"2018-02-17T00:00:00"^^ . . "1"^^ . "1"^^ . "RIPOFF REPORT RIPOFF REPORT RIPOFF REPORT\n\nI cannot repeat that phrase more. This place is a total car dealership disguised as a dental office. \n\nSo I had been avoiding a dentist for a few years because A) I'm extremely scared of going to the dentist and B) My last experience felt super sales oriented... am I wrong for feeling that a dentist office should feel more like a doctor's office (with the health of the patient in mind and not their wallet) and less like a car dealership? So when a friend at work recommended me to see their dentist (Hi-Tech Dental) I said okay... WRONG TURN. \n\nThis place is so hardcore manipulative. They want your money and that's it. Let me explain:\n\nThey charged $50 to my debit card before even seeing a doctor (ALL FIRST TIME VISITS PAY A MANDATORY $50 FEE) written in the paperwork you sign in the lobby. Naive me thought that was standard practice and procedure for the dentist ***I had not been in so long (I went to a different dentist about a week later and they charged everything to my insurance -- I paid NOTHING out of pocket even after the procedure was completed). \n\nSo that was the first sign of their scheming. \n\nBut going in to see the \"family\" is so much worse. I should have kept my mouth shut when telling the dental assistant about how I felt about dental offices (them being super sales-y). Because I'm 100% certain she relayed all that info to the dentist who came in overcompensating in order to make me feel comfortable. It was visible that I was nervous and uncomfortable and not in any mood to deal with any bullsh*t. Within 5 minutes of talking to the dentist (Dr. Mai - female), after complimenting my tattoo she then instantly delved into a story about how her father had died and proceeded to literally fake cry in front of me, all the while I'm laying back in the big chair, eyes big, uncomfortable as all hell, thinking this lady is out of her freaking mind. Yo lady... we just met! \n\nSo as I'm being questioned as to why I feel the way I do about going to the dentist, she tries to console me and tell me that coming here is just like coming to see your family (I think she said that 10 times). I'm just nodding my little head along. Then she says she's got a present for me... I'm like wtf... she leaves... comes back & puts it in my lap and says... \"this is for you.\" She then hands me a book she apparently wrote for people just like me who are afraid of the dentist. She smiles and asks me to look through it when I get home. It's all very uncharacteristic and overwhelming.\n\nShe asks me how long I have until I have to go because she says it's possible to get work done today, right now. I tell her I have work in less than an hour. She tries to get me to come in the very next day at the butt crack of dawn (8am) and I'm like nah. She wants to talk to me about pricing. So we get up and walk to her office.\n\nWe migrate to her personal office where she closes the door and I am locked in to face her one on one. We go through images of my teeth and she ends up privately quoting me a package of $8,000 to $10,000!!! Hold the phone!! She says my tooth extraction would be about $100 (reasonable) but literally lays on every effort to convince me that I need SOOO much more done. NOW. Not in 6 months. Not gradually. But now. She asks me to repeat back to her all the work that I need to see if I was \"listening.\" I'm slightly insulted. I ask her if there is something in the middle as far as pricing goes and she instantly shuts down and asks me if we can schedule another consultation tomorrow. Why the game? Why the mystery? Oh, right. Then I remember I'm at a wacky car dealership.\n\nDon't go here. It's pretty gross. They try to manipulate and take advantage of you by pulling on your heartstrings. I used to work in big money sales. I know the game. But if you haven't worked in sales you would never know they have dozens of tactics for different scenarios / personality types. I'm sorry to the girl in the cubicle next to mine who signed for a $250 a month payment plan right on the spot. I hope your teeth are flawless. \n\nAnyway the lesson is to shop around. Always get at least a second opinion. But your first opinion should definitely not be here. This place scared the living daylights out of me."^^ . . "1"^^ . "1"^^ . .