out of Read Reviews for Dr. David Shipper
On Friday June 18th I called the dental office of Dr. David Shipper to see if they accepted my dental insurance plan. I was told unequivocally that yes, they did; so I made an appointment for the following Monday morning.
After my cleaning, as I was confirming my appointment for the next day to see the doctor, I was told "So that's $475 for today." I responded that I had been told, by that office, one business day earlier, that they accepted my Aetna dental plan. The young lady "explained" that, no, they do not accept any insurance, but that they would be helpful enough to hand me forms to fill out in hopes of getting partial re-imbursement from my insurance provider.
I was shocked by this demand for immediate payment after having been told without any qualification whatsoever that they indeed accepted my plan. Of course, I would never have made the appointment had I been told the truth at the beginning.
The office manager, Denytza, came over and immediately tried to spin the correct story into their new story, saying "So the issue is that you were told that we do not accept insurance, but you made the appointment anyway, so..." at which point I interrupted to say "No, no, the issue is that I was not told you don't take insurance, and was in fact told the opposite," and that I would never have scheduled any work with their office had I known that it was a veritable shakedown. I received no response other than repeated statements that they do not accept insurance, and demands for immediate payment--and for my social security number. Denytza told me she needed my social in order to process my insurance papers. This is not true.
I have since confirmed with my insurance company that the dentist does not need my social security number to process any claim; it is of course processed using my member ID number. (details and factual info relating to this recorded phone call, Aetna call reference # 7988853, available upon request) It seems they hoodwink patients into incurring a bill, and then use your SS# to report you to credit bureaus.
Therefore I do not believe that it was an innocent mistake by whomever I spoke with that first Friday afternoon. This situation has all the hallmarks of a scam, and we intend to treat it as such, reporting to the ADA as well as the Office of Professional Ethics.
About Front Desk: The office manager is rude, disingenuous at best, flat out dishonest at worst regarding insurance. Do not give your Social Security number! Absolutely NOT needed to process any claim.It is used solely for reporting to credit bureaus.
Front desk:
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Office staff invariably courteous and efficient. They fill out insurance papers promptly so there is no delay in getting the necessary papers out.
There is no waiting past one's appointment hour. (Dr. Shipper comes in to apologize if he is running even a few minutes late.)
Every procedure is clearly explained. In nearly 30 years I haven't had a painful procedure and I have had numerous fillings, an extraction, and veneers.
Shipper's manner is friendly and warm and extremely pleasant. He keeps up with the literature in his field and attends the dental conferences and so gives patients a feeling of confidence in his competence and expertise.
But the best evidence of Dr. Shipper's expertise and talent is in the results. (When out of town I have sometimes visited other dentists. They comment on the wonderful work that has been done.)
His charges are on the high side.
I know this doctor: almost thirty
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Dr. Shipper is a very skillful dentist. He uses nitrous oxide as well as novocaine to alleviate anxiety and pain. The hygienists who clean teeth are good and thorough. The office is physically pleasant. However, Dr. Shipper does not participate in many dental insurance plans and he is not inexpensive. The people at the front desk are OK. They do their job.
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Sweet and kind with a professional office. His work looks great and is getting me lots of compliments
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Excellent technician with supurb communication skills. Beautiful cosmetic results. Staff is marvelous. Very good with dental-phobes. Never have to wait - runs on time. Available for emergencies. Cannot recommend highly enough.
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