I had to move to a new location at a specific time but needed a new denture for my implant overdentures. I told my dentist my time table and asked how long it would take to get the dentures done and on me. He told me three weeks. I paid in full upfront. When the dentures actually came in was over eight weeks later. Even then, it didn’t fit properly. They had to force the overdenture onto the implants. The next day, I was in so much pain I couldn’t even eat pasta. When I went back, I had to see a different dentist because of scheduling. This dentist admitted the denture needs to be re-done. I have to move in less than a week. I can’t travel back and forth from state to state to get this fixed. Do I have the right to ask for a refund here?
Paul K.
Dear Paul,
The short answer is yes. You are within your rights to ask for a refund. He promised you a denture in three weeks and did not provide one. That alone is a breach of contract. In addition, when the denture came in it didn’t fit properly.
Dental implants are one of the leading areas of malpractice suits. This is because this area of dentistry does not have a recognized specialty. As a result, most dentists do not invest in the amount of training that is truly required to develop expertise in this area.
The original time your dentist quoted you is correct. The fact that he couldn’t get it to you in that time combined with the fact that they were not properly fitted tells me he does not have the right training and experience.
In an ideal world, your dentist should recognize his shortcomings and offer to give you the refund. However, this isn’t an ideal world and some dentists care more about the fee than their patients.
Tips for Getting a Refund
If you ask your dentist for a refund and he refuses, there are some things you can do. Let him know you will be writing a review that reflects the type of service and care you received at his office. You can offer to give a positive review if he makes things right. Research has shown that 60 – 65% of potential patients will check reviews before choosing to try a dentist.
A second point of leverage you have is to go to the dental board. Dentists do not like messing with that and the threat alone may be enough to get him to see the light.
If insurance was involved in the payment, calling the insurance company and letting them know the problems you have will also be to your advantage if he is still getting difficult.
This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.