Bruce K Carlson, DDS – Total Health Dental Center

So a friend at work (Walgreens in Arlington Heights) told me about Bruce Carlson’s practice in 2005, and I had been going to him for regular checkups from then until earlier this year. It was a regular dental practice, nothing really special at all, but not bad either.
I moved downtown in 2006, but kept my loyalty to them and had been going out to their office on a consistent basis. After 6 years however, I thought it was time to find a dentist closer to home. So I called them and told them that I got a new dentist in the loop. About 2 and a half months later, I got a letter from a collection agency saying that I have an outstanding balance for $ 136 with Dr Carlson’s office, and that this fine is being reported to the credit bureaus. WHAT? I found out that this fine was for a missed appointment that I did not tell them about ahead of time. First of all, who has a $ 136 fine for a missed appointment? And second of all, I NEVER MISSED AN APPOINTMENT!
Turns out, they were just upset that I switched my dentist and decided to not take my final appointment out of their books, so of coursed I «missed» it. I had gone to my new dentist before that appointment even was scheduled to happen! What kind of CRAZY practice fines you $ 136 dollars after 7 years of loyal patronage, for missing an appointment that they were supposed to have cancelled?
I would STAY AWAY from this dentist. There are a lot of better and nicer dentists around that don’t try to nickel and dime you when you leave their practice. That makes me feel GREAT about leaving them, and glad I stopped going there!