudder.
So, long story short, Smile Care's practices are questionable at best. They are not competant, their bedside mannar is atrocious, their staff and receptionists are rude, they are unorganized, and frankly, I am worried about the safety of their patients. I cannot imagine how bad off I would be if I were not able to get the proper pain medicine from Kaiser. How would I take care of my children or function in my life if I were in that kind of pain all the time? The fact that they would do that to someone, without explaining to them just how bad it was going to be and then leave them high and dry after a surgery -no follow up care whatsoever -is absolutely shocking.
My insurance company sent me to this place to get my wisdom teeth out. I cannot express in words how completely disgusted I am with this company. My treatment was beyond sub-par. This place is best described as a butcher. Or, when I am feeling generous, a chop shop.
I have moderately severe TMJ (lockjaw). I had four impacted wisdom teeth exacerbating the TMJ and causing serious pain throughout my mouth because of the crowding issues. They told me that the surgery was going to exacerbate my TMJ and that I would probably be in a lot of pain. They did not go over any options with me to have my teeth removed in stages, and they refused to give me stronger pain medication than regular Vicodin. Also they only gave me 20 Vicodin, which is enough for about 24 hours *if your pain is minor to moderate* which mine was/is not.
Their bedside mannar left a lot to be desired. It was clear that I was just a number to them. This I do not blame on them as they are a large clinic and I do understand that it can be hard to give individualized attention when you have so much to do. Still, I think they could have been a lot more sensitive to my needs and fears about the surgery. Basicly, they simply went over the risks and that was that. They also told me to pump and dump which is ridiculous -LOTS of nursing women I've known have gotten their wisdom teeth removed without any problems, and general anisthesia is not contradicted in nursing (what do you think women who have emergency C sections do?)
After it was done (I essentially blinked and it was over, there was no counting from 100, no warning before they put me out), they stuck me in a wheelchair and sent me on my way. They did not make a post operative appointment for me, or tell me I needed one. They did not go over aftercare with me, they merely handed a sheet to my husband which I just happened to come across after I came home -and not before I laid down for a minute and rinsed my mouth a little, before I was supposed to.
Once I was home, I took two Vicodin still hoping it would be enough. When the Novacaine started to wear off, the pain was so intense all I could do was cry. I couldn't even drink a milkshake it hurt so bad to even open my mouth. I spent the next few hours at Kaiser getting stronger pain medication, which thankfully my regular doctor was kind enough to give me.
Since then, I have been recovering very slowly. The swelling didn't go down until late yesterday afternoon. I've been running a fever. The pain is only manageable because I am taking Percocet every 4 hours, and 800mg of Ibuprofen every 6, and icing my face every hour. I even went to the ER at one point because I didn't know if it was normal to be in this much pain after 3 days (the people at Kaiser seemed to think it is normal).
So, I called my dentist who said they'd prefer to have me go back to Smile Care for a post Op appointment -you know, the one they were supposed to make for me but never did. I called Smile Care. They said they can't fit me in until Monday. I asked if I could be assured that it's safe to wait until Monday and they started aruging about why they can't see me until then, instead of answering my question. Then they said they'd "fit me in between surgeries" on Monday. EXCUSE ME? They won't even make a ****ing appointment for me? "No, we don't do that. There is time between the consultations and surgeries, but you may have to wait about a half hour." At that point I said plainly that I would not be coming back EVER.
I called my dentist and explained the situation, begging the receptionist not to send me back to that butcher! She was like, ok, we will see you, but your insurance may not cover it. That's fine, I'll pay full price to see my much more patient friendly private practice dentist. She asked that I get the x-rays from Smile Care. So I called Smile Care again, and they *refused to release the X RAYS to me* Which I am pretty sure is illegal. Their excuse is that they sent the x-rays to my insurance company, which probably IS true but I doubt that they didn't make a copy. And, if they didn't make a copy, that's simply incompetant. Seems to me you would always need to have a copy of x rays on file, should they get lost in the mail or who knows what.
Also Smile Care, when they called me to confirm my appointment, told me that my max co pay with my insurance plan was $300. In actuality it was $1500. The surgery co pay for me was $1,000. Who knows if they are lying or if I am getting screwed there too. Frankly I don't even want to pay them after the way they treated me, but my credit is already bad enough and the mere thought of having them calling me should my account ever go to collections makes me shudder.
So, long story short, Smile Care's practices are questionable at best. They are not competant, their bedside mannar is atrocious, their staff and receptionists are rude, they are unorganized, and frankly, I am worried about the safety of their patients. I cannot imagine how bad off I would be if I were not able to get the proper pain medicine from Kaiser. How would I take care of my children or function in my life if I were in that kind of pain all the time? The fact that they would do that to someone, without explaining to them just how bad it was going to be and then leave them high and dry after a surgery -no follow up care whatsoever -is absolutely shocking.