Assistant rolled her eyes at dentist's $11,500 pitch and secretly told patient he only needed a $450 cleaning. Then they begged for a Google review

They say you should never lie to your doctor, but as one patient (u/Leading-Knowledge712) quickly learned, that rule doesn't always apply. After walking into an upscale dentist clinic with sun-drenched Caribbean vacation photos, the person thought they would be taken care of. However, they were soon hit with an $11,500 quote from Dr. Suntan for three gum grafts and a surgery to cut a ligament under their tongue. But the real diagnosis arrived only after he left the room. Noticing the dental assistant roll their eyes, the person asked them what they would do, prompting her to whisper the truth. Later, the person shared the full experience on Reddit on September 24, 2026, and it amassed more than 19,000 upvotes. 

The costly consultation

The visit began under the tropical guise of framing resort portraits, but the financial foreboding darkened almost immediately. After a swift look inside the person's mouth, the doctor laid out an expensive plan. He prescribed three gum grafts of $3,000 each, swiftly tacking on an additional $2,500 procedure to sever a ligament under the tongue. All of this totaled a whopping $11,500. Standing quietly beside the chair, however, the dental assistant rolled her eyes. So, as Dr. Suntant headed out to take a call, the person decided to ask her what she would do in their place.

The chairside revelation

Without skipping a beat, the assistant told the person that she wouldn't go through with this treatment. "“Absolutely not! You just need a deep cleaning," she told them. So, when the doctor returned, the person stated that $11,500 was way over budget for them and headed out. After doing so, they then headed to another dentist who took care of the problem for a fraction of the cost, at just $450 for a deep cleaning. Meanwhile, they kept getting messages from the other doctor to post a Google review for their clinic, adding to several other five-star ones. 

Backlash leading to closure

The patient got fed up with these requests and compiled an entire post about their experience. "Don’t go to this dentist unless you want to pay for his next Caribbean vacation," they wrote in the heading. Over the next few months, this post gained a lot of traction, with several other patients thanking the person for their warning. At the same time, they revealed this to their regular dentist, who stopped recommending Dr. Suntan. Within a short while, all this forced Dr. Suntan to close his clinic. 

Cost is the defining factor

It's doctors like Dr. Suntan who drive people away from visiting dentists. According to a CareQuest Survey, 55% of American adults have some type of problem with their teeth. Yet 27% refrain from visiting a dentist, simply citing financial reasons for skipping their appointments. Meanwhile, just 11% said that they did so because they had no reason to visit a dentist. With people already skeptical about costs, dentists like Dr. Suntan are doing even more harm to the country's oral health. 

The assistant was God-sent

As for the people, they pointed out the assistant's honesty. u/AtomTrapper noted, "Hope that assistant got a better job immediately. Love her looking out." Meanwhile, u/groovyfirechick noted, "His behavior is so unethical. I hope his practice shuts down because he was reported."

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