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| - Like many other reviewers, I have suffered some bad experiences at Champaign Dental. As a college student with limited funds, I admit that I usually ignore my dental health, at least when it comes to regular visits to the dentist. Our student insurance luckily covers dental costs, so I thought it would be a good time to get a check-up, especially because I hadn't seen a dentist in over 4 years.
During my initial visit, I had a pleasant time with the hygienist, who shared stories and was generally careful and attentive with my teeth. However, she called in the doctor to look at my teeth, and they both confirmed that I required a deep-cleaning. I was a bit horrified and thought this was my punishment for evading the dentist for years, as the doctor explained that my gums were now completely infected by bacteria that could ruin my jaw if I didn't have it treated.
They said the cost to repair the damage would be about $1,800, and they started pressing me when I looked apprehensive. My dental insurance didn't cover such expenses. I explained that I couldn't pay for the costs on my own, but--no problem for them! Why? They had a dedicated loan counselor on staff (seem fishy to anyone else?) who whisked me out of the patient room and had me sign a loan for the procedure on the spot. I know I should have been more assertive, but I was very shaken about threats that my jaw would rot off within a year.
After a long and painful procedure in which the doctor injected pain-killer in my mouth and then scraped the teeth under my gums, I was told I would have to come back for regular follow-ups each month to make sure the deep-cleaning had worked. When I came back for a follow-up shortly afterward, I was charged $100 (again, not covered by insurance)! The follow-up took less than 10 minutes and consisted of the hygienist poking around my mouth, which certainly didn't seem worthy of $100. I finally gave up on Champaign Dental at that point, regretful that I didn't trust my initial gut instincts.
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