Aspen Dental

RE: ASPEN DENTAL EGREGIOUS NEGLIGENCE, BREACH OF CONTRACT, BAIT AND SWITCH It is now fifteen months since our initial encounter with Aspen Dental of Vero Beach FL. My disabled spouse, having been denied the completion of his treatment plan is still forced to use this (broken in half) temporary partial that requires constant gluing at home in order to speak, chew, or swallow. (SEE EXHIBIT A). At the onset of our relationship with this provider, in November 2022 my husband (a.k.a. Mr. O) met twice with Dr. F. Cumplido when seeking to save as many of his own teeth as possible using both dentures and implants only to have Dr. Cumplito leave the location altogether the week of scheduled surgery. A new dentist was assigned but her treatment plan included the removal of all of his teeth instead, resulting in full dentures. This change warranted several meetings with both the new dentist as well of Office Manager James Russell. One of the selling points of this alternate plan was that it was would be far less expensive and that the entire balance could be placed on a Care Credit account. On November 8, 2021 we recapped the final cost with Manager James ($6499 less our $1000 deposit to equal $5499 balance, all told) of which we reconfirmed several times would be the absolute final price. I expressed to James that we had read many recent bait and switch reviews online from Aspen. His reply, several times was Relax, this is the bottom line, your grand total from start to finish. He highlighted the attached invoice (SEE EXHIBIT B) balance in yellow marker. Mr. O had his entire set of teeth extracted, waited out the six months required (to allow mouth to heal before denture fitting) and was given a flimsy temporary partial to use in the meantime. During this waiting period he was hospitalized on three occasions, developed heightened cardiac and GI complications and lost 40 pounds. He was forced to abruptly leave the workforce in February 2022 as he is now permanently disabled, still fighting to regain strength and weight at the time of this letter. Upon our first visit back to Aspen Dental Vero Beach the entire office staff, including James had been replaced by a new office staff and Mr. Os visit to fit his long awaited permanent dentures was denied due to a mistake that previous office manager (James) allegedly made in our account billing. We returned on two additional occasions in August 2022 at the suggestion of new office manager Diana (allowing time for them to work it out). We were handed an additional invoice (see EXHIBIT C) in the amount of $1617.75 with the explanation that James has left us with terrible mistakes here, including this one. Every day I cry over customers that scream at me about problems James made. I understand your frustration but unless you pay this, you cant have the dentures made. An argument ensued and Mr. Os cardiac arrhythmias flared up, bringing him back into the ER along with multiple stress induced Cardiology visits thereafter. We wrote letters to Aspens Corporate office (see attached) and over a month later the REGIONAL Manager (replacing former female) called on Oct 30, 2022, offering to cut the (erroneous) bill in half and ultimately hung up the phone on us. No further calls or emails have been answered, and we are (unequivocally) unwelcome at the local Aspen Dental office. Meanwhile, Mr. O cannot chew solid food, smile or relax due to the painful, broken partial that he is being strong-armed into settling for, now broken in half requiring DIY repairs with glue, during a time that is imperative he consumes a greater daily calorie intake. The mere mention of this practice now brings immediate, unnecessary anxiety and heart palpitations at a time when my husband has barely escaped death and desperately needs peace and proper nutrition - BY CHEWING!!! We are appealing to you to take record of this egregious conduct by Aspen Dental of Vero Beach (R Dustin Dixon DMD Holdings, PLLC) for breaching duty of care, breaching contract and bait and switch tactics still used on us today, even after their recent class action lawsuit ruling for same. Mr. O*** needs and deserves to be using the dentures that he has paid for over a year ago, without further delay. Aspen Dental continues to deprive Mr. O of the full set of dentures that we have paid for, in full, since Nov of 2022. This patients' health remains severely compromised as a direct result of Aspen Dental of Vero Beach's gross negligence/bad acts. ****AVOID THIS PRACTICE AT ALL COSTS****This practice has a PLETHORA of unhappy, discontent and poorly treated patients that post numerous, regular complaints throughout our community's social media, local news and consumer advocacy forums. Aspen Dental of Vero Beach runs local TV commercials making promises that, at this location, are the antithesis of such claims. They are indeed CROOKS that will undoubtedly soon be faced w/ serious sanctions. Stay clear!!!