1 /5 Marcelina Kropiwnicka: I had the most unprofessional experience which I’m sure I could report to the New York Department of Health.
Firstly, I’d just like to note that there are never any patients in this office. And I think her lack of business makes her desperate to charge wherever she can.
I have been a patient at this location before and have had cleanings, fillings and x-rays performed by Barbara Janeczko. I came specifically for an x-ray of my wisdom tooth because the images on record were missing half of the tooth I am looking to extract (which Barbara Janeczko had recommended at my previous visit to have removed by an oral surgeon). Upon arrival, she said she does not have the equipment to do a panoramic x-ray, which is the required type needed for wisdom tooth extraction. I would have been fine at that, though frankly, her assistant should have notified me of this when I called and specifically requested an x-ray of my wisdom teeth for removal purposes.
But that’s just the start of what went wrong. When I explained to her that I want to get the tooth removed aboard, she tried to “convince” me that I should do the procedure with an oral surgeon she knows nearby. She then told me to come in to her exam room to have “a quick look at the tooth” (which, let me reemphasize, she herself had recommended that I have removed at my previous visit). I sat for maybe 30 seconds, after which she reaffirmed that the tooth should be removed. All she did was take a quick look at my tooth—nothing more. I didn’t need her to do so either. All I came for was a service—the x-ray—that couldn’t be performed. But rather than listen to my previous mention that I want to do the procedure abroad, she writes out a referral to the surgeon she mentioned, signs her name, circles the tooth that needs to be removed (which, again, I knew from her previous recommendation), hands me the paper, and tells me “it’s $60 for the referral.” It takes a second for me to process this.
I politely hand her back the referral, saying that it is of no use to me since I will not be using it and that it’s ridiculous for her to be charging $60 for it in the first place.
She then states “well then it’s $50 for the exam.” Stunned again. At this point, I see she just wants to get some money out of me. She tries to guilt trip me into paying her for sitting in the examination chair, stating that: (1) she spent time looking at the tooth (for tops 10 seconds) which she herself had previously recommended I remove; (2) she “revealed” to me the precise number of the tooth, and told me I would have never known if she hadn’t told me. But, by the way, a quick google search reveals the same; (3) blatantly reasoning that I can’t leave without paying her “something.”
Mind you, initially she wanted $60 for the referral, no mention of an exam fee to be paid. So was the referral $10? Was she not charging the exam previously? The prices seemed to appear out of thin air.
I don’t know how you run your business, but no, I will not run an office in a similar manner. I will never ethically charge someone twice for the same advice. I came in for a specific service which couldn’t be provided. If I can’t provide a service requested by a client, I will not look for a separate reason to charge them. I understand maybe she had no memory as to my specific tooth, but she can take the time to review my records, or if she wants to look at my tooth instead, that’s on her.
By the way, according to New York State Education § 6530(18), it is professional misconduct to solicit or receive referral kickbacks. I am saddened by the thought that she has probably charged for this “service” in the past.
