1 /5 Wyatt Malave: I had the wool pulled over my eyes for years.
I literally could have died from their negligence (read to the end).
I’m not happy I need to write this, in fact it saddens me given this clinic has treated me for as long as I’ve had teeth, but I’m a grown man now and I can’t justify what they’ve become.
The last time I visited The Smilist, they tried convincing me to get several fillings and crowns. I was already skeptical, as I had previously been talked into 6–7 fillings and a crown in a single week. After moving off Long Island, I saw multiple dentists in Rochester for second opinions. Every one of them told me I didn’t need any of the work The Smilist pushed. Their treatment recommendations were wildly aggressive. This clinic didn’t used to be like this—I assume corporate pressure has changed the priorities.
Now here’s the part that could’ve killed me:
For years, I had a wisdom tooth leaking pus—a large, active abscess on my lower left side. I asked about it multiple times. They acknowledged it wasn’t “good,” but said not to worry. Instead of referring me to a specialist or treating it as urgent, they casually recommended I “get all four wisdom teeth out eventually.” My dad still has all his, so I didn’t rush.
Then, in November 2024, it nearly went septic.
I was in mind-numbing agony for two weeks. Not even oxycodone helped. I was in such a manic, pain-fueled state I nearly overdosed on Tylenol trying to dull it (I hit 4,000mg in 24 hours—barely within the limit).
Any competent dentist would have flagged such a visible abscess immediately and sent me to an oral surgeon. Instead, they downplayed it for years. Why?
• A. Full extraction of all wisdom teeth is easier to justify and bill.
• B. Infected extractions can be complicated, and general dentists may avoid them to reduce liability.
• C. Or, just plain incompetence—they assumed it was fine since I wasn’t in pain.
Bottom line:
Save your money. Save your time. Save yourself from excruciating pain—or worse.
Find a dentist who actually prioritizes your health over quotas.