Bitterroot Dental

Patricia, Thank you so much for your kind words!

It's always unfortunate for everyone when employment doesn't work out Amelia.

Scott – Prior to your initial visit to our office, Melisa contacted your insurance company to verify your benefits. We were told by your insurance company the x-rays that we needed to take would be covered. At your initial appointment, it was explained to you numerous times that specific x-rays are needed inorder to establish care. The x-rays needed are a full mouth series, the standard x-ray used by all dentists for new patients across the country as required by law. Nothing more, nothing less. You requested a different type of x-rays which were not appropriate. When we explained this you agreed and we proceeded. Later, your insurance company denied the x-rays because you already had them performed at another office. As you mentioned in our phone conversation, you knew this but you did not inform us.The insurance company is not allowed to tell us what procedures you had performed at another office. We would have happily saved the time to take new x-rays and used what you had previously had taken if you had informed us. To be clear, there is no way our office can know what medical procedures you have had done in otheroffices. It is your responsibility to know your insurance benefits. We do our best to be as accurate as possible (Melisa is very good at her job!). But in this case, you knew you had used up your benefit anddidn’t mention anything to us. Your insurance is a contract between you and the insurance company. We did not offer you the plan, select your plan, pay for your plan, administer your plan, set the rules for your plan, make decisions about your plan, approve or deny coverage of services or determine how much will or will not be paid. We are a third party to all insurances just like every other doctor office. We cannot guarantee anything, we can only pass on the estimates your insurance company provides us with when we contact them. We are not to blame when those are wrong. Only you and the insurance company control the benefits offered. We provide health care services and then bill the insurance company. The rest is out of our hands. I called you to resolve the situation and explained everything previously mentioned. You admitted knowing you already had a full mouth x-rays set but did not want to have them transferred to our office. You repeatedly accused us of performing work without consent or authorization. Nothing is further from the truth Scott. Your accusation is unfounded but serious. There is “no threat of legal action” from me because nothing has occurred. You got x-rays taken as we explained to you at your visit. Nobody forced you to do anything. Your insurance denied paying for the x-rays because you failed to inform our office of important information that we have no access to. You cannot expect us to be accurate in our estimationswhen you withhold critical information. Nothing dishonest has occurred. You had x-rays and an exam as we said we would do. Those x-rays are performed in every dental office in the country for new patients. We have done the same thing for 16 years on thousands of patients. Your insurance didn’t pay. Your idea of an “easy fix” is for me to not bill you. It doesn’t work like that Scott. Now you’re upset and have decided to use this public forum to getyour revenge. We try really hard, but unfortunately we can’t please everyone. - Dr. Duke