dentistry

[redbird]

I have been to the dentist, and my teeth are clean, and I have no idea what's going on with that practice.

When I asked the receptionist, he stepped away from his desk and quietly told me that the location will still be open, with new owners, but will be taking the same insurance and have the same staff. He still doesn't know when they will get my partial, but says that when it arrives, I can get it at the current location.

My hygienist, on the other hand, thinks the practice will be closing, with Saturday the last day. She gave me her cell phone number in case I want to see her on Saturdays on Trapelo Road, at one of the two practices they are officially referring people to.

When I stopped at his desk on my way out, the receptionist said "you're all set," which surprised me--he knows both that I've used up my insurance benefits for this year, and that I always get the fluoride paint, which insurance doesn't cover for adults. If they bill me later, I will deal with it, and if not, I'm not going to chase them down for it.

Comments

[otter]

Sounds like they're not communicating well amongst themselves

[gatheringrivers]

Might be some - but not all - of the staff are being kept by the new owners.

[redbird]

The weird part isn't that the hygienist won't be working there anymore.

The weird things are that the receptionist was clearly trying not to be overheard, and that he told me on the phone a couple of weeks ago that all the same staff would continue to be working in that office.

[kareina]

Reading that, I am wondering if the not charging you on the spot is because the receptionist intends to let the visit be lost in the shuffle of the transition, perhaps in spite to someone higher up in either the old or the new company?

[redbird]

That is definitely plausible.

Meanwhile, I am wondering how long I want to give them on this partial before asking for a refund if nothing happens. If I need to file a chargeback with the credit card, I have 60 days, and am supposed to at least ask for a refund first. It has now been 36 days, and Vitaly letting $300 or so maybe get.lost in the shuffle doesn't mean I am willing to pay five times that amount for nothing (sitting and having them make impressions for a partial I don't get would feel like paying for nothing).