I’m writing in today to talk about what happened to my wife. We have been very cautious about her dental treatment, even reading Clear Choice reviews beforehand to make sure we weren’t taking unnecessary risks.
My wife has had more than her fair share of dental problems. I’m not going to get into specific details, but suffice it to say she is missing about half the teeth in her upper jaw, and several of the remaining ones aren’t doing so well.
We knew that it wasn’t going to be cheap based on the Clear Choice reviews we’ve read, but we had prepared for that, and were okay with it as long as the quality of the work was good. My wife was understandably anxious about the consultation, but the lady on the phone explained what to expect, and all seemed well.
Fast forward to the day of the appointment. As soon as the dentist came in, he started pushing her to get some kind of denture instead of just replacing the missing teeth. Now, I understand that I’m not a dentist, and maybe I don’t understand everything that’s going on here, but he wanted to pull all her remaining teeth. That just seems wrong to us. We thought he’d suggest some dental implants, or maybe a mixture of dental implants, bridges, and/ or a partial denture. And, he did say these were possible options, but every time we brought them up, he talked about why she should pull her remaining teeth. His argument: She’s going to lose them anyway.
I probably don’t have to explain this, but that was very upsetting for my wife to hear. He was talking about her like she wasn’t even a person, like she was some hopeless case, incapable of caring for her remaining teeth. She cried in the room, on the way home, and for most of the night.
She and I talked it over and we agreed we need to go someplace else that would work with her requests, without the judgments and pushback. But here’s the thing. We’re now on a contact list where they call us all the time and send us letters about getting treatment done. I’ve told them we’re not interested, but we still get calls and letters. At this point, it feels like harassment.
I knew based on the Clear Choice reviews we saw, that they were known for having pushier sales tactics, and I was prepared for that. I can hold my own. But, nothing prepared us for the way they made my wife feel or for the incessant calls after. We haven’t found a new dentist yet, but we wanted to share this experience and also ask if there is a specific chain or office that’s recommended.
Thank you,
Richard
Dear Richard,
We’re sorry to hear you and your wife had such a tough time. As far as finding a new practice goes, you may do better to start by getting referrals from people you know and trust. We don’t know your location, so it’s difficult to direct you to specific implant dentists. You can also check online reviews. You may receive more personalized care when you work with a single doctor rather than a chain that’s known for providing a specific type of service.
Next Steps After Disappointment with Clear Choice
We suggest that you schedule appointments for consultations with a few dentists who have several of the following qualifications:
- Advanced training in implant dentistry
- Board certification
- At least ten years of experience in implantology
- Credentials from the International Congress of Oral Implantologists or the American Academy of Implant Dentistry
A skilled dentist will conduct a thorough examination and let you and your wife know her options.
This post is sponsored by American Board certified prosthodontist and Naperville implant dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.
