So, this has been happening to me over the last month and a half. It would be a funny story, I suppose, if it was happening to somebody else. A learning experience for sure, and hopefully, it ends with a happy ending. Suggestions are welcome.
For the first time in a few years, I now have pretty good dental insurance. I figured I had some dental work that needed to be done, I found a well-regarded dentist a few blocks from my office, and set everything up.
After a consult, it was determined that I needed a few small cavities that needed filled, and could also use a deep cleaning, since i hadn't had one in a while. The way my dental insurance worked required me to pay upfront for the cost of services when using a new dentist, and then the insurance would pay me back 90% of what i spent 3-5 days later. I confirmed this with the insurance company, so it didn't seem weird. I scheduled an appointment for both services.
The dentist was 45 min late, and this was during the World Cup (so I had to get back to the office), so after the fillings, I scheduled another appointment 3 days later to finish the services. I paid the office about 1,500 dollars for the consult, fillings and deep clean, under the impression that I would get about 900 back in a week, and the rest after the appointment.
The dentist had to cancel the next appointment for a family emergency. I had to miss the next proposed date, because I had a work commitment. We settled on another date two weeks in advance. Not ideal, but whatever.
I called the day before that date because I hadn't gotten any insurance money back. No answer. I called the next day. No answer. I emailed. Nothing. I went to the dental office. It was locked, and the security guard in the building said he had no idea where they went. My dentist, and his entire six person staff, that had been in business for over three years, vanished overnight. With my money.
I've spent the last month or so trying to track him down. I have called the police. I have called the DC department of health. I have called multiple lawyers. I have left a LOT of voicemails and angry emails, and have gotten a few back. I just got the insurance paperwork for my cavity work TODAY (they never filed the claim), and it may take another month for me to get a refund for paying for services not rendered.
Nobody has ever said where the dentist went, or why everybody vanished. I checked, and he still has a license. Maybe he got deported? Maybe he went bankrupt? Who knows? But if I can't actually figure out where he is, the next steps seem murky.
Have you ever heard of this happening before? What would you do? HOW DO YOU SOLVE THE CAPER OF THE PIRATE DENTIST?
For the first time in a few years, I now have pretty good dental insurance. I figured I had some dental work that needed to be done, I found a well-regarded dentist a few blocks from my office, and set everything up.
After a consult, it was determined that I needed a few small cavities that needed filled, and could also use a deep cleaning, since i hadn't had one in a while. The way my dental insurance worked required me to pay upfront for the cost of services when using a new dentist, and then the insurance would pay me back 90% of what i spent 3-5 days later. I confirmed this with the insurance company, so it didn't seem weird. I scheduled an appointment for both services.
The dentist was 45 min late, and this was during the World Cup (so I had to get back to the office), so after the fillings, I scheduled another appointment 3 days later to finish the services. I paid the office about 1,500 dollars for the consult, fillings and deep clean, under the impression that I would get about 900 back in a week, and the rest after the appointment.
The dentist had to cancel the next appointment for a family emergency. I had to miss the next proposed date, because I had a work commitment. We settled on another date two weeks in advance. Not ideal, but whatever.
I called the day before that date because I hadn't gotten any insurance money back. No answer. I called the next day. No answer. I emailed. Nothing. I went to the dental office. It was locked, and the security guard in the building said he had no idea where they went. My dentist, and his entire six person staff, that had been in business for over three years, vanished overnight. With my money.
I've spent the last month or so trying to track him down. I have called the police. I have called the DC department of health. I have called multiple lawyers. I have left a LOT of voicemails and angry emails, and have gotten a few back. I just got the insurance paperwork for my cavity work TODAY (they never filed the claim), and it may take another month for me to get a refund for paying for services not rendered.
Nobody has ever said where the dentist went, or why everybody vanished. I checked, and he still has a license. Maybe he got deported? Maybe he went bankrupt? Who knows? But if I can't actually figure out where he is, the next steps seem murky.
Have you ever heard of this happening before? What would you do? HOW DO YOU SOLVE THE CAPER OF THE PIRATE DENTIST?
