Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Exeter Orthodontics's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Exeter Orthodontics

  2020 Downyflake Ln Allentown, PA 18103-4917

• 

  Exeter Orthodontics

  3611 Perkiomen Avenue Reading Sta, PA 19606

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/12/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On April 24th I received an email stating that the Exeter orthodontist practice in ********** pa would be closing, and I would have to travel more than an hour in a half away to go to another one of the practices or they would look into giving me a partial refund and refer me to another orthodontist! I chose to go to another orthodontist that they referred me to but I have to pay them to finish my mouth and give me my retainers, which is very disappointing to hear. Because I fully paid Exeter for my braces nd refiners but they didnt finish the job! I feel this is bad business especially being that I picked them for location and for them to complete the work that I paid for! I h w called them several times and have yet to hear back from the office manger that is supposed to be taking care of refunds! Now I have to pay another orthodontist to finish my mouth and give me retainer, that my insurance and myself already paid Exeter for!

  Business Response

  Date: 07/09/2024

  Regrettably, our ********** office ceased operations abruptly on April 18, 2024. Notifications were promptly disseminated to our patients via a mass email on April 24, 2024. We acknowledge that this closure has inconvenienced certain patients, compelling them to discontinue their treatment at our facility. Each case is being thoroughly reviewed to ascertain if a refund is warranted. We have assessed the patient's account and have determined that no refund is applicable, as the treatment provided aligns with the initially estimated duration and adheres to our office's policies.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/13/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 4/19/24, I was made aware (via automated text message) that the orthodontist office that my daughter was going to for treatment closed permanently the evening prior (4/18/24). Since 4/19/24, I have been trying to contact the office to get a refund for services as her treatment was not completed but was paid in full. It is now 5/13/24 and despite multiple attempts, I have not heard back regarding my refund. I have placed calls on 4/19/24, 4/29/24, 5/2/24 (left a voicemail), 5/6/24, and again today 5/13/24. Each time I speak with a representative, I am told I should hear back in a week. It has now been almost a month and my daughter was supposed to be seen on 4/21/24. At this point, the office is not appropriately responding to inquiries and they are holding up treatment for my child. This is beyond unprofessional and not at all the kind of service anyone should receive from a healthcare provider. We paid $3500 in 2022 and another $750 in May 2023 when she transitioned from Invisalign to braces based on what we were advised by the orthodontist. I would like a prompt refund so that I can take my daughter to a new provider and continue her now halted treatment.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/04/2024

  Our office has received a notice about a complaint filed against our practice. Unfortunately, our ********** office closed unexpectedly, and we have reached out to our patients through mass emails and later followed up with text messages. Following the complaint, our office has communicated with the patient's mother. We have provided the patient's records and issued a partial refund so that treatment can be continued at a new provider's office. Both the practice and the patient are satisfied with the outcome.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/24/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This orthodontics office closed this location. I paid for my daughter services upfront. They closed this office and old us that we could come to ********* or reading instead. That is over and hour form my house. they have not provided the rest of the Invisaligns and I only got a year worth of the services that I paid for. I want a refund for the years that I didnt get and the aligners that I didnt get. They knew they were closing and waited until they already had to notify us by email. My daughter ***************************** is owed at least another year of treatment and aligners.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/04/2024

  Unfortunately, our ********** office closed unexpectedly.  We have contacted our patients through mass emails and followed up with text messages.  After the closure, we offered all patients the option to continue treatment at our Reading or ********* location.  Additionally, we also offered virtual appointments for some patients. However, none of these options were feasible for the patient and their mother at this time.  As a result, we have provided the patient's records and issued a partial refund so that treatment can be continued at a new provider's office.  Both the practice and the patient are satisfied with the outcome.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/06/2024

  
  
   Complaint: 21620141
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I am still waiting for the refund! This is annoying!  Everything has been like pulling teeth! Getting responses and getting Invisalign app. Like they knew they were closing so they shouldve prepared! I have to come out of pocket a lot to switch! 
  
  
  Regards,
  
  Asia *********
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/09/2024

  The patients refund was mailed to the patient on June 11, 2024. 

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/10/2024

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: 21620141
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the refund was based on the month of not getting services but doesnt account for the fact that I will now have to pay more to go somewhere else. You and refunding me a minimal amount saying that she only missed about 4 months of treatment but to be fair you know you were closing well before you told us, why keep taking patients. Why let us pay up front for the whole thing. I had to pay for new X-rays and now retainers etc. you should be ashamed and this is a huge interruption in my daughters treatment. 
  
  
  Regards,
  
  Asia *********
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/20/2024

  As previously mentioned, the refund amount for the patient is determined by the laboratory fees accrued during treatment and the duration of care provided.  ********** extended the option to the patient to continue treatment through the Invisalign virtual program, but they declined.  If the patient decides to pursue treatment with another provider, they will be accountable for any additional fees incurred.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/24/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My son got braces 2/17/22 @ $3995. His ins coverage was $2k and I paid the bal. in full of $1502.50 ($495 disc.) on 2/17/22. When he hit the end of his treatment (8/23) they notified him there was an insurance issue and I needed to call. Until this point NOTHING had been said, sent and no one reached out in any fashion. I played phone tag with their office, they do not call, they text. Finally at his last appointment (8/24/23) he got them on the phone with me. A few people spoke with me, all explained (almost scripted) that the insurance didn't go through for the last $1000. I asked HOW I could just be hearing about this when it was PAID IN FULL *18 months* ago. They all stated that since his insurance changed at the beginning of the year (almost 10 months after he got the braces) they didn't get the second insurance payment. NO ONE at any point in Feb 22 when he got them told us that they bill in or get paid in separate portions and that we should not make any updates to our insurance until after got the braces off. Now here we are, 18 months later being told that what we thought was paid in full is not, because they didn't properly explain the process that they should be aware of. The "contract" simply states..."If your insurance does not cover orthodontic benefits as outlined above or is terminated or adjusted for any reason, the responsible party will be responsible for the entire remaining balance and arrangements will be made to the autodraft monthly payments" . This DOES NOT in any way say anything about DURATION of treatment. There was NOTHING said at any point or in writing anywhere to lead us to believe 18 months later we would be having an issue. There was a clear failure on the part of the office staff to inform us of how their billing works and they failed to contact us in MARCH 2023 when they first knew there was an issue. I spoke to Delta Dental, they told me the provider should have told me how it was paid out.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/08/2023

  Our office assists our patients in submitting the claims to the insurance for their orthodontic treatment.  If the patient's policy changes during the course of treatment or is terminated during the course of treatment, the remaining balance becomes patient responsibility.  For this particular account, we received the first initial payment from the insurance company on March 21, 2022.  The patient's policy pays 50% of their orthodontic lifetime maximum at the time of banding and one year later.  On that initial explanation of benefits, it does state "this is the first payment for this orthodontic case.  Additional installment payments will be made automatically, subject to the patient's continued orthodontic coverage and contract maximum at the time of additional payments".  Both our office and the patient receive copies of all explanation of benefits that are sent out.  The insurance released a second payment from the insurance company in a lesser amount and on the explanation of benefits it states that the patient's lifetime benefit had been reached and that this was the final payment.  Our office reached out to the insurance company two times in regard to this claim and why we did not receive the benefit.  The representatives that we spoke to at the time stated they would send it back to be reprocessed.  In August 2023, we did follow up on the previous conversations and we were told by that representative that the patient's policy had changed and their lifetime maximum decreased effective 1/1/23 and that we will not receive anything additional.  We reached out to the patient and parents, and we were provided a new insurance card, but unfortunately it is for medical coverage only.  When we received a call, we returned the call with voicemails and text messages.  Ultimately, it is the patient's responsibility to know and understand how their insurance policies work.  The initial explanation of benefits states that if there are any changes to the contract maximum or to the patient's coverage that it will affect the second installment.  Our financial contract that our patients sign, states that "It should be understood that you, (not your insurance company) are responsible for the full orthodontic fee.  We will be happy to assist you in claiming orthodontic benefits through your insurance plan.  If your insurance does not cover orthodontic benefits as outlined above or is terminated or adjusted for any reason, the responsible party will be responsible for the entire remaining balance and arrangements will be made to auto draft monthly payments." 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/08/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Exeter Orthodontics knowingly and willfully did not communicate with us, the consumer how they handle billing and insurance.  Being strictly an orthodontic practice they are well aware of how the insurance companies pay out, and they neglected to notify us that we should not make any changes to our insurance until after treatment was completed. Their "contract" DOES NOT state anything about DURATION or COURSE OF TREATMENT.

  When they call the insurance company for coverage they are notified of amount and how it is paid (per the individual we spoke with at ***** Dental), so they were aware or else they wouldn't have known our coverage.

  When we PAID IN FULL in February 2022 we had NO reason to think this was anything but just that....PAID IN FULL. There was NO reason to think 10 months later an adjustment could not be made to our insurance. Who would think that unless told otherwise.

  We had communication issues with the staff from day one; between paperwork and payments, there was nothing but confusion.  One would imagine this is also why the ledger we found (attached) shows nothing paid/done until March 1, 2022 when we indeed started the process and made payment on February 17, 2022.  This ledger is impossible to decipher. You can't tell what was going on, we even asked a seasoned office manager of a dental practice to help and she couldn't. There are charges, adjustments, transfers and roll backs all over the place. The "roll back" of this charge wasn't even done until August 1, 2023. However, as they stated they found out in MARCH that there was an issue, almost, 5 months prior and NOTHING was said to us.  That is mind-blowing to me. As stated "Our office reached out to the insurance company two times in regard to this claim...In August 2023 we did follow up on the previous conversations and we were told by that representative that the patients policy changed..." .  When we spoke to the insurance company on 8/24/23 that IS NOT what we were told. She stated that they were notified in March when they got the remaining benefit, and that the practice should have notified us at the beginning how things would be paid out so we would be aware.

  They state "on that initial explanation of benefits, it does state "this is the first payment for this orthodontic case.  Additional installment payments will be made automatically subject to the patients continued orthodontic coverage and contract maximum at the time of additional payments."  First off we do not get these, the world is paperless these days. Second, there is nothing here that states WHEN the next payment would be made, and again WHY would I have any reason to believe it would not be until a year later when my CONTRACT had "expected insurance benefit $1997.50" and we had paid the balance IN FULL based off the information that was given to me by the staff who handled the financials at the time we started treatment.  If there was ANY inclination made to us at all that payments were made the way they apparently are, there would be NO reason we would have changed the insurance.  We paid EXTRA to have the extra coverage.

  They did not receive the expected payment from the insurance in March 2023, and they did not say a word to us, no letter, no phone calls, NOTHING. It was not until August 2023 at my sons next to last appt they told him he needed to have us call, that there was an issue with the insurance.  We called, they called us back ONCE and then texted any other time to call them back - "Hello, this is Exeter Orthodontics. Please give our office a call regarding your insurance at ###-###-#### and select option

  3.  Please do not respond to this automated message. Have a great day!" It wasn't until the next appt, his last, that someone was finally able to get on the phone and discuss the issue.

  What occurred between Match 2023 and AUGUST 2023 that no one at this office felt the need to reach out and say anything or for that matter what took that long to reach out to the insurance company to get their things settled?  We had NO reason to believe there was an issue for we had paid in full OVER A YEAR AGO.  

  "We reached out to the patient and parents and we were provided a new insurance card" - NO ONE ever reached out outside of my sons visits.  My son was ASKED for an insurance card ON HIS LAST VISIT 8/24/23, they already had one on file NOTHING about the insurance info changed.  He called me and asked me for a copy of his dental card at which time I sent it to him, so they had the proper card.  

  Again they want to quote their :"contract" that is clearly misleading and full of misinformation.   

  We were fully aware of our insurance coverage, $2k for orthodontics, what a consumer does not know is HOW you bill it and how insurance pays it, that is where YOU are supposed to keep your patients informed and in this case failed to do so.

  I am sorry that the office staff did not properly and accurately advise us of what they should have.  I do not know why we as the consumer have to suffer for the fact that the employees in the case here failed to do job accurately.
  

  This is a new form of theft by deception.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/06/2023

  At this time, we do not have any additional responses to the complaint. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/06/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because. At this time, we do not have any additional responses to the complaint is not response, its a quiet admission of guilt. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/19/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I paid for service for myself and daughter and treatment was stopped before it was complete

  Business Response

  Date: 07/03/2023

  The patients were dismissed due to disrespectful and aggressive behavior towards staff while in the office and over the phone.  While a patient is in treatment with our practice, we require the patient to be consistent with their appointments and the patients have not been compliant with our appointment policies.  Our office requires recurring monthly payment arrangements and the patients have not been compliant with our financial policies.