First State Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery - Seaford Office

Matt Smarte

4 months ago

When I made an appointment with this practice, they confirmed that they were in-network with my insurance plan. I also verified with my insurance plan that the practice was in-network. After the appointment and paying a $95 consultation fee, I was provided a treatment plan with an out-of-network estimate. I asked for clarification and was told that they had since left the network of my insurance plan. They said they called patients to inform them of this change but I "fell through the cracks." Nobody told me of this change of network status prior to the appointment, despite the practice having a legal obligation under HIPAA to notify patients of network changes. The out-of-network rate this practice charges is more than double the in-network rate with my insurance plan (based on the CPT code). Rather than pay hundreds of extra dollars out-of-pocket, I cancelled my treatment and made an appointment with an in-network provider. I understand that mistakes happen. But whether intentional or not, the practice did a bait-and-switch: advertised themselves as in-network then switched to out-of-network and never said anything. I asked the practice to either mail or email me a copy of the referral note I gave them during the consultation, since I will need this for my new appointment with an in-network provider. Moreover, I am legally entitled to this information as part of my medical record. As of writing this review, they have failed to return the referral to me. I also asked the practice to refund the $95 consultation fee. The practice refused claiming "services were rendered" taking zero accountability for their mistake. Kristen, the office manager, expressed inhumane disregard for the money and time (half day off work, driving ~3 hours roundtrip, spending ~2 hours at the office) their incompetence cost me. She claimed they had "no legal obligation" to refund me or to have informed me of their change in network status. While HIPAA may disagree, focusing solely on legal obligations is besides the point... any self-respecting business would own up to the error. But this is not a self-respecting business, and they have trained their staff to operate as such. Finally, during the actual appointment, Dr. Ditty was extremely unprofessional. He mocked my dentist for "writing a novel" in the referral note. While I do not have a copy of the referral note (the practice has still failed to return it to me), I recall it being at most ~4 sentences in length. If Dr. Ditty is annoyed at having to read ~4 sentences from a colleague about your health, then what level of attention is he actually willing to provide to your medical care? Moreover, shouldn't a doctor encourage more details in a referral, to help them understand the problem? If Dr. Ditty does not respect his colleagues, then he certainly will not respect you as a patient. Avoid this practice. It is not worth it.

CARRIE MOORE

6 months ago

Called yesterday to schedule an extraction. They were able to get me in today because of a cancellation. The office staff was professional, friendly, knowledgeable, and organized. Dr Riegel was AMAZING! She was kind, personable, impeccable “bed-side manner”. She made the whole process easy and talked through each step and what she would be doing which I REALLY appreciated!!! Her assistant was very nice and personable, as well. Great experience!!! I would give Dr Riegel a 100 star rating if I could! Highly recommend!!!

Hollyhocks

7 months ago

I had 2 extractions today. No sedation needed as Dr. Riegel is so good at what she does. The staff that set me up prior to surgeons arrival were so comforting knowing I was a bit nervous. Everything was explained to me prior to and during extractions. I absoutly feel this place is the best. The office is clean, organized and professional. You feel safe, cared for and receive quality dental care. Thanks Dr. Riegel for such a successful procedure.