Valley Implants and Periodontics

So, after getting pushed by my kid’s dentist for probably two years I finally bit the bullet to begin the whole braces experience. Of course as if that’s not enough after the initial consultation with the orthodontist I find that before the braces can be applied the child needs a gum graft and that can only be done at a periodontist.
(If you don’t know what a gum graft is, well here you go:
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Lucky for me (lol!) the orthodontist knows a guy who she recommends for all of this type of work which is how we hooked up with Dr. Miller’s practice at Valley Implants.
The initial set up was a piece of cake. I made a call and they scheduled us after school in about two weeks. The visit was fast enough and after around thirty minutes we were on our way with a date to have the procedure done. The only quirk so far was that I had to repeat to the office staff, Dr. Miller and his assistant that no, the child did not have an X-​Ray done at the orthodontist because they won’t do anything with her until the gum graft was finished (more on this later).
The procedure was scheduled about a month later so that the child could take a day or two off from school around a holiday since eating/​talking initially is a bit difficult. As for the procedure itself the Doctor is a cool customer who has clearly done this many times before and has no issue cracking jokes/​talking/​keeping both the patient and the parent at ease during the procedure. Everything was done in about an hour along with a full set of post-​op instructions.
So far, so good. Why overall only three stars?
Well it all comes down to communication/​the office staff.
The office staff loses a star as one person in particular was a real jerk over the phone. Follow up visit #2 (which by the way was a waste of time since all we did was show up to have an X-​Ray done since the insurance company wouldn’t process the claim without an X-​Ray which of course should have been done before the procedure) was scheduled in the office after follow up visit #1 with blonde at a time that we could not make. I asked blonde for a time that was thirty minutes later and she told me no problem. Now when she calls the day prior to follow up visit #2 to confirm the appointment, she asks if we can make the time that I initially told her that we couldn’t make. I politely remind her that we cannot make that time to which she then snaps at me that it was «fine» and that we could just show up whenever but not to forget that the office closed at five. Why I had to be reminded that they closed at five when all I wanted was to move the time from 3:30 to 4:00 I’ll never understand, but I digress.
The next issue involves billing. The office staff had nothing to do with the billing as Dr. Miller quoted me a price at the initial consultation visit by scribbling down a number down on a Post-​It Note and then asking me if that was a good number. I said yes and I figured that was the price. Of course when I see the EOB and the eventual bill from the office sure enough that price now has increased by 20% without any explanation. When I say without explanation I mean no one said a thing the day of the procedure, at either of the two follow up visits nor did the bill explain the extra 20%. I called the office and was told that extra work was done during the child’s procedure which necessitated the extra cost. When I bring up the Post-​It Note with the figure on it and the lack of explanation they of course have no idea and I’m told that they have to talk to Dr. Miller and that they’ll get back to me.
I’m still waiting for that call.
I guess I can say that there is no doubt that Dr. Miller does very good work and clearly he is a very good dentist. The procedure was as advertised and I have no issues with any of his work in the child’s mouth.
What I do have an issue with is that the office staff (one person in particular) is a bit shall we say pushy-​grouchy and the billing is a little shady-​vague-​less than transparent. Unfortunately in the near future we might have the need for this type of dental work again and quite honestly because of the billing I’m going to think twice before coming back here as to me the price should be the price unless things are explained either fully in advance (which they weren’t) or immediately after the procedure (again, they weren’t) because I shouldn’t need to chase them down for an explanation when they change the price without any notice.