I have been very careful maintaing my dental health over the years. I have sought top quality care and never had any major problems. In 2007 I joined a Humana HMO that included a "dental plan" administered by a company called "Carewell".
It included 2 annual cleanings and x-rays at NO CHARGE via Carewell at a Coast Dental facility.
I went to Coast Dental and:
1. They did not want to look at my complete x-rays which were 2 months old. They wanted to take their own at a charge of +$200.
2. I was told I had periodontal disease and needed a deep cleaning and additional (painful) treatments which would be about $1000.
I was told I MUST have special flouride treatments, a new electronic toothbrush, Rx mouthwash and Rx toothpaste which they would sell me.
3. My HMO pays for all Rx, so this "smelled fishy" and the dentist REFUSED to write an RX, demanding I buy the stuff from them. No way!
4. I was told that 2 recently installed crowns were improperly done and needed to be removed and replaced.
5. I was given a "treatment program" that includeed about $30,000 of dental work.
Upset, I contacted both my dentist and another to get 2 more opinions on the "issues" discovered at Coast Dental.
BOTH dentists concurred that I had NO PERIODONTAL DISEASE and that both restorations Coast had criticized were "just about perfect". Both dentists were adamant that my $30,000 "treatment plan" was totally bogus.
I complained to my agent at Humana who said many othere clients had the same problems but they were powerless to do anything. DUH....
I have made similar complaints (3) to Humana and Carewell in 18 months.
No satisfactory responses received.
STAY AWAY FROM ANY COAST DENTAL FACILITY.
My dental hygenist used to work at Coast and confirms they are a rip-off. That is why she quit.