Black Hills Pediatric Dentistry Deceptive/Dishonest Staff and Billing Procedures Rapid City South Dakota

This pediatric dental practice misrepresented the amount that would be due "out of pocket" after insurance processing for a routine procedure. They billed more money from me than the insurance company (for which they are a participating provider) said they were allowed to. They kept the money, to their benefit, for seven months, with no plans or attempts to return the funds to me.

One inappropriate practice might have been overlooked.

Later in the year, my daughter was scheduled for a procedure in the office. A member of the office staff claims that she called me and left a voice mail message for me regarding co-insurance payment amounts that would need to be brought for the upcoming treatment visit. She never called, and there was no message. Cell phone records have verified that the call never happened, but no one in the office will acknowledge this fact or review the documentation.

On the day of the procedure, my daughter put on her best brave face, and we arrived at the practice ready for her treatment. Thirty minutes after her scheduled appointment time, the office staff finally called us back to ask for $290 (spelled out very specifically, $100 + $190) for the procedures to be performed. Having no advance notice of this requirement, there was no way that we could meet this demand. This was not a case where we had bad debt with the practice: Prior to these procedures, our account was actually overpaid, sitting with a credit balance as a result of their previous overbilling.

We were told that without payment of $290, they would not treat her. The appointment was canceled, and we left the office with my daughter in tears.

Another family member called the practice later in the day, and was told that the amount that had been requested from me prior to treatment was $150 (A complete falsehood). This family member was also told that I had been notified of the requirement the day prior to the appointment. Again cell phone records show that this never happened.

This practice stood firmly behind the lies of one staff member, refusing to acknowledge the obvious misrepresentations that are being set forth. They also made up pre-treatment requirements as they went along, and changed their presentation of the facts and figures depending on who was in front of them or on the other end of the phone.

Beware of these deceptive practices!!

Rapid City Parent
Rapid City, South Dakota
U.S.A.