My husband was charged $1490.00 for nothing more than a dental cleaning. We have insurance, which the dentist that treated my husband was not concerned about. My husband gave this dentist $125.00 in cash, wrote him a check for $1200.00, which we stopped payment on, and now this same dentist has the nerve to ask for $94.00 more dollars. There is no way that we are going to pay for a service that our dental insurance should have covered. How can we protest this $94.00 bill.

What does your carrier have to say?

Tell him if he wants his money all he has to do is send for the insurance?
Why does he refuse to turn it over to your insurance co?

If he is a listed provider for that insurance company, often they have a contract price for specific services. Also except for the deductable amount often they are not suppose to "balance" bill by their contract either.

And in the end, you should always get a exact estimate before having dental work done, I would not allow my dentist to do anything prior to giving me not only the price but what my share was after insurance.

If you stopped payment on a check, they can sue you for that, in some states even turn it over for criminal action. So except them most likely just to turn it over to some medical collection firms and you will start getting phone calls and hits on your credit report shortly.

I am so confused and upset. I sent a complaint to Delta Dental and the Better Business Bureau. No word from Delta.
I do not think this dentist even knows who our insurance company is.
My husband was robbed by this dental office, flat out robbed.
Thanks for all responses.
My husband mentioned something about a collection agency coming after us, however, I thought that since this was such an obvious rip-off, the dentist would not have the nerve to insist upon payment.
Dawn :eek:

You may think this was a rip-off, but the dentist may not. So I would not be surprised if he tirned this over to a collection agency. You need to CALL Delta Dental and get someone to investiagte this.

How can the dentist NOT know who your coverage is. Every medical provider I have ever dealt with takes a photocopy of my card the first visit. And part of the problem here is that your husband did agree to these charges.

At the dentist you had to sign something atbout billing and being
Responsible for payment. When you use insurance . Not all doctors accept you might be responsible to file your claim They might have screwed up the filing etc.
Some plans are better and cover more things then others.
What you need to do is fact finding

If your Dentist did not file with the insurance, you can file your claim.
The insurance ussally sends a statement stating what you are responsible for
What the medical provider is responsible to accept as payment.
If they have an agreement (Contract) with your insurance of what that provider will accept then that is all you have to pay. Example of statement

Delta Dental Insurance

Date of service 01/06/08 Charge for cleaning 1200. Insurance pays 1150.00
This is a preferred provider you owe and has agreed to accept this as payment
You pay 94.00


So let cooler head prevail. Write things down CC everyone. Including CC a lawyer.
Just so your letters look serious. However you should know them
I think you will get the results you want . Remember talk (Phone coversations)
Is cheap it is the written word the works here! Anything else is meerly hear say.
If you attact this rationally you will be better off.


I see you are upset but you have to take the emotion out of this and deal with the facts of this matter.

" the dentist would not have the nerve to insist upon payment. "

In my humble experience dentists have a lot of nerve and do not mind hitting one on occasion. LolDawn



Have you sent a letter disputing the charge to your dentist ?

Here are the steps that I have taken so far:
1. Filed a complaint, online with my insurance provider
2. Filed a grievance with my provider, online
3. Written a letter to the Better Business Bureau, received a response, did not accept response, mailed letter stating my nonacceptance.

This is a great forum. I was not expecting so many responses to my original post.
Thank you all! :)

First, forget the BBB for now. All the BBB will do is list complaints against a business. The BBB is good for two things, first to research business to see if there are complaints against them, second to get revenge by filing a complaint. But, from my experience, the BBB is ineffectual in resolving complaints.

Second, you need to know what you signed. You need to get a full list of work performed and the charges from the dentist. You then need to determine whether any claim has been filed with Delta Dental.

After you have determined all this, you can then decide how to proceed.

Should I just call Imperial Dental and ask for the list of procedures done? Or should I go to the office in person?
Thanks, Dawn:)

You can call and ask them to send you an itemized statement

By the way be nice to the staff when you pick up your papers. I know your upset
But they can decide to wave charges. A lot of sugar will go along way. Unfortunately I know from experience I had three briges replaced over $10,000 dollars I reasonded it down to
Less Also do the same with the insurance keeping in contact will show you are earnest.
Good luck