Lake Erie Dental Don't go if you are on a budget (aka no dental insurance) Erie, Pennsylvania

1st of Oct, 2011 by User266406

I have health insurance but unfortunately, no dental. So I called around to price different dental offices, being very specific about just pricing for a cleaning, not an exam. Lake Erie Dental was one of the cheaper prices at 60 dollars so I decided to call back and make an appointment, once again being very clear that I just wanted a cleaning since I didn't have the insurance and would be paying out of pocket. Although the receptionist/secretary seemed a little "snobbish" to have to work with someone without insurance, she put me down for an appointment. Needless to say, I wasn't in the chair being cleaned for ten minutes when the hygenist (who was very nice and amiable) says that although I was only coming in for a cleaning their policy for new patients is that they must have an exam and x-rays. Obviously I wasn't expecting to be paying for x rays and an exam and she said that was no problem, they could do them today and then I could talk with the receptionist and they would bill me. She finished cleaning and then said the dentist would be in soon, but one of the receptionists came in and said, "So you didn't bring enough money to cover your visit today?" insinuating that I had come to scam their business when in fact, I had just come in for a cleaning. I said "Yes, I did bring enough, enough for my cleaning which was all I was scheduled for. But you can bill me for the rest of the services or I can leave without them being done; it doesn't matter to me either way though I would prefer not to have them done." The receptionist was extremely rude and said x rays were needed to see if I had cavities (which I knew not to be true. I have been to the dentist my whole life twice a year and only had x rays twice to see wisdom teeth. Dentists can see cavities without the use of an xray). I once again stated what I had said before and she huffily walked away. The dentist came in (Dr. Sambuchino) and although he seemed to be of a nice disposition, he tried to push the subject of x rays AND braces. Obviously I had known I needed braces before, but with no dental insurance, bringing the point up was moot. I was even made to sign a waiver saying that I didn't want the x rays...it was quite ridiculous. I'm still debating whether or not I should go to my next cleaning appointment because of how I was treated and made to feel like a thief by the receptionist and the ridiculous policies that I was not informed of when I made the appointment.

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