Let the buyer beware
Instead of targeting the underlying causes, Dr. Patel’s initial presentation of services was more of a canned one-size-fits-all approach. It lacked a patient-centric philosophy to thoroughly understand each patients specific needs and develop a customized treatment plan. Although it underscored worse-case scenarios, it did not involve a combination of treatments, including lifestyle modifications, stress management techniques, physical therapy, orthodontics as well as oral appliances. The total cost for my treatment was greater than $6,000 (upfront) of which medical and dental insurance paid only a small fraction of the total. Since Dr. Patel is not an approved provider, most insurance plans do not cover his charges. The treatment included diagnostic as well as 5 or 6 doctor visits (over the course of a year) and delivery of two appliances: the first to be worn for 3-4 months 24/7 and the second as a transition to nighttime for stability. This reduced teeth-grinding and relieved pressure on the jaw joint. While Dr. Patel’s staff is informative, empathetic and personable, I could not say the same for him. There was more emphasis placed on selling (what I considered) to be an overpriced treatment than on actually taking sufficient time with each patient. While there, he did not encourage me to provide feedback on my progress or listen to my legitimate concerns or answer any questions. Furthermore, he certainly did not volunteer much, if any, information. Because of this negligence, I will be seeking further dental care elsewhere. It is clearly obvious that Dr. Patel places more emphasis on money and receiving glowing recommendations than on improving the quality of life for TMJ patients. For those reasons, I would advise anyone to seek out more personalized care from other healthcare professionals who actually value and respect people over profits.