Location: California
I really need some honest input from dentists/orthos or anyone because this has gotten really frustrating and I don’t know if this is normal or not.
My sister has had braces since 2020. It was a 2-year contract, then extended another year because she missed some appointments (which we understand). But now it’s been about 5 years total and her teeth, especially the bottom ones, are still not straight.
At her appointment in February, she was told her braces would be coming off in about 2 months. That didn’t make sense because her teeth were visibly still crooked, so I started asking questions. I wasn’t rude at all, just trying to understand what the plan was.
Instead of explaining anything clearly, the orthodontist kept giving vague answers like “teeth aren’t like math, it’s not 1+1=2,” and when I asked what the plan actually was, he responded with things like “what do you want me to do?” When I asked why her bottom teeth were still crooked, he said “I don’t know, the biology didn’t perform the way it was supposed to.” It felt really dismissive. When I asked again if they were still coming off in 2 months, he rechecked and changed his answer.
That’s when things started feeling off and we decided to request her records to see what has actually been going on.
My sister has been trying to get her records and answers since February:
* Feb 12 – emailed requesting full records
* That same visit, I was told I was not allowed in the room with my sister anymore because they said she’s over 18 (even though we had been allowed for years), so she sent written authorization that same day so family could be involved
* Feb 19 – followed up for records (no response)
* March 19 – followed up for records again (no response)
We went into the office on March 25 for her routine visit, and the front desk confirmed they had been receiving her emails the whole time. Despite that, they still didn’t provide the records.
During that same visit, they also would not allow me to go into the room with her, even though she had already provided written authorization for family involvement. We had been allowed in for years, including after she turned 18, so this was a sudden change. Suddenly it was “against their policy,” but they were unable to show us that policy when we asked for it. I hate being that person, but I was just really frustrated at this point because of the lack of communication.
When my sister asked when she would get the records she had been requesting for over a month, she was told she needed to meet with the office manager first. When she asked to schedule that meeting, they would not give her an appointment, would not give a timeline, and would not provide anything in writing.
On March 27, my sister called again for her records and was told the request had been sent to “upper management,” but again no timeline, no contact info, and no follow-up.
She kept trying.
In late April, when she called again, she was told they only provide X-rays and that they don’t schedule meetings with managers, financial discussions, or any kind of consultation at all. She was told the only time she can talk to someone is during her ortho appointment.
The issue with that is they also won’t allow family in the room anymore, even though they had allowed us in for years, including after she turned 18. This only changed after I started asking questions. When we asked to see the policy they’re claiming this is based on, they won’t provide it.
So basically, they’re saying the only time she can talk is during an appointment, but also making it so she has to go in alone, even though she gave written and verbal consent for us to be there.
She has been diagnosed with pretty severe anxiety, so having support during these conversations is really important for her.
3 months later, we still do not have her full records despite many, many emails sent.
We also got a second opinion. That dentist reviewed everything, including the emails she’s been sending, and even suggested that if they continue not responding, we may need to escalate or threaten going to the board just to get a response (not necessarily file, but just to get them to respond). He said her braces have been on for too long and recommended taking them off for a few months to give her teeth a break before doing anything else. He also noted bite issues and TMD symptoms.
There’s also a billing issue:
* treatment started in 2020
* insurance was billed in 2024 after coverage had ended
* when this was brought up, it was brushed off
At this point, she’s just trying to:
* get her full records
* understand what has been done and what work is left
* sit down and have a normal conversation about her treatment and express concerns
* figure out what the right next step is
No one is trying to argue or be difficult. She’s just unhappy with how things have turned out and wants to understand what’s going on.
I just want to know from people in the field:
* Is it normal for an office to ignore multiple record requests like this? She has been requesting them for about 3 months now.
* Is it normal to refuse to schedule any kind of conversation or consultation?
* Does this sound like reasonable handling, or is this a red flag?
* Would you pause treatment in this situation based on a second opinion?
I’m just trying to figure out if we’re overreacting or if this is actually not being handled the way it should be.