Mass. attorney general suing Aspen Dental, alleging 'bait-and-switch' ad campaigns
Published Dec 12, 2021
State Attorney General Maura Healey is suing a dental chain with South Shore locations for allegedly deceiving patients and cheating them out of their money.
In a statement, Healey said Aspen Dental, which has hundreds of franchises across the U.S. and several on the South Shore, including Quincy, used "bait-and-switch advertising campaigns" that promised free services that patients were later billed for.
“Aspen Dental took advantage of vulnerable consumers in need of dental care and used misleading advertising to lure them into their offices under false pretenses,” Healey said. “We’re suing this company for violating both state law and its earlier promises not to engage in precisely these illegal practices, and we’re seeking restitution for patients harmed by this misconduct.”
In addition to Quincy, Aspen has locations in Hingham, Hanover, Plymouth, Brockton and Greater Boston.
Healey's office filed the complaint and exhibits, which were more than 100 pages long, in Suffolk County Superior Court on Thursday. The complaint alleges Aspen violated state consumer protection laws and a settlement the company made in 2014 with the attorney general's office.
Healey said Aspen billed customers for appointments after telling them initial appointments would be free. She said the practice took advantage of customers with emergencies. She said the company advertised "no hidden fees" but had complicated billing structures.
The company also allegedly took advantage of low-income patients by advertising that it took "all insurance," but Healy said it didn't take MassHealth, the state's health insurance which includes Medicaid, covering low-income people.
Steve Nolan, the senior vice president of communications for Aspen Dental, pushed back against the allegations and said Healey's lawsuit was "designed to grab headlines." The company plans to fight the case.
“Sadly, the Massachusetts attorney general has brought a lawsuit based on overblown rhetoric that’s inconsistent with its own actions," Nolan said in an email. "The attorney general is relying on old information gathered during the course of an investigation that’s now lasted for more than 5 years. They try to make up in sound and fury what the charges lack in merit."
Nolan said the company has worked with Healey's office from the beginning of its investigation and that "most, if not all of the concerns raised by the (attorney general's) office that we’ve known about were addressed long ago, whether we agreed with them or not."
Aspen Dental is headquartered in Syracuse, New York.
