Kretchmer Michael C DDS

He is the worst dentist I have every been to. He insisted I needed a $2300 operation on my gums. I told him I didn't want to have the operation and he screamed " You might as we'll let me start pulling your teeth out then !" It's been 18 years since then and none of my teeth have fallen out. I wanted a second opinion and asked for my x-rays he had taken . He refused to give me my X-rays that he had taken until my husband went to his office and demanded them. I reported him to the NC Dental Board and they said they couldn't do anything about the way he treated me, except by word of mouth to tell other people.
Oct 22nd, 2022

Good treatment, administration lacking. I've been a patient of Dr. Kretchmer for about 5 years and in that time his advised course of treatment and subsequent execution have been satisfactory. However, in that time, his office staff has failed to properly file insurance claims for reimbursement on 4 occasions. Each time I'm forced to follow up with them, told to wait a few more days, follow up again, learn about errors in insurance information on file, asked to wait a few more weeks, coordinate with my insurer and my HR department, etc. Usually the amount in question is on the order of a few hundred dollars, and I'm not exactly keen on waiting 3 months to be reimbursed. For this reason I would hesitate to recommend his office to new patients. I'm currently in the middle of another insurance filing snafu, and depending on its resolution and expediency, I may consider another practice myself.
Feb 6th, 2016

I sympathize with Corey and his plight with the staff. I am a patient of Dr. Stella's, and I have the hardest time with the office staff. It really is a shame, as the doctors here are very professional and explain everything, maybe even a little further than necessary for the medical side of things. I was recommended to this office by my dentist because of their excellent work, but I am not sure she will recommend anyone else to this office after I tell her of my troubles with the office staff. Because this dentist is not in-network for me, I am paying a $950 premium because that is how much the charge exceeds my insurance company's allowable charge for the procedure (and I have amazing insurance). I am only having this procedure done, and I believe I will be out of here as well. I mean, they were rude with me when I was unsure whether I was anemic or had questions about the section of their questionnaire that has "chest pains" listed. Like, who doesn't have chest pains? If anyone is going to ask me these questions, I believe it should be someone more responsible...like the doctor. If he is working on me, and I don't know the answers to pertinent questions, he should order the test prior to operating. Instead, the staff told me, "If you haven't been diagnosed, then just put 'No.'" When I wanted a detailed receipt, the lady that handles billing told me she would email me the detailed receipt and Treatment Plan--even asked for my email address that I had give them 3 times on separate forms previous to receiving treatment. I never received the email, so I emailed the office. It took me almost another week to get the documentation I needed to be reimbursed. And they looked at me like I was crazy when I asked for a copy of the questionnaire to take to my doctor to be tested for all of the relevant things they asked me and I had no clue how to answer. "If you need to know it, I need to be tested for it!!!" I mean, maybe this office is used to serving higher class individuals that do not have to worry about finances. And if I was loaded, I would definitely throw hundred dollar bills at the staff to get them to just shut up and let me see the doctor. But there is an expected level of service when paying a premium for said service, and those two doctors deserve a decent staff. I rarely give reviews below 4 stars because I believe that poorly managed businesses will put themselves out of business...but because this is medical/dental, I realize many will be considering this office based on a recommendation given by their dentist. Stella is awesome! His assistance was also great...but the staff let me down big time! Put on a smile. Get rid of the toxicity. Find a new job. But for heaven's sake, don't ruin the ability of the great doctors to prosper because you're having a bad day/week/year/life. ################################################### Update: Upon revisiting the office for the actual surgery, I find that it may have been possible that I came in at a bad time last time. This time, I was greeted with a smile (even though I was late because of a technology issue), I was treated with respect, and all questions were answered with tact. I am still waiting for the claim to be processed, but the actual surgery was painless. Dr. Stella was amazing and caused zero discomfort. He made sure I was numb before he began. He was able to understand and react to my request to change out the gauze pad mid-surgery. He explained everything relevant after the surgery. His team explained the follow-up treatment and appointment. They even gave me a few soft snacks for the trip back to town. I will try to remember to update my review after the implant has been placed. I am still contemplating if the extra $1000 for the extraction is worth it, but at least it was painless.
Jul 11th, 2017