Hamlin Groves Dental Care — Local services in Horizon West

Hamlin Groves Dental Care of Winter Garden. I have never posted anything like this before but in the fair interests of what occurred I feel like people should be aware and make their own conclusions.

I visited Hamlin Groves Dental care a few months ago for the first time. My regular dentist was unable to see me for an dental emergency so I was able to get a same day appointment for a tooth that I had broke. Same day they performed a root canal / crown. At the time I was without insurance and the cost for this was around 3,000.00 of which I am still paying for. I then changed professions and now am insured again.

I went back there for a regular cleaning. Keep in mind I am not experiencing any sensitivity or pain or any issues. I go through the cleaning and the hygienist takes new xrays even though I had some just a couple months before for the tooth they fixed. Then proceeds to tell me and point out that I may need Multiple crowns / root canals and fillings. Then explains to me how I can max out my insurance benefit for all of these procedures since it resets on a calendar year but said she will have the dentist review everything with me first.

Then Dr Wakim comes in and not only confirms everything she said with the large number of required procedures also mentions how to get the most from my insurance. Then they try to book me same day and have their "financial" person to come in and go over the costs as this was needed to be treated immediately. They were advising minimum 3 crowns / root canals possibly a 4th or 5th on top of multiple fillings. While going over the numbers even with insurance just for the new "emergency" root canal that the dentist was suggesting needed to be treated immediately the bill was over 1500.00 This is on top of having to make several more visits after the start of the new year for all the other major work they were suggesting I needed for several thousands more. In addition they said after all the work was completed how I could realign my teeth etc etc as their camera scan showed some overlap between the top and bottom teeth. It felt like a timeshare presentation for dental services. When I declined for a same day appointment for the root canal and crown number 1 since I did not have the funds for this full procedure at the time they were like well if you get these 4 fillings done today it will save on your costs for today.

I then reluctantly booked a new appointment for a couple hours later for the fillings. After returning home and putting some thought into it I decided to cancel the return appointment. I called my insurance company and asked if they would cover a 2nd opinion since the costs and procedures they were recommending seemed a bit much considering I am in no discomfort whatsoever. After I received the approval from the insurance company based on what I told them

I went to my regular dentist today for the 2nd opinion. I had Hamlin Groves send my dental records and xrays over to my normal dentist. They reviewed the xrays and while they did have one tooth they suggested needed a crown. (old filling since I was a teen that needed removal and had some additional work to the teeth around it. This was all minor. Total cost less than 500.00 total. All the other "Concerns" including the "emergency crown and root canal" that Hamlin Groves said i needed were not needed at all. Given all the procedures that Hamlin Groves want to charge me I just saved thousands in unnecessary treatments. Now I am left with a sick feeling in my stomach that they tried to take advantage of me and my insurance.

While I do realize some things in dentistry can be subjective I truly feel they would have done all this work for no reason and with that large number of crowns they were saying I needed would have had many more issues down the road as root canals and crowns are not always...

Initially gave a great review, today 2/3/2025 I came in complaining in pain from the thousands of dollars spent on a crown in 2020, I was told it’s a consultation and the doctor and the tech spoke and the doctor said on front of me to the technician do a quick xray to see what’s going on NO CHARGE, suddenly at check out I was just as the desk asking for my past notes and preparing to leave and they suddenly presented me with a bill of $106 I said what? The doctor said no charge and I came to have him see the work I paid for, Lizi aka (KAREN) immediately said since you said your not going to pay gather your belongings and you need to leave, I said the doctor said no charge can you have him come out? Then because I noticed their signage for soliciting REVIEWS I took a picture of it and KAREN AKA LIZI SAID AND YOUR THREATENING TO WRITE US A bad review I need you to exit the office, I calmly respond this is how you treat people whom spent thousands of dollars here? We were one of their first patients when they opened my mother and I came in and even though they completely damaged her dentures and made her look like Jim Carey from the mask and since 2019 still in pain we said nothing and remained calm and kind. But to have the audacity to threaten to call the police at me say assume the situation will escalate, when someone is just calm asking for my file and to get direct clarification from the doctor that pocket my money, deserves a escort out, a police call when nobody was even yelling and guess what I recorded myself throughout the whole ordeal cause Karen#1 & Karen #2 already had an attitude and was provoking me to heat up and unsuccessfully did. Wrong guy to try that with. Do not recommend this place at all! FYI crowns should last longer than 4+ years and should not even indicate pain unless poorly cemented. Also those who need dentures STAY AWAY, they use a third party to make it and when my mother got hers not only did it not fit she looked like no joke THE MASK JIM CAREY I have photos to back that up too! Document everything this place will do what they need to hide their mistakes. ( Obviously this review I kept it here to let viewers see what I wrote the day of my procedure since I was asked to write one. It has dramatically changed from 5 to 1 Great service, very kind and careful when handling my precious teeth. Detailed and organized so I know what I need done, whats ahead, and preventative care for the future. Had my filings done as well as a crown and i barely felt any pain. Affordable with convenience being that I live only a few min away. Highly...

Went in to have a dental cleaning. Just moved to area so it was a new patient visit. Everyone in office was very nice they can to take me back and once I was in the chair did things change. The guy that took me back had his name as Lizzard ? And pushed a payment sheet under me and basically told me this was going to cost me $529 some dollars ! I said that’s pretty steep for a cleaning and then he went thru line by line and I told hime I had some of these things done at my last dentist. He wanted me to call my last dentist for x rays. Right then and there. I told him there would be no way for them to send them out on that day and he said well it would be malpractice for them to do anything even a cleaning without X-rays. Also I did not want a cancer diagnosis exam or Fluoride treatment He was very upset with that. But agreed to take it off and that brought it down to $398. Very unprofessional guy and I think he was a student because then my hygienist came in and after examining me she said I had a 3 tooth area that needed attention. And that the doctor come in to exam me. He said I did have this problem and I said I did know about it but we were working on it. Then he left and the office person cam in told me I would need two treatments of locally applied antibiotics and other dental on these tress tooth’s would cost me $819. After I refused that my hygienist came back in and said they may not do my cleaning unless approved by the doctor. I have never been treating this area like this. So the Doctor approved me to have my cleaning and I got out of there with a bill of $398 instead of $1194 and it could have been more. The same issue happened to my wife in the other room but she did not have anything removed from her first bill and without her ok even placed locally antibiotics on 3 teeth and her bill came out to$529. For a cleaning! So our total costs to have us leave there were for a cleaning for the both of us $925. Yes! $925 ! For a cleaning plus their additional costs. Unbelievably Unbelievable. No that was with no insurance since we were on Medicare and a supplement and they did not take our contracted supplement costs. But really a cleaning? $900+ ? I can truly say we will not be...