As if dental stuff wasn’t bad enough, now they’ve added scummy scamming.

Not long after we moved to Austin, I fired DDS H1 for his incompetent staff and their massive insurance mistakes that I had to fix.

A couple of years ago, I fired his replacement, DDS H2. The work he did was good, but he was determined to save a molar that didn’t want to be saved. The tooth had been ground down no less than five times because two crowns had failed. (He doesn’t have an in-office lab because they aren’t “good enough” for him. So, every crown was a temporary and then a permanent.) Because crowns are traumatic and mine waaaaay back there was especially, I wanted to pull the tooth. He would not discuss it. I made a big deal to the staff about never coming back. I fought not to have X-rays (didn’t win that battle) and I refused to book my next cleaning. I said goodbye to my favorite staff member. I made it very clear that DDS H2 was being fired. DDS H2’s office manager isn’t nice; she put me on the calendar, anyway. Six months later, I got the reminder onslaught (email, text, voicemail) about “my” appointment. I called Mia and chewed her out. I guess they thought they could sneak back into my good graces.

A few months go, E went to DDS H2 for his cleaning. He got all the way down there only to learn that they no longer take our insurance. They comped his cleaning since it was their fault, but I’m certain they were just hoping he’d say, “well I love DDS H2, so I’ll keep coming here, anyway.” Uh. no. No one likes their DDS that much.

Meanwhile, I started going to one of those “chain” DDS’s for cleanings. I learned to live with the broken crown (for a year) until it started to feel a little sensitive. DDS B also didn’t want to pull the tooth, and gave me all the reasons not to. But in the end, it was my decision, so we did. And I’m so glad. As soon as DDS B started working waaaaay back there, she said, “Well now I see why you wanted to pull the tooth.” I’ll just bet that in the end, she’s glad she didn’t have to crown it.

At my last appointment, they asked me about a next appointment. I declined and said we were moving. Today, I got a call for my “Thursday” appointment. She insisted that I made it; I insisted back, “I specifically did not make an appointment. We are moving. I need you to put me on your Do Not Contact list.” Also, it’s 2021, why are we doing this with our voices instead of with our fingers?

I know everyone is desperate for money, but DDS’s aren’t closed for Covid. They are still working their full hours. (People are asked to wait in their cars instead of the waiting room.)

Most of us know how to use a calendar. Many of us remember the times when we had to fire someone and the drama that led up to that. Does this trick actually work on anyone with half a brain?

The Scummy Scams need to stop.