I have been w/ Dr. Cottrell & Ass. even before there were Associates. I have been a patient of his for over 20 years. And what happened to me should have NEVER happened to a loyal patient – heck – it should have never happened to anyone.
I arrived with a tooth ache. My tooth was cracked. It had been cracked for some time, but never really bothered me, and like most people, I put off the dentist. Well I knew that one that day, a root canal was in my immediate future, or so I thought.
Dr. Martin came in and examined my tooth, and confirmed that indeed I needed a root canal. He then left my room; someone from “Finance” came in with paperwork and told me that it would costs $1,500. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that kind of money just lying around. I told her that I had $500 & could get the rest of the money within the month. She said, “Sorry, you will need to pay up front for the services or we will not be able to do it”. I just looked at her & said, I have been with this office for over 20 years – surely, that is cause for letting me get the money to them in a months’ time. But she said, no, you will need to pay the bill before services can be rendered. After all these years of coming here – all they wanted was my money. I can’t tell you how abused I felt. I began to cry & the “finance” lady just walked out of the room. Dr. Martin came back in the room & said that he would love to fix my tooth, but that he had no say in the matter. The only thing he could do was to charge me $100 & have my tooth extracted. I cried the entire time he was pulling the tooth. Neither he nor his assistance said a word to me. As I walked out of that office for the last time – all the workers were looking at me like I was some sort of low life person that they had never even met. Dr. Cottrell motto is “Cottrell Smiles” – this is only partially true – he only “Smiles” when you give him your money. I will never go back to that practice again.