A woman spent more than $10,000 to get five dental implants, but before the clinic could even make the teeth mould, it announced a two-week closure for renovations. Not long after, the dental clinic shut down for good. For the past year, she has been running around trying to get her money back, with no success.
The victim, 55-year-old retiree Ms Khoo, went to Ping An Dental Clinic at Jalan Sultan Textile Centre on December 29, 2023, for dental implants.
She told Shin Min Daily News, “I needed five implants, and after two visits, I paid a total of $12,000. This included about $7,500 by credit card and $5,350 through MediSave.”
The dentist had already done bone grafting and inserted the metal implants. On June 8 last year, Ms Khoo contacted the clinic via WhatsApp to book an appointment for the teeth mould. The next day, the clinic replied that it was undergoing renovations and would close for one to two weeks.
“I did not press them and just waited. Three months later, I sent another message to ask, but this time they did not reply.”
Sensing something was wrong, Ms Khoo and her husband went down to check, only to find the clinic closed. “Over the past year, I visited several times, and the clinic was always shut.”
In November last year, she decided to lodge a police report.
Her husband managed to reach the clinic’s owner by phone in June this year. When asked for a refund, the owner said the matter was still being discussed, but after that, there was no further news.
Ms Khoo also filed a complaint with the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) in June this year.
Owner: $100,000 owed by customers, forced to shut down clinic
When contacted by Shin Min Daily News, the owner replied via WhatsApp that the clinic had closed in June last year.
“There were many customers who owed us money, about $100,000 in total. They promised to pay in instalments but never did, so we could not continue operating,” he said.
He added that very few customers made full upfront payments, maybe just one or two. With debts exceeding assets, the clinic had no choice but to close.
Nearby shops: Customers still looking for the dentist at clinic
Despite the closure, nearby shop owners said customers still drop by looking for the dentist.
When reporters visited the first-floor unit at the textile centre, they found the clinic’s door locked, but the interior was still filled with equipment and furniture.
A beauty salon staff member across the corridor said she had been working there for about a week and had never seen the clinic open or anyone going in or out.
“In just the past week, at least three people came to ask if the clinic was open. They said they had already paid and booked appointments for dentures or other treatments, but have been unable to fix a date. Their calls also went unanswered.”
Another neighbouring shopkeeper said the dental clinic had previously operated from another unit in the mall and only moved to the current location about a year ago. Recently, however, it had not been open for business.
No choice but to spend $4,000 in Malaysia
Left with no choice, Ms Khoo went to Malaysia to get her teeth mould done, spending nearly $4,000.
She explained that the Singapore dentist had already inserted the metal implants, but she felt discomfort for months. On November 16 last year, she travelled to Malaysia to get the mould made, paying 12,000 Malaysian ringgit (about $3,648).
“I still needed to find another dentist. It was cheaper in Malaysia, so I went there to do it.”
CASE: 10 Complaints in 18 Months
CASE said it received 10 complaints about the dental clinic from January last year to July 28 this year, with six lodged in 2024 alone.
“Most consumers complained that the clinic failed to provide the promised dental services and became unreachable after customers made full payment,” the association said.
