In a viral TikTok video, a woman claims she was the victim of dental insurance fraud—perpetrated by her own dentist.
In the video, TikTok user @alberta.nyc recounts her story directly to the camera. She begins by describing a suspicious letter she received from an unknown company called Your Smile Partner, advising her to “brush her teeth and eat a balanced diet.” The letter also stated that if she did not respond, it would be considered as consent for teledentistry.
“I was the victim of dental insurance fraud, and I’m going to tell you how I figured out it was my own frickin’ dentist that did it,” she says in the video. “I’ve never heard of this company and their teledentistry is telling me to brush my teeth via a letter, but I was like, I’m not gonna call them and get deeper into the scam.”
Despite her decision to ignore the letter, @alberta.nyc later received a notification from her dental insurance company about a new claim for teledentistry, leaving her owing $100. This led her to investigate the company that had charged her for teledentistry, which she suspected to be fake.
“So I figured out from the insurance company who the dentist was who sent me this charge. I look up their name and I find out that they’re connected to my dentist,” she reveals in the video.
@alberta.nyc I guess smile direct club has some competition now 😭
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The video, posted on Jan. 10, has since garnered over 216,800 views and sparked a wave of reactions from TikTok users. One commenter wrote, “The insurance company should have been willing to start a fraud case.”
Another added, “This is why I only go to local places with like 1 or 2 dentists. I hate big corporations.”
“my dentist keeps trying to scam me. I ask for only a basic cleaning, and they keep trying to charge me for things they didn’t do,” a third commenter claimed.
Some comments took a humorous turn, with one user questioning the practical use of teledentistry: “Do they fix cavities by video?” they said.
Your Smile Partner is a teledentistry company based in New York. Its website reads, “Teledentistry is a rapidly evolving field that leverages technology to provide various dental services remotely. While some procedures still require in-person visits, teledentistry can be valuable in offering the following services.” According to a 2022 study, approximately 23% of dentists use teledentistry, which is expected to improve access to care.
The Daily Dot reached out to @alberta.nyc via TikTok direct messages for comment.
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Source: https://www.dailydot.com/news/dental-insurance-fraud-by-dentist/
