From: Vincent Elias MD
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Dear Sir or Madam: My son had a Dental appointment with the oral surgeon for the extraction of 3 Wisdom teeth yesterday Thursday, September 21.2023 at 8:00 am.Eatser Dental -Marlton Office. My son and I arrived early for his appointment and were greeted by an excellent nurse with extraordinary courtesy. She informed us about the procedure and told us to sit and wait for our turn.
After the procedure I went home I realized that I had forgotten the excuse for his absence from classes and returned to the Dental office. I approached the front desk and explained to a nurse that my son had a dental extraction and that he needed an excuse for his absence from school. Since I was not able to see the surgical team nurses who participated in my son's procedure, I asked her if she knew how many teeth were removed during my son's dental procedure. I wanted to be sure that the three wisdom teeth were removed. She called the office administrator who arrived with an unacceptable attitude and told me to move to the hallway attached to the waiting area. The gentleman who identified himself as the office administrator sat behind a plexiglass area. We were very close to the common waiting area for patients. When he asked me in a very aggressive way what the problem was. With a low tone to prevent other patients from finding out my son's personal information, I asked him how many teeth were removed. He yelled at me that he didn't understand and repeated it out loud, I could hear him imitating my Hispanic accent in an extremely offensive manner he ridiculed me in front of other patients, I cordially asked him to come closer to me so I could hear him better and to ask him the question about how many of my son's teeth were removed. He stood up enraged and shouted and told me what the problem was, he had his wisdom tooth removed I respectfully answered that I didn't want to continue talking to him with his defiant attitude. He screamed at me and said "Leave the office and I responded "NO I AM NOT LEAVING, I then responded, "If you asked me in a polite way I would then leave the office". He yelled at me "Leave the office go to that lady so she can give you the medical excuse for your son". I told him "Your attitude does not represent leadership but rather a weakness". I immediately walked out in a calm manner, picked up my son's medical excuse, and left the office towards my car.
The office manager violated my civil rights by ridiculing me and mentioning private information about my son out loud close to a room full of patients. This also is a HIPPA violation with very serious consequences. I am consulting my lawyer to pursue legal action against Eater Dental for violating my civil rights. As a physician x more than 30 years, I never disrespected any patient the way this office administrator did to me. Everyone else is excellent, the oral surgeon is excellent, and the orthodontics department is the best in the state of New Jersey.