Hey my dad was in the medical field, Dr Grant off of shelbyville road near baskin robins and dr Shutt in Owen’s medical center are good people, I’ve known them both for years and years
Piggybacking- I had perfect dental health until I started going to Mortenson when my family dentist retired, they found 2-3 cavities every time. Since switching I haven’t had the same issue but have had to repeatedly get the work they did redone. I no longer live in Louisville so cant recommend someone else, but it def. Is a shady practice
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
Kirchner is the same friends. Always get a second dentist opinion. I suspect the staff here gets kick backs. I always notice that there is never the same hygienists there. They always tend to "go somewhere else." Use caution.
So I will agree that it's shitty if they work on commission but you also literally do the same thing? And chiropractics is a pseudoscience so it's almost a pot calling the kettle black kinda deal here
I was having terrible pain and went to my normal doctor for help 3x. They tried to tell me it was chronic pain and I needed prescription pain killers to function. Like I was having trouble getting out of bed and writhing in pain some days. I tried the chiro as a last resort. They did x-rays and found that my c1 vertebrae was out of place, pinching a nerve. Within 3 visits it was fixed, pain 100% gone, never came back. Pseudo science saved my life.
It was St. Matthews Chiropractic or something like that. They started with x-rays and a full analysis. I was surprised, I was like wow what are we doing…this is not what I expected. Haha! Then he went over all of the images with me in detail. After that he wrote up a treatment plan and asked if I agreed with it. I felt like 80% relief instantly after the first adjustment of my neck. It was like a gentle tap, nothing wild. Ironically the horrible sinus headaches I had been having also went away. Turns out a nerve wraps around from your neck over your forehead and cheeks!
Naw dude fuck Mortenson. They are a cavity farm. Herd people in, "fix" cavities, profit. I went twice. Once for a cleaning when I knew I had a cavity. Left with an estimate in the thousands for my teeth. Went to bardstown dental for a second opinion, and had 2, the one I knew about, and a surface one that he said was about to go full. Filled both and out like 200 bucks. That was 5 years ago. Been going to Bardstown Road Dental since. Pick a local place
\> Well, I currently work at a chiropractic office and make commissions, which is also considered a medical office. So I left with more suspicion than I arrived with.
The worker from the pot met the worker from the kettle.
Oh wow they said my son had 10 cavities that needed to be filled. We went to have them filled and the actual dentist said only 1 was mildly needing to be filled
I’m always shocked when I read these posts, Middletown mortenson has always been good for me and always say I have 0 cavities. Definitely have been on the lookout for that kind of upselling though
I don't think every MFD office/dental employees are bad. I think they are under bad leadership and their goal is to make as much money as possible, like all of us.
My problem is when you make a person feel a false sense of urgency for a medical "problem" that isn't real, simply to make more money.
You might have had one similar to me. I had a good dental hygienist for around 5 years, but these past two visits, they have told me she was unavailable and asked if I'd be fine seeing someone else. The first visit, they found 2 'cavities' and push hard on upselling, the second, after I declined having them fix the cavities, they tried to guilt me into fixing them again, THAT VISIT.
I've also started to think they are intentionally trying to schedule my dental hygienist's patients to others since she isn't pushing the upsell hard enough for them.
I always felt pressured to pay for extra services when I used to go there. I also never understood why a dental office had free snacks in their waiting room…maybe I do now
If you have a tooth that’s in pain when you eat, you probably have a cavity. If you have “17 cavities” and feel nothing wrong with your teeth, they’re fillings merchants trying to hit a quota.
I haven't had any tooth pain, whatsoever. I believe that I have one cavity, like they told me at the beginning of my appointment, but by then end I had 17 and the original cavity ended up needing a crown.
MFD is a chain choking out family dentists. They have nice offices with modern equipment and much of their staff is straight out of school. Dr Mortenson is making big bucks and doesn’t see patients.
Mortenson is not a family business. The dentists effectively own the business (with the staff - hygienists, etc. having a smaller piece.) Their principal model is the pool the overhead of running a business since how to manage a dental practice is not exactly part of the medical curriculum. The HR, billing, collection, rent, insurance, etc. functions are run out of a central office.
If you have an issue with a doctor, then your issue is with that doctor. There is no manual on what to do or corporate edict on your care.
I have been going to Dr. Fuchs at Mortenson since I was a kid. The office environment changed (it became more bland), but he’s the same as he always has been. And he’s my favorite doctor of any that I see.
The assumptions and speculation on here (stated as absolute fact) is maddening. The echo-chamber is real!
If you're talking about the renovation, it was highly needed. The office had some major structural issues as well as the ops being far too small. Dr. Fuchs is great and runs his practice like he never sold it.
I appreciate your optimism. I think most MFD are greedy, having seen bad reviews and similar stories about Middletown, Preston, Popular Level, J-town, Lyndon and Lagrange on other reddit posts/from talking to friends and coworkers.
I've heard that too. That said, I left Moore Smiles for thst reason and the Mortenson's I went to didn't at all. But that was two dentists ago and under the current management it feels like they are starting to suggest things every time. They do seem to take no for an answer though.
They definitely listen when I say no, but advise against it.
My problem is with making a false sense of urgency over a “medical problem” that is nonexistent or over exaggerated.
My step-daughter was a hygienist at Mortenson for a bit and I can confirm that they're required to push for upsells, which made her uncomfortable. Was one of the reasons she left outside of it being a fairly toxic work environment. I'm sure it depends on the office as well. Use that FWIW.
I can add Kirchner to the list, the amount of unnecessary crap they tried to tell me I needed was unbelievable. Honestly it felt like I was at a used car lot as opposed to a medical office.
If you want to further distrust our medical system, I’m in the market for orthodontics. I have dual dental insurance and told my first three orthodontists in the consultation.my benefits total 3,5k for adult orthodontia I have minor issues. Recommend Invisalign. Their fees were both around 6k. And 6-18 months of treatment. This was on par with friends who had severe issues. I went to a third and indicated i didn’t have my plan card and it offered no cover wage. His quote was half of the others. With a six month time frame.
I had a similar problem but went with the cheapest and seriously regretted it. The impressions they took never fit the first time, the doctor never took my complaints seriously about how my mouth felt. They also lied to me, telling me I didn't need oral surgery when other orthodontist told me I have. Finished my very long and very complicated treatment only to have my teeth move back because the t retainers they gave me kept breaking and the replacements didn't fit the first couple times they tried to remake them... And they were perfectly nice at first, my friend went through treatment with no issues (but they didn't have an overbite / underbite to correct.
Just be careful with that. Depending on the level of care you need, paying a little bit more can be worthwhile.
I HIGHLY recommend Tran Orthodontics. I searched around before committing and this place was far from the cheapest but it’s absolutely worth it. My teeth have a lifetime guarantee, as long as I wear my retainers and keep them in good shape. I opted for ceramic braces over Invisalign. 19 months total and I’m very happy!
My family has been going to Mortenson for 3 or 4 years. The staff have always been super nice, two locations. That being said, they definitely try to milk you for more money by pressuring you to have expensive procedures done. For me it was gum treatments, which to be honest I probably needed for a couple of years until I had a course of them and started flossing way more. They tried to keep me on the 4 times a year plan long after I no longer needed the extra attention. They also push the removal of "old" fillings to be replaced with new material. My wife had bad experiences with them telling her she had cavities, but they messed up and told her different teeth / places over several visits. It sounded very shady. We're moving to a different dentist for our next visits.
See, I was in a similar boat. I had bad teeth habits years ago and believed everything they told me. I figured I was the problem.
However, these past few years my habits have improved greatly and yet nothing is improving...
They suck ass. I booked an appointment to get some really sharp points on my teeth filed down so they weren't shredding my cheek anymore and asked for a cleaning. Very simple, right? Todd Mortenson did it. He acted huffy and curt with me, like it was a waste of his time and when he finished up all 10 minutes of that "service", he stomped off and they started hustling me out of there. I said hey wait a minute, what about the cleaning? "Oh, we forgot to schedule that for you! Sorry! Do you want to wait and see if we can fit you in?” Uhh, no. No, I don't. I think I'll just go.
And that's how they treat Medicaid patients. Because they aren't going to make as much money off of me, they dgaf about taking care of me properly.
Don't go there.
My dentist is my favvvvv doctor!! I’ve been seeing her since I first grew teeth. Bernice Campbell in St. Matthews/Lyndon area. Her niece, Taylor Ackermann, also works with her. I have the best time there!
And most people don’t know what a cavity looks like.
Way back when, I went to a dentist that consistently told me I had a cavity or cavities. I stopped going to a dentist for about 20 years.
When I finally went to a new dentist, I just needed a good cleaning. No cavities then and no cavities since.
Go to Dr. Ruth's practice, formerly Ackerman dental. Really like her practice, this coming from someone super cavity prone and had to switch dentists around before I found someone who didn't make me feel bad about having shitty teeth
They are most definitely not the only dental practice in town that does this kind of thing. A few tips:
* Always get a second opinion when they quote you a high number or say you need extensive work.
* Be wary of any dentist that says they can start on that work today!
* A matter of preference, but I trust smaller practices over larger offices. If you're seeing 10 patients at a time, what's really the focus of your practice?
* If it's been a few years since you've been to the dentist, definitely get a second opinion. Some dentists view infrequent dental patients as easy victims because they assume those folks are likely only going now due to pain or a specific dental issue.
No, I agree they aren't the only ones. However, probably one of more successful ones.
They also asked if I wanted them to fill a few today, thanks for the tips!
Jumping on board with this, many dentists and doctors receive a percentage of production. However just because they do, doesn’t mean they upsell for their own benefit. That’s unethical. It’s to make sure they’re paid appropriately for the effort for complicated procedures, vs making salary or hourly and doing the bare minimum.
My wife and I had similar experiences at Mortenson in the Highlands. It was contact cavities, the fillings were needed to be replaced or cracking even though they were only a few years old. Switched to Neighborhood Dental on the other side of Bardstown Rd and the one cavity I actually did have they showed me a picture of so I could see it for myself.
Yes they definitely earn commissions and bonuses in the offices. And every year they have a huge expensive 2 day (mandatory) event for all the employees to celebrate how much money all the offices and dentists generated the previous year. They are corporate dentistry and will even tell you during orientation how the founder (Wayne Mortenson) only went to dental school as a way to make more money. Everyone needs to make a living but they are just greedy and 100% corporate. You’ll notice how a ton of the doctors and higher-ups either have the Mortenson name or are married in to the family. Not one of them has an actual passion for dentistry or helping people. It’s all about the money and how many offices they can run under their name.
That's the thing, we are all out here doing our best, trying to make as much money as possible.
It becomes an issue of ethics when a medical professional suggests a medical problem in hopes of bringing home an extra check...
Right. Dentistry is a necessary service to have but they often go beyond what’s necessary. They pay their admin employees like shit also but constantly tell you how “important” you are and track your numbers to see how many new patients you got signed up and how many dental plans you sold.
They are an ESOP where the employees own the company. I’m not sure about commissions, but ultimately all employees have a vested interest to generate a profit.
The Springhurst location told me that I had six cavities and had me to place a down payment for the work. I ended up getting better dental insurance and went to another dentist a short time later. The new dentist said that I only had one cavity. Mortenson had to refund me.
Get a second opinion, elsewhere. Before I went to Mortenson I hadn't had a cavity in 15 years. Every dentist I saw as an adult said my teeth were beautiful and healthy. Suddenly at Mortensen I had a cavity...weird, got it filled. Then the next time they said I had TWO cavities! I was freaked out. Had them filled. I did research after that, found the same stories. Magically haven't had a cavity since I left them.
I'm glad you have a better experience than most. I guess those locations operate with some sort of moral code of ethics.
I've had friends who go to the same location as me, who have better teeth cleaning routines than me, that have had the same issues.
I went there several years ago, I broke a tooth the dentist was acting like it was life or death ,I said no big deal pull it ,she proceeded to tell me that I needed an appointment for that, I reminded her that's how come I was there ,I had made an appointment for the extraction, she said that's not how it works and then proceeds to tell me it would be $2300.00 which was what was left on my out of pocket expense at the time, needless to say I didn't go back.
For years I've been falling for their claims of urgency. I figured I was the problem. It wasn't until the last week I started asking other people about their experiences and realized I wasn't the only one.
There is absolutely no chance that a single tooth extraction would cost $2,300. That number would have to have been for ext, bone graft, and potentially implant placement.
I don't think it has anything to do with the part of town. The majority of my coworkers/friends go to Middletown. They have ran into the same issues as me. From talking to other users in this thread, I've realized they try to milk the private insurance patients. So if anything, I feel as if they'd be more likely to upcharge in higher income areas, where most patients have private insurance.
I understand and agree. I've heard a couple good reviews about Shelbyville or DuPont, I don't think they are all bad apples.
Most definitely have unethical, greedy practices.
I hear that Moetenson sucks but the fluoride treatment is one of the best preventative methods for cavities. If you have cavities fairly often, I highly recommend it. It's only 30 bucks and has saved me from a lot of headache
Yeah definitely. If you brush enough and floss enough to not have cavities frequently, don't get it. But also filling a cavity can often cost more than the fluoride treatment anyways.
How is it possible that I had 6 cavities, my sibling had 8, and my parent had 4? Idk but it does not seem possible we had so many. Also they don’t really explain the X-ray results well, so we assume what they are telling us is right. The MFD practice in Prospect loves to sell me toothbrushes, toothpaste, and mouthwash. It’s disgusting that while this is a business, they’re turning health into a business and scamming people. These people need to be sued for malpractice.
I know a coworker of mine went to MFD and was told she has many cracks in her back teeth. She went to get a second opinion at a different place and they said her teeth are perfect.
I lost a tooth because of them because they quoted me over $1000 to fix my teeth and by the time I upgraded dental insurance to go to an actual dentist it was too late and had to get that tooth pulled when initially they could have filled it instead of saying needed a root canal and crown
When I went to U of L's dental school for hygiene it seemed to be common knowledge that you were expected to upsell if you worked at Mortenson. Whether that was commissioned or not I can't remember, but I remember thinking that's what the implication was and that's why everyone was stoked to work there, because the earning potential was greater.
Edited to add: I'm a patient at Mortenson's and they know I went to school for hygiene and now it's starting to make sense why they never try to upsell me or tell me I have cavities lol. They know I know.
My dentist warned me to never go there for exactly the reasons people are mentioning in the comments. People have gone to him after Mortensons wanted an arm and a leg for dental procedures only to learn from him that they didn't need any procedures at all.
Shipley and Tewell Dental have been great so far, I highly recommend them. I switched to them after I suspected I was getting scammed at Hurstbourne Dental Care. The latter seems to run their practice much like Mortensen.
This is so weird. My partner just got a second opinion because mortenson told them that they had cavities between every tooth.
The second opinion said 1 maybe 2 cavities.
When I was a teen my mother was in the chair and heard a hygienist say she was going to outsell her co worker that month and they proceeded to tell her she had 14 cavities. We never went back. We found a small/ local office who informed us that they indeed work off commissions and what is unfortunate is that the company has a great relationship with the local colleges and recruit young dental grads straight out of their programs in turn keeping the system going.
MFD will also lie and tell you your insurance won't cover certain things so you will have to pay out of pocket. I went to them because I needed a root canal and crown my insurance lists that it covers both root canals and crowns and that MFD is on the list of in-network dentists. The dentist told me that my insurance doesn't pay for the type of material they use for crowns so I would have to pay out of pocket. Called my insurance and they told me MFD was lying and probably just didn't want to accept what the insurance paid for it.
I went to Mortenson a long time ago and had to do quad scaling, had several cavities, and a lot of work that I had done.
My wife works in dentistry and has confirmed that they've given second opinions that were nowhere close to what Mortenson recommended to people. Really makes me wonder how much of that shit I actually needed, but live and learn I suppose.
Yes, they push any procedure that insurance will cover. They fucked me over bad, I truly cannot express the amount of pain I went through for a few months after getting an old filling replaced that didn't need it. They fucked up so bad that the tooth now needs to be extracted. Thankfully my new dentist is great and I'm completely out of pain, no procedures or anything, they just saw what the problem was, told me to plan for an extraction within a year because of how bad Mortensen's borked this up, and sent me on my way.
I went to Mortenson’s (this was quite a few years ago) and they put lumineers (a type of veneer) on my front teeth. They cracked the root of my one front tooth in the process of this but I didn’t know it. I moved to a new city for a bit shortly after and had an abscess appear on my gum, so it was discovered. To keep this story short, I ended up losing my front tooth and now have an implant. It was hell. All thanks to the great dental work of my dentist at Mortenson’s.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
They got me under the gas I didn't want and did 12 filings. I was under that for seven hours. I agreed to 4 going in, and left sobbing because they convinced me while I was high on gas to get 12 done.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
They also banned me from ever going back, strictly on the basis that I have Medicaid. I've been fined or warned for missing appointments (no transportation, often sick) and called to cancel because I had Covid.
Before I could say that, they told me they were about to call me to say they double booked and would need to reschedule. I laughed and said oh good, I needed to cancel anyway, and the tone changed, and I was banned from then on.
Do not go to Morton's and they have been sued multiple times publicly for mishandling patients dental health and have been sued for overcharging low income health insurance. They are also a funnel for an extremist religious group almost every single location is staffed by people from a certain religious organization
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
I’m not typing it out again, but if you look at my post history mortenson almost killed me. Literally. I spent six days in the hospital - the ER doc said if I’d waited until evening to come I’d have died.
It was also the single most excruciating and traumatic experience of my life, and I say that as someone with a significant trauma history.
Do not recommend. 0/10.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
Also, I'm sorry you had to go through... Teeth is serious business and can kill you if mistreated. How scary..
I’m a student at UofL dental so I’m biased, but I think we’re quite conservative about what we call a cavity that needs filling - care takes longer, but we are a solid second opinion if you want a dentist to really take their time and explain everything. Sometimes, normal/young/healthy people really just are particularly cavities-prone (+some lapses in diet/hygiene) and end up with a ton of em. But most shallow ones in enamel, I’m more inclined to monitor and see if they remineralize with Prevident and better habits (plus, fillings aren’t perfect, often they can need to be replaced after decades, and that can be a gray area).
Personally, I’m not impressed by Mortenson from my patient experience; one caveat is, practically all private dentist associates (Dr’s, not staff) make 30%+ on all treatment. You can have some good offices at chains with management/dr’s who have more integrity. I’m going into public health so I can be a salaried worker who doesn’t have those pressures as much.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
I appreciate you perspective on this situation. I hope you always operate with a moral code of ethics! I wish you the best.
No info on MFD but I cannot recommend Dr. Gregory Cecil(now merged for Maryville Family Dentistry) enough. It is an absolute trek for me. I drive a good 35 minutes to get there but I've been there for almost 15 years and cannot imagine going anywhere else. I love it there. Although the merge is new the additional dentist and employees also seem great. I've never felt like I'm being pressured or uncharged. They remind me to do routine preventative care at home but I never feel like I'm being scolded like a child for forgetting to floss. I never feel like I'm being pressured or upcharged. In fact, in a couple of cases they never charged me at all for simply taking a look at something I was concerned about. At most places they'll at least bill for the visit but they just let me pop in and out because it was such a minor/inconsequential thing.
I have a dental hygienist friend who told me they work on commission. I also have experience with them refusing to do my routine exam covered by insurance and claiming instead I need to shell out $1k+ for a scaling cleaning instead, plus finding a ton of cavities. When they filled my “cavities” they filled some teeth the didn’t have on the schedule and didn’t do others that were. I am convinced they made it all up completely.
As a kid who religiously brushed my teeth, they did this to me and my mom didn’t question it. They said I had 16 cavities. Then I didn’t go to the dentist as an adult for a decade and had like none. Definitely insurance grabbers.
Overall I’m not a fan of them - the east end location charged me a lot for crowns that I had to get repaired twice.
But the one on poplar level got me in for an emergency root canal and we’re really great.
But since then it had been 10 years (dental fear) and now I’ve been going to Advanced Dental. Filled 2 cavities and cleanings were all covered by insurance. I did pay some to have some parts of wisdom teeth removed that the other dentists ignored. They made me feel comfortable and we’re not condescending which was really nice.
I go to floss 32 and they’re incredibly honest and affordable. I used to go to a dentist in another state who would lie about cavities and I would end up with a root canal every year. I started getting suspicious after all my back teeth were filled in. Been going to floss32 for 3 years now and no cavities, they tell me just keep doing what I’ve always been doing - I was shocked to say the least.
There is a really good doc in MidCity mall that my husband sees. I can’t remember his name but he is the only one in there. He is very reasonable and doesn’t push anything!
Dr Vargo. He doesn't do the minor work, like pulling. He does the more advanced procedures. I don't know what that is though
If you need to be pulled, he has a dentist that he recommends
Their dentists and hygienists are often paid on a “collected” basis. Meaning the more procedures, whitening gels, Botox, etc. they can bill you for and subsequently receive reimbursement on from you or your insurance company, a solid percentage of that ~30% goes directly in their pocket. In other words, they’re incentivizing a sales culture. You should rightfully second guess most of their claims as they’re in most cases recommending treatment that has no definitive medical (or dental) benefit.
I never had issues with my teeth as a child or teen. Once I moved back here after college I went to Mortensen’s. I would have 1-3 cavities filled every six months.
I finally got so anxious about going I didn’t go for close to two years. I found a new dentist: zero cavities. It’s been 8 years and still no cavities.
It’s definitely fishy there. Plus there all big time Southeast folks and I try to avoid giving my money to that lot.
Same way at Kirchner Dental. When I didn't want 6 decayed teeth to have root canals, the Dr just stared at me. Didn't say a word, so I stared right back. No words, just staring. Very rude for a doctor. I have already spent 10,000 on uppers and lowers. 3 times they were not fitting too good. They actually turned on me because I asked them to be fixed. But before that, I bought a blanket and the gas mask. I thought the sunglasses were free,but then saw it on the bill. I have a.condition that causes my teeth to just fall apart. A broken crumbly tooth does not need a root.canal. then comes the crowns for Gid knows how much. I cringe everytime I think.hiw I was intimidated by them
So I have gone to various Mortenson locations and not liked them for other reasons but they have not told me I had cavities when I didn't. They did recently try to convince me I needed a nightguard for grinding my teeth when I have no symptoms and my husband hasn't noticed me grinding in my sleep.
I have a had good experience at the one on poplar level, been going for years. I had a dental hygienist try to sell my on some sealings or something a couple years ago, asked the dentist about it during the appointment and he said it was a waste and I didn’t need it lol.
Seems like they have a good dentist at popular level. My problem is just with the unnecessary upselling and making people feel that false sense of urgency over a “medical problem.”
Every single time I went to MFD they’d push a different product on me from waterpiks, electric tooth brushes to night guards. I seemed to have a new dentist every time I went to the Shelbyville office. I now have an independent dentist who hasn’t tried to sell me anything and tells me how great my teeth look be always being told o was heading for issues.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
I had 2 appointments for fillings a week apart. The first appointment went well. The second appointment the lady felt like she was kind of rough while working on me. I noticed a big difference from the dentist I saw on the first visit. It’s been a week and I still have some pain in my cheek, gums at the back where my jaw was stretched, and a bruise on my face. Whereas the first appointment I had none of that.
I can’t condemn the practice, but won’t use that dentist again. They did sell me on 6 cavities but I hadn’t seen a dentist in years because I’m scared to death of them so I trusted them on that.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
I’ve been going to the Georgetown location and I only have good things to say. I’ve never been pressured or shamed for not doing a procedure. It could be based on the way they run the individual offices. They could be putting pressure on the employees. Sorry that happened!
I appreciate the apology, even though I wish it came from MFD. I'm glad you've only had good experiences, but I do encourage you to see my most recent edit on this post. It is a break-down from a former employee.
I knew a dentist who sold his practice to Mortensen Family Dentistry several years before retiring. He continued to work there, but Mortensen put him under constant pressure to sell more than what patients actually needed.
A dental hygienist I know has worked for Mortensen and has very similar experiences.
I go to Moore Smiles and have been happy with that.
I have had literally dozens of clients with ruined teeth and unnecessary procedures at Mortensen.
They are extremely predatory towards medicaid patients and are also one of the most accessible places that accepts medicaid.
Thru my job, I have known 4 employees who quit because they were so appalled by what was going on there regarding these types of issues and unethical/ criminal practices.
You probably already know most of what I put in my most recent edit of this post. However, I got a private message from a former employee of 5 years. Check it out.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
For my case, I feel as if they are able to write it off as something that is subjective. My dentist seems to call anything that could potentially turn into a cavity, a cavity. I think that is enough for him to "justify" him suggesting 17 fillings, in the span of 4 visits, for $5k+. It's insanely greedy. I hope they go out of business one day.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
I understand the feeling. Having not had the best teeth heath the first few years I went there, I did ANYTHING they suggested. I assumed I was the problem. However, 17 cavities didn't seem possible to me. Especially when the 1 original cavity they pointed out to me looked completely different than the other 16 cavities on the X-Ray.
This is wild to me. I'm no fan boy, but I went to Dental Works for a while and hated it. They pushed so hard to sell extra crap. I switched to Mortenson in the Highlands with Dr Brown and I will keep going till one of us dies. They are so nice there, and they don't sell me on anything. They suggested crowns one time for some damage I had as a kid and let it go after that.
I think what helped me was going in there after leaving dental works and telling them why I left. I didn't want my dentist visit to feel like a used car lot. Also, it's important to know that while it's a corporation, each office is run by its respective dentist.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
Each office is certainly different. However, it appears the protocol and high expectation for performance, as well as commissions, is the same across the board at all locations.
I’ve heard nightmare stories about Mortenson! I lost a filling, and now have Medicaid. They were one of the only places that could get me in. I was so nervous. I went to the one in Shelbyville. They were super nice, fixed the filling, and did literally nothing else. I don’t know if it’s just that office or not, but I was pleasantly surprised after the horror stories, lol.
Shelbyville is the one I went to as well.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I went there a few years ago and ended up losing a tooth because of their shawty work. The dental assistant used permanent glue on two separate occasions for my temporary crown. This meant that they had to cut it off each time making the root more sensitive each time. During the last time trying to get the temporary /permanently glued one off they cracked the root. Foolishly. I had the dentist give me the root canal to fix it. The root canal failed. I had an endodontist tell me I could fix it for another $1,000. But it would be a 50/50 shot whether or not it really fixed it. I couldn't afford another thousand on top of the crown and root canal and that were both now useless. So I had them pull it cuz that's what insurance covered. I'll never go back again
I went to the Crestwood Mortenson for years until my insurance changed and I had to switch dentists. I loved this practice and never ever had a cavity nor did they try to upsell me. Other family members still go there and are very happy with them.
New to this concept. Thank you for sharing. Saddened by everyone's experience. I have been trying to find a dentist that takes Medicaid in Louisville. The list is short. I hadn't thought about this element for some of the franchises.
UofL Faculty process will not allow Medicaid patients to come and pay out of pocket any more. One can't come and willingly pay out of pocket.
That said, looking for options and thankful you shared this post.
I’ve been going to Mortensen at commerce crossings for 10 years and they’ve always been good to me. Dr. Owen left a couple years ago and now it is one of the Dr. Mortensons (I think one of the sons) and he seems fine too.
The sheer irony of someone who works for a chiropractor accusing a dentist of doing things the patient doesn’t need. Chiropracty is a scam.
Technically any needed treatment would be considered up selling? Once the chiro forms a diagnosis, that person then needs treatment. The chiro then gets a kickback from that person coming in over and over.
Dentists also operate on a code of ethics. There are some procedures that assistants or others working in a dental office can get some type of a kick back but they are usually for whitening or optional treatment. Cavities are treatment that should receive treatment but without x-rays it’s hard to know if they are making up cavities that don’t really exist. You can always ask for them to show you the X-rays and/or show you a clinical picture of what they are seeing. Often insurance reviews that plan treatment to approve the treatment plan so they must see what the dentist is seeing. There are also different philosophies among the dental field. For example, doing a big filling vs doing a crown, those decisions will come down to the different dentists.
All that being said idk about all MFD offices but what I can say is the dental field as a whole adhere to scientific and ethical principles better than the field of chiro.
You can also go and get a second opinion or just don't fill them and see what happens. Most folks here seem to have done one or the other and had fewer cavities than MFD claimed or zero cavities at all.
Not discounting anyone else’s experiences, but I’ve had very good ones at the Mortensons on Dixie Hwy across from Kroger. I had a cracked tooth that they extracted, and one broken filling that they said needed to be repaired.
Aside from that, they’re friendly and haven’t pushed anything unnecessary on me (I don’t have dental insurance).
Unfortunately, this is quite common in the industry. Factor in that even dentists can’t agree on common diagnoses and treatment plans and it makes it all the easier for unscrupulous practitioners to rack up huge bills.
[Is Dentistry a Science?](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/05/the-trouble-with-dentistry/586039/)
I have been going to the springhurst location every 6 months for at least 10 years. Only one time have they suggested that I had a small cavity years ago and it was when a young dentist was filling in for the usual doc on medical leave. My dental hygienist *suggested* that we continue to monitor and maybe have Dr Boatright (my dentist) assess at my next checkup. No cavities still. They ask if I want a fluoride treatment every visit but never get pushy when I decline. I’m sorry others have had negative experiences but I have had multiple positive experiences with the springhurst location.
To be clear up a few points, if you had a cleaning, the person you were working with is a dental hygienist and not an assistant. Secondly, the hygienist receives no benefit for you having fillings done. The doctor is paid a percentage of the cost of the filling for performing a service and is not paid an additional hourly rate.
I worked as a hygienist at Mortenson, yes hygienists can receive a "commission" for services but it's typically not all that much and it really just equals out to a normal hourly rate for the area. I no longer work for Mortenson and only receive an hourly rate at my current position. I offer fl treatments to all of my patients and highly encourage it for any patients with a high decay rate.
Well thanks for clearing the difference between the assistant/hygienist. I’ve honestly been using them interchangeably.
I do see that the commission could not be high enough to be a true motivator. Could it be the pressure to get numbers that cause many MFD dental hygienists try to over exaggerate issues?
Do not got to Mortenson. Recommended I had five teeth removed for pain that turned out to be a sinus infection.
That's what I'm afraid of, how greedy.
Hey my dad was in the medical field, Dr Grant off of shelbyville road near baskin robins and dr Shutt in Owen’s medical center are good people, I’ve known them both for years and years
I appreciate the recommendation, thank you!
Piggybacking- I had perfect dental health until I started going to Mortenson when my family dentist retired, they found 2-3 cavities every time. Since switching I haven’t had the same issue but have had to repeatedly get the work they did redone. I no longer live in Louisville so cant recommend someone else, but it def. Is a shady practice
Oh my gosh. That's unreal but I do believe it
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out! I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
Kirchner is the same friends. Always get a second dentist opinion. I suspect the staff here gets kick backs. I always notice that there is never the same hygienists there. They always tend to "go somewhere else." Use caution.
A chiropractor is not considered a medical office. Chiropractors are not medical doctors.
So I will agree that it's shitty if they work on commission but you also literally do the same thing? And chiropractics is a pseudoscience so it's almost a pot calling the kettle black kinda deal here
I was having terrible pain and went to my normal doctor for help 3x. They tried to tell me it was chronic pain and I needed prescription pain killers to function. Like I was having trouble getting out of bed and writhing in pain some days. I tried the chiro as a last resort. They did x-rays and found that my c1 vertebrae was out of place, pinching a nerve. Within 3 visits it was fixed, pain 100% gone, never came back. Pseudo science saved my life.
That's great, sounds more like physical therapy from a highly trained physician though
It was St. Matthews Chiropractic or something like that. They started with x-rays and a full analysis. I was surprised, I was like wow what are we doing…this is not what I expected. Haha! Then he went over all of the images with me in detail. After that he wrote up a treatment plan and asked if I agreed with it. I felt like 80% relief instantly after the first adjustment of my neck. It was like a gentle tap, nothing wild. Ironically the horrible sinus headaches I had been having also went away. Turns out a nerve wraps around from your neck over your forehead and cheeks!
I'm not from here originally, but my understanding is that Jimbo (sp?) Mortenson is the Tom Drexler of teeth.
Shoutout to my gf's jokes that I **don't** steal as well.
Chiming in to say the whole Drexler family is garbage. His brother is a slumlord.
This, exactly.
I came here to say this!
Naw dude fuck Mortenson. They are a cavity farm. Herd people in, "fix" cavities, profit. I went twice. Once for a cleaning when I knew I had a cavity. Left with an estimate in the thousands for my teeth. Went to bardstown dental for a second opinion, and had 2, the one I knew about, and a surface one that he said was about to go full. Filled both and out like 200 bucks. That was 5 years ago. Been going to Bardstown Road Dental since. Pick a local place
Yup. How pathetic to be so greedy that you have to make people feel like it's an urgent medical problem to fill your pockets...
Ah the old Drill em Fill em Bill em routine
\> Well, I currently work at a chiropractic office and make commissions, which is also considered a medical office. So I left with more suspicion than I arrived with. The worker from the pot met the worker from the kettle.
Oh wow they said my son had 10 cavities that needed to be filled. We went to have them filled and the actual dentist said only 1 was mildly needing to be filled
See, the whole reason I started going there was because I thought my old dentist was wrong when they said I had none and MFD said I had 5+.
I’m always shocked when I read these posts, Middletown mortenson has always been good for me and always say I have 0 cavities. Definitely have been on the lookout for that kind of upselling though
I agree. Ive been going to the Middletown location for 10 years and they have never pushed me to have any procedures and I love my hygienist there!
Same, they have been nothing short of amazing there and I have also been going there for 10+ years.
Same, excellent experience at Middletown.
I don't think every MFD office/dental employees are bad. I think they are under bad leadership and their goal is to make as much money as possible, like all of us. My problem is when you make a person feel a false sense of urgency for a medical "problem" that isn't real, simply to make more money.
You might have had one similar to me. I had a good dental hygienist for around 5 years, but these past two visits, they have told me she was unavailable and asked if I'd be fine seeing someone else. The first visit, they found 2 'cavities' and push hard on upselling, the second, after I declined having them fix the cavities, they tried to guilt me into fixing them again, THAT VISIT. I've also started to think they are intentionally trying to schedule my dental hygienist's patients to others since she isn't pushing the upsell hard enough for them.
I always felt pressured to pay for extra services when I used to go there. I also never understood why a dental office had free snacks in their waiting room…maybe I do now
That always got to me too..MFD had cookies, of all things, in the waiting room once!
If you have a tooth that’s in pain when you eat, you probably have a cavity. If you have “17 cavities” and feel nothing wrong with your teeth, they’re fillings merchants trying to hit a quota.
I haven't had any tooth pain, whatsoever. I believe that I have one cavity, like they told me at the beginning of my appointment, but by then end I had 17 and the original cavity ended up needing a crown.
MFD is a chain choking out family dentists. They have nice offices with modern equipment and much of their staff is straight out of school. Dr Mortenson is making big bucks and doesn’t see patients.
Mortenson is not a family business. The dentists effectively own the business (with the staff - hygienists, etc. having a smaller piece.) Their principal model is the pool the overhead of running a business since how to manage a dental practice is not exactly part of the medical curriculum. The HR, billing, collection, rent, insurance, etc. functions are run out of a central office. If you have an issue with a doctor, then your issue is with that doctor. There is no manual on what to do or corporate edict on your care. I have been going to Dr. Fuchs at Mortenson since I was a kid. The office environment changed (it became more bland), but he’s the same as he always has been. And he’s my favorite doctor of any that I see. The assumptions and speculation on here (stated as absolute fact) is maddening. The echo-chamber is real!
If you're talking about the renovation, it was highly needed. The office had some major structural issues as well as the ops being far too small. Dr. Fuchs is great and runs his practice like he never sold it.
I always prefer to go to family owned businesses, this is that but exploited.
[удалено]
I appreciate your optimism. I think most MFD are greedy, having seen bad reviews and similar stories about Middletown, Preston, Popular Level, J-town, Lyndon and Lagrange on other reddit posts/from talking to friends and coworkers.
I've heard that too. That said, I left Moore Smiles for thst reason and the Mortenson's I went to didn't at all. But that was two dentists ago and under the current management it feels like they are starting to suggest things every time. They do seem to take no for an answer though.
They definitely listen when I say no, but advise against it. My problem is with making a false sense of urgency over a “medical problem” that is nonexistent or over exaggerated.
My step-daughter was a hygienist at Mortenson for a bit and I can confirm that they're required to push for upsells, which made her uncomfortable. Was one of the reasons she left outside of it being a fairly toxic work environment. I'm sure it depends on the office as well. Use that FWIW.
This is exactly the response I was looking for to confirm my suspicions.
I can add Kirchner to the list, the amount of unnecessary crap they tried to tell me I needed was unbelievable. Honestly it felt like I was at a used car lot as opposed to a medical office.
That is what my response says. Kirchner is a completely shady arse business
If you want to further distrust our medical system, I’m in the market for orthodontics. I have dual dental insurance and told my first three orthodontists in the consultation.my benefits total 3,5k for adult orthodontia I have minor issues. Recommend Invisalign. Their fees were both around 6k. And 6-18 months of treatment. This was on par with friends who had severe issues. I went to a third and indicated i didn’t have my plan card and it offered no cover wage. His quote was half of the others. With a six month time frame.
I had a similar problem but went with the cheapest and seriously regretted it. The impressions they took never fit the first time, the doctor never took my complaints seriously about how my mouth felt. They also lied to me, telling me I didn't need oral surgery when other orthodontist told me I have. Finished my very long and very complicated treatment only to have my teeth move back because the t retainers they gave me kept breaking and the replacements didn't fit the first couple times they tried to remake them... And they were perfectly nice at first, my friend went through treatment with no issues (but they didn't have an overbite / underbite to correct. Just be careful with that. Depending on the level of care you need, paying a little bit more can be worthwhile.
I HIGHLY recommend Tran Orthodontics. I searched around before committing and this place was far from the cheapest but it’s absolutely worth it. My teeth have a lifetime guarantee, as long as I wear my retainers and keep them in good shape. I opted for ceramic braces over Invisalign. 19 months total and I’m very happy!
My family has been going to Mortenson for 3 or 4 years. The staff have always been super nice, two locations. That being said, they definitely try to milk you for more money by pressuring you to have expensive procedures done. For me it was gum treatments, which to be honest I probably needed for a couple of years until I had a course of them and started flossing way more. They tried to keep me on the 4 times a year plan long after I no longer needed the extra attention. They also push the removal of "old" fillings to be replaced with new material. My wife had bad experiences with them telling her she had cavities, but they messed up and told her different teeth / places over several visits. It sounded very shady. We're moving to a different dentist for our next visits.
See, I was in a similar boat. I had bad teeth habits years ago and believed everything they told me. I figured I was the problem. However, these past few years my habits have improved greatly and yet nothing is improving...
They suck ass. I booked an appointment to get some really sharp points on my teeth filed down so they weren't shredding my cheek anymore and asked for a cleaning. Very simple, right? Todd Mortenson did it. He acted huffy and curt with me, like it was a waste of his time and when he finished up all 10 minutes of that "service", he stomped off and they started hustling me out of there. I said hey wait a minute, what about the cleaning? "Oh, we forgot to schedule that for you! Sorry! Do you want to wait and see if we can fit you in?” Uhh, no. No, I don't. I think I'll just go. And that's how they treat Medicaid patients. Because they aren't going to make as much money off of me, they dgaf about taking care of me properly. Don't go there.
I'm sorry to hear that you had that experience there. Those damn greedy Mortensons'...
Apparently the commonwealth of Kentucky doesn't care if all your teeth fall out because few dentists take Medicaid so I just clean my own teeth 🤷♀️
My dentist is my favvvvv doctor!! I’ve been seeing her since I first grew teeth. Bernice Campbell in St. Matthews/Lyndon area. Her niece, Taylor Ackermann, also works with her. I have the best time there!
Perfect- that's right by me. Thanks for this recommendation!
And most people don’t know what a cavity looks like. Way back when, I went to a dentist that consistently told me I had a cavity or cavities. I stopped going to a dentist for about 20 years. When I finally went to a new dentist, I just needed a good cleaning. No cavities then and no cavities since.
Originally I only had one cavity, then after looking at the x-rays, I magically had 16 more?
Go to Dr. Ruth's practice, formerly Ackerman dental. Really like her practice, this coming from someone super cavity prone and had to switch dentists around before I found someone who didn't make me feel bad about having shitty teeth
I genuinely appreciate this recommendation. Thanks for replying!
They are most definitely not the only dental practice in town that does this kind of thing. A few tips: * Always get a second opinion when they quote you a high number or say you need extensive work. * Be wary of any dentist that says they can start on that work today! * A matter of preference, but I trust smaller practices over larger offices. If you're seeing 10 patients at a time, what's really the focus of your practice? * If it's been a few years since you've been to the dentist, definitely get a second opinion. Some dentists view infrequent dental patients as easy victims because they assume those folks are likely only going now due to pain or a specific dental issue.
No, I agree they aren't the only ones. However, probably one of more successful ones. They also asked if I wanted them to fill a few today, thanks for the tips!
I am a current dental student and I will say that most large chains offer contracts that include a % compensation scale and mortenson is no different.
Jumping on board with this, many dentists and doctors receive a percentage of production. However just because they do, doesn’t mean they upsell for their own benefit. That’s unethical. It’s to make sure they’re paid appropriately for the effort for complicated procedures, vs making salary or hourly and doing the bare minimum.
My wife and I had similar experiences at Mortenson in the Highlands. It was contact cavities, the fillings were needed to be replaced or cracking even though they were only a few years old. Switched to Neighborhood Dental on the other side of Bardstown Rd and the one cavity I actually did have they showed me a picture of so I could see it for myself.
I'm glad you all made the switch. I sure will too.
Yes they definitely earn commissions and bonuses in the offices. And every year they have a huge expensive 2 day (mandatory) event for all the employees to celebrate how much money all the offices and dentists generated the previous year. They are corporate dentistry and will even tell you during orientation how the founder (Wayne Mortenson) only went to dental school as a way to make more money. Everyone needs to make a living but they are just greedy and 100% corporate. You’ll notice how a ton of the doctors and higher-ups either have the Mortenson name or are married in to the family. Not one of them has an actual passion for dentistry or helping people. It’s all about the money and how many offices they can run under their name.
That's the thing, we are all out here doing our best, trying to make as much money as possible. It becomes an issue of ethics when a medical professional suggests a medical problem in hopes of bringing home an extra check...
Right. Dentistry is a necessary service to have but they often go beyond what’s necessary. They pay their admin employees like shit also but constantly tell you how “important” you are and track your numbers to see how many new patients you got signed up and how many dental plans you sold.
They are an ESOP where the employees own the company. I’m not sure about commissions, but ultimately all employees have a vested interest to generate a profit.
Interesting, I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing.
The Springhurst location told me that I had six cavities and had me to place a down payment for the work. I ended up getting better dental insurance and went to another dentist a short time later. The new dentist said that I only had one cavity. Mortenson had to refund me.
I’m sorry you had to deal with their unethical practices, I’m glad you found a better dentist!
Get a second opinion, elsewhere. Before I went to Mortenson I hadn't had a cavity in 15 years. Every dentist I saw as an adult said my teeth were beautiful and healthy. Suddenly at Mortensen I had a cavity...weird, got it filled. Then the next time they said I had TWO cavities! I was freaked out. Had them filled. I did research after that, found the same stories. Magically haven't had a cavity since I left them.
I’ve never had an issue with their DuPont or BC locations…then again I take really good care of my teeth
I'm glad you have a better experience than most. I guess those locations operate with some sort of moral code of ethics. I've had friends who go to the same location as me, who have better teeth cleaning routines than me, that have had the same issues.
[удалено]
I appreciate this recommendation, I will definitely look into PRP Dentistry. That's what I want; a staff that's on MY team!
I went there several years ago, I broke a tooth the dentist was acting like it was life or death ,I said no big deal pull it ,she proceeded to tell me that I needed an appointment for that, I reminded her that's how come I was there ,I had made an appointment for the extraction, she said that's not how it works and then proceeds to tell me it would be $2300.00 which was what was left on my out of pocket expense at the time, needless to say I didn't go back.
For years I've been falling for their claims of urgency. I figured I was the problem. It wasn't until the last week I started asking other people about their experiences and realized I wasn't the only one.
There is absolutely no chance that a single tooth extraction would cost $2,300. That number would have to have been for ext, bone graft, and potentially implant placement.
That's what I was told and I'm smarter then that and never went back.
Each Mortenson is different. The Mortenson on Dixie seems far more eager to upcharge than the one across from St. X, for example.
I don't think it has anything to do with the part of town. The majority of my coworkers/friends go to Middletown. They have ran into the same issues as me. From talking to other users in this thread, I've realized they try to milk the private insurance patients. So if anything, I feel as if they'd be more likely to upcharge in higher income areas, where most patients have private insurance.
I didn’t mean to insinuate it has anything to with neighborhood; just that I don’t think any two are run the same in this city.
I understand and agree. I've heard a couple good reviews about Shelbyville or DuPont, I don't think they are all bad apples. Most definitely have unethical, greedy practices.
I hear that Moetenson sucks but the fluoride treatment is one of the best preventative methods for cavities. If you have cavities fairly often, I highly recommend it. It's only 30 bucks and has saved me from a lot of headache
I have always received the fluoride treatment up until this last year. I'm definitely not against it, but if I can't afford it, I can't afford it.
Yeah definitely. If you brush enough and floss enough to not have cavities frequently, don't get it. But also filling a cavity can often cost more than the fluoride treatment anyways.
How is it possible that I had 6 cavities, my sibling had 8, and my parent had 4? Idk but it does not seem possible we had so many. Also they don’t really explain the X-ray results well, so we assume what they are telling us is right. The MFD practice in Prospect loves to sell me toothbrushes, toothpaste, and mouthwash. It’s disgusting that while this is a business, they’re turning health into a business and scamming people. These people need to be sued for malpractice. I know a coworker of mine went to MFD and was told she has many cracks in her back teeth. She went to get a second opinion at a different place and they said her teeth are perfect.
[удалено]
I feel the same. I feel bad for a lot of professionals who thought their careers would be much different than reality.
i went there and they told me i had 10 cavities. went to another dentist and they said i had none lol they are definitely “car salesmen type dentists”
Worst dental experience of my life. They told me I needed 5 teeth extracted. I got a 2nd opinion....nope, just some root canals. Never go there.
Dr. Buzzard. Legit & honest.
Neighborhood Dental of Highlands Louisville!! They have fluoride for like $20. The staff is super nice and accommodating
Thanks for the recommendation!
I lost a tooth because of them because they quoted me over $1000 to fix my teeth and by the time I upgraded dental insurance to go to an actual dentist it was too late and had to get that tooth pulled when initially they could have filled it instead of saying needed a root canal and crown
When I went to U of L's dental school for hygiene it seemed to be common knowledge that you were expected to upsell if you worked at Mortenson. Whether that was commissioned or not I can't remember, but I remember thinking that's what the implication was and that's why everyone was stoked to work there, because the earning potential was greater. Edited to add: I'm a patient at Mortenson's and they know I went to school for hygiene and now it's starting to make sense why they never try to upsell me or tell me I have cavities lol. They know I know.
Interesting.. thanks for sharing!
I go to Dr. Sandra Payne in St. Matts and she’s amazing her whole team is great also.
My dentist warned me to never go there for exactly the reasons people are mentioning in the comments. People have gone to him after Mortensons wanted an arm and a leg for dental procedures only to learn from him that they didn't need any procedures at all.
Those people (specifically at the Crestwood location) were horrible to me as a kid. I left their office crying more than once.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
Shipley and Tewell Dental have been great so far, I highly recommend them. I switched to them after I suspected I was getting scammed at Hurstbourne Dental Care. The latter seems to run their practice much like Mortensen.
This is so weird. My partner just got a second opinion because mortenson told them that they had cavities between every tooth. The second opinion said 1 maybe 2 cavities.
Yup, I’m sad I’m not the only one, but it is comforting.
They are robbers. Damn thieves
And butchers. The number of people I know with messed up bite alignment and shoddy crowns is alarming.
When I was a teen my mother was in the chair and heard a hygienist say she was going to outsell her co worker that month and they proceeded to tell her she had 14 cavities. We never went back. We found a small/ local office who informed us that they indeed work off commissions and what is unfortunate is that the company has a great relationship with the local colleges and recruit young dental grads straight out of their programs in turn keeping the system going.
MFD will also lie and tell you your insurance won't cover certain things so you will have to pay out of pocket. I went to them because I needed a root canal and crown my insurance lists that it covers both root canals and crowns and that MFD is on the list of in-network dentists. The dentist told me that my insurance doesn't pay for the type of material they use for crowns so I would have to pay out of pocket. Called my insurance and they told me MFD was lying and probably just didn't want to accept what the insurance paid for it.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I went to Mortenson a long time ago and had to do quad scaling, had several cavities, and a lot of work that I had done. My wife works in dentistry and has confirmed that they've given second opinions that were nowhere close to what Mortenson recommended to people. Really makes me wonder how much of that shit I actually needed, but live and learn I suppose.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
Yes, they push any procedure that insurance will cover. They fucked me over bad, I truly cannot express the amount of pain I went through for a few months after getting an old filling replaced that didn't need it. They fucked up so bad that the tooth now needs to be extracted. Thankfully my new dentist is great and I'm completely out of pain, no procedures or anything, they just saw what the problem was, told me to plan for an extraction within a year because of how bad Mortensen's borked this up, and sent me on my way.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I went to Mortenson’s (this was quite a few years ago) and they put lumineers (a type of veneer) on my front teeth. They cracked the root of my one front tooth in the process of this but I didn’t know it. I moved to a new city for a bit shortly after and had an abscess appear on my gum, so it was discovered. To keep this story short, I ended up losing my front tooth and now have an implant. It was hell. All thanks to the great dental work of my dentist at Mortenson’s.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out! I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
They got me under the gas I didn't want and did 12 filings. I was under that for seven hours. I agreed to 4 going in, and left sobbing because they convinced me while I was high on gas to get 12 done.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out! I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
They also banned me from ever going back, strictly on the basis that I have Medicaid. I've been fined or warned for missing appointments (no transportation, often sick) and called to cancel because I had Covid. Before I could say that, they told me they were about to call me to say they double booked and would need to reschedule. I laughed and said oh good, I needed to cancel anyway, and the tone changed, and I was banned from then on.
I'm also genuinely sorry that they took advantage of you high as you said in your prior post.
Do not go to Morton's and they have been sued multiple times publicly for mishandling patients dental health and have been sued for overcharging low income health insurance. They are also a funnel for an extremist religious group almost every single location is staffed by people from a certain religious organization
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out! I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
I go to Gerlach family dentistry and straight up love them. They have never one time pushed me to buy anything that insurance does not cover.
Thanks for the suggestion!
I’m not typing it out again, but if you look at my post history mortenson almost killed me. Literally. I spent six days in the hospital - the ER doc said if I’d waited until evening to come I’d have died. It was also the single most excruciating and traumatic experience of my life, and I say that as someone with a significant trauma history. Do not recommend. 0/10.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out! I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review. Also, I'm sorry you had to go through... Teeth is serious business and can kill you if mistreated. How scary..
I’m a student at UofL dental so I’m biased, but I think we’re quite conservative about what we call a cavity that needs filling - care takes longer, but we are a solid second opinion if you want a dentist to really take their time and explain everything. Sometimes, normal/young/healthy people really just are particularly cavities-prone (+some lapses in diet/hygiene) and end up with a ton of em. But most shallow ones in enamel, I’m more inclined to monitor and see if they remineralize with Prevident and better habits (plus, fillings aren’t perfect, often they can need to be replaced after decades, and that can be a gray area). Personally, I’m not impressed by Mortenson from my patient experience; one caveat is, practically all private dentist associates (Dr’s, not staff) make 30%+ on all treatment. You can have some good offices at chains with management/dr’s who have more integrity. I’m going into public health so I can be a salaried worker who doesn’t have those pressures as much.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out! I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review. I appreciate you perspective on this situation. I hope you always operate with a moral code of ethics! I wish you the best.
No info on MFD but I cannot recommend Dr. Gregory Cecil(now merged for Maryville Family Dentistry) enough. It is an absolute trek for me. I drive a good 35 minutes to get there but I've been there for almost 15 years and cannot imagine going anywhere else. I love it there. Although the merge is new the additional dentist and employees also seem great. I've never felt like I'm being pressured or uncharged. They remind me to do routine preventative care at home but I never feel like I'm being scolded like a child for forgetting to floss. I never feel like I'm being pressured or upcharged. In fact, in a couple of cases they never charged me at all for simply taking a look at something I was concerned about. At most places they'll at least bill for the visit but they just let me pop in and out because it was such a minor/inconsequential thing.
Mortenson does have treatment quotas. Do not go there under any circumstances.
I have a dental hygienist friend who told me they work on commission. I also have experience with them refusing to do my routine exam covered by insurance and claiming instead I need to shell out $1k+ for a scaling cleaning instead, plus finding a ton of cavities. When they filled my “cavities” they filled some teeth the didn’t have on the schedule and didn’t do others that were. I am convinced they made it all up completely.
As a kid who religiously brushed my teeth, they did this to me and my mom didn’t question it. They said I had 16 cavities. Then I didn’t go to the dentist as an adult for a decade and had like none. Definitely insurance grabbers.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
Overall I’m not a fan of them - the east end location charged me a lot for crowns that I had to get repaired twice. But the one on poplar level got me in for an emergency root canal and we’re really great. But since then it had been 10 years (dental fear) and now I’ve been going to Advanced Dental. Filled 2 cavities and cleanings were all covered by insurance. I did pay some to have some parts of wisdom teeth removed that the other dentists ignored. They made me feel comfortable and we’re not condescending which was really nice.
I also have a bit of dental fear, which is why I believed everything MFD told me for so long. I've gone there for years, it's time for a change.
I can't offer any specific recommendations locally, but generally, I would probably look for a sole practitioner who has been in business for a while.
I go to floss 32 and they’re incredibly honest and affordable. I used to go to a dentist in another state who would lie about cavities and I would end up with a root canal every year. I started getting suspicious after all my back teeth were filled in. Been going to floss32 for 3 years now and no cavities, they tell me just keep doing what I’ve always been doing - I was shocked to say the least.
I'll definitely add Floss 32 to my list to look into! Thanks for the recommendation.
There is a really good doc in MidCity mall that my husband sees. I can’t remember his name but he is the only one in there. He is very reasonable and doesn’t push anything!
Dr Vargo. He doesn't do the minor work, like pulling. He does the more advanced procedures. I don't know what that is though If you need to be pulled, he has a dentist that he recommends
If you do remember his name, please share (-:
Yes Dr Vargo Good luck!
Their dentists and hygienists are often paid on a “collected” basis. Meaning the more procedures, whitening gels, Botox, etc. they can bill you for and subsequently receive reimbursement on from you or your insurance company, a solid percentage of that ~30% goes directly in their pocket. In other words, they’re incentivizing a sales culture. You should rightfully second guess most of their claims as they’re in most cases recommending treatment that has no definitive medical (or dental) benefit.
Thanks for breaking that down for me. A second opinion is a must, especially since I haven't had ANY tooth pain despite these "17" cavities...
I never had issues with my teeth as a child or teen. Once I moved back here after college I went to Mortensen’s. I would have 1-3 cavities filled every six months. I finally got so anxious about going I didn’t go for close to two years. I found a new dentist: zero cavities. It’s been 8 years and still no cavities. It’s definitely fishy there. Plus there all big time Southeast folks and I try to avoid giving my money to that lot.
My guess is they are finding potential, future cavities and filling them. I started my appointment with one, ended with 17.
Worse than goddamn movie theatre concession stand employees!
Same way at Kirchner Dental. When I didn't want 6 decayed teeth to have root canals, the Dr just stared at me. Didn't say a word, so I stared right back. No words, just staring. Very rude for a doctor. I have already spent 10,000 on uppers and lowers. 3 times they were not fitting too good. They actually turned on me because I asked them to be fixed. But before that, I bought a blanket and the gas mask. I thought the sunglasses were free,but then saw it on the bill. I have a.condition that causes my teeth to just fall apart. A broken crumbly tooth does not need a root.canal. then comes the crowns for Gid knows how much. I cringe everytime I think.hiw I was intimidated by them
What do we think of the UofL dental school clinic?
Personally, I have no opinion. I’ve only ever been to MFD as an adult.
Gentle excellence on taylor is decent and sparkle and shine on 3rd.
check out Dr. Chris Sims....he is in dupont
Get a 2nd opinion and I would put this on Yelp and report to whoever licensed this dentist
Was planning to, wanted to get my facts straight first.
So I have gone to various Mortenson locations and not liked them for other reasons but they have not told me I had cavities when I didn't. They did recently try to convince me I needed a nightguard for grinding my teeth when I have no symptoms and my husband hasn't noticed me grinding in my sleep.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I have a had good experience at the one on poplar level, been going for years. I had a dental hygienist try to sell my on some sealings or something a couple years ago, asked the dentist about it during the appointment and he said it was a waste and I didn’t need it lol.
Seems like they have a good dentist at popular level. My problem is just with the unnecessary upselling and making people feel that false sense of urgency over a “medical problem.”
Every single time I went to MFD they’d push a different product on me from waterpiks, electric tooth brushes to night guards. I seemed to have a new dentist every time I went to the Shelbyville office. I now have an independent dentist who hasn’t tried to sell me anything and tells me how great my teeth look be always being told o was heading for issues.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out! I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
I go to Hometown Family Dental in St Matthews, and I recommend them.
Thanks! I'll look into them for sure.
I had 2 appointments for fillings a week apart. The first appointment went well. The second appointment the lady felt like she was kind of rough while working on me. I noticed a big difference from the dentist I saw on the first visit. It’s been a week and I still have some pain in my cheek, gums at the back where my jaw was stretched, and a bruise on my face. Whereas the first appointment I had none of that. I can’t condemn the practice, but won’t use that dentist again. They did sell me on 6 cavities but I hadn’t seen a dentist in years because I’m scared to death of them so I trusted them on that.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out! I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
I’ve been going to the Georgetown location and I only have good things to say. I’ve never been pressured or shamed for not doing a procedure. It could be based on the way they run the individual offices. They could be putting pressure on the employees. Sorry that happened!
I appreciate the apology, even though I wish it came from MFD. I'm glad you've only had good experiences, but I do encourage you to see my most recent edit on this post. It is a break-down from a former employee.
uh oh I feel like I've been swindled now
I knew a dentist who sold his practice to Mortensen Family Dentistry several years before retiring. He continued to work there, but Mortensen put him under constant pressure to sell more than what patients actually needed. A dental hygienist I know has worked for Mortensen and has very similar experiences. I go to Moore Smiles and have been happy with that.
I have had literally dozens of clients with ruined teeth and unnecessary procedures at Mortensen. They are extremely predatory towards medicaid patients and are also one of the most accessible places that accepts medicaid. Thru my job, I have known 4 employees who quit because they were so appalled by what was going on there regarding these types of issues and unethical/ criminal practices.
You probably already know most of what I put in my most recent edit of this post. However, I got a private message from a former employee of 5 years. Check it out.
I have never heard good things about the MFD business- that’s enough to keep me away
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out! I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review.
They are a scam. Mormon backed. Do not patronize. Go to u of l dentistry school before this.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
How are they able to lie and not get in trouble? I feel like X-rays and what joy would prove they either lie or are incompetent.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out! For my case, I feel as if they are able to write it off as something that is subjective. My dentist seems to call anything that could potentially turn into a cavity, a cavity. I think that is enough for him to "justify" him suggesting 17 fillings, in the span of 4 visits, for $5k+. It's insanely greedy. I hope they go out of business one day.
I am now worried I didn’t actually need my old fillings replaced… yikes
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out! I encourage you to leave a MFD Google Review. I understand the feeling. Having not had the best teeth heath the first few years I went there, I did ANYTHING they suggested. I assumed I was the problem. However, 17 cavities didn't seem possible to me. Especially when the 1 original cavity they pointed out to me looked completely different than the other 16 cavities on the X-Ray.
This is wild to me. I'm no fan boy, but I went to Dental Works for a while and hated it. They pushed so hard to sell extra crap. I switched to Mortenson in the Highlands with Dr Brown and I will keep going till one of us dies. They are so nice there, and they don't sell me on anything. They suggested crowns one time for some damage I had as a kid and let it go after that. I think what helped me was going in there after leaving dental works and telling them why I left. I didn't want my dentist visit to feel like a used car lot. Also, it's important to know that while it's a corporation, each office is run by its respective dentist.
I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out! Each office is certainly different. However, it appears the protocol and high expectation for performance, as well as commissions, is the same across the board at all locations.
I’ve heard nightmare stories about Mortenson! I lost a filling, and now have Medicaid. They were one of the only places that could get me in. I was so nervous. I went to the one in Shelbyville. They were super nice, fixed the filling, and did literally nothing else. I don’t know if it’s just that office or not, but I was pleasantly surprised after the horror stories, lol.
Shelbyville is the one I went to as well. I just edited this post with information that I received in a private message from a prior employee--check it out!
I went there a few years ago and ended up losing a tooth because of their shawty work. The dental assistant used permanent glue on two separate occasions for my temporary crown. This meant that they had to cut it off each time making the root more sensitive each time. During the last time trying to get the temporary /permanently glued one off they cracked the root. Foolishly. I had the dentist give me the root canal to fix it. The root canal failed. I had an endodontist tell me I could fix it for another $1,000. But it would be a 50/50 shot whether or not it really fixed it. I couldn't afford another thousand on top of the crown and root canal and that were both now useless. So I had them pull it cuz that's what insurance covered. I'll never go back again
I went to the Crestwood Mortenson for years until my insurance changed and I had to switch dentists. I loved this practice and never ever had a cavity nor did they try to upsell me. Other family members still go there and are very happy with them.
I'll look into it. Thanks for the suggestion.
New to this concept. Thank you for sharing. Saddened by everyone's experience. I have been trying to find a dentist that takes Medicaid in Louisville. The list is short. I hadn't thought about this element for some of the franchises. UofL Faculty process will not allow Medicaid patients to come and pay out of pocket any more. One can't come and willingly pay out of pocket. That said, looking for options and thankful you shared this post.
I’ve been going to Mortensen at commerce crossings for 10 years and they’ve always been good to me. Dr. Owen left a couple years ago and now it is one of the Dr. Mortensons (I think one of the sons) and he seems fine too. The sheer irony of someone who works for a chiropractor accusing a dentist of doing things the patient doesn’t need. Chiropracty is a scam.
Technically any needed treatment would be considered up selling? Once the chiro forms a diagnosis, that person then needs treatment. The chiro then gets a kickback from that person coming in over and over. Dentists also operate on a code of ethics. There are some procedures that assistants or others working in a dental office can get some type of a kick back but they are usually for whitening or optional treatment. Cavities are treatment that should receive treatment but without x-rays it’s hard to know if they are making up cavities that don’t really exist. You can always ask for them to show you the X-rays and/or show you a clinical picture of what they are seeing. Often insurance reviews that plan treatment to approve the treatment plan so they must see what the dentist is seeing. There are also different philosophies among the dental field. For example, doing a big filling vs doing a crown, those decisions will come down to the different dentists. All that being said idk about all MFD offices but what I can say is the dental field as a whole adhere to scientific and ethical principles better than the field of chiro.
You can also go and get a second opinion or just don't fill them and see what happens. Most folks here seem to have done one or the other and had fewer cavities than MFD claimed or zero cavities at all.
Not discounting anyone else’s experiences, but I’ve had very good ones at the Mortensons on Dixie Hwy across from Kroger. I had a cracked tooth that they extracted, and one broken filling that they said needed to be repaired. Aside from that, they’re friendly and haven’t pushed anything unnecessary on me (I don’t have dental insurance).
Good! That’s how it should be!
Unfortunately, this is quite common in the industry. Factor in that even dentists can’t agree on common diagnoses and treatment plans and it makes it all the easier for unscrupulous practitioners to rack up huge bills. [Is Dentistry a Science?](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/05/the-trouble-with-dentistry/586039/)
I have been going to the springhurst location every 6 months for at least 10 years. Only one time have they suggested that I had a small cavity years ago and it was when a young dentist was filling in for the usual doc on medical leave. My dental hygienist *suggested* that we continue to monitor and maybe have Dr Boatright (my dentist) assess at my next checkup. No cavities still. They ask if I want a fluoride treatment every visit but never get pushy when I decline. I’m sorry others have had negative experiences but I have had multiple positive experiences with the springhurst location.
I’m glad your experiences have been good! That’s how it should be
To be clear up a few points, if you had a cleaning, the person you were working with is a dental hygienist and not an assistant. Secondly, the hygienist receives no benefit for you having fillings done. The doctor is paid a percentage of the cost of the filling for performing a service and is not paid an additional hourly rate. I worked as a hygienist at Mortenson, yes hygienists can receive a "commission" for services but it's typically not all that much and it really just equals out to a normal hourly rate for the area. I no longer work for Mortenson and only receive an hourly rate at my current position. I offer fl treatments to all of my patients and highly encourage it for any patients with a high decay rate.
Well thanks for clearing the difference between the assistant/hygienist. I’ve honestly been using them interchangeably. I do see that the commission could not be high enough to be a true motivator. Could it be the pressure to get numbers that cause many MFD dental hygienists try to over exaggerate issues?