Tennessee’s Attorney General is offering guidance to Tennessee consumers who have been impacted by the sudden closure of Allcare Dental & Dentures, a national chain of dental offices. Attorney General Bob Cooper said the recent sudden closure of the business has resulted in complaints from consumers in Tennessee and in other states.
"We are always concerned when a business closes abruptly, especially in light of the allegations from some Tennesseans who say they did not get what they paid for or who do not have access to their dental records,” Attorney General Cooper said. “We intend to get as much information as possible to determine how to best proceed to get help for consumers who have complaints or need access to their medical information.”
When a business closes suddenly, Attorney General Cooper stresses, it is important for consumers to act quickly to help minimize any potential loss. Consumers should consider taking the following steps to document their dispute and limit financial losses:
If you paid with a credit card, contact your credit card company to dispute the charges and have them removed from your bill (dispute information is listed on your monthly statements).
If you paid by check, contact your bank to determine if payment can be stopped.
If you arranged for long-term financing, contact the financing company and dispute any payment for items that have not been delivered.
If you arranged for some form of automatic payment plan, contact your bank or credit union to immediately stop any future withdrawals from your account.
Keep records of all transactions, in order to assist investigators and to support any possible legal claims.
Gather receipts, invoices or bills that show what items were ordered, what you paid and when delivery was promised.
Keep any phone records or any notes that indicate which company employees you spoke with, and when those conversations occurred.
Allcare operated dental practices at three locations in Tennessee, along with facilities in several other states. Efforts are under way to coordinate with other state Attorneys General to address complaints from patients outside Tennessee.
Consumers can file complaints with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s Division of Consumer Affairs by calling 800.342-8385. More information is available online at http://tn.gov/consumer/complaint.shtml.
The Department of Health's Office of Investigations accepts complaints on individual licensed medical professionals. Consumers must complete a form before the investigations process can begin. This process may be helpful if consumers are having difficulty getting copies of medical records. The form is available online at http://health.state.tn.us/Downloads/g5020208.pdf. If consumers have questions about the form or the Health investigations process, call 800.852-2187 for more information.
Consumers in need of emergency dental care are urged to seek treatment immediately.