My Community Dental Centers ~ Sidney

I called over a week ago schedule my son and myself two separate appointments. We have just recently got back on Medicaid. When I called to book the appointments, I spoke with their call center. I gave the lady both my sons and my insurance information, at which at the time she confirmed it was active. Earlier this week the Sydney office themselves contacted me saying there was a problem with MY Medicaid because the private insurance I had purchased earlier in the year didn't cover them. I had said okay and that I would contact them about it. The Sydney office contacted me again (by text message) saying there would be a bill for my son. I texted why didn't his Medicaid didn't cover the bill after the fact they had already told me his Medicaid was active. The only response I got was at this point they were just going to remove the appointment without further explanation. Based on their customer service so far I can't imagine their dental work is mush better. I have since figured out our insurance and will NOT be going here. They obviously are not in the need of new customers/clients.

In August, I had an extremely disappointing and painful experience at the MCDC Sidney location with Dr. Houssein. Despite being in excruciating pain, he only took one X-ray and dismissed my concerns, saying it was “TMJ.” He didn’t even seem familiar with Botox, which is a common TMJ treatment in dentistry. I left feeling unheard and brushed off. Because my pain was unbearable, a family member was ind to pay for my emergency services and treatment. So I went to another dental office for a second opinion — and thank goodness I did. That dentist did a full panoramic X-ray and found a root infection that required a root canal and antibiotics. Had I followed Dr. Houssein’s advice, I could have ended up with sepsis or hospitalized. When I returned to Dr. Houssein for an emergency visit on the other side of my mouth, he was dismissive and condescending, asking “Why are you here then? Why not have the other dentist help you?” I explained that I didn’t have the financial means. He eventually confirmed I had an abscess but refused antibiotics, saying “Why poke the bear?” which made no sense since infections don’t just go away. I then called the Big Rapids location for help, but the receptionist and office manager refused to see me because I had been seen at Sidney. When I tried to explain my situation, the manager told me, “I don’t care to hear your story,” and canceled my future appointment, saying I’d never be seen there. I left feeling humiliated and unheard. It’s heartbreaking how patients on Medicaid are often treated as if they don’t deserve compassion or quality care. We work hard and still deserve respect and proper treatment. I ignored the negative reviews before, but I now understand them. I would strongly recommend avoiding the Sidney and Big Rapids MCDC locations. I hope MCDC leadership seriously reviews how patients — especially Medicaid patients — are being treated.

Repeated Poor Dental Work and Lack of Accountability Growing up, every dentist I saw complimented me on my teeth — strong, clean, and natural, even with a bit of nighttime grinding. That changed after switching to MCDC a few years ago due to insurance. At my first visit, everything seemed fine. But just a few weeks after my cleaning, part of my front tooth disintegrated and left me in agonizing pain. I called for help and was told I could come in for an “emergency” visit, but there was no guarantee they’d be able to see me because they don’t take appointments. I went nearly a month barely able to eat before they fixed it — and even then, the filling was poorly done. They warned me it “might not stay,” which didn’t inspire much confidence. It held up until my next cleaning, when the hygienist accidentally ripped the filling out while cleaning my teeth. When I pointed it out, her reaction was, “Oh! Is that what that was?” I was told it was my fault for grinding my teeth and that I’d need to come back another day. Two more weeks of pain later, they fixed it again — but the work was even worse, leaving a visible hole. When I tried to get it corrected, they brushed it off as a simple “adjustment.” The filling fell out entirely less than a month later. At this point, I’m too afraid to go back. I now have to find a new dentist and pay out of pocket to repair the same tooth properly. On top of that, they charged me for my daughter’s X-rays that insurance didn’t cover yet — without telling me the cost would be out of pocket. That lack of communication and accountability is disappointing, especially when families are trusting them with both care and finances. I rarely write reviews, but this experience deserves honesty. I hope they take it as feedback to improve their patient care, communication, and quality of work.