Definitely a disaster during my recent visits. I felt teased and disrespected. When I didn’t catch his words "anesthetic," he just repeated it and then asked me directly, "Do you have a partner who speaks English?" I felt humiliated and responded, "I can speak English." I believe the fundamental quality a dentist should have is patience.
I went in that day for a filling, which, in hindsight, was a rash decision. During previous check-up, I told the dentist that I occasionally feel sensitivity when exposed to cold air or when drinking something cold, but only occasionally. He just did a visual check and didn’t take an X-ray or any other thorough examination, yet decided to do the filling. I trusted the dentist’s professionalism, especially since I had that tooth filled about ten years ago. I thought it might need a refill. So, I agreed to the filling, but I didn’t expect the entire back of my tooth to be ground down and refilled. Last time, I only had the side filled. This was never communicated to me before the procedure.
When the procedure was almost finished, the dentist asked me to look in the mirror. I noticed one side of my tooth felt unbalanced. He said he hadn’t changed the length, but he could grind it if I wanted. At that moment, I didn’t fully understand what "grind" meant, and I almost forgot that grinding can’t be undone. He never recommended against it, and made it sound casual, as if it were as easy as losing a hair. Anyway, he ground it down, and that’s another thing that frustrated me—it made my tooth feel unnaturally curved.
At the end of the appointment, the dentist told me to rinse my mouth and repeatedly said, “You should be closer to the sink, otherwise, it will splash on you.” I was already close to the sink, but he insisted I move closer and even pushed me with his hands. I didn’t understand the necessity of this move.
I don’t know if I’m being too sensitive or exaggerating these things, and maybe this is just common here. All I know is that I don’t feel respected or well-treated as a person.
Reactie van/namens:
Van Leeuwen Tandartsen - centrum voor mondzorg en implantologie Leiden
Dear Madam,
I am very sorry to hear how you experienced the treatment in question by me in my practice. I firmly believe that you have completely misinterpreted my intentions towards you and the way in which I treated you.
It is crucial in the communication between dentist and patient that both understand each other well. If this is not the case, misunderstandings can arise.
When my patients have difficulty understanding me or when I myself have difficulty understanding someone, I usually only treat the person in question when there is someone present who can translate or help at times when there is ambiguity in the communication. That is why I asked you if you have a partner who speaks English. The question of whether I will anaesthetise the tooth in question is a question that one can expect from the dentist when a treatment is to take place. My English is good and it rarely or never happens that when I ask this question I have to ask it three times before I am understood. That is why I asked you if you have a partner who speaks English. It was never my intention to hurt you in any way..
After replacing the restauration you indicated that you had the idea that the shape was different than before I had replaced the filling. I told you that I had hardly changed the shape of the tooth and that I thought it would be better not to change anything else in the shape. While I was telling you that, I noticed that the tip of the tooth could be a little rounder and I told you this and then I rounded this tip off a little bit with a polishing disc. This was a very small correction. We than put the chair upright and suggested that you would rinse your mouth. Since your mouth was numb, we suggested you to get well above the spittoon while rinsing. Because you were not completely above the spittoon with your mouth, we carefully guided you a little further towards the spittoon by hand. Again, there was no negative intention at all.
It is unfortunate that I was unable to convey my good intentions to you and that you have the idea that I did not treat the tooth in the right way. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that I have treated you professionally and with the best intentions.
Kind regards,
Fred van Leeuwen
Duidelijke uitleg
1
Behandeltijd
1
Is deskundig
1
Aanbeveling
1
1.0
jantien 04 Mrt 2025 - 13:51Review voor de praktijk
Een prettige behandeling.
Duidelijke uitleg
9
Behandeltijd
9
Is deskundig
9
Aanbeveling
9
9.0
Lisa 03 Mrt 2025 - 20:32Mw. H. (Hafsah) Ahmad Mondhygiënist
Ik ben altijd bang geweest voor de tandarts en elke keer, bij alle behandelaars in de praktijk, ga ik met een goed gevoel weg. Je wordt professioneel en heel vriendelijk geholpen!
Duidelijke uitleg
10
Behandeltijd
10
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
10
10.0
JL 19 Feb 2025 - 14:51Review voor de praktijk
Consistently providing professional and good care service
B. van Brussel 16 Jul 2023 - 09:12Mw. S. (Sophie) Roorda Tandarts
Kundig, rustig en patientgericht.
Duidelijke uitleg
10
Behandeltijd
10
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
10
10.0
M.S. Peers 15 Jul 2023 - 21:20Mw. H. (Hafsah) Ahmad Mondhygiënist
Mondhygiënist is erg professioneel, en ik voel me op mijn gemak
Duidelijke uitleg
10
Behandeltijd
10
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
10
10.0
M. Sadeqi 15 Jul 2023 - 17:39Mw. S. (Sophie) Roorda Tandarts
Hele slechte service, ik liep 2 weken met pijn eindelijk afspraak gemaakt toch moest ik uren lang wachten op de dokter.
Duidelijke uitleg
1
Behandeltijd
1
Is deskundig
1
Aanbeveling
1
1.0
A.S. Verburg 09 Aug 2022 - 11:32Dhr. F.W. (Fred) van Leeuwen Tandarts
zeer kundig en professioneel.
Duidelijke uitleg
10
Behandeltijd
10
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
10
10.0
F.C.J. van Breugel 08 Aug 2022 - 20:30Dhr. F.W. (Fred) van Leeuwen Tandarts
Nauwkeurig en secuur, duidelijke omschrijving van alle handelingen, weet goed op gemak te stellen, deskundig.
Duidelijke uitleg
10
Behandeltijd
8
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
10
9.5
N. v. Hemert 03 Aug 2022 - 11:27Mw. A. (Amber) Blansjaar Paro-preventieassistent
De behandeling verliep vriendelijk en ontspannen
Duidelijke uitleg
9
Behandeltijd
9
Is deskundig
9
Aanbeveling
9
9.0
A. El Fagroud 01 Aug 2022 - 13:32Mw. Z. (Zamira) Lekaj Mondhygiënist
Perfect
Duidelijke uitleg
10
Behandeltijd
10
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
10
10.0
A. El Fagroud 01 Aug 2022 - 13:31Mw. Z. (Zamira) Lekaj Mondhygiënist
Perfect
Duidelijke uitleg
10
Behandeltijd
10
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
10
10.0
M. Buijn 26 Jul 2022 - 18:12Mw. S. (Sophie) Roorda Tandarts
Duidelijk en rustig
Duidelijke uitleg
9
Behandeltijd
1
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
10
7.5
Josee 25 Jul 2022 - 14:00Mw. H. (Hafsah) Ahmad Mondhygiënist
Hafsah is een uitermate vriendelijke, geduldige en terzake kundige mondhygiëniste. Ze luistert aandachtig en maakt de behandeling zo aangenaam mogelijk.
Duidelijke uitleg
10
Behandeltijd
10
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
10
10.0
Tineke 11 Jul 2022 - 20:18Review voor de praktijk
Kundig en rustig
Duidelijke uitleg
9
Behandeltijd
10
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
9
9.5
S. Idrisi 11 Jul 2022 - 18:23Review voor de praktijk
Goed
Duidelijke uitleg
9
Behandeltijd
10
Is deskundig
9
Aanbeveling
10
9.5
K.F. van den Broek 09 Jul 2022 - 14:13Dhr. F.W. (Fred) van Leeuwen Tandarts
Zeer tevreden
Duidelijke uitleg
7
Behandeltijd
7
Is deskundig
7
Aanbeveling
7
7.0
J. Stuij 26 Dec 2021 - 13:39Mw. Z. (Zamira) Lekaj Mondhygiënist
Keurige praktijk, vriendelijk en vakkundig personeel
Duidelijke uitleg
10
Behandeltijd
10
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
8
9.5
J. van der Meer 21 Dec 2021 - 19:43Dhr. F.W. (Fred) van Leeuwen Tandarts
Professioneel.
Duidelijke uitleg
10
Behandeltijd
9
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
8
9.3
M. van Assem 20 Dec 2021 - 20:16Mw. F. (Fatema) Djabbarkheel Paro-preventieassistent
Behulpzaam, meedenkend, professioneel kundig
Duidelijke uitleg
10
Behandeltijd
10
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
10
10.0
I. Hollerman de Waal 20 Dec 2021 - 18:28Mw. A. (Amber) Blansjaar Paro-preventieassistent
Goed.
Duidelijke uitleg
8
Behandeltijd
9
Is deskundig
8
Aanbeveling
7
8.0
Ria 08 Dec 2021 - 15:23Mw. H. (Hafsah) Ahmad Mondhygiënist
Fijne praktijk, vanwege rugklachten kan ik niet lang in de behandelstoel zitten. Hier wordt heel goed rekening mee gehouden, behandelingen in tweeën delen enz. Heel fijn. Tandarts en mondhygiënnist zijn zeer deskundig en vriendelijk. Fijne praktijk
Duidelijke uitleg
9
Behandeltijd
9
Is deskundig
9
Aanbeveling
9
9.0
M.C. Bartels 06 Dec 2021 - 06:24Review voor de praktijk
Vriendelijk en duidelijk in uitleg
Duidelijke uitleg
9
Behandeltijd
9
Is deskundig
9
Aanbeveling
9
9.0
J. Emmen 05 Dec 2021 - 08:25Mw. S. (Sophie) Roorda Tandarts
Goede kwaliteit
Duidelijke uitleg
8
Behandeltijd
9
Is deskundig
9
Aanbeveling
8
8.5
H. Farhane 04 Dec 2021 - 10:10K. Diamantopoulou Tandarts
Tevreden met haar
Duidelijke uitleg
8
Behandeltijd
8
Is deskundig
8
Aanbeveling
8
8.0
D. Ippel 30 Nov 2021 - 21:26Mw. H. (Hafsah) Ahmad Mondhygiënist
Ik ben erg tevreden over de mondhygiëniste die mij op deze datum geholpen heeft. Ze is stelt zich professioneel op en geeft bruikbare tips.
Duidelijke uitleg
10
Behandeltijd
10
Is deskundig
10
Aanbeveling
10
10.0
L.L.M. Bousie 27 Nov 2021 - 12:03Dhr. F.W. (Fred) van Leeuwen Tandarts
Uitermate kundig, maar is daardoor (?) ook veel te veel bezig met andere zaken (vraagbaak/opleiden enz) tijdens je bbehandeling. Daar moet je tegen kunnen.
Dear Madam, I am very sorry to hear how you experienced the treatment in question by me in my practice. I firmly believe that you have completely misinterpreted my intentions towards you and the way in which I treated you. It is crucial in the communication between dentist and patient that both understand each other well. If this is not the case, misunderstandings can arise. When my patients have difficulty understanding me or when I myself have difficulty understanding someone, I usually only treat the person in question when there is someone present who can translate or help at times when there is ambiguity in the communication. That is why I asked you if you have a partner who speaks English. The question of whether I will anaesthetise the tooth in question is a question that one can expect from the dentist when a treatment is to take place. My English is good and it rarely or never happens that when I ask this question I have to ask it three times before I am understood. That is why I asked you if you have a partner who speaks English. It was never my intention to hurt you in any way.. After replacing the restauration you indicated that you had the idea that the shape was different than before I had replaced the filling. I told you that I had hardly changed the shape of the tooth and that I thought it would be better not to change anything else in the shape. While I was telling you that, I noticed that the tip of the tooth could be a little rounder and I told you this and then I rounded this tip off a little bit with a polishing disc. This was a very small correction. We than put the chair upright and suggested that you would rinse your mouth. Since your mouth was numb, we suggested you to get well above the spittoon while rinsing. Because you were not completely above the spittoon with your mouth, we carefully guided you a little further towards the spittoon by hand. Again, there was no negative intention at all. It is unfortunate that I was unable to convey my good intentions to you and that you have the idea that I did not treat the tooth in the right way. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that I have treated you professionally and with the best intentions. Kind regards, Fred van Leeuwen