Dr. Shim,

I really wanted to get this in writing because it’s therapeutic, even though I will be sure to stop by your office first thing tomorrow.

I’ve been a regular patient for about two years, ever since I moved to Phoenix. You’re a great dentist and your technicians have always been nothing but wonderful.

That’s is why I’m aggrieved, mortified that my patronage of your business is being spoiled by the utter carelessness of your receptionist or whoever handles your billing process.

The first time I returned to your office after I moved apartments, I was surprised to hear that I owed a co-pay from my previous visit, since I had not received any sort of notification in the mail, over the phone, nothing.

It was not a big deal, apparently the new address had not been updated, and I paid what I owed on the spot. I notified your receptionist of my new address for future reference. I told her I would also go ahead and pay for the co-pay of the current visit, instead of waiting for a bill in the mail.

She double and triple checked and assured me that with my new insurance, I did not have a co-pay. Ok, I was almost certain that I DID have a co-pay, but she insisted. She said that if I had a co-pay, your office would send a bill. Because of what had just happened with my prior visit, I verified she had my new address.

Yes, she did, she said.

Your office also has my cell phone, since I get reminder calls of my appointments. My cell phone has never changed.

Now imagine my utter disbelief when I received a letter in the mail, forwarded from an address I haven’t lived at in almost a year, from a COLLECTION agency. Shock can’t even begin to describe how wronged, how helpless I feel. I’m not sure what else I could’ve done to avoid this.

Please tell me what else I could’ve done? I insisted with your receptionist about my new address, I insisted in paying on the spot, you have my cell phone number, probably my work number, and I bet you even have my email, Twitter and Facebook somewhere or other.

I find it odd that, to this day, I still receive mail forwarded from my old address, and yet again, I never once received a bill from your office about the co-pay. Never a call, carrier pigeon, nothing! The Arizona Republic doesn’t make it rain when I get my paychecks, but I can assure you, more than assure you, I can afford a $25 co-pay to get my teeth cleaned. 

The best way to describe how I feel right now is cheated and betrayed. Let us, for one second, pretend that insisting on my new address with your receptionist was a mere vivid dream. Was it really necessary to then turn me over to, gasp, a COLLECTION agency without, at the very least, the courtesy of ONE phone call?

Apparently now I owe $50, and who knows what will happen to my spotless credit, what with me being turned over to, God help us, a COLLECTION agency! I don’t have any children. My credit is my child and your office just punched it and made it ugly!

Finally, after writing this cathartic letter, I ask you: Why should I continue to use your business? Is your attention and great skills really worth living in fear that your receptionist will get me turned over to, I can’t get over it, a COLLECTION agency!?

Dr. Shim, I’m hoping you will help me make this right.

In shock,

Patricia Lapadula 

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Actual message I fired off to my dentist tonight.