Gentle Dental $1,256 Deep Cleaning Scam Gentle Dental Unethical Dentistry $69 bait/switch. Coconut Creek Florida

Short story:
They real you in with the $69 special, then they try to scare you into believing you need $1,256 or more worth of dental procedures or your teeth will fall out. Good material for a future episode of 20/20, or better yet American Greed.

Full Story:
I'm 38. I brush my teeth after every meal. I floss almost every day. I've had braces, a few cavities, and regular teeth cleanings in the past. I hadn't been to the dentist in approx 3 years. Recently my gums became inflamed for 2 weeks after flossing too forcefully. I decided it was past due to visit a dentist anyway, so I made an appointment.

I chose Gentle Dental due to positive online reviews, and proximity to where I live in Coconut Creek, FL. I went in for their $69 special covering X-rays, exam, and cleaning. After X-rays, the dentist only probed my gums. She checked approximately 5 spots in my entire mouth. She poked deep and forcefully at 1 spot which hurt of course. She said she was able to probe 5-6mm deep (probably because she jammed it) and claimed I required a Deep Cleaning. She left me with a handheld DVD player to watch a video. The video was all about periodontal disease, and seemed quite clear to be a video to scare you into thinking your teeth will fall out if you don't get the deep cleaning treatment rather than educate.

Then I went up to the front desk to find out how much all this would cost. $1,256. I would also need to come in every 2-3 months for cleanings and get locked into spending more money. I don't have dental insurance. For payment options they showed me two brochures. A "VIP Program" ($149/$199/year) which supposedly discounts the rate. They also offered their own "CareCredit" plan to pay monthly.

So a few big red flags:
Gentle Dental is a Chain that runs an 800# phone room to book appointments.
The exam was short/rushed. Only 5 spots in my entire mouth were probed. Not 6 points on "each" tooth (standard).
The DVD scare/sales video  $1,256 deep treatment with boardwalk sales pitch payment options.

I decided to get a second, and highly trusted opinion. I sent my x-rays to my sister in NJ. She's a respected hygienist for over 17 years and current dental student. She could see right away that there was no tartar below the gum line and there was normal bone support. So nothing that would warrant an expensive deep cleaning. At the most it was Gingivitis. Just a standard teeth cleaning would help clear it up. $70-$150.

She immediately reported them to the board. There's tons of unethical dentists everywhere. Use your due diligence and get a second opinion. My sister recommends getting a proper exam from a dental school, or contacting local periodontists to get recommendations for an ethical dental practice.

Lindsay Perkins, D.M.D.
Gentle Dental
5463 Lyons Rd
Bay C/D
Coconut Creek, FL 33073

(877) 343-3253
(954) 571-7123