Salem Family & Cosmetic Dentistry

10 years as a customer meant nothing!!!

With the changes in coverage opening this year my wife and daughter who were due for regular checkups called Salem Family & Cosmetic Dentistry and were reassured by the office staff that we were still covered. They asked if we still had delta dental coverage and then explained there would be no problem. Once my wife & daughter arrived my wife asked the front desk if they needed to see our new insurances cards or needed anything from us, once again they were told nothing was needed on our part. During my wife’s cleaning they recommended x-rays be taken, which my wife was fine with however she asked to make sure that x-rays would be covered and once again she was reassured we were covered.

Well, a few months later we get a bill for over $400 saying that delta dental no longer covers them as in network. At first we were very confident that with our tenure they would understand and take ownership for not verifying our insurance coverage. Instead had the complete opposite experience. We had to call repeatedly and ended up escalating the situation to the office manager who said they would not remove the charges. During one of the conversations they said it was our responsibility to verify coverage with delta dental regardless of what they advised us. We ended up setting for 50% of the bill which I still do not agree with. We really enjoyed the service provided by the denial staff over the years but the office staff was something completely different. My only advise would be to make sure you do all the research on your end beforehand and don't trust that as "professionals" they will take the steps to ensure your are covered.

On another note my employer just opened up out of network providers for our dental options meaning I could go back. If the office staff could have seen past a $400 bill we would happily be going back and providing a decades more of business but not now, not after the way we were treated.

I have never before given a negative review about anyone and have been going back and forth about giving this one now. I've been going to this dental establishment for 10 years and have had extensive dental work that has cost me thousands upon thousands of dollars. However, that is not what is prompting this review. It's some of their staff. One of the dental hygienists persistently talks about politics while cleaning my teeth. It's inappropriate and upsetting and it's not what anyone wants to hear at the dentist's office. And just this morning I called to reschedule an appointment due to ice on the roads near our home. The woman who answered the phone was rude, told me she was able to drive from where she lives and talked to me as if I was lying. I told her I don't live where she lives. She then told me the aforementioned dental hygienist lives where I live and she was able to drive to work. The dental hygienist doesn't live anywhere near to where I live. She was rude and her behavior was uncalled for. Certain staff members need to be retrained - or perhaps trained for the first time - in appropriate boundaries and the proper and ethical way one deals with paying customers. I need to mention that many of their staff are friendly and professional, but it's those staff members who aren't that make for such an unpleasant experience. It's not right.

GREATEST DENTIST IN TOWN!!