Dental credit card companies?

Question

A good friend of mine went to a dentist to have her teeth clean and a check up. She is 63 years old, and takes very good care of her teeth.

The dentist said she had pockets and that her gums were infected. This came as a shock, because she had no idea of this problem. The dentist had her sign a credit application. My friend thought it was a pre approval application. After a day or two, she was notified by the dentist secretary that she had been approved for the sum of $3559, which would be the amount the dentist is to charge her. She is on disability, and that was not possible for her to pay that amount in monthly payments. The interest rate is 22% variable.

She called the credit card company and they said the money had been sent to the dentist. She would have to deal with the dentist to have the money sent back. The credit card company said that because she had made an inquiry the day before to their company, her account had been closed.

Now the people at the dental office are not friendly with her and the dentist is not wanting to respond to her questions about the money or procedures.

My friend just wants out of the whole contract that she got pulled into.

The credit card company is not helpful.

How can she get out of the contract with the dentist and have the money returned?

The credit card company has charged her 4%. That would amount to $140, and the dentist has already taken xrays, and an exam. So maybe this has allowed the dentist to complete access to the money advanced to my friends account with the dentist. She feels like she is being held hostage by the dentist to have all this work done, and wants a second opinion from another dentist. Do you have any ideas of how to handle this mess she is in.? Thank you for taking the time.

Answer 1

Call the American Dental Association and report his behavior and the secretary or office manager who expedited the charges.  Next call the

Better Business Bureau and make a complaint. Call your local television station, they love stories like this that take advantage.  Good Luck!

Answer 2

Your friend needs to be more careful when she signs things...The dental office has no claim to the money if she does not have the treatment done. She needs to contact the Better Business Bureau and her local dental society.She needs to find another office, they sound shady.

Answer 3

The main problem is that she shouldn't have signed it without knowing for sure what it was. Now usually, (At least in my office) we dont take the money even after we get the approval for the loan until, we speak to the patient and tell them that we got it and it will be charged to her upon..(what we decide upon). It really depends on what the exact conversation she had was, but she should only be liable to pay for the treament she actually had done and the rest returned to the credit company. Maybe she could have someone call on her behalf and discuss the situation. Also this company may have also offered an interest free term, i would also find out why she wasn't given that option. Email me if you have any other questions. i hope everything works out.