I went to Val Vista Dental when I first moved to Gilbert AZ, from NY. They put me through the gamut of x-rays and initial exams and then gave me an estimate for thousands of dollars (after insurance) worth of work. I agreed to the work, but had to do it over time, because my insurance only covered $2k annually. Multiple times during the first year I was there, they cornered me and started a procedure that I should have had to pay nominal co-pay for and then told me half way through the procedure that it would be $300-$400. I was caught off guard so many times by them and they asked me why I wouldn’t just want to put it on a charge card. Eventually I signed up for my husband’s insurance, so I had double coverage. I found a dentist that was willing to bill both insurance companies and then send me a bill for what hadn’t been covered after each company paid. I called Val Vista Dental to ask if they would do it the same way and they said that they wouldn’t work with multiple insurers to coordinate benefits. They didn’t even know what I was talking about when I first called. I then filled out a form to have my x-rays and records sent to the new dentist and faxed it to them. When I did that, they called and told me they would work with me and bill both insurance companies and then let me make payments to my balance after the insurance was settled. \r
After a periodontal procedure, a cleaning and a crown, they told me I owed $1450 and I needed to pay ½ of the balance before getting a cavity filled. I reminded them that they said they would work with me to make payments after submitting the claims to my insurance companies throughout all of the procedures we went through. They were so concerned with making money off me, that they booked all the procedures so close together and they didn’t have time to get a response from my secondary insurance until after several expensive procedures were done. They also neglected to get pre-authorization (which they had previously told me they would do) through my secondary insurance, before my crown lengthening and crown procedures. Had they done that, they would have known that I would have a large balance and could have informed me ahead of time. The worst part is that after all of that was said and done, they charged me an 18% interest fee for making payments to them. When I called them to ask what that was all about, they insisted that it was a medical industry standard to charge interest, but I have never seen such a thing. I also reminded them that they promised to work with me on the payments without ever suggesting they would charge me an interest fee. These people have terrible customer service and are only concerned about the money they can make off of you. Watch out for them telling you half way through a procedure that it will cost you twice as much as quoted. Don’t expect them to be a reasonable medical provider and work with you on anything.\r
Cons: Terrible Customer Service
more