Brooklyn woman alleges dental office pressured her into debt
Patients of two Brooklyn dental offices say they were tricked into paying for dental procedures they could not possibly afford.
Now those dental practices are facing a lawsuit from Mayor Mamdani's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, which accuses them of targeting low-income patients with high interest loans.
"They took all my front teeth out," said Yasmin Breeden of Prospect Park, whose top row of teeth have been replaced with metal studs since last summer.
When asked if she could eat food, "Mashed potatoes, you know soft food, baby food," Breeden replied.
Breeden says she was left toothless and in deep debt during an appointment at Canarsie Family Dentistry.
"She told me I had to take out a loan because I don't have those kind of money to take care of my teeth like that," Breeden said.
The loan is $7,000, and that was just for dentures. When Breeden returned to the office, she claims she was told she needed implants and was offered the option to take out another loan for $10,000 - signing altogether for $17,000 in loans.
Breeden says she is confused.
"Yeah, because all they were trying to do was push that loan on me and have me sign that loan."
Noellie Thwaites, Breeden's daughter, said her mother was taken advantage of by the dentistry.
"I don't think she knew the extent. I don't think she knew what it was that she was getting into," Thwaites said.
Thwaites filed a complaint with legal services, and the city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection started an investigation.
"We will not hesitate to take companies to court if they're systematically ripping people off," said DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine.
Commissioner Levine says the department learned others faced the same dental dilemma and filed a lawsuit against Canarsie Family Dentistry and another Brooklyn practice, New York Family Dental.
The suit alleges the defendants took advantage of consumers once seated in the dental chair and in pain or otherwise vulnerable, frequently refused or failed to submit insurance claims in contravention of their advertisements, and instead, had patients apply for third-party medical payment products without adequately disclosing that such products are in fact loans.
"If we find that companies are going out of their way to cheat people, we will take them to court and get people's money back and send a message to other businesses in the city that that kind of fraud won't be tolerated," said DCWP Commissioner Levine.
Neither dental office responded to 7 On Your Side requests for comment; the suit against them seeks restitution for patients. If Breeden doesn't get her money back, she can't afford to fix her mouth on her own since she's paying for a loan for new teeth she never got.
"I want my mouth to be fixed, to eat like a normal human being," Breeden said.
Old photos of Breeden show that her teeth - and her smile - were once big and bright.
"I just want her to get her smile back." Thwaites said.
The biggest takeaway is; if you are in the dentist's office, never feel pressured to sign up for any medical payment product if you don't fully understand the terms and conditions.
Visit the link on ABC7's website to report any deceptive dental practices
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