Aspen Dental

Last Monday my mom and I both had appointments at the dentist - called Aspen Dental, which has offices around the US, but ours was in West Lebanon - (my first one there, but my mom's 6th.) First they made me wait 20 minutes past my appointment time and then called me back to get X-rays. Every time we go there we have to wait 20-30 minutes and when I ask why they always tell me they are understaffed and I don't consider that a good excuse every time (maybe once or twice, but not 6 times.) I told the receptionist that I would need to help my mom (since she was in her wheelchair.) After my X-rays they told me to go back to the waiting room. It had been 45 minutes and my mom hadn't gone back. I told that to the receptionist and then 5 minutes later they called my mom into a room. I helped my mom into the dentist's chair and waited in the room - like I have done every time she goes there. I was then told to wait in a separate room to get my teeth checked by the dentist. I told the dental assistant that I needed to help my mom and she said "ok."

The dentist came into my room to get something and then left again. A few minutes later I saw my mom being wheeled, by the dentist, down the hall. I got very angry since I had told several people that I was the one to help my mom and they disregarded that completely. I then made a scene in their little office where I yelled at all of them (including the office manager) about their lack of concern and treatment of my mom. It wasn't until I told them that I was going to file an official complaint about the store that the office manager chased after us - as we were leaving - and started shouting my first name. As I am not his friend and expect him to address me as "Mr." I told him that we were leaving and wouldn't be back. When we got home we found a message from the office manager on our phone and he didn't even get my mom's name right.

I tried that afternoon and then Tuesday to get the main dentist's complaint line, but a recorded message said they were all home sick. I finally got a hold of someone today and she was horrified by what I told her about our experience. She promised me that no one from that office would ever contact me again. I had asked her to transfer all my mom's records to the Concord office. She then called the manager of the Concord office and told her everything and the Concord office called me and scheduled an appointment for my mom for next week.

I am very satisfied by how the woman dealt with my complaint. She took me seriously and did everything (ie transferring my mom's records, etc) without me having to say anything. I was also given the personal number to call her if anything else happened. That is all I expected when I called to make the complaint. It is nice to know some people can do their jobs. I didn't finish my free, new patient check-up and will have to find a new dentist. I will see how the Concord office is with my mom before I do anything for myself.