Nicholas Dental Care Aaron A. Nicholas, D.D.S., PA Trying to overcharging me by $3950.00, Not finishing the dental work in my mouth , Asking me to leave he office and not to come back, Not taking my calls or not answering my calls when leaving messages with his staff. Burtonsville Maryland
Back in August of 2013 I set up an appointment with my dentist office to get a cost on my lower bottom
teeth. After Dr. Nicholas examined me along with a full mouth and bottom jaw x-ray he then determined
one of three treatment plans. The doctor directed me to one of his staff members (Megan) ‘’ her job was
to help pick the right plan and send it to my insurance company for approval’’ this took a couple of weeks.
The dentist office called me in to go over the cost of the treatment plan and to show me what my insurance
Company would pay. By now we were late into the year ( end of September ?) Megan the dentist office staff
That did all the insurance and patient treatment cost. My insurance (Aetna) and myself knew the exact cost
would be. She wrote up my proposed treatment plan showing exactly all the work (each procedure that
would be done and the cost of each procedure) along with what my insurance (Aetna) would pay. I then
sign the treatment plan and we started scheduling my appointments. I told the staff (Megan) that I have
a (Heath Hub credit card through my insurance and work that allows me up to $2,000.00 for the year of
2013.
I ask her that I needed to do some of the work before the year run out. Megan knew what this heath
Hub credit card was and set up my appointment on December 27, 2013. I was going to use $1,500.00 for
The 2013 year and in January of 2014 I would have a new card with $2,500.00 to use. This way I would have
$4,000.00 going to my bill of $6076.00. The week of my appointment the dentist office staff (Megan) called
me and said that the doctor will be on vacation that whole week and would not be back till the second week
of January 2014. She told me that she will need to reschedule my appointment. I ask her what about the money
on my heath hub credit card that I needed to spend by December 31, 2013 or I would loss all my money that I
saved on it all year for this treatment plan. Megan said for me not to worry that she had talked with the doctor
and my insurance and that it will be fine because the plan was wrote up and signed back in September 2013.
She schedules an appointment in January 14, 2014. At that time of month I paid $1,500.00 on my hub card
and the work was started. The doctor ask me if I can hold on for about three hours or so that he would be able
to finish all the teeth extractions and the implants that day. ‘’ I agreed and the doctor finished most of the service.
I need to wait for 6 to 8 months before the doctor could finish with my lower plant. While I was waiting for my
Mouth to heal my insurance notified me about the 1500.00 I used on my hub card in 2013 would have to be
Put back on the card because the work was not done in that year. The dentist office agreed that they made the
Mistake and they would take off $1,500.00 from my treatment plan if I would agree to let them start setting
up a second treatment plan on my upper jaw with implants when this treatment plan for my bottom jaw is finished.
Around November I had an appointment schedule to finish up all the work. I owed around 2185.00 left on the
treatment plan. So I can back in on my schedule appointment day and while I was waiting to see the doctor
a new staff member ask me if I would be paying off the bill today. I say that I can pay now while I was waiting.
I paid $2,000.00 on my hub credit card and just before I pulled a second credit card out to pay the remainder
Of $185.00 this new staff member said that I still had a balance of $3,880.00 and that I would need to pay
That amount before I would be able to see the doctor. We both started to get loud and then she ask me to
Leave and not to come back again. I tried to call Megan and call to speak with the doctor but they would
Not put me through to him.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Nicholas Dental Care
Burtonsville,Maryland,
USA
You left out a few details
#3REBUTTAL Owner of company
Sat, August 06, 2016
First let me say that no matter who is right or wrong I would never want someone to have such a negative experience in my office. I became a dentist to help people, not to create more problems in their lives. For this reason alone, I have already offered you a refund, but you have chosen not to respond to my phone calls or letters.
That being said there are numerous inaccuracies in this complaint. Some of them are of the “what was actually said, by who and when was it said” variety. However, most of this complaint seems to stem from a misunderstanding as to how insurance works and the insurance company’s rules and requirements for payment.
My staff is very good with helping patients follow the “rules” to get maximum benefit from their insurance. However, once a plan is set, changing things (like treatment options or keeping appointments in a calendar year) can change how an insurance company will pay for treatment. You did both of these things and were advised, at the time, as to how it would affect both treatment outcome and finances.
Also, you did get to talk to me numerous times. We had a number of face-to-face meetings. During each of those meetings I thought we had come to an agreement.
However, later, at yet another meeting that you had requested, you were asked to leave only after you became loud and aggressive with one of my employees. I’m sorry, but my staff’s safety is non-negotiable.
Following that meeting, I could see that we just weren’t going to be able to come to any agreement. So we contacted you by phone and letter offering a refund, but you have yet to respond to either other than posting this complaint.
The ball is -still- in your court.
Tyg
Pahrump,Nevada,
USA
Wrong way....
#3General Comment
Thu, May 07, 2015
In your tale of woe I noticed a few things. First, the dentists office and thier staff seem on the ball. THEY did everything by the book. It was YOUR PLAN to use up that money. Unfortunatly due to circumstances beyond thier control YOUR PLAN fell flat on YOUR face. So YOUR POST is LESS about ANY ripoff and MORE about that YOU didnt get your way. Sorry but YOU were trying to maximize YOUR capitol and it just didnt happen. Then when it comes to payment YOU show EXACTLY what type of person YOU really are. Ok so YOU disagreed with how much was owed. THAT does NOT give YOU the right to be abusive OR agressive. We ALL KNOW that YOU got heated and started verbally attacking the poor office staff that has bent over backwards to assist YOU. Way to show YOUR appreciation at all the hard work THEY have done for YOU. YOU blew up at the messanger instead of addressing the issue with the CORRECT party. THAT would have been something to address with the INSURANCE COMPANY. So YOU go and threaten them and show your rump to someone who is JUST giving YOU information. YOU were in the WRONG!! THEY are RIGHT to kick YOU out and to no longer deal with YOU.