TMJ Orofacial Pain Treatment Centers of Wisconsin

Axikor _{on Google}

Apr 28th, 2023

Save yourself the trouble and go somewhere else. Dr. Karkow does not care about you.
My first visit seemed okay. I was a bit put off by some unprofessional wording on paperwork and that she talked to me like a child. But I brushed it off as just some quirks and sought to work together on my jaw issue.
Returning visits she would always ask me "how are the kids / family" and each time I had to remind her I don't have any. Odd, but okay she sees a lot of clients and I can't expect her to remember everyone. Moving on.
All return visits after receiving the appliance I left her office feeling shamed and emotionally hurt.
Despite doing the best I could, I didn't fit perfectly into her expectations for recovery and instead of trying to find alternative solutions, all she did was blame me. When I told her that I was really struggling to sleep with the appliance, instead of giving real advice the best she could do was give me a quizzical look and insist that "most people don't have any trouble with that." That's not helpful at all and all it does is frame it to make me feel like there's something wrong with me.
Due to the nature of my job I cannot always wear the appliance as much as instructed. I owned this and knew it would slow recovery. However she made me feel like I was being very lazy and said I was "missing opportunities" to wear it. No amount of explanation of my situation, and pleading for us to work together, or at least understanding, would sway her from her righteous position. She repeatedly would throw her hands up, shake her head, and look me in the eye and say "It's your life!"
I started dreading my appointments, anticipating more shame and emotional bruising. One visit I came right out and tried to politely explain how her words and body language were being interpreted by me and she got incredibly defensive. She refused to take accountability that she was hurting me and, despite I had broken down into tears by that point, said straight to my face: "maybe you shouldn't come back".
I was dumbfounded. Here a medical professional, a person who's sole job it is to help people, telling me to go away. I've never experienced this before from anyone in the medical field.
Well that last piece of advice she gave me was probably her best. I'm never going back.

Brooke Kanther _{on Google}

Mar 25th, 2023

Billed twice, insane prices. Glad to see I am not alone here. $1,600 for a mouth guard that i had to pay out of pocket and then was billed $1,200 on my insurance.

Dennis Muraro _{on Google}

Feb 11th, 2023

My TMJ condition was serious and the care I have received from Dr. Peck is outstanding.

B. B. _{on Google}

Dec 7th, 2023

This establishment should not be trusted according to my insurance company, UMR A United Healthcare Company.
Summary: They had a one million dollar fraud lawsuit from the federal government recently by saying they made appliances when they actually purchased them from an outside lab and thus overcharged (and appear to keep that up), they seem to not actually check with insurance about kinds of coverage before new patients arrive and thus charge large co-pays they shouldnt, and the office is dingy with outdated machines and disorganized paper filing to the point of important document loss. Consultation and X-rays were $1,070 plus $21 to get my records which was a mess in itself.
More detail:
FABRICATOR for mouth appliances: I played dumb and staff here told me it's ROBERTS ORTHODONTIC LABORATORY INC located on 941 Perkins Dr, Mukwonago, WI 53149. I had my insurance call to check if it was in network - and Angela, who apparently reluctantly gave her name, refused to give their establishment ID for my insurance to check, and said she's just the fabricator so it's billed through this place..... which is not ok.
FRAUD: I found an article about a lawsuit "TMJ & Orofacial Pain Treatment Centers of Wisconsin Agree to Pay $1 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations" Excerpts: The United States alleges that TMJ & Orofacial Pain Treatment Centers of Wisconsin and its dentists did not fabricate the appliances, but rather purchased them from an outside laboratory that fabricated the appliances. The United States further alleges that they falsely billed Medicare and TRICARE for oral appliances under billing codes applicable to expensive prosthetic devices fabricated by surgeons, rather than other lower paying billing codes applicable to appliances fabricated by an outside laboratory.
"Medical providers cannot misrepresent the services they provide in order to increase their billings to government insurance programs, stated United States Attorney Krueger. This settlement makes the Medicare and TRICARE programs whole and sends a message to medical providers that false billings will not be tolerated.
When TMJ & Orofacial Pain Treatment Centers of Wisconsin submitted claims to Medicare, it promised that it actually provided the services it billed for. This settlement holds TMJ & Orofacial Pain Treatment Centers of Wisconsin to account for its promises, said Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General Chicago Region. The OIG will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to protect vital taxpayer dollars.
The settlement agreement states allegations only; the defendants do not admit liability for the allegations. (excerpt end)
OFFICE EXPERIENCE: The front desk upon arrival tried to charge me $70 for a copay which I've never done with this insurance. I have no copay, met my deductible so insurance pays 70% to providers and then I pay the rest - so when I expressed confusion she read my card and said OK..?
The front desk staff also got argumentative with a concerned, polite, patient about their new mouth appliance. He had to pay hundreds right away to bring it home. He used Flex Spending and it required an itemized bill (which should be standard regardless) and staff got a tone and said too bad this is how it works here - pay now before we run this through insurance or leave it. It was close to $2,500 for his appliance if it was out of pocket.
POOR ORGANIZATION: The office was outdated (paper records, deterioration, old machines) and disorganized (e.g., staff finding paperwork in the "jungle" that should be upstairs and laughing about it together.) They didnt print all my records I had paid to send over so I had to pull up my surgical documents on my phone
Other professional opinion: I went back to my original orthodontist after this and he was mortified that this doctor wanted me to use a splint, which would have ruined my desired results from jaw surgery with my original professionals.

Nicole Burant _{on Google}

Apr 24th, 2023

I have had TMJ headaches almost 50 years. I have woken up just about every single morning with a headache that would last about an hour or two, until my jaw muscles would loosen up. On top of that, the full day headaches and migraines that were being triggered because of the tension.
I was recommended to Dr Peck by my Physical Therapist.
Dr Peck was not only able to explain, so I could understand, what was going on with my jaw but also bring so much relief. After a lifetime of different dentists and retainers none helped more than a little.
Morning headaches completely gone and headaches and migraines probably reduced by 75-80%, barring any other triggers. I am SO happy with these results!!
Also, Dr Peck is very nice.
Definitely give him a try. Dont give up looking for relief, you just need the right professional.