How Can I Get a Refund from My Dentist?

Posted by AllSmiles

Woman with dark hair thinking, portraying how to get a refund from a dentist How can you get a refund from a dentist if you’ve had faulty dental work or a dentist did not fulfill their agreement? One way is to leverage the fact that written requests for refunds from a dentist can go on record with The National Practitioner Data Bank.

What Is the National Practitioner Data Bank?

The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) is a database that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services operates. It contains records of medical malpractice payments and adverse action reports on health care providers. A dentist must report refunds to the NPDB for requests that patients submit in writing or that the dental practice’s account pays. Dentists want to avoid having records of their refunds in the NPDB.

How Can You Ask for a Refund?

You ask for a refund from your dentist with a direct verbal request. Remember, refunds from patients’ verbal requests do not require dentists to notify the NPDB. So, if your dentist hesitates to refund you, you can remind them that your request is verbal and does not require reporting to the NPDB. You might say, “I prefer not to make a written request or hire a lawyer to get a refund. Can we keep it simple?” Your conversation may prompt your dentist to refund you so that they can avoid having the refund recorded in the NPDB database.

For additional information on how to talk with your dentist about problems with their work, please refer to the Problems with Your Dentist page from the American Dental Association.

How Can You Minimize the Risks of Needing a Refund?

Any dentist can make a mistake. But you can minimize the risks of negligence or faulty dental work with these steps:

Ask friends or family members for recommendations.
Check patients’ reviews online.
Look at dentists’ websites for their credentials and experience.

For example, if you want porcelain veneers, look for a dentist with post-graduate training and experience in cosmetic dentistry. For replacing missing teeth, look for a dentist with dental implant credentials. You can schedule consultations with at least two dentists, discuss your concerns, and ask to see their patients before and after photos of cases like yours.

Dr. Thaddeus Michalski of Rocky Hill, Connecticut, sponsors this page. Read about what Dr. Michalski does to provide patients with some of the best dental care in Rocky Hill.