Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/19/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I saw Dr. **** for a consult in November, saw hygienist ****** for a cleaning on 12/1/23, and had gum surgery scheduled at this practice the morning of Tuesday, 12/19/23. As I was driving to their office, I received a text letting me know that they tried to call (no, they didn't) to let me know that they were uncomfortable proceeding and that my surgery was canceled. When I called to find out what was going on was yelled at, placed on a lengthy hold, and hung up on by ******. Long story short: They wanted me to sign a consent form on 12/18/23 (the day before the appointment) by text and were annoyed I asked it to be emailed. Once received by email, I noticed it contained numerous discrepancies and I expressed that these could be due to miscommunication, legal boilerplate, etc.--no blame was placed on them--and I clearly stated my goal was to make sure we were all on the same page. ****** told me she could amend the form and I could sign it the morning of the appointment on 12/19/23 and my remaining questions could be answered then. In the meantime, I sent them the form with my questions/concerns bolded in an effort to be proactive and prepared. But they chose to text me a cancellation 20 minutes before the appointment. When I called to discuss the matter, ****** yelled at me on the phone, told me that another entity writes the content in the forms (...all the more reason this entity may have gotten some of the facts wrong), Dr. **** does not amend consent forms for anyone, that I am the only person who has ever asked him to do so, and that he refused to perform the surgery. They were fully aware of the sacrifices I made to get a week off from work, cancel holiday plans, and tick off every box on the long laundry list they gave me of things to do to prepare for this surgery. They decided to stick it to me in a very vindictive, retaliatory manner and cancel at the last minute. I have asked for and am waiting for a refund from these folks.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/20/2023

  Patient asked us to alter our informed consent. We were unable to comply, as our consents were written by an attorney. We offered patient a referral to another provider that she may be a better fit with and yes, canceled her appointment. The doctor was uncomfortable seeing the patient, after her request to alter our informed consent with her suggestions. We offered the patient a full refund and she declined, saying she was going to obtain a chargeback from her bank instead. She then changed her mind and asked for a check. we agreed, but explained that as our bookkeeper is in **, it may take up to 3 weeks to receive the check for $40.80. She said that was unacceptable, I have asked our bookkeeper to issue the refund anyway. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/20/2023

   
  Complaint: 21033067
  
  I am rejecting this response because the representatives of Colorado Periodontal Associates are being dishonest.  They sent a consent form to me by text on 12/18/23 for an appointment scheduled the early morning of 12/19/23.  When I asked if they could email the form so I could review it and sign it on a computer vs. a phone, I got an attitude and it took several requests on my part before the form was emailed.  When I expressed that as an older person it was hard for me to read and respond to texts, I received a snippy reply.  Once I received the form by email, I reviewed it and agreed with some content but had questions about other items (Exhibit 1 attached).  It was ******, who works in their office, who told me on the phone "don't worry, if you need the treatment re-done, Dr. **** does it at no charge."  I asked why that language was not included in the consent form and told her I had learned from the past to ask that statements be put in writing. She told me that she could write it in and I could sign the amended consent form the morning of 12/19/23.  I also let her know I had questions about content on the consent form and sent those questions to them.  Exhibit 1 is a copy of their consent form and my questions--at no time did I ask that my questions be considered as amendments.  Instead of calling me or answering my remaining questions, they chose to vindictively cancel the appointment--by text--as I was driving to their office the morning of 12/19/23.  They knew the sacrifices I made to take time off from work and accommodate their long list of requests to be ready for the surgery and recovery time.  Regarding the refund request, ****** said she could take my credit card # and then put me on a long hold and hung up on me.  Exhibit 2 is a screenshot of a text ****** sent (yes, another text) clearly stating that I could call (I tried but she hung up on me) or text back (message) my credit card info.  Please note that $17.40 was charged to my *************** by this practice.  First Bank has been notified that they hung up on me instead of taking my credit card credentials and that they agreed I should never text my card # and were dismayed to hear that I was being asked to do so.  The $23.40 was charged to my *** Mastercard. The *** company let me know they cannot do a chargeback and to request a check from the business.  The office manager at Colorado Periodontal Associates, *********, emailed and told me that it would take up to 3 weeks for a check to arrive. She also lied in an email and said "we never told you to message/text your credit card information" (Exhibit 3). This practice tried to coerce me into signing a consent form with false information on it and then punished me for raising concerns about it.  They also mocked me and continued to send numerous texts after I asked them to please correspond a different way due to my age and vision issues.  These are not good people.  They owe me $48.80 total ($23.40 for the consult copay, $17.40 for the dental cleaning copay, and $8 for drugs they made me buy for the treatment--all of which I asked them to refund me for).  I also spent money on shakes and soft foods I normally do not eat and will not consume, rushed my cat to a vet we normally do not see for treatment...I did everything I could to accommodate them and they abruptly canceled service to punish me.  Again--these folks knew I followed every instruction they asked and resented me for being mindful, responsible, and practicing due diligence as my goal was to have a successful gum surgery the morning of 12/19/23.  They chose to retaliate and vindictively cancel--and while they recommended another practitioner, I do not trust nor would see anyone recommended by dishonorable Colorado Periodontal Associates.  

  These folks are being reported to every consumer and government agency and I have been told that mocking me and punishing me for my age is not okay, for starters.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/20/2023

  Attachments referred to in my rejection of Colorado Periodontal Associate's response--they are dishonest and I am proving it with hard evidence.  They are also guilty of age discrimination among other types of discrimination.  I am going to make sure they are held accountable for canceling my treatment at the last minute because they failed to send a coherent and truthful consent form and instead texted it to me the day before and became annoyed when I did not want to sign it without remaining questions being answered.  This practice put my dental health in jeopardy.  They are being reported and evidence is being shared to demonstrate they are the wrongdoers.