WEST CHESTER, Ohio — A West Chester mother is warning others about unexpected dental charges after her son received a $379 bill for what was expected to be a free routine cleaning covered by insurance.
Theresa Warren's family had been going to the same dental practice for a decade, with cleanings always covered as in-network services. Her son's six-month checkup appeared routine until the surprise bill arrived weeks later.
"That was supposed to be free to him to end up costing a week of his salary," Warren said.
When Warren called the dental office for answers, she discovered the issue: a subcontracted dentist had performed the examination.
"They said that day we had a subcontracted dentist come in. And that is the dentist that performed the exam. And he's not a participating provider," Warren said.
Warren said no one warned her son before the cleaning began that he would be seeing an out-of-network provider.
WATCH: When she posted about the incident online, Warren found out the same thing had happened to others
After posting about the experience on Nextdoor, Warren discovered she wasn't alone.
"I made a posting about it on Nextdoor. And it turned out maybe half a dozen more people said the same thing happened to them," Warren said.
Warren was able to get relief after disputing the charge. Insurance covered part of the out-of-network bill, and the dental office agreed to refund the remaining difference.
"I was surprised that they did call back and offer me a refund," Warren said.
Despite the resolution, Warren wanted to share her experience to prevent others from facing similar surprises.
"I was pretty upset about it. And that's why I reached out to (WCPO 9). I also reached out to the attorney general," Warren said.
Takeaways to avoid surprise dental bills
Before your appointment:
- Ask whether the dentist seeing you is in your insurance network, especially at offices with multiple or rotating dentists
- Confirm network status even if you've been a long-time patient at the practice
- Request written confirmation of in-network status if needed
If you receive a surprise bill:
- Dispute the charge immediately
- Call the dental office, your insurance company and the billing department
- Keep detailed records of all conversations, including who you spoke with, when and what was discussed
- File complaints with appropriate agencies if necessary
A brief conversation before treatment could save hundreds of dollars in unexpected charges; that way, you don't waste your money.
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