Family & Cosmetic Dental Care

Please note that this review is based on my personal experience from June 2014 and I am only now posting this review on Yelp.

Mitul Patel actively advertises through home mailers his introductory "$99 exam, X-Ray, & cleaning" program. His home flyer advertising program is very persistent and ongoing. We have been getting them for what seems like months. One would think he would have all the business he could handle using this $99 introductory program. It sounds great on paper. Unfortunately, I know why he advertises so much. It is to keep a steady stream of prospects coming into his office.

He and his "office manager" (which they don't disclose as his wife) actively screen their prospects to find out if you have any negative propensities towards dentists. They have a paranoid streak about them regarding this. Patel is upbeat and cheerful at first meeting and does his best to put you in a similar state. However, if you don't respond in kind, he becomes suspicious and insulted by it. In my case, I told him that a couple of dental hygienists over the years had told me some inside trade "secrets" that some hygienists are pressured to upsell additional product and services for commissions as well as some practices shutting down necessitating me to find a new dentist.

Upselling is part of most businesses, so that in itself is not a crime. However, Mitul Patel is like a cobra waiting to strike. He wants to prime and groom you for the inevitable upsell and if you are a bit cautious like I am who prefers to develop a relationship before agreeing to all sorts of expensive dental procedures, he won't like it.

For me, I wanted the $99 cleaning to see how it went and then go from there. I won't let anyone badger me into additional services until I get to know the dental practice first. Patel reveals his true colors by stating that "I am not a good fit" for his practice. Why am I not a good fit? Because I am not jumping for joy in getting my teeth cleaned? Because I am not prepared to spend hundreds of dollars in additional services without first establishing a relationship? Because I am not immediately subservient and obedient to his "superior" presence? How hard would it have been to have a hygienist come to my chair and clean my teeth first, then go from there? I've had it done many times without any drama. And it doesn't require the presence of the dentist, only the hygienist.

But the gotcha is that you won't be "rewarded" with the $99 cleaning unless Patel gets the sense you are open and agreeable to his "advice" (sales pitch) for more work. I didn't know anything about him until I started reading some online complaints about him. I also discovered on the Georgia Board of Dentistry where he was found engaging in unprofessional conduct in 2008. He was put on probation until 2010.

Four years later, he now appears to engage in "bait and switch" tactics not to mention unseemly customer screening tactics. In any case, after he said "I wasn't a good fit", I knew he wanted me to leave. And I left peacefully without any drama simply stunned at the experience. Under normal circumstances, I would normally just let it go but something bugged me about the incident which lead me to checking his professional background.

No need to take my word for it, just go to the Georgia Board of Dentistry website and look him up. You will find a legal reprimand. At 35, Patel is a young dentist who still needs to mature and grow up. His need to feed his ego and status is going to hurt him unless he reins it in. His ambition and desperation to generate sales comes through loud and clear to those who have been around the block. He has a nice staff and facilities. Too bad he is too immature and tarnishes the experience.

Engaging in $99 introductory programs is fine as long as he sees it through. Otherwise, I won't be the only person accusing him of "bait and switch" tactics. For a dental practice that has supposedly been around for years, he sure does do a lot of aggressive advertising and upselling. I don't recommend him at all. Very untrustworthy.

Ultimately, because he jerked me around and wasted my time, I felt that the Georgia Board of Dentistry needed to know how he operated so I filed a complaint against him regarding his unethical "bait and switch" tactics and his sneaky upselling tactics.

UPDATE: December 6, 2016

It's a bit ironic that it has been one year since I posted my original review of my "wonderful" experience with Mitul Patel's dental operation. When I posted the review last year, I honestly thought I was done with him. I said what I said and moved on. Due to space limitations, I am unable to write more about what happened since last year. Yelp emailed me to inform me that Patel tried to take down my review about him & his business using a bogus court order which I have to clean up. That is why there is a Yelp "Consumer Alert: Questionable Legal Threats" about this business when anyone visits this page.

My perception of the negative reviews is that they are upset about money, and that the monetary issues are driving their other "feelings" about the practice. Dental work is expensive when you have major issues. It's hard to accept the expense because when you get right down to it it's always your own fault for not flossing, missing appointments, etc. I was in that same boat. I waited until my back molar literally exploded while eating to come here. I compared prices at three dentists. Dr Patel was able to save my remaining tooth-nub somehow and the price was the lowest of the three quotes and MUCH cheaper than losing the tooth and getting an implant. They also work with you on payment plans if needed.
The staff is EXTREMELY friendly and pleasant and professional. They have good senses of humor, which I enjoy. They care genuinely care for their patient's dental health.

After reading all the reviews, I decided to find another dentist.  I didn't care for all the comments referring to the salesmen tactics.

Been coming here for years. Staff is friendly and service is expedient.  Megan is my favorite dental hygienist. Great personality which makes an otherwise unpleasant time go by quickly!

Very bad service and Very poor Medical advise..!!
They are a RIP OFF...!!
All their advise is towards making more money.. definitely seek a second opinion before you go with their advise.

Just horrible..!!

Mixed feelings about leaving this practice

The 1st point I'd like to make is that the dental hygienists, staff and dentist who I encountered are excellent and some of the best I've used. The issue is that there appears to be a practice of doing excessive work that ends up not being covered by insurance.  I had a lot of work done in December 2017 only for my insurance to reject coverage of most of the wok performed.  After numerous unsuccessful appeals I was left to clear the outstanding balance which I did today. I take responsibility for approving the work and I had incorrectly assumed that there would be no issues with my insurance.  The practice was very patient in working through the appeals process and no demand for payment was made. If this was only isolated to my case then I would not be writing this review, however, my wife was told that she also need a lot of work, so we asked for insurance pre-approval; only for them to reject most of the work, i.e. excessive. Had she approved the work, she would be in the same situation again. Oh, she has no pain or particular problems with her teeth today.   As the old saying goes "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

THESE PEOPLE ARE PROFESSIONAL SCAM ARTISTS who really could care less about the patient, but want to pump money out of you as quickly as possible. I was charged $3250.00 for ONE root canal (for which I had to go to another dentist in Sugar Hill who told me I should pursue a lawsuit!) The dentist's wife Tina and her poorly trained front desk, trap you in a small room where they perform theatrics about how quickly you need to book appointments and how fast you can get them money (probably bc I paid in cash in full upfront lol). DO NOT GO HERE!! Do your homework.  They will hound you and stalk you to get you in the door for your next appointment.  After telling them I would be away for work I received 5 emails and 15 missed calls. Insane. Reporting to the Better Business Bureau.

Scammer!!! If you value the money in your pocket, do not go to Dr. Patel! After the first visit you will think he is very nice, but that is until he tells you you have a mouth full of decaying teeth and need to pay him 2k to fix.  My teeth were/are perfect and he basically told me they were rotting out of my head.  I went to 3 other dentists that confirmed my teeth are beautiful and it would be a shame to do any work on them! He clearly is just out for financial gain which is so sad to think a dentist could be so heartless.  There are so many great dentists in the area- do yourself a favor and avoid this one!

I visited this practice last July and spent $6,000 to have my teeth repaired and was told should not need any dental work for several years with flossing, cleanings, etc. Went back for three month check up and was told I had four teeth that needed crowns for another $5,200 anwd told the dentist I am retired and can't afford that. Now get this,  before I left the office, he reduced the cost to $3,500. Left there very upset and three weeks ago went to a dentist in Buckhead who did a complete exam and said I needed 5 fillings done for $616.00. I asked this dentist are you sure I don't need crowns and he said no,  but I could have  crowned the teeth and ripped you off. My mouth and teeth were ruined by this practice and my looks have been deformed and I am unable to eat now for a $6,000 dental bill which was probably not necessary. Stay away from a dental practice that advertises on a billboard as something is wrong.

Mr. Patel office is good, clean and staff are professional however they scared you with unwanted imagination projecting as oral cancer and try to squeeze money from left over insurance & co-payment in the first visit.  I am not going again to the office.