The Rise and Fall of a Former Top Plymouth Dental Practice
On a number of different review platforms, I have, in the past, added extremely positive reviews about this practice, and would say it was the best one I'd had the privilege of being a patient.
When I first joined PCCDP, they bore the same name, and were. I think, an individual, non-allied practice run by the lead dentist and his wife, who were both Swedish, as was the first dental who took on my treatment.
That dentist left, to return to Sweden, and I became one of Shahriar Majlessi's patients. Having had a good number of excellent dentists over the years, I can honestly say that Shahriar is the best, most caring, kindest dentist I have ever had, with an avuncular bedside manner that would immediately pacify the most nervous patient, of any age.
I can't praise him enough, and his competence and ability to talk you through everything, makes a visit a truly memorable experience, and never anything to worry about.
Over the years, he has also had equally lovely, friendly and reassuring dental nurses, from Romanian-born Irina, to Mia Ryder, his present one.
I attended the practice last Thursday, where I was scheduled for a check-up with Shahriar, followed by a session with hygienist, Janie, who's also excellent, and great fun too!
I had known that the original Swedish owners had recently sold out to a conglomerate which seems based in the Taunton area. Checking them out on the Government Companies Register, it seems that this seemingly unnamed conglomerate consisted of some 20 or so practices and related businesses mainly in the Somerset area - I had to giggle when I saw that one such business was called 'El Nashar' - perfect for anything to do with teeth.
But prior to Thursday's visit, there was virtually no sign that the practice was under new owners, apart from the change of address on the credit card receipt.
I arrived in good time for the hygienist, only to find that the waiting area had move away from the treatment area, and that there were seats provided, the layout of which reminded me of a doctor's surgery back in the 90s!
I was immediately asked if I'd filled out a fairly lengthy questionnaire about my personal and medical details, which I hadn't done since my previous visit, some 6 months back. This took a fair while to fill out, and it was handy that I have all such details securely stored on my phone.
I hadn't finished when Shahriar's nurse, Mia, came in and said that they were ready for me. I had to send Mia away, as I was still filling in this form! She returned later and luckily I'd finished!
I mentioned my overall disappointment so far, and it was suggested that I take this up with practice manager, but this was not possible at the time. Shahriar had done such an excellent job with some preventative treatment, that he didn't need to see me for a year. I then had my usual 'fun' 30-minutes' cleaning from Janie, and then left to settle up - £205 for both sessions, but which did include 2 X-rays @ £19 each.
I have been looking at PCCDP's Facebook page, and while people are still happy with the treatment, some, like me, have noticed a real change in ambiance and dynamic - comments from people to this effect don't appear to have been acknowledged, whereas in the past, responses appeared almost always by return.
There seems to have been a number of staff changes - my hygienist, for example, will not be there for my next 6-month cleaning, and an appointment was made with 'Lucy' instead. But today, I see that she left some 22 hours before the post. Something's NOT right! On Thursday I think I saw the most number of patients waiting, but the website doesn't seem to suggest any significant new staff additions.
I understand that there is probably a legal requirement to update details six-monthly, but I do not intend filling another one out from scratch, and will only amend what has changed, if anything has.
Recently I had two eye operations, and their questionnaire didn't take half as long to complete!
As it now stands, I will probably remain a patient with PCCDP just as long as Shahriar remains my dentist. Should he leave, or retire, I would seek to find a new practice.
We now get regular bombarding with texts about our appointments, and worse, ones that suggest that, unless the practice knows we will pay up, some kind of deposit would be required. Needless to say, as a long-established patient, I won't subscribe to this! In fact only today I got texts actually after the event! Of course, there is always the seemingly obligatory text, asking me to write a review somewhere on social media.
I am sorry to see a former lovely dental practice sink to just another faceless part of a larger business-enterprise, where 'money-care' now seems to be increasingly more important than 'patient-care', and what was formerly 'special' has now become decidedly 'ordinary'!
July 4, 2024
Unprompted review