Thomas Clemente · 1 out of 5 stars · a month ago
I am a veteran receiving dental care through VA Community Care. My experience with this office has been extremely frustrating. I was referred here for an extraction of a tooth that supports my partial/bridge. The plan was to complete a crown and then have a new bridge made afterward. For approximately eight months, I repeatedly contacted the office and was told they were waiting on approval from the VA. After months of waiting, I contacted VA Community Care directly and was informed that no request for approval had ever been submitted. I spent eight months waiting for a process that apparently had never even been started, leaving me without several bottom teeth and delaying necessary treatment. My appointment experience was also disappointing. The front desk employee insisted that I was late and had the wrong appointment time. I returned to my vehicle and brought back my Community Care paperwork showing the appointment information and that I was on time. Even after seeing the documentation, she continued to argue. I was then told they could still see me anyway. Considering this was an oral surgery appointment, being told they could accommodate me despite allegedly being two hours late only reinforced my belief that there had been a misunderstanding that was never acknowledged. To be fair, the oral surgeon herself seemed knowledgeable and professional. She discussed implant options and indicated that procedures could be performed that I had previously been told were not possible. My frustration is not with the surgeon but with the administrative side of the office and the lack of communication. After speaking with my referring dentist, I learned that I am apparently not the only patient who has experienced issues with this process. As a veteran relying on Community Care, I often feel hesitant to complain because I simply want my treatment completed. However, after eight months of unnecessary delays and poor communication, I felt it was important to share my experience. I hope the office improves its communication, referral management, and customer service so other patients do not experience similar delays in receiving needed dental care. Good luck trying to get them on the phone or even a call back anyways. **Update their respose is pure BS as I called MULTIPLE times and told it had been submitted by them. After all that time I contacted the VA and was told it was never submitted by them and that it should have been submitted by them as it was their treatment plan. I'm not going to argue. Your office staff was rude and unprofessionial from the start and if what you are saying is true which I highly doubt it doesnt change the fact that your staff told me multiple times it was filed and you were waiting on approval.
