To those patients that have had problems with their dental work and have not received satisfaction, here are a few solutions:
1. Contact the patient advocate or social worker
2. Send a letter to the Dean, Dr. Charles Bertolami and copy somebody important (see # 4). Send a letter to the president of NYU, John Sexton as well.
3. Contact a lawyer if necessary.
4. Contact your local Congressional Representative as well as your local State Senator or Assemblyman and ask them to intervene on your behalf (ask them to send a letter to the Dean). Very effective!
5. Contact the NY State Society of Dentistry as well as the NY State Education dep't.
6. File a complaint with the OPD (office of professional discipline)
7. Keep all financial records of payments as well as original contracts. Make sure that you have copies of informed consent paperwork for procedures and photos.
8. Make sure that you understand any treatment plan changes since this will affect your financial obligations.
9. Keep records of all dental visits and the treatment completed. Keep track of the maintenance of your Dental work (when was the last time your teeth were cleaned?)
10. Obtain a copy of your Dental record including all progress notes, test results, x-rays , photos etc. You will need to fill out a form and pay a fee but it is very worthwhile to have copies of your record.
11. Remember that the squeaky wheel gets attention. Do not be passive if you are not happy. Know your patient’s bill of rights. You must be steadfast and persistent in your complaints, while being respectful.
Good luck
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