God forbid, you should break a crown while on holiday.
In the event, there will be a frenzied attempt to track down a dentist to remedy a quick fix.
A scan of the local yellow pages may turn up several options - the most likely being - an appointment with a dental works giant Western Dental.
Personally, I’d run the other way!
After all - Western Dental is a dishonest rip-off outfit - more interested in extracting cash from their clients than providing professional dental care.
The complaints are numerous - and run the gamut - from shoddy dental work, to bogus charges, personal injury, illegal access to credit reports, and harassment.
One patient confided in me that he dashed into a local dental office and was promptly plunked down in a high-chair (uncomfortable as hell) where a flurry of preliminary services were conducted.
First, the dental assistant took an unusual number of x-rays (racking up charges left-and-right), then, proceeded to give a run-down of costs to carry out the procedures.
In spite of the fact, the client only wanted to have the loose crown reinstalled with glue.
“It will just fall out in six months. So, you should get a replacement,” the dentist alleged matter-of-fact.
At this juncture, the assistant glided in - gave a quote - and pointed out that reasonable finance plans were available at low interest rates.
A contract was produced, the sedated patient signed it without the opportunity to read the terms and conditions, and the dentist proceeded to scoop up the crown that fell out and drop it casually in his lab coat pocket.
When the patient noted he would like to keep the old crown - in case of another emergency - the dentist hesitated before returning it to the puzzled patient.
The patient’s antennae shot up.
Was the dentist actually going to re-tool the old crown and charge the patient for a new one?
Uh-huh!
At this juncture, the assistant scurriec in, and informed the patient that since the credit score was low, the terms of the dental contract would have to be changed.
Western Dental now required a larger deposit and higher monthly payments.
Say what?
The patient hadn’t given any permission for the dental staff to access his credit report!
The dentist proceeded to clean the teeth without asking the patient for the go-ahead first, or disclosing the cost of the treatment.
During the strenuous process, the dentist broke the skin inside the patient’s mouth - at which point - he started to bleed profusely to the frustration of the dentist who realized he would be in deep sh** if the source of the problem was revealed.
“The bleeding is normal,” he assured the alarmed patient.
Then, when crafting and installing the temporary crown, the dentist cracked a second existing crown which would now need repair, too.
The unscrupulous incompetent dentist does not reveal this unfortunate turn of events to the chair-bound victim.
The patient only learns about the injury when he returns home and inspects his mouth for the fist time (after the anesthetic wears off and he starts to experience severe pain).
What a disaster!
For good reason, the patient drafts a letter to upper-level management at Western Dental, points out the injuries and sloppy dental work, and summarily notices the dental giant that he is cancelling the contract and does not intend to return for any dental work in the future for obvious reasons.
In response, Western Dental proceeds to send a series of threatening and harassing notices demanding payments and that the patient honor their contract.
This one appears to be heading towards the courts.
Just another typical day at Western Dental?
You bet!
