Around 2015, I started clear aligner treatment at X Dental Clinic near Gangnam Station. At the time, I was young, and looking back now, I started this hellish orthodontic treatment through a Facebook event entry at a price that was not even cheap.
The clinic says there is a paper I signed regarding mentions of side effects during orthodontic treatment, but when I later requested it, they refused to issue it along with my medical records.
When I started orthodontic treatment, I naturally thought I was being treated by a proper dentist officially affiliated with the dental clinic, not a salaried doctor listed on X Dental Clinic's website. This is going to get long, so I will only write what I experienced.
1: I received treatment from a doctor who was not even on the website.
2: When I started orthodontic treatment, they said it would be finished in 6 months to 1 year, but I received treatment for over 6 years.
3: After starting orthodontic treatment, they clearly acknowledged to some extent that the interproximal reduction had been done incorrectly, and said that if the space did not close in that area, they would definitely fill it in some way.
But in the medical records I later received, the teeth where interproximal reduction had been performed were not even written down, and furthermore, they sued me, saying I was spreading false information that I had not had interproximal reduction at X Dental Clinic but had it done at another clinic.
4: When I called, they set up a policy and only answered when I dialed *23#. Furthermore, they did not answer even when I called from my family members' phone numbers. When I claimed this was blocking, I was again sued for spreading false information.
5: I asked several times for my medical records, but they refused, saying same-day issuance was difficult. Furthermore, on November 13, 2020, in early winter on a very windy day, they said they would give me my medical records and made me wait outside for 30 minutes, then suddenly said they could not give them to me. When I went in and asked, "Why can't you give them to me?" they said they were handling a customer and made me wait another 10 minutes. When they started making excuses, I asked for my medical records about 3 times, and the female consultation manager said she was scared and called the police, abusing public authority by claiming I had used deception and threats.
6: Around the 4th year of orthodontic treatment, I was overseas and we were communicating by KakaoTalk. I requested a consultation with the doctor in charge to ask about a defect in the appliance and tooth sensitivity in the area where interproximal reduction had been done, but even though they clearly knew I was overseas, they made one phone call and then neglected me as a patient, saying they could not consult because I did not answer the phone.
7: When I started orthodontic treatment, they did not properly explain retainers, and although they said there would be no additional cost for retainers later if I paid everything at once, they suddenly demanded a fee for a fixed retainer and brought up something they had never mentioned before starting orthodontic treatment. So I could not trust them and asked for the 1 million won I had prepaid for the retainer. Then they started bargaining, saying they would do the fixed appliance for 100,000 won, or since it was their mistake, they would also do the fixed retainer if I did not get a refund. I tried to pursue a legal dispute through the Consumer Protection Agency and legal consultation, but the deputy manager acted as if they were doing me a favor and refunded money they obviously had to return, minus about a 1.5% card fee. The clinic told the police as if this meant they had done their best.
8: I suffered a lot because of the interproximal reduction, but they kept trying to frame it as if I was not brushing properly. So I filmed videos of myself brushing for about 7 days and sent them to the doctor in charge. At that point, the doctor in charge naturally could not say anything about brushing. Why? Because I really do brush well. ,,, And, as in the university hospital opinion letter, they did not provide any treatment measures to reduce the tooth sensitivity symptoms, and only repeated that I should wear the appliance diligently and brush diligently.
9: Once, as soon as I arrived at the clinic, I brushed my teeth and saw the doctor. I brushed with a toothbrush at the clinic, and of course, since they provide cheap disposable toothbrushes, no matter how well you try to brush, plaque is bound to remain,,, They used that against me and said, "Look at this, you are not brushing properly. Why did you come to the dentist without brushing?" I felt so wronged and said I had brushed for more than 3 minutes as soon as I arrived, and then they asked the desk staff whether I had brushed..,. I was truly speechless. Of course, since I had asked the desk staff for a toothbrush to brush my teeth at the time, that staff member said that Mr./Ms. xxx had taken a toothbrush earlier and brushed, and then they said nothing.
10: Isn't it obvious that, before giving an orthodontic appliance to the patient, the doctor in charge should give it as a rule? At that clinic, it seems the nursing assistants handle the appliances. Even in the transcript, they say something like, "Our kids made a mistake in the inspection"... It was truly the worst. Because of that appliance, the inside of my gums and the cheek side bled heavily and became ulcerated.... At that time, I should have gone to the clinic and gotten a medical certificate. It would have been at least 7 days of full recovery,,,, But the clinic's deputy manager saw the ulceration inside my gums and tried to brush it off as if it were nothing. Also, the consultation manager did not apologize even once and, in a shameless way, said, "We just need to grind down the sharp part of this appliance, right?" So I was so dumbfounded that I asked where the doctor in charge was, and they said the doctor comes once a week,,,, As expected, a salaried doctor,,, So I said, "A patient got hurt and there isn't even one word of apology?" Only then did they say, "I'm sorry, okay?" I could not believe my ears.
11: As also mentioned in the transcript, at that clinic, the content of the initial consultation and the later content changed a lot, each consultation manager said different things, and they also made excuses. I went through many more incidents besides these.
12: Lastly, I will write why I am posting this. I am not writing this to criticize the clinic, damage its reputation, or spread false information. I tried to write as objectively as possible, but since I am also human, some emotion may be felt in the writing. However, I state that there is no false information whatsoever regarding the content of this post, and furthermore, I am writing this to share the experience of someone who had orthodontic treatment at that clinic with people who may consider orthodontic treatment at W Dental Clinic in the future.