StarBrite Dental

Reviews 3

LA

Lauren Pinckney

Please read this review if you are UNINSURED, IN A RUSH, or DONT LIKE WASTED TIME Let me start by saying. I may have had a very unique situation, but this review is good to read for people WITHOUT dental insurance. I recently started a new job and was enrolled in dental insurance but its effective date was not until days after my emergency. One night I woke up and my tooth (k-9) was broken. I immediately went into panic mode, since I recently started a new job I didnt have much time off for sick leave. I knew I needed an appointment right away and I called the 24 hour emergency line at Starbrite dental. Now I will say I was scheduled promptly for a next day appointment but that was about the last positive I can say for this business. When I arrived I was seen in a timely manner but each step has very little information on the next. I immediately told the nurse who was doing my million x-rays that I was temporarily uninsured. I then ask for a very temporary solution for my broken tooth becuase I knew the tooth was in bad shape and needed work. I didnt want to get the work done that day because of time and not having insurance YET, even though I knew it was coming. He proceeded to tell me he had no clue what the charges would be or what the solution would be for my tooth but he took A LOT of x-rays that I really didnt need (but they were complimentary). Then I waited another hour just to see the doctor who basically just moved me to another room, she barely looked at my tooth she just needed to move me to the waiting room. I then waited another hour to be called back into a office - NOT a operating room but an office. There the doctor talked with me with all these pictures on a huge monitor about how bad my situation is and how many cavities I had in all my other teeth. This however, was not the reason I was there. The reason I was there that day was to get a TEMPORARY solution so I could go back to work because I did not have much time. This did not happen, next another staff member called an "insurance specialist" talked over with me the cost of a root canal which they said was the only thing they could do. I did not want a root canal, I know I needed one but once again that is a permanent solution. I needed a temporary solution. The cost of this procedure far exceeded my uninsured pockets and then the guy told me I could enroll in a payment plan for 24 months. At this point I start crying because Ive been here 3 hours have not gotten one thing done to fix my tooth and I still have to return to work. I know a temporary solution should not cost $3000+ but that is what they are quoting me and they wont do anything else until I either pay $3000+ out of pocket or enroll in Care Credit which is the payment plan. Im so frustrated by now that I just leave. Only good part was the consultation and X-rays were complimentary/ I just wasted 3 hours out of my day and still had a horribly broken tooth. I went to another dentist was seen in 20 mins he temporarily bonded and polished my broken tooth in 25 mins and within 45 mins and $236 later, I was out the door finally on the way back to work! I knew my dental work was going to cost me I just wasnt prepared to pay $3000+ on the spot for a temporary solution. If Starbrite had just said the way there cost structure was set up prior to me waiting 3 hours I may have had a different experience. All I wanted to know upon walking through their doors was 1. What can you do TEMPORARILY for a broken tooth and 2. How much is it going to cost. If I could of gotten those two answers up front I probably wouldnt be so frustrated to write this long review. The good reviews on this place is what made me choose them, but please read this review if you want to make an informed decision.

ET

ETARIA OMEKWE

Where do I start ? This was truly the most terrible experience.I woke up with excruciating pain emanating from my wisdom tooth on the eve of thanksgiving. My dentist was unavailable due to the holidays so i decided to find dentists close to my job. I called a couple of offices who either had no availability or were honest enough to tell me that they did not accept my insurance; I called starbrite and spoke to the new patient coordinator who told me to come to the office ; i told him to check out my insurance but he insisted that it was going to be a complimentary visit and that we would talk about insurance after i was taken care of. Upon arrival, i was asked for my insurance and id card but while filling out my registration at the office, i read that it was a pay for service organization so I asked the receptionist if i was going to have to come out of my pocket and she also insisted that it was a complimentary visit. After waiting for a while, I finally got to see the dentist who determined that I needed to be placed on antibiotics and pain meds for the time being but also wanted to discuss my wisdom tooth extractions which she determined would cost me about $5000. The new patient coordinator then comes in to discuss my options and discuss how i wanted to pay ; I told him that my insurance covered extractions. He finally decided to be honest and told me that my insurance would cover nothing at their offices and as a matter of fact, to get my prescription for pain relievers ; I would have to pay $150 dollars to cover the "complimentary" service and become a patient. So , i basically sat at their offices in pain while they under the pretense of trying to help were only trying to use my desperation for some type of relief to get me to spend money. I left that office in tears because I wasted 2 hrs in that office in so much pain and a swollen face when i could have been somewhere else that was actually trying to help. All they needed to do was be transparent and honest about their policies but instead decided to be just plain inhumane . Disgusting to say the least

VE

vesma montvillo

I went to this place with tooth pain due to my crown to fell off. I was trying to make an appointment on line and I got a response , but never conformation. However, when I got there they were very nice and willing to owner my appointment. I had to wait for an 1.5 hr , but I thought that it is Ok with given situation. When they staff coordinator meet with me he told me that since I am a new to this practice I will not be charged for the initial visit. They took Xrays and then dentist was reviewing my chart for less then a second. Also, this office was very outdated reminded me of something out of eighties. So I was diagnosed with root canal and need for crown. The dentist took me to the office and price me with the work she though i need and was pressuring me into making a decision . I asked if I could time to reevaluate all may choses and if i can get antibiotics since i had infection. I got the antibiotics with $150 price tag for "registration" charge. So , I went to see second opinion , where I was prepare to pay for the root canal and crown. The amazing dental office in Reston VA did a great job of welcoming me there and after first xray they ask me simple questions and after specialists review my xrays and did simple tests for tooth condition they made an conclusion that my root canal has been done by Soviet union technic, which should have been understood if the dentist asked necessary questions. In Conclusion, please educate your self and be an active part of your health. Please seek an second opinion.