A Healthgrades complaint about a denture reline was meant for a different Dr. Vance
This account was submitted by a healthcare provider and de-identified before publication. Details that could identify a patient or practice have been removed, and it is shared with the provider’s consent.
A one-star Healthgrades review complained about a denture reline that never fit right. It described a dentist who brushed off repeated adjustment requests. The office named was in a town I do not serve. The dentist listed had credentials different from mine. Another Dr. Vance practices in that town, which explained the confusion. The reviewer had matched the name but not the person. The clinical story belonged to that other office.
Denture relines at my practice always include follow-up adjustments until the fit is right. The case described took place at an office I have no connection to. This was mistaken identity, caused by two dentists sharing a surname in nearby towns. I could not publicly note that the patient belonged elsewhere, because that is a protected disclosure. HIPAA does not make exceptions for honest confusion between similarly named providers. Even the kindest redirect would imply I know who is and is not my patient. So the review stayed on my profile, uncorrected by my own hand.
Older patients rely on Healthgrades when choosing someone for denture care. A complaint about ignoring adjustment requests undercut exactly the trust I depend on. Some prospective denture patients likely passed me by after reading it. The emotional weight of being cast as dismissive was hard to carry. My staff, who handle countless reline adjustments patiently, felt the sting too. It was disheartening to absorb another dentist's review as if it were my own. The mischaracterization colored the office mood for a while.
I submitted a correction request to Healthgrades explaining the shared-name mix-up. The first response said the review met their publication standards. I escalated with the other office's town and the credential differences. After a few weeks the review was removed from my profile. I consulted an attorney to confirm I had no safe way to respond publicly. He verified that any clarification risked a HIPAA violation. I relied on documentation and the platform's process, as slow as it was.