Colorado patient tells dentist they can only afford one $1,900 procedure. But the doctor allegedly did two: ‘I literally cannot pay the bill’

A Reddit user posting in r/legal under the name u/vikingmaiden3 described needing two root canals in Colorado that would each cost $1,900. The poster said they scheduled both appointments ahead of time in case the money became available.

Before the visit, u/vikingmaiden3 called the office and stated they would only proceed with one tooth. They claimed they could pay for that procedure in full but could not afford the second one and did not want it done.

During the appointment, the patient was numb and said they could not tell the dentist was working on the neighboring tooth. At the end, the dentist reportedly told the patient he had decided to complete the second root canal and that the patient could pay whatever they could whenever they could.

Patient details payment attempts and lack of response from the office

The poster said a bill arrived weeks later demanding payment in full. They began sending monthly payments that ranged from $25 to $100. After four months of those payments the office informed the poster that the account would be sent to collections. u/vikingmaiden3 stated they no longer live in the city and cannot visit the office in person.

The poster claimed the front desk will not take or return calls. According to the r/legal post, staff either hang up, transfer the call to a line that rings without answer, or fail to respond to voicemails left over several months. Trouble reaching a medical office is not unique to this case, as another parent said she was denied access to her son’s patient portal.

The poster wrote, “I literally cannot pay the bill.” They added that the situation has damaged their credit and that the office will not work with them on the remaining balance. The poster said they do not dislike the dentist and believe he was trying to help. They stated they would have continued making payments over time if the office had allowed it.

Under the Colorado Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, collection agencies are restricted from using harassment, misleading statements, or unfair practices when trying to collect a debt, according to the Colorado Attorney General’s office. The law does not apply when a creditor is collecting its own debt in its own name. Consumers can file a complaint about a collection agency through the state’s Credit and Debt Complaint webpage.

In the comments under the r/legal post, several people discussed ways the patient might still address the situation despite living far away. One commenter focused on formal complaints and wrote, “Report the dentist office to the state attorney general of your old state. Explain that they did more work than was authorized but the dentist agreed to take payments. Now they’ve sent you to collections. Also file a complaint with the state dental board for the unauthorized work. That will get their attention.”

Another commenter suggested the dentist himself might still intervene if contacted directly and stated, “Well, ‘He’ didn’t send the bill, one of his drones did. Go back to the office, in person, and – CALMLY – ask to talk to the doctor.” The original poster replied that an in-person visit was no longer possible after moving more than a thousand miles away.

Discussion then turned to dealing with the collection agency. One commenter advised requesting documentation and wrote, “Ask the collections person for ‘proof of debt’. Sometimes they are unable to provide this paperwork and the debt goes away.”

Another recommended trying a certified letter to the dentist so he would have to sign for it, noting that once the debt is with collectors it may be harder for the office to reverse the referral.