Newport Dental

Upsetting. My dental appointment was scheduled and fixed for 11.30am on 8 March but when I arrived at 11.20am, I was told there are two more patients before me. There was no text or phone call to inform me. I’ve two kids and my schedule is pack myself. Where’s the respect for patient’s time? Do you not have an SOP to inform patients there is a delay before their scheduled time and not wait until the patient arrives and ask would you like to reschedule? Upon checking with the patient who emerged she said she was there at 10am for her appointment and was only done at 11.40am. She had a complex treatment. If the dentist knew this cannot it be communicated to the front counter staff to inform the other patients to come later or reschedule? When I arrive at 11.20am, the counter staff could not even tell me how long more I needed to wait when I asked. If the dentist is truly nice and kind, please consider putting in a better communication SOP and manage your patients schedule better. I travelled all the way to the clinic to be asked if I want to reschedule? How would you feel dentist and owner if they were to happen to you? Time is money. Money is time. Besides all that it’s about respecting others. This is a private clinic not a government one where it’s understandable when there is a queue. This is a fixed appointment at a small private clinic. When I approached the dentist to share my thoughts it was just a quiet sorry without real actions taken or solutions given. When I asked for the customer staff if I could get a discount on the treatment because I was made to wait, she in turned asked me to check with the dentist. What? When she finally went to ask the dentist. The dentist was shouting back from inside the room, “I’m okay! I’m okay one! Just do the necessary… “ why so dismissive dentist? In the end it was a $20 discount for my 30min wait and I myself didn’t have time left to do my own treatment after my daughters. Would I come back again? No. The customer service is highly unsatisfactory. There is no care for the patient here beyond charging them $100 for fills that is done in 8 mins. It’s easy to earn money as a dentist, and for us layman time is equally important. Please be better not just for patients who can speak up for themselves like me, but for the rest who cannot or don’t know how. The patient before me was older and he resigned to it that he was made to wait and only realising the scheduled appointment was delayed upon arriving at the clinic despite having an appointment made. This post is here to help others know if you are going to make appointment with this clinic, please check on the day you are going down yourself if they have overbooked or have other patients before you that may over run. You need your ask them yourself as based on my horrible experience they do not think our time is as important as theirs. There was no remorse only dismissiveness.

I have done my tooth implant at Smile Dental. Other than the pricing which is cheaper than other dentist, the experience of getting the job done is a good experience. There is always followup on the next day if am feeling ok. This is my 1st tooth implant. Dr Lee has done it well. A follow up of over 3 months from doing the implant to putting on the crown today. Thank you.

Dr is good however the appointment scheduling can be improved. Upon checking in when clinic reopened after lunch, me and another lady were scheduled for the same 2pm appointment! Unfortunately I had to wait again for her to finish which was a waste of time as I had another engagement after.