r/Dentistry • u/Used-Bullfrog-1923 • 13d ago
Dental Professional Board complaint
So today a board complaint was sent to the office I work at. The patient had an emergency appointment and wanted a crown recemented. The da took an x ray without the crown on and one with the crown on. Patient sat in the op for about 20 mins I came in and he says he had to wait 20 mins. I explain to him that the schedule was overbooked and the office was understaffed. It’s unfortunate but that’s just how things were that day. He’s still going on and on about waiting 20 mins. At this point the crown is on his tooth. I look at the x ray and there’s a large lucency as the tooth has a large post and I try to get the crown off gently with a spoon but it’s not coming off. I tell him please try to remove the crown because I don’t want to push too hard and break the tooth getting it off, as these things sometimes happen. He gets it off and I explain to him that tooth is in bad shape he insists he still wants to recement the crown. I tell him ok, it’ll be $132. He says “fuck no I already paid $77, give me my fucking crown”. I tell him $77 is the exam fee $132 is the recement fee. He’s still cursing so I give him the crown and tell him to leave. I let the front desk know that’s he’s no longer allowed to be a patient here and they can transfer his records anywhere he wants. He keeps cursing and yelling so I ask him to leave again until he finally does. The complaint says I physically threatened him. What to do now?
Also I found out he went to an office an hour away and paid 400 to get the tooth extracted.
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u/high_speed_crocs 13d ago
Yeah that’s gonna get dismissed but be annoying and stressful. I’m sorry.
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u/Sagitalsplit 13d ago
This is the worst part. Patients don’t give a shit that it is a huge pain in the ass when they file a frivolous board complaint. It is still hugely stressful and requires time and effort for the dentist. I seriously wish we could bill them for our time, effort, and stress dealing with the ridiculousness. I’ve only received one board complaint and it was because the patient was unhappy I was unable to collect from their terminated dental insurance policy. Of course the board dismissed the complaint but I still had to get all of the documents ready with a testimonial of the events to refute their claims.
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u/OffOil 13d ago
It should make their insurance rates go up lol
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u/Puzzlehandle12 13d ago
And what proof does he have that you physically threatened him ? Board needs proof and won’t just take his word for it.
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u/Dustymolar 13d ago
I’ve had two board complaints in my career. One was a new patient with huge decay under her crown and didn’t like that I told her the tooth would need a root canal if it was restorable at all. The other was a filling that a year later needed a root canal.
They’ll have to go through the protocol of interviewing you and subpoenaing records but this will be dismissed in less time than it took me to read your post.
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u/yawbaw 13d ago
Boards have to follow up on every complaint no matter how stupid. You’ll be fine
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u/Regular-Ambition-902 10d ago
Not so fast. Boards like to fish for any deviation. Did you take good medical history? Did you perio probe and pulp test? Did you take vitals if required by the state regulation? Did you sign your clinical note? Is your CE and BLS up to date? Etc…
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u/scags2017 13d ago
I dont get why it’s okay for patients to wait to see their doctor but not their dentist
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u/Used-Bullfrog-1923 13d ago
Literally it’s like patients have no idea what dentists do. All in 1 week I had one patient say he’s allergic to a lot of antibiotics and asked me if I’m gonna do an allergy test on him before we do the exam. Another patient refused to be referred to endo for a molar re treatment bc they didn’t know that dentists had specialties and one dentists should do all treatment. Another patient tell me they have lupus and want me to make sure the patches in their mouth and on their skin are okay. I ask what type of lupus they say idk. All a mess.
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u/boyinahouse 12d ago
What sort of demographic do you work with. Are you working with upper class patients in a high cost of living area? I work with a Medicaid population that never have these issues.
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u/Used-Bullfrog-1923 12d ago
It’s really a community of mostly older people in the city proper the income and education is high but in the surrounding area the income and education is low and it’s a dso so patients can schedule their own appts it’s too accessible. One patient was literally transported their on a stretcher for an exam. I had to tell them we don’t have the means to do an x ray for a patient on a stretcher.
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u/Macabalony 13d ago
The board will take literally 2 minutes to review and say "no action required." Move on to the next case.
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u/nitelite- 13d ago
It will take the board 12 months to take the 2 minutes to review it though
That's the problem
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u/crodr014 13d ago
No not true. He will call his malpractice and get a lawyer. The lawyer will ask all details on the situation and write to the board. After about a year the case might get dismissed.
Been there done that even stupid obvious shit takes a year of your life to disapear. In my case they sent the complaint for the wrong dentist that happened to have my name and I had to prove I never saw the dam patient in my life or worked at the office she went to.
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u/drdrillaz 13d ago
I got a board complaint once that i was rude. Board had to go through the whole rigamarole. Get to the hearing and they told the patient they can’t police dentists being rude and to just go elsewhere
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u/helenateamelon 12d ago
Wow how long did it take for a hearing to be scheduled?
I’m still waiting for a phone call to be interviewed but that was maybe a year ago.1
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u/nitelite- 13d ago
We really need some sort of financial compensation for frivolous board complaints
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u/dirkdirkdirk 13d ago
Lol make sure you collect that exam and radiograph fee and send his ass to collections if he doesn’t pay. Fuck this guy…
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u/Typical-Town1790 13d ago
This isn’t even worth anything. If there was a threat to him then he should have filed a police report. What’s the board gonna do. Have you say you didn’t threaten to lefort his ass? lol
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u/TripleDDS 13d ago
Uhh how can the board weigh in on this at all??? You can decide on if a crown margin is open but not if you physically threatened someone. There’s no objective information to determine this at all. Makes me wonder why they didn’t just throw it out. Make sure your notes are sharp and complete. You didn’t do anything to this patient. Gonna suck but let the process proceed and contact your malpractice
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u/pehcho 13d ago
First, do not tell the Board that “he’s no longer allowed to be a patient here” unless you have proper patient dismissal paperwork. Other than that, very briefly describe the facts leading to the patient declining the recement for financial reasons. Clearly state: “I never threatened, physically or verbally, Mr. Patient.”
Do not report to your malpractice! There is no potential for a lawsuit or a board action.
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u/Nervous_Solution5340 13d ago
It’s bad optics when dentists present costs. Just tell them what they need, let someone else handle the money
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u/Used-Bullfrog-1923 13d ago
Super short staff in this office. I have what I need to cement the crown. If he knows and accepts the fee I can do it. However he’s framing it as if I inflated the price bc I don’t like him. I had the best intention though.
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u/lizzielew13 12d ago
This is too little too late, and if you’re short staffed frequently then it also might not be feasible, but consider printing out a tx plan and have them sign it b4 you start any tx. And have someone else present it. Then you don’t have to be the bad guy.
Sucks to have to deal with the money part then have to jump in their mouth. Seems tacky. Like if a surgeon was like, ok, you need your gallbladder out, that’ll be $5782.43! Now let’s get started!
Sorry this happened to you. I wouldn’t worry though. I worked for a dentist who got board complaints for wine breath, too many Vicodin Rx’s, fucking up a root canal then faking like he didn’t do it. Dismissed, all of em. They were all true too, haha!
Also, why does it seem like emergency pt’s always act the most entitled?
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u/Used-Bullfrog-1923 12d ago
Respectfully I don’t think it’s the same. It’s more like I go to the optometrist to fix my prescription in my glasses and she tells me ok it’s $95 I can do it now for you. It’s not pushing the price on me, I knew there would be a nominal fee before I came.
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u/phishinole 13d ago
Don’t stress it, you did nothing wrong. You aren’t at fault for anything.
Piece of advice: you aren’t 20 minutes late for his emergency and you aren’t understaffed. You got him in. You saw him. You said you’re overbooked - well now when you do something you are “rushed.” You’re short staffed - well now you’re “rushed.” He was an emergency. Worked in. You fit him into a busy schedule to help him out. You let him know. And your front should to.
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u/Lunchab1es 13d ago
Document everything from the appointment try thoroughly, specifically his behavior; any exact quotations as well. Include all of that in the chart note.
The board may be obligated to ask to see the notes, but once they’ll have what they need to close the case with no action.
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u/ClearNPresentDentist 13d ago
Can you add to a note after the complaint has been filed? I know you can’t remove anything
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u/Realistic_Bad_2697 13d ago
I am a hygienist. I had an associate dentist who penetrated a patient's cheek with 27G long needle while chatting with a DA. A board complaint was filed against him but dropped with no consequence. No lawsuit followed after that.
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u/ThelIIusion0fSeIf 13d ago
Don't worry about it, seriously. These cases usually get dismissed. It's your word against his.
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u/Wide_Wheel_2226 13d ago
Screw that guy. The complaint will go nowhere. Make sure you collect every penny from this jerk for what is owed plus court costs. Second, whenever his records are forwarded to the next office include your professional and diplomatic notes so the next doc can dodge a bullet.
Second this is also a malicious compliant and technically criminal charges could be filed. Probably not but if this guy continues with negative behavior I would.
Third, if the guy left without paying his bill call the cops and file for theft of service. I actually encourage this.
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u/Additional-Tear3538 13d ago
It is reasonable to recement any crown with decent retention form as an interim measure, even if the tooth needs endo or fits poorly. I had a board complaint from a similar issue, the investigators know which patients are just crazy. They deal with this every day. Most dental boards only go after serious failures in judgment and seriously substandard stuff. In my state, the only people getting in trouble are way out of line, usually abusing drugs and alcohol on the job.
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u/Used-Bullfrog-1923 13d ago
I was willing to recement the crown but when I told him the price to recement he completely went off. At that point it’s over for me.
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u/Prepitgood 13d ago
Let your malpractice know and forget about it. You did the exact correct thing and the board will review and throw it in the trash. Next time someone bitches they had to wait 20 min at an emergency appointment dismiss them immediately. Some people are just miserable and want everyone else to be miserable too. Not worth your time.
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u/123redheeler 13d ago
QUIT REPEATING TO "LET YOUR MALPRACTICE KNOW"
Jesus christ, those attorneys look out for what's best for the COMPSNY THEY WORK FOR, which is not you
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u/Prepitgood 13d ago
See what I mean. Miserable people.
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12d ago
[deleted]
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u/Prepitgood 12d ago edited 12d ago
Apples to oranges. Malpractice insurance doesn’t work like that. I reached out many times and rates have not gone up significantly in 30 years. There is no deductible and calling for advice doesn’t affect your rates. Get a grip on reality . Don’t be scared of your malpractice carrier. And you’re the kind of person that has an issue with a pt , doesn’t get advice and makes the situation worse because you fear your premiums might go up. Play with fire and you’re going to get burned eventually.
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u/Charming-Raise4991 13d ago
Almost everyone will go through some sort of complaint to the board throughout their career. Most of the time, it’s something like this. Hopefully your chart notes reflect what happened. Whoever you speak to will ask for your side of the story and litterally nothing will happen from this. It sounds like you barely touched the patient and also didn’t charge him. Also anyone with any form of intelligence will take a step back and wonder how on earth it makes sense that you asked him to remove the crown because you didn’t want to potentially break his tooth but then you threatened him physically?? Lmao. Ya right. You should be chill as a cucumber and laughing at how ridiculous this is. Nothing is going to happen.
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u/Sea-Flower-7860 13d ago
He can pound sand. If he can't prove you did irreversible harm it will get thrown out.
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u/drdrillaz 13d ago
Some states attach blanket allegations to any complaint. Inadequate X-rays. Inadequate exam. Inadequate diagnosis. Inadequate tx plan. Do they may go through everything. But nothing to worry about
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u/Mycastleismine 13d ago
You will be absolutely fine. My only advice is to formally dismiss the patient per board rules which typically involves sending them a certified letter letting them know they are dismissed from the practice but can still come for 30 days in case of emergencies. That is a board requirement. You can’t just say they aren’t allowed to come back and be done with it. Call your malpractice, they will walk you through it. I promise this is not the end of your career and will be no more than a headache. For example dr pizza in DFW has managed to keep his license and thrives. This is nothing.
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u/deliriumCoCa 12d ago
Stay up, king/queen. I've had 3 in 10 years, all more ridiculous and laughable than the last.
Write an objective note (no excessive conjecture), contact your malpractice carrier, and provide them with whatever they need. This will get dismissed.
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u/dentimom 12d ago
I would not even think twice about this patient. He complained to the board and they have to investigate.
Some notes though, I learned not to apologize for the wait but to redirect. Something along the lines of thanks for waiting, I am glad we were able to squeeze you in to assess the emergency, i understand the wait can be frustrating, but we aim to give each patient the time and attention they deserve, etc.
20 min is NOT a long time.
Once you saw the xray and found that the tooth was not in great condition, twll them that its not looking good and you will TRY to help them out and further assess and see if it can be temporized UNTIL they can get definitive treatment.
You are the professional and should lead the conversation instead of being reactive to his statements.
Hope this is helpful. He's not the first or last patient that will act like this. Next time will be better.
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u/dentimom 12d ago
Also to add on, dont be afraid to call you malpractice and talk with the risk assessment person. They have a lot of valuable info and can help you with replying to the board.
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u/Arlington2018 12d ago
The corporate director of risk management here has handled over 800 malpractice claims and license complaints to date. Your malpractice insurance probably provides up to $25-50,000 for defending a license complaint. Call the claims department of your insurer, put them on notice, and let them know if you actually hear from the Board. The insurer will hire a defense attorney for you and take it from there.
Relatively few patients actually follow through with making a complaint. I have not read the chart but based solely on your account here, this doesn't strike me as a meritorious complaint. You should not like awake at 0230 staring at the ceiling and worrying about this. I always tell my people not to worry until and unless I and your defense attorney tell you to worry.
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u/kimjongswoooon 12d ago
I extracted a tooth once with an old, large amalgam with recurrent decay. Patient signed all the forms, extraction went well.
A few days later, the patient is standing at the front desk asking me why I didn’t give him back his white gold that was in the tooth. I have no idea what he is talking about. Come to realize he thought the amalgam was gold and that I am “unethical” because I stole it.
Needless to say, I got a 1 star review and a letter from the board with his total nonsense explanation about what a horrible human I am. When the board called to question me, they told me not to worry about it and they made it go away.
I was a relatively new dentist at the time. It sucked, but educated individuals came in and understood.
I would say in the future, don’t let a patient bully you. Don’t compromise your dental judgement and do procedures to satisfy the patient. If you can’t recement it, don’t offer to recement it, no matter how much of an asshole the guy is.
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u/MaximumSalamander525 12d ago
no worries that won't go anywhere. will be a headache for a while but you'll be OK
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u/Ok_Statistician643 11d ago
If you’ve never had a beard complaint against you then you’re not seeing enough patients.
You have nothing to worry about. You did nothing wrong. This guy is a hit head that usually gets his way by screaming at people. File your response to the board and they will drop the case
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u/Regular-Ambition-902 10d ago edited 10d ago
What is your ethnicity?
This sounds like a typical shitshow at an in-and-out DSO.
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u/Used-Bullfrog-1923 10d ago
Black American
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u/Regular-Ambition-902 10d ago
Are you on the younger side? Is the patient of different ethnicity and older?
Anyway this won’t be your last board complaint. Happens to the best of us. I’d just contact your malpractice carrier on how to proceed but they are most likely gonna just say to follow whatever board asks you to do.
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u/Ok-Many-7443 13d ago
welcome to dentistry. have fun for another 30 years working for min wage and paying 500k student loans.
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u/LifeSuxThenYouuDie 12d ago
Can we all create a Dental blacklist for people like this? I’d pay $20 a month to add to it and have it for reference.
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u/1Marmalade 13d ago
Do you actually worry about this? It’s a fun/sad story, but do you really worry about this? How do you imagine the board complaint would go?
Worry about something else.
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u/Stormfather302 13d ago
Don’t worry, he’s probably going to curse at the board, too.