A South Carolina man went to Aspen Dental solely to obtain an $8,000 quote for pressing dental work. Later, he sought a second opinion and heard a totally totally different story.

TikTok creator Reese @007.reese) posted a video about his expertise final week. “ Aspen Dental is a complete scam of an organization, and I recommend you stay far away,” he mentioned.

Despite ultimately listening to from the follow, Reese confirmed that he’s by no means going again after his expertise. 

Aspen Dental Quotes Man $8K for Dental Work

Reese went to Aspen Dental for a routine cleansing, which was coated by his dental insurance coverage. But, instantly after taking his x-rays, a dental assistant examined his gums. 

“ The young lady proceeds to tell me that I have periodontal disease, which is something that you usually see in elders,” Reese mentioned. “Then she [proceeded] to tell me that my teeth would need immediate treatment. [She’s] just throwing all these terms at me, throwing all these packages at me. [Did] you know I was there for about 20 minutes?”

Reese wasn’t in a position to get his enamel cleaned, which is what he initially went in for. The dental assistant despatched in a monetary consultant, letting him know that his enamel want “immediate treatment.” They quoted Reese between $7,000-8,000 to repair his enamel. 

None of this made sense to Reese, who brushes his enamel for “15 to 20 minutes” or extra every day to make sure he doesn’t have any residual plaque. He went to a different dentist at Millers Family Dentistry, who advised him he had “perfect teeth.” 

“Aspen Dental are scam artists,” he mentioned. “ But you don’t need me to tell you when something doesn’t sound right.”

What Is Periodontal Disease and How Is It Diagnosed?

Periodontal disease is “a broad term for conditions involving inflammation and infection of the tissues (gum and bone) that surround and support the teeth,” in line with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s extremely widespread, and might broadly discuss with gum points like gingivitis or periodontitis. 

The commonest subject with untreated periodontal illness is persistent bone loss across the enamel. That can result in painful chewing, bleeding gums, and adjustments in the way in which your enamel match collectively whereas biting. 

Most dentists diagnose periodontal illness utilizing quite a few scientific instruments, not simply x-rays. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research cites gum examination, medical historical past survey, and an x-ray because the three steps {that a} dentist or dental hygienist will carry out to diagnose periodontal illness. 

Aspen Dental did examine Reese’s gums and carry out x-rays, two of the steps concerned with diagnosing periodontal illness. But, it’s not a prognosis often given out inside “minutes” of an consumption appointment. Typically, a dentist or dental hygienist will refer their affected person to a periodontist and suggest higher each day care and upkeep within the meantime. 

In circumstances with extreme periodontal illness, a dentist could refuse routine cleansing as to not additional harm the enamel or gums. But it’s not clear if Reese met these pointers.

Aspen Dental’s History of Lawsuits

Aspen Dental has been concerned in quite a few class-action lawsuits, which spotlight potential administration points throughout the firm. 

In one lawsuit, a plaintiff alleged that Aspen Dental used “a production based bonus program for dentists and office managers and the use of a scheduling system that favors more lucrative procedures (i.e., extractions, crowns, bridges and dentures) over more routine and less lucrative procedures such as fillings, cleanings and follow-up appointments.”

In December 2021, the Massachusetts Attorney General sued Aspen Dental for bait-and-switch promoting. Essentially, the swimsuit claimed Aspen marketed “free” companies (like exams, x-rays, oral-cancer screenings), after which billed sufferers for them. Aspen Dental settled for 3.5 million in 2023. 

In addition, Aspen Dental is the topic of quite a few Better Business Bureau complaints, with documented circumstances the place former purchasers accused the follow of upselling them. Aspen Dental has an total overview score of 1.02 as of Nov. 21 on the Better Business Bureau’s web site.  

Viewers React to the Man’s Aspen Dental Story

In the feedback part of the video, some viewers disagreed on the diagnostic standards for periodontal illness, and claimed that it’s nonetheless potential Reese has it. They really useful he get one other opinion earlier than letting the difficulty go. 

“Periodontal disease is not only for older people. I would definitely get a second opinion to confirm,” mentioned one commenter. 

But, one viewer replied, “Coming from a registered dental hygienist, x-rays alone can not determine periodontal disease. Sounds like a scam.” 

“I was a dental [assistant] for 22 years and I warned everyone about Aspen Dental,” added one other commenter. “The dentist[s] and the assistants are trained on how to get as much money out of people that they can.” 

Aspen Dental Reaches Out to Reese

In a follow-up video, Reese revealed that Aspen Dental despatched him a direct message on TikTok. The message mentioned, “This is not the experience we want our patients to have. We would like to look into the details of your treatment further to help provide a solution alongside your Aspen office.” They requested for Reese’s date of delivery and telephone quantity to seek out out extra details about his case. 

Reese was stunned that the corporate reached out. “On one hand, I’m amazed. I’m astounded that my video actually made it to their desk,” he mentioned. But, he didn’t know how one can reply. He requested his TikTok remark part to assist him. 

Many commenters really useful that Reese thank the corporate for its accountability. They additionally advised him to not return to Aspen Dental regardless of the response to his issues. 

“Thank them for taking accountability and respectfully decline future treatments,” mentioned one commenter. “[You should] suggest they re-educate staff to listen to patients and complete the service before doing a review of [the] care plan.”

Reese seemingly agreed, saying that the remark was “well stated.” So far, he has not mentioned if he would reply to the corporate in any particular approach. 

All hip hop reached out to Aspen Dental and Reese for remark. We’ll let you already know if both social gathering responds. 

@007.reese Beware Avoid Aspen Dental in any respect price and at all times get a second opinion if issues don’t sound correct. #myexperience #aspendental #scam #scammers #scammeralert music/original-sound-7573418161828104974?refer=embed”>♬ unique sound – 007 Reese

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