Almost two months ago, on September 27, 2010, I went for my annual deep cleaning, scaling, to a dentist, Dr. Shawn Kumra, DDS, in Alexandria, VA, whose office was on Beauregard St., in Alexandria, VA. I had not seen before (chose him b/c he was nearby, and I got a discount flyer in the mail.) I had no dental insurance.

My Significant Other thought that Kumra charged me way too much .. thought that Kumra should have only charged me about $500 or $600 ( Kumra charged me, on the spot, after his services, I think $1,100..possibly a little more than that, for the cleaning and FIVE novocaine shots, that left my mouth number than it had EVER been, from ANY dentist in my life. Not only that, but he did not take any x-rays on that day, when I also mentioned to the receptionist that I had discomfort (pain) while drinking hot/cold liquids, so told her I thought I may have a cavity.

At the offices where Kumra practiced, after he cleaned my teeth, the receptionist asked me to fill out a card, when the procedure was over, told me they would send it to me for my next appointment (in a couple of months), and said that on that appointment, xrays would be included in the price you pay today (the $1,100 I paid.)

So far, I have received no card in the mail, since that first visit, regarding a next appointment.

I also thought it was "remiss" of Kumra to disregard what I had said about discomfort from drinking hot/cold liquids (that he didn't take x-rays that day, to see if I had any cavities.)

I looked Kumra's name up on the intranet, and I believe he has "moved" around, from city/town to city/town, in different practices in VA, and I believe I even found one address (possibly his former practice) for him, in Baltimore, MD.

Kumra is a young dentist, I think age 31 or thereabouts, very handsome, Indian (Hindu). Nice enough but I wondered about his credentials, even though his office looked fairly "swank" (not a "hole in the wall")

Since, (as of Nov. 28, 2010) I did not receive a card notifying me of my next appointment , I decided to ask a married couple, friends of mine in Maryland, who share a dental practice, what their price was for same service. Here was my friends' response:

Usually we do a full work-up including x-rays before we do any deep scaling to determine the stage of gum disease if any. I assume you called for a deep scaling only. (still should have x-rays from prev. dentist or new) Our cost for 4 quadrants (mouth is divided into 4 areas) of deep scaling is $800.(could be higher in that part of VA

So, I looked up the name Shawn Kumra, DDS on the net, and I found a web site about a legal case, I guess against him, possibly still pending, Case #121017

And in the on-line document, I found these words:

Ms. Ross reported that the committee found Dr. Kumra in violation of collecting payments directly from Patients A-Z and AA-PP for dental treatment which he embezzled. He deceived and/or defrauded patients and his employer by removing patients' records from the practice to conceal the fact that the patients had received treatment

Source:

This was/is probably Kumra's address, when I had my first appt. with him, on Sept. 27, 2010: 4810 Beauregard St, Alexandria, VA 22312-1709

The thing is, Kumra had me pay on the spot, for services. Alright. I did not have dental insurance, but I still wonder if he overcharged me, and why he did not take x-rays on that first day/visit, why he has not contacted me since then, for my next appointment, especially when he told me that my x-rays "would be included" in my next visit with him (two months later???), and he told me that the $1,100 (possibly more..I would have to find Visa bill) that I paid, would cover the cost of those x-rays he would take, for my next visit.

I REALLY wondered why he did not take x-rays on my first appointment with him, especially since I TOLD the receptionist that I was having discomfort (read: PAIN) in my right upper quadrant, whenever I drank cold and hot liquids, so I thought I had a cavity. I mean.. WHY WOULD A DENTIST WAIT FOR TWO MONTHS TO TAKE X-RAYS (WHICH HE SAID HE WOULD TAKE "LATER"..IN MY NEXT APPOINTMENT, TWO MONTHS FROM THEN, AND WHICH HE SAID WOULD BE "INCLUDED" AS "PAID FOR" WITH THE $1,100 I PAID ON THE SPOT, IN MY FIRST VISIT)?