Isn't it her responsibility to make sure the buisness has her correct address though? And if the check did bounce, shouldn't she pay the fee? I'm just curious.

In this economy its getting harder to get customers to pay their bills. She didn't update her address so they probably thought she wrote a bad check and dissapeared. A buisness needs to be paid to keep running, and pay its employees.

$25 is not unreasonable for a returned check fee, if she wrote a check that bounced why would she expect it to be waived?

I actually left their practice because they could never get my information right. They continually sent things for another faminly member to me, and my things went to the other family member. I asked for the change to be made MANY times, but they always gave some excuse. Very irritating.

The bank undoubtedly charged the dentist $25 for the bounced check so there's nothing wrong with asking the offender to foot that cost. I don't think the biz did anything wrong. Maybe the divorced mother needs to stop writing bad checks.

California law allows a charge of 3 times the amount of the check, up to $500. Deadbeats need to be charged. The address is your problem, the bad check is your problem, the dentist is running a business so stop trying to make it seems as if you are a victim.

When I was new to the area, I also went to Pacific Dental Care, and have nothing but compliments for the dentists and their staff.
If the problem "processing the check" was the bank's error, they would have reversed the charges; since they didn't, it sounds as if the problem was the check wasn't good.
There are many doctors and dentists who don't care to risk taking on patients without insurance because of payment problems. This dentist did, and on top of that took a check instead of requiring cash or credit card payment.
The office wouldn't have needed to contact you at work if you'd provided a home or cell phone number where you could be reached; it's highly unlikely that their first phone call to you was threatening. They probably contacted you to make you aware of the problem, and you didn't deal wtih it promptly.
As so many of the others have noted, Pacific Dental Care is a business. The dentists and their staff also have mortages, rent, utilities, etc. to pay and families to support. No busines, especially these days, can afford to provide services for free.
Nonetheless, I suspect that if you'd shared with them any financial difficulties you had in paying their bill, they would have worked with you to set up a payment plan. But if you made yourself difficult to contact, you certainly gave the impression that you were dodging payment.
That being said, you can contact Axis Community Health in downtwon Pleasanton about getting medical and dental services which are offered on a sliding scale based on financial need.

Yes.. she filled out a patient change record. They never inputted it into their billing system. That is what they would not claim responsibility for...
And, it was a credit card check (since they would not accept a credit card from the daughter). Something went wrong in the bank processing that no one would own up to.

We were clients there when we first moved to Pleasanton. It was extremely frustrating to have two kids and one adult receiving dental and orthodontic care. The staff changed constantly. Every time you went in there would be new people-dentists and orthodontists included. We left when we realized there was literally no one minding the store. The one bonus we discovered many months later was that no one bothered to charge us or the insurance company for the last set of retainers! Even when we called about it they couldn't locate the charges on their records and let it go at that! Win some, lose some I guess.

I've been going to see Dr. Bueno for over ten years and I have only good things to say about their practice. If your check bounce see "Judge Judy" and she'll tell you to PAY IT!!!! You bounced the check and you own them the money. You're losing a good dentist for $25 bucks and the dentist I had before cost me much more than hundreds. Dr. Bueno was the only one who took the time and effort to make things right. Wait till you see another dentist with old outdated equipment and techniques that hasn't been used in years.

Be responsible and pay the $25. I'm sure they don't want to lose a client either, but I would charge you too.

Our office is committed to providing the best dentistry in a caring manner the latest technology. It is our responsibility to do so in a professional environment. We have been providing this valuable service to the Tri-Valley since 1985. Though we regret the comments made by FoSC, and we do feel bad for her situation, we always handle these types of situations in a professional manner. We wish FoSC all the best in seeking a new doctor/patient relationship more condusive to her situation.

Ouch, should have left of the last sentence, it only made Dr. Bueno sound spiteful.

I have worked as a Registered Dental Hygienist at Pacific Dental Care for the last 16 years. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Dr. Bueno and his committment to providing excellent dentistry. I am proud to be a member of a great dental team providing state-of-the-art dental care in a caring and professional environment. It is unfortunate that this person bounced a check and does not want to pay the bank fee but we are a business and I have a mortgage to pay.