WESTERN DENTAL

My rotten experience with Western Dental, Santa Clara, San Jose, CA 95113

I went to them a long ago because I found them very well advertised. They still do. The problem is now that they have probably more than enough cheated customers, they do not care for customer service anymore!

It all started after I had my second set of dentures. Probably the workmanship was rotten. The top went into two pieces right in the middle when I was washing it in the sink. I went to them for repairs. After a trial, they found it needed replacement. Then my problems started. Probably, I don’t know for sure, since they are unlikely to be reimbursed for their bad service, the service went downhill.  They called me to visit them, I have lost count, but at least 6-8 times on weekly basis to their clinic after they found some “new” defect with the allegedly ‘new denture’!

For the last three weeks, it has taken a new turn! First I was told they would get it from the supplier in a week. They canceled that appointment on the very last day and gave another for the next week. Repeated it again in the last minute and gave another appointment for today.

Today they had crossed all limited for a minimum service and courtesy expected from a street vendor, leave alone a public service agency depending on government doles for its survival! Since last week I have been bombarded with their emails and text messages on my phone reminding me of the appointment!  (They are very good at this. Whichever agency set it up for them does require compliments for such an excellent service. ONLY THIS, in fact, lures most of their customers.) There was a message yesterday asking me to confirm if I would be visiting them today. I CONFIRMED. Today morning at 5.58 AM I received an email asking me to “share my experience with us by taking a short survey after your appointment. We care about what you have to say and appreciate your honest and open feedback to help us improve.”

That is what I am doing now. Though asking for my “honest” feedback is insulting. Is it the first step to rejecting any other opinion as dishonest? I don’t know. You be the judge.

I was on my way in a taxi and finding the traffic heavy I phoned them BEFORE THE APPOINTED TIME that I might be a bit late. But I was surprised to hear that they had already canceled my appointment and would like to reschedule it. I was shocked because THERE HAS BEEN NO RECORD OF THEIR CALLING ON MY PHONE OR ANY EMAIL SO FAR.

I had told their ‘Doctors’ during my previous visits that I would be charging them my taxi fare to and fro if they don’t do their job. But they hardly care! The last time when I questioned the receptionist sweetly replied it was because the repaired denture had not been received by them “due to rains”! When I asked her further what rains had to do with it, she had no reply!

Today they are resorting to BLATANT LIE and PUTTING THEIR CUSTOMER TO AVOIDABLE AND REPEATED INCONVENIENCE AND EXPENSE. Funny thing is they don’t even seem to be aware of or ashamed of this kind of behavior. In no other service establishment, I visit a lot of them, in the USA I have found such an utter carelessness and indifference toward their clients.

Was it too difficult to set up a communication link with their supplier to make sure they get the required supply in time and if not, inform their client well in time? Why could not take their supplier to task for his indifference? It is because indifference is not a bad word in their dictionary?

I think there might be another reason. Almost all of Western Dental’s clients seem to be covered by Medicare or Medical, and because of the poor rates received by them, they are unable to provide better service. But they are already making all the profit they can by squeezing patients in a small space and service like in a car assembly line! Further, don’t they know it costs them more and not less, by poor service? What sort of management they have?

I would like a response to me online.