Should I be disturbed?

[Tasha0313]

I had an adjustment on Tuesday the assistant asked if any of the wires were poking me and at the time they weren't. Well on Thursday the wire on the top right hand side started bothering me after I ate dinner. I tried to turn it with an eraser with no success so I put some wax on it and decided to call my orthodontist this morning. I called the office and explained to the receptionist that I was having problems with the wire in the back, I asked if I could come into their office to have the wire turned under which takes all of 5 minutes and she made it seem like it was a huge inconvenience. I live 20 minutes away from my their office. I told her that I would be in the office at 4PM, they close at 5PM. Her response to me was well we close at 5 and we don't like to stay late for just one person. I first off thought that was VERY rude, so I said okay if I come at 3:30 will that be okay. Her response to that was a long sigh, hold on and I'll see when you can come. She then comes back to the phone, explains to me that they are very busy, but if I just can't deal with it to make sure I'm there by 4.

That really really disturbed me because I've never been late to any of my appointments, I've never had any problems with my braces as far as brackets falling off, I've never been back after an adjustment for anything. So I thought well I'll call the office manager because I don't appreciate the way I was talked to or the level of service that I received. After speaking with the office manager I was even more diasppointed. I explained to the office manager that the lady I spoke with was rude, she made it seem like I was inconveniencing their office even though I said I would be there an hour before they closed and her response to me was I was sitting right here, I told her what to say, she wasn't rude, I am going to be the person that turns your wires under and by you coming in at 4:00 you are inconveniencing me by coming in at 4:00 and it's my end of the day. I said okay so are you saying that I cannot come in and she said no just get here when you can.

I just want to know if there's anything else I can do? I mean I don't want to cause any trouble, I just want them to fix this wire and that's all. They've been very nice ever since I started my treatment almost two years ago, but today just completely turned me off. It makes me not want to go in, but because this wire is becoming a pain I have to. Any suggestions?

[Infamy]

Talk to your orthodontist. In most cases, the orthodontist IS the boss and owns the practice.

Tell him/her how you were treated and how unacceptable it is. If he insists that his employees were in the right, ask if he can refer you to another orthodontist.

You are not there for them; they are there for you--or that's how it should be. YOU are a patient and YOU are paying them to receive the treatment by your orthodontist. You are suffering because the wires are too long; therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that you are comfortable.

The office manager is a complete disgrace and your orthodontist must be made aware.

Of course, this is only my opinion.

[dr.j]

As an orthodontist myself, I would really want to know if my staff was that rude.

dr. j

[smilezofmetal2]

The person you spoke to was extremely un-perfessional and needs to be taught some manners....I had an experience where I was a total of 3 minutes late and the lady(if I should even call her that) was very rude to me and told me to make another appt. without even asking the ortho if he could squezze me in...keep in mind there was a storm and I had to take the public transport ...but I haven't seen her since the incident

[bbsadmin]

My orthodontist AND his staff told me that any time I had a "pokey wire" I could just come in without even making an appointment! In fact, once my ortho even came in on a Saturday to put me out of my poking wire agony. That taught me NEVER to get an adjustment on a Friday! Many times I'd get my adjustment in the morning and after lunch the damn wire was poking my cheek. After a while it became a joke, "...well, see you guys again after lunch!"

It really is no big deal to clip a wire. Most offices can fit you in, as long as you're willing to wait. I think you were being more than accomodating and the person on the phone was really rude.

[HollyDontSpend]

Infamy, that really stinks that you were treated that way. I agree with everyone else, talk to the ortho. If their treatment affects your wanting to go, that's the only thing you can do. If this helps, I was actually in the chair on a slow day when I heard one of the orthos (I go to a father/son team) reprimanding an assistant for not being clear with the plan of action for a patient. Apparently, the little girl was not wearing her rubberbands on the correct teeth and when the little girl asked the assistant to explain it to her, she blew her off. So, the little girl just guessed and she had been wearing the bands that way for a couple of weeks. Yikes! He was really letting her have it. It wasn't noisy, but I was pretty close by in a chair waiting for the ortho to look at my teeth (and being nosy ). Anyway, I haven't seen that assistant ever again and that was last year around this time.

[Tasha0313]

So I will give everyone an update. I ended up leaving work at 3:30PM on Friday. I got to their office at 3:50PM, walked in, the office was empty except for a younger little girl who was there to also have her wire clipped. When I walked in there was one person at the counter, she was on the telephone, she never acknowledged that I was there, she never spoke. I said excuse me about 5 times with no response. I stood at the counter until 4:15PM when she finally said can I help you. My first thought was yeah you could have helped me 20 minutes ago, but I didn't say it. I told her what I was there for, she said it would be a minute before they could get to me, so I waited. Right after that the assistant called the other girl in, clipped her wire and she was out in 2 minutes tops. And still I waited. 4:30PM here comes the assistant, she calls me back and the first thing she says is I wasn't trying to be rude, I just don't like getting out of here at 6PM every Friday, I have a family to go home to. I didn't say anything to that, I just wanted her to clip the wire. Come to find out, the wire broke right off when she put the wire cutters on it, it didn't take two seconds for her to do that. That's when I said you know, I understand that you have a family to go home to as do I, however, I am paying for this treatment and I expect to get the most out of my treatment. I'm not a problem patient, I've never been late for an appointment, I always make my payment on time, so don't for one second act as though I am always an inconvenience to your office. She again apologized and that was it. I was still pretty pissed when I walked out of the office and I plan on talking to my ortho when I see him next month.

[dr.j]

Write a letter addressed to the orthodontist "eyes only". Do not put a return address on it. If he never gets it you will know who opended it.


DrJ

[tictac]

I think you handled it nicely, Tasha. I just can't believe they'd get that bent out of shape over sometime sooo simple and quick. I work in a dental office (and many, many years ago at an orthodontic office) and there's a big difference between patients who show up 30 minutes late at the end of the day, and patients like you who have the courtesy to try and not keep them late. Even if you showed up at 4:59, it only takes a few seconds to clip a wire!!!! Totally uncalled for. Sheesh.

[jcdamon3]

Hi,

My ortho assistance told me to come in any time if I have a wire poking. I had a problem that was bothering me the other day and they got the orthodontist on the phone with me and then had me come right in. I think you should tell the ortho for sure about this. If I was getting treated like this, espeically given the fact that everyone else is telling you this is bad treatemnt, I would seriously think about switching orthodontists. You are the customer. Without you they don't have a business.

I would have been really steamed. You did handle it well.

[KittyW]

The ortho needs to know he has employees behaving poorly. Definitely tell him! That chick at the front desk ought to fired! You had incredible patience. I would have asked to speak to the ortho right then and there!

Like others, my ortho's office NEVER makes an issue about coming in to have a wire clipped, a bracket fixed, etc. They bend over backwards for me and even reassure me that those wires can often feel fine after the adjustment and move quite a bit in just a few hours (in other words, it's very normal!).

Let us know what happens after you speak to your ortho!