I just hung up the phone with Dr. Hudec. While his office manager was very understanding of a situation, Dr. Hudec is very defensive, set in his ways, and unwilling to budge on important customer issues. He conducted himself poorly in a phone conversation having to do with his staff's customer service.
The issue:
My six year old daughter received an amalgam filling while at the office. This was our first filling at Hudec Dental and I did not know that they only do Amalgam fillings on children unless otherwise asked. The choice is NOT given to parents. Had I realized this, I would have chosen a resin composite filling. Our previous dental office had a higher standard. I expected the same would be true for just about any dentist office these days. I was dumbfounded when I realized their ""standard"" is to use below standard materials. Dr. Hudec seems to take personal offense to the studies and recommendations of reputable institutions out there such as the FDA. FDA recommends that MERCURY amalgam fillings not be used on children. From the FDA website, ""Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses. When amalgam fillings are placed in teeth or removed from teeth, they release mercury vapor. Mercury vapor is also released during chewing.""
With a health risk and having other options, why would any dental office opt to NOT give patients a choice? Dr. Hudec's answer is that Amalgam is absolutely safe and resented my implication that they are a substandard practice. He said it, not me! I sure do think they are a more than substandard practice, but it has everything to do with their methodology and treatment of patients/customers.
I admit that amalgam is still widely used. However, my argument is that a treatment choice should be discussed with patients so that an informed decision can be made.
Please DO NOT go to any of the Hudec Dental offices. You will be disappointed with long wait times (yes, I waited approximately 1.5 hrs before being seen and then turned away), substandard service, substandard offices, and substandard care as outlined by the owner of the practice himself.
Dr. Hudec spoke with me for 15 mins and let me know the conversation had gone on long enough. Simply because I wanted my daughters filling replaced.
Reasons not to go to Hudec Dental:
1. Offices are old and outdated
2. Long wait times
3. You'll be herded like sheep
4. Poor customer service standards
5. Poor patient care standards
6. From the top down, their methodology is outdated
Pros: Cheap
Cons: Bad Care, Bad Service
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