During a routine visit at Aspen Dental, I had been having extreme pain. The office Manager Susan automatically assumed I needed a root canal. There were no questions asked and a price was given and a rushed appoitment. The problem was I was asked to pay 1800 dollars, when they were not even sure if i even really needed a root canal. I explained to the manage Susan that I was not sure if i would be able to do that on the spot I do not have 1800 dollars in my back pocket. I need to speak to my husband because that a large amount of money then I will let you know if I can make the appointment. So I canceled the appointment within the hour they gave me the appointment.

I returned to the office a few days later now having the funds but, there were no appointments available until the 24 of February.

I accepted the date. Soon after I was told that I had to pay the 1800 dollars in full today to whole the appointment. I was a bit confused because I never paid before an appointment to hold my spot. Then Susan said she just wants to make sure I mean business. After this was said I was so insulted because, I was a consistant customer. So I left with a prescription and rigt before they gave me novacane shot . The dentist did not explain no side effects after shot and sent me on my way. On my home while driving I realized my eye was not blinking. In a freak panic I turned round back to Aspen Dental. When arrived they had me wait and told me this happens often. Don't worry . Again confused on my this was not explained to me.

I went to get a secound opinion and found out that I actually did not need a root canal, the problem was that one tooth was not hormonious with my top tooth. Meaning all I needed was my tooth filed down. Thank goodness I was smart enough not to go back. I was wondering how can I go further in getting this place inspected?

Aspen Dental is guilty of shoddy work, poor service and fraudulent billing. I know from experience. I think they build extended problems onto existing ones and create additional dental problems for patients.

My daughter is neither a middle-aged nor an elderly person. She visits the dentist regularly. She doesn't have the strongest teeth, however, almost every single filling that had been done has had to be replaced or fell out within weeks or a few months of being placed.

I have grave concerns over what they have done to my teenage daughter.

In addition, their billing practices are fraudulent and their extortive behaviour of using fear installation in patients to make them think they are ALL in dire dental health is not only questionable "ethics wise" but questionable on their expertise? And legally.

I have proof from their own hand that they don't mind at all trying to rebill for "old charges" that are paid in full and clear.

I have printouts from Aspen Dental in which they entered discount rates I was entitled to through careington 505, insurance payments from my one insurance at the time and personal payments that showed specific dates of service and procedures done including the codes for them.

Then, a year later, they took specific charges and rebilled them to a second INSURANCE I acquired. Never mind, they had been paid what they were allowed under their contract with Careington and BC/BS.

Not only is this illegal, it is fraudulent.

In other cases, they only filed on my secondary insurance initially. Put the remaining amounts on "my responsibility payment" part. Later collecting payment from my primary insurance, NOT CREDITING THESE PAYMENTS TO MY ACCOUNT and then posting as my having a balance due not crediting BC/BS payments to my account.

In other words, they probably owe me a little bit as I most likely overpaid them for services rendered in the end. It was not until the tailend of having had enough "shoddy and possibly malpractice work" done for my daughter that I realized what was going on.

I also am under the impression they charged for a couple of fillings they never did.

It amazes me the people who do the insurance billing work have the nerve to think No One Would catch this. And on top of it, knowing a majority of their dentists are not properly certified, let alone registered with a lot of the insurances.

Then, they go back and look at where they take big hits on discounts and I think they look for patients whose insurances have changed and try to bilk the insurance companies and if that doesn't work, take the denial of benefits letters and try to make the patients think these are charges that are simply not covered on the patients insurance, but that the patient is still responsible for, knowing that this is illegal.

What disgusts me is all the advertising they do on how non-judgmental they are and how they care. That alone is false advertisement. Their prices if you have no insurance are ludicrous and more than double what insurance companies allow, so those without insurance get screwed and are lured/forced into acquiring medium to high interest rate financial programs if they are to get treated for their dental problems.

Usually, Aspen Dental requires you to pay at least half up front and if you get approved by unicorn or care, then they place all the fees on the "financing" on these accounts upfront meaning they collect the entire payment before work is done! This also is questionable at least ethically.

Once, they collect the entire costs upfront, they don't care if the work done is satisfactory or appropriate. And, try getting refunded if you're not satisfied or the work is shoddy.

They can argue a lot, but to try billing insurances that were not in effect at time of services rendered and those services already having been paid in full is fraud. Fraud. There is no way they are unaware of what they did.

I have the printout from their own computer showing paid in full DOS and then they sent in claims a year and a half later to an insurance that was not in effect at the time.

She has had 5 fillings replaced either by them or a new dentist that were in her mouth anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to less than 2 years.

You tell me...am I wrong to be pissed?

Going to file complaints with the ADA and Attorney Generals in Connecticut, Massachusetts. Offices in both these states in 3 locations are a part of this.

However, I will never step in the doorway of Aspen Dental again. Unless I am with a lawyer.

I cannot put the city because there are two states and three cities involved in the total story. All 3 offices of course, Aspen Dental.

I have proof of their fraud. Not simply my word, but their print outs in combination with my EOB's from dental insurance with one company and am going to request 3 years of EOB copies from my other insurance.

In addition to that, almost every single filling that they did on my teenage daughter came out within weeks and months of the work being done. Not normal and I don't care what they say.

I think they have done damage to her longterm. This bothers me a great deal.

Their billing practices border on extortion in some instances, but definitely fraudulent.

I have kept an open line of communication with the NY office, however, recently realized that for almost two years they kept a running tab on charges that had been paid in full, filing on them with an insurance company whose coverage we later acquired. Never mind these DOS had been paid in full...per their own hand and printout.

In two instances, they did not file with my primary, only my secondary and then billed it out. I paid what they said I owed outside of insurance, knowing it did not sound right, then when they received funds from my primary...did not credit my account.

In the end, they probably owe me a little.

However, the repeat billing of different dates of service they had already been paid for, is not something that they could be unaware of.

They also use fear tactics with patients in regards to their dental care, which results in patients resorting to applying to dental financing and paying upfront for work that may or may not need to be done at overinflated prices.

Those who go to Aspen Dental without insurance get screwed in more ways than you can count.

In addition, Aspen Dental does not seem to think they have to follow the rules and guidelines of the insurances in which they are PDP on.

I am so outraged by the discoveries I have made I intend to contact the ADA and the Attorney Generals for Ct and Massachusetts...and maybe a lawyer as well and recover for all I paid them for work that was not properly done on my daughter.

I went to Aspen dental because i had a cracked tooth... after they did the x-rays and I waited for quiet some time, I finally saw the dentist... after he told me how lucky i was to have my teeth, he said that he could fix my tooth (at another appointment), but first i needed to talk with the office manager to make arrangements for the portion that my insurance company would not pay. So i went into her office, and she gave me this long list of dental work that i was told needed done... and that they would bill my insurance around 7000 and i would need to pay around 5000 out of pocket... i quickly found that they were trying to "get one over on me" and asked for my x-rays and I left... the next day I saw a local dentist in my town (although not on my insurance plan) and he fixed my cracked tooth, and found nothing else wrong and i paid $126. ASPEN DENTAL IS A BIG RIP OFF ... BEWARE!!!

Where do I even start? Unprofessional receptionist with no knowledge of forms available on the website, was not able to use coupon on website even though a co-worker (and boyfriend) were able to...under 21 WITH dental insurance, 10 root canals, $12, 000+ to fix everything, 3 appointments per root canal, rude dentists, etc etc. I could write for days!!!

If you're even thinking about coming here, think again. They will take your money!!!