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jrcoder
01-23-2012, 06:16 AM
DON'T LET THE DENTIST'S POLITE ASIAN BOW FOOL YOU. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE REVENUE. DON'T DOUBT ME.

I developed an abscessed tooth and called the dentist for help. He immediately took me in and examined me. X-rays were taken, he did a series of taps on my teeth to determine which tooth it was, provided me with an anti-biotic, told me to come back in a week for a root canal, and the procedure would cost $1,500, crown included. When I returned for the procedure, I told him I think he had the wrong tooth and he told me in so many words he was the dentist...not I. I reluctantly allowed him to proceed. He scheduled another appointment 10 days later for a crown fitting. 7 days later, the anti-biotic wore off and the very same abscess raised its ugly head again. When I arrived for the crown fitting, I informed the dentist he worked on the wrong tooth. Of course he came up with all sorts of excuses and denied any wrong doing. No fitting for the crown was made that day. After further examination, he told me I needed to pull the tooth next to the one he did the root canal on. I told him that wasn't the tooth and It was the tooth next to it on the other side. After further examination, he agreed. The tooth was loose, so he did a procedure called "tooth sterilization" and told me to come back two weeks later for another root canal for another $1,400, bringing the total bill to $2,900. I told him he messed up my good tooth and I shouldn't have to pay the total bill. He agreed and lowered the total amount I owed him to $1,900. He then proceeded to do the second root canal and scheduled another appointment for the post insertion and the crown fitting. When I arrived for that appointment, the tooth was still lose and I told him he could not install the post until the tooth firmed up in the socket. He became enraged...threw a fit...and told his dental assistant to fit me up for the crown on the good tooth he ruined...which she did. That night, the 2nd tooth he worked on broke in half. I called him with my concerns. He then gave me a estimate of $1,600 for a complete bridge installation...and added he would not charge me for the extraction of the broken tooth. What a deal that was. At that point, I made the decision to just have my crown placed on the first tooth he ruined and run like hell. When I finally returned to have the crown installed on the tooth, we finished up and I went to the front desk to pay the bill. I had already paid him approx. $980.00 and was told I owed the good doctor another $920.00. I told the front desk I didn't agree with that amount and the way I saw it, they owed me $30.00 ($1900 divided by 2 = $950.00). She consulted with the doc and he told her that I owed $180 more for a total of approx. $1,160 for the work he did. I paid it and ran.

moose
01-23-2012, 08:54 AM
I am looking for a dentist and these posting really help...thank you. We all know of the dentists who take good care of you and the ones who just see money signs.

billybye
01-23-2012, 10:03 AM
Wow!!! Thanks for the warning. Need more of these warnings on this site, even though we prefer "good" news

twinklesweep
01-23-2012, 09:50 PM
I had a great dentist up north, actually a friend, and I was his patient from the time he started his practice till he had the outrageous nerve to retire! I had to use a couple of local dentists for a couple of years until moving to TV, and I thought I�d never find another dentist like my friend.

But I did at Bright Smile! I�m really sorry to read the experience of JRCODER, but my experience has been completely the opposite! My spouse has the same feeling, as does our son who lives locally and uses Bright Smile. In addition, we have referred several other Villagers there, and all were very pleased.

I never knew what a state-of-the-art dental office was until I came to Bright Smile. Gone are the days--at least at this dental office--of spit sinks and individual x-ray films on uncomfortable plastic holders stuck in your mouth. This is dentistry at its most modern. I have had extensive work done by this practice over the years and could not be happier with the results. In addition, staff members are upbeat, cheerful, and friendly, a reflection on what must be a positive management style by Dr. Kim.

Do I pay for my dental care? Yes, of course. The man works, pays a clearly happy staff, and has his overhead. How do the fees compare to those I used to pay up north to the dentists I used after my dentist friend (who always gave me a break) retired? Substantially lower! A roommate of a friend once made an emergency appt with a dentist as she was in terrible pain with a serious abscess. The dentist refused to treat her without her paying cash on the barrelhead. At Bright Smile I have often overheard (cannot help it sitting in the waiting room) the receptionists in the front working out payment arrangements with patients after their treatments.

I am not doubting JRCODER�s story of what happened to her or him at Bright Smile, though the way it�s described it sounds like the basis for a malpractice lawsuit rather than �paying and running.� For anyone else looking for a dentist in the area of TV, I happily share my very positive experiences at this office and urge you to make an appt for a routine checkup and cleaning and judge for yourself.

twinklesweep
01-23-2012, 10:02 PM
I had a great dentist up north, actually a friend, and I was his patient from the time he started his practice till he had the outrageous nerve to retire! I had to use a couple of local dentists for a couple of years until moving to TV, and I thought I�d never find another dentist like my friend.

But I did at Bright Smile! I�m really sorry to read the experience of JRCODER, but my experience has been completely the opposite! My spouse has the same feeling, as does our son who lives locally and uses Bright Smile. In addition, we have referred several other Villagers there, and all were very pleased.

I never knew what a state-of-the-art dental office was until I came to Bright Smile. Gone are the days--at least at this dental office--of spit sinks and individual x-ray films on uncomfortable plastic holders stuck in your mouth. This is dentistry at its most modern. I have had extensive work done by this practice over the years and could not be happier with the results. In addition, staff members are upbeat, cheerful, and friendly, a reflection on what must be a positive management style by Dr. Kim.

Do I pay for my dental care? Yes, of course. The man works, pays a clearly happy staff, and has his overhead. How do the fees compare to those I used to pay up north to the dentists I used after my dentist friend (who always gave me a break) retired? Substantially lower! A roommate of a friend once made an emergency appt with a dentist as she was in terrible pain with a serious abscess. The dentist refused to treat her without her paying cash on the barrelhead. At Bright Smile I have often overheard (cannot help it sitting in the waiting room) the receptionists in the front working out payment arrangements with patients after their treatments.

I am not doubting JRCODER�s story of what happened to her or him at Bright Smile, though the way it�s described it sounds like the basis for a malpractice lawsuit rather than �paying and running.� For anyone else looking for a dentist in the area of TV, I happily share my very positive experiences at this office and urge you to make an appt for a routine checkup and cleaning and judge for yourself.

See these links for other Villagers happy with Dr. Kim at Bright Smile Center for Dentistry:

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/medical-health-discussion-94/dentists-lesh-vs-kim-27882/

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/medical-health-discussion-94/recommendations-dentist-27370/

jrcoder
01-24-2012, 07:31 AM
Dr. Kim came highly recommended to me too from a close friend here in The Villages. I stand by my experience with Dr. Kim. His motivation is revenue to pay his overworked staff, who I might add, he doesn't treat too well. On the same appointment he became irate with me, he tore into the dental assistant who was repairing my temporary crown for taking too long. He delegates too much dentistry to his dental assistants and noticed a turnover of employees. His two receptionist are very nice ladies and more than make up for the negatives. I've been a businessman for years and can honestly say that a person who acts like he did towards me as a patient and his help for taking too long has two things working against him. Money problems or woman problems. As I stated earlier, DON'T LET HIS ASIAN BOW FOOL YOU....it's all about revenue and patient census.

twinklesweep
01-24-2012, 09:38 PM
I continue to wonder why JRCODER paid a bill for what sounds like a malpractice situation rather than not paying the bill and instead suing Dr. Kim, even in the local Small Claims Court where you don�t have to hire a lawyer.

I also wonder why JRCODER began the first post and ended the last post focusing on Dr. Kim�s race.

As I also said earlier, I am thrilled with the service I have gotten at Bright Smile for a number of years, as is my family and the eight or so friends who I suggested go there. In addition I posted two TOTV links in which others offer compliments about Dr. Kim and his happy, friendly crew.

Again, I do not doubt JRCODER�s experience with Bright Smile, but I am curious to see how many people agree with her or him versus how many Villagers are happy with their experiences there (as on the two links)?

NJblue
01-29-2012, 12:36 AM
I too go to Dr. Kim and I have serious doubts that he is "all about the money". I had some pain in my teeth from drinking hot and cold fluids. If he were all about the money he could have told me that I needed a lot of expensive procedures and I would have had no basis to question him. Instead, he prescribed a special toothpaste which indeed appears to help. I'm sure he is not making any money on the toothpaste since I get it from a pharmacy.

jrcoder
01-30-2012, 08:05 AM
I stand by my post. Dr. Kim told me during his unprofessional rant that he had overhead to pay for and by me not allowing him to move forward on the 2nd tooth he destroyed, I was dipping into his pocket. Up until Dr. Kim ruined a perfectly good tooth over my objections, I too was impressed with him. Don't be surprised, and I hope you're not, that he performs an unnecessary treatment on you. After all, who questions their dentist? Just saying.

jrcoder
01-30-2012, 08:07 AM
According to Twinklesweep. I'm a racist. Is that all the better you can come up with? I suppose you voted for Obama too.