Cary Family Dental is a straight up criminal enterprise

My kid chipped two teeth at a basketball game. We just moved to the area so my wife ends up calling around and finds a dentist with great reviews that accepts our insurance and has an opening the next day. Great! I scope them out and they're rocking 4.8 stars on 1.5k reviews (this was my first red flag but I didn't think critically enough to catch it).

We show up and there is an inexplicably strange aura at the front desk. An ominous atmosphere. They carefully explain that they accept all insurances but require payment up front and once they receive payment from our insurance, then they reimburse us. Second red flag. I thought it strange, but my kid had two broken teeth and we have military dental so it pays completely. I pay up and we sit down and wait. As we wait, a customer comes in and has a hushed heated conversation with the front desk. Red flag three. Again, I think it strange but hand wave it away. They have 4.8 stars! 1.5k reviews!

They call us up and we go see the doctor and dental assistant. They were legitimately nice people. They do some basic work and sheepishly claim that the complete dental work is going to cost more up front. This is red flag four and this is when it hit me something was wrong. The vibe was so off in the room. It was like the scene it Get Out when the house maid is trying to warn Daniel Kaluuya to, well, get out. I can't put my finger on why though. I probe a little here. "It all goes to my insurance, right?" They eye each other briefly and say that I'd get clarification up front. My poor kid is sitting in the chair with broken teeth, mouth agape, and I end up signing on the line for an additional charge. Stupid.

They finish up the work shortly after and we head out. I pay for the second leg of the work while confirming that we will be reimbursed right? This time the answer is more oblique. Here. Here is where I knew I messed up. When the trap had already been sprung. Only fools get caught in the slow traps, I proudly thought. Flies ensnared by the leaves of a venus fly trap. Fools alike, they and I.

The scam: they claim they accept all insurance. But they don't. They don't accept any insurance. They only operate out of network. No insurances will pay their full cost. You will never get reimbursed. They are adamant about discussing this only verbally, and leaving scant paper evidence.

The 4.8 stars on 1.5k reviews, though! You idiot, what small, quaint dentist office casually has 1500 Google reviews?! They pad the real reviews with paid for ones. The sheer numbers indicate just how many good reviews they needed to purchase to bury the bad ones. Sort by one star reviews reveals the evil of this place.

Anyways, I'm out several hundred dollars and significant amounts of pride. Avoid this place if you value either of those. I suspect I have very little recourse. This review will stand as a hunger stone to future Trianglers. Let my hubris act as a warning to others.

TLDR; Teeth people bad.