I have been a patient at this office for quite some time, and Dr. O’Brien is the only dentist I’ve ever truly felt comfortable with. In the past, I’ve experienced significant trauma with other dental providers, so finding a dentist I trust has meant a lot to me. Dr. O’Brien has done a great deal of work on my teeth, and I’ve always appreciated the care I received from him.
Recently, however, I received a bill from 2024 stating that I owed a balance and that if it was not paid, I would be sent to a collections attorney. This was extremely alarming for two reasons: first, I was completely unaware that I had any outstanding balance from years ago, and second, the threatening tone of the letter was very concerning.
After contacting the office, I was sent a breakdown of what insurance paid versus what I owed, but it was difficult to understand. I expressed that I would do my best to make payments, but receiving an unexpected bill from over a year ago has been stressful and confusing. I’ve also been informed that a new office manager is reviewing past balances, which seems to be the reason this is coming up now.
What I find most upsetting is the way this has been handled. I have received repeated calls and weekly letters, some marked in a way that feels threatening. When I called to make an appointment for a current dental issue, I was told that I could not be seen unless the balance was paid in full. The conversation felt dismissive, and my concerns were not acknowledged.
I understand the importance of paying what I owe, and I am willing to set up a payment plan. However, I do not feel it is fair to be held responsible for past administrative oversights, especially when I was never informed of this balance at the time. The aggressive communication and refusal to provide care until full payment is made has caused me significant anxiety, especially given my history with dental trauma.
It is very disappointing to see an office that once felt supportive and patient-focused shift to an approach that feels primarily driven by billing and collections. I hope there can be more understanding, transparency, and compassion in how situations like this are handled moving forward.
Honestly, Dr. O'Brien and his team in Salem, VA have been my go-to for dental care for about three years now. They're super easy to work with—we talked through all my options for fillings, and I'm really happy with how everything turned out. Every single visit runs right on time, no waiting around. My wife Pam, who's worked in a bunch of dental offices, knows her stuff when it comes to good dentistry. She was so impressed with Dr. O'Brien's practice that she's started going there too. Couldn't be happier with the preventive care and overall experience.
Thanks so much for sticking with us in Salem, VA for three years! We're glad you're happy with your fillings and that Pam has joined our O'Brien Family Dentistry family. Looking forward to seeing you both for your next check-up.
Had a not-so-great experience getting my wisdom teeth pulled here in Salem. It was supposed to be a simple tooth pull, but one was a bit stuck. I told them using my jaw as a lever wasn't a good idea, and they said they wouldn't break it, but kept going anyway. Grunted in pain from my jaw getting overextended. Tooth came out, but now my jaw's getting worse and I'm looking for other treatment options. They're okay for little cleanings and routine care, but for something like dental implants or extractions, I'd go somewhere else.
Hi there, we're sorry to hear about your experience with wisdom teeth removal in Salem. Could you call our office at O'Brien Family Dentistry or let us know when you came in? We want to look into this and make sure we address your concerns properly. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
UPDATE: Dr. O'Brien reached out to me directly about a billing mix-up and was really understanding. He explained there was a change in office manager, which led to a delayed bill from 2024 showing up in 2026. He agreed not to pursue the charge, and I appreciate him being fair and contacting me himself. Original review: THE BILLING! A bill from 2024 just showed up at my house in Salem, VA with no prior contact. When I asked about it, they claimed they had the wrong address—how's that even possible?
Hi, we're glad Dr. O'Brien could resolve the billing issue directly. At O'Brien Family Dentistry in Salem, VA, we're committed to fair handling of all matters, including emergency dental care and administrative processes. Thanks for your patience as we sorted this out.
My family and I have been going to Sprinkle and O'Brien in Salem, VA for close to three decades, and in our opinion, there's no better dentist office anywhere. The staff is amazing and sincerely helpful—we couldn't be happier. Whether it's for pediatric dentistry or just regular check-ups, they've always taken great care of us. Honestly, after all these years, they feel like part of the family. Highly recommend them to anyone in the area looking for reliable dental care.
Wow, three decades! Thanks so much for your loyalty to O'Brien Family Dentistry in Salem. We're thrilled to hear you're happy with our pediatric dentistry and overall care. Looking forward to many more years with your family!
Giving them the benefit of the doubt, the people at this Salem dental office are nice, but a bit gossipy. You can actually see other patients to your left and right—they really need to at least put up partitions. Over six months, I got several calls pushing back appointments due to lack of staff. Once, they said if I didn't come in 30 minutes early, they'd cancel until a future slot opened. My family and I truly missed our old dentist. We had to switch because of an insurance change, but the experience with scheduling and privacy wasn't great.
Thanks for your feedback about your experience in Salem. We're sorry to hear about the scheduling issues and privacy concerns at O'Brien Family Dentistry. We're looking into ways to improve our office setup and staffing to better serve patients needing cosmetic dentistry and other services. We appreciate you sharing this.
A great place for young family seeking good dental care. I believe Dr. K. O’Brien is a true blessing to continue Dr. G Sprinkle’s legacy.
I've been coming here for years for cleanings. I'm always well taken care of and almost never have to wait to be seen.
Called two months ago with tooth pain, trying to find a dentist in Salem that takes my insurance. The woman assured me they accepted Medicaid and scheduled an appointment—I even sent pictures of my insurance card. Day of the appointment comes, and they tell me they don't take my insurance. Could've spent those two months finding a dentist that does. Horrible experience, highly unprofessional! Now I'm stuck looking for emergency dental care elsewhere.
We're really sorry for the insurance confusion at our Salem office. At O'Brien Family Dentistry, we strive to provide clear information, especially for emergency dental care. Please contact us so we can help resolve this and ensure it doesn't happen again. Thanks for letting us know.
Dr. Sprinkle and O'Brien, I've been a patient at your practice in Salem for many years, but in the past year, the front office staff has changed a lot, and not for the better. I'm taken aback by how rude and unprofessional they are. If it was a one-time thing, I wouldn't leave this review, but it's constant. From working in the dental field myself, I've never heard employees be so hateful to a patient. It's really disappointing, especially when you're trying to get things like Invisalign or other treatments sorted.
Thank you for your honest feedback as a long-time patient in Salem. We're sorry to hear about your experience with our front office staff at O'Brien Family Dentistry. We're addressing this internally to ensure all patients, including those seeking Invisalign, receive professional care. Please reach out if you'd like to discuss further.
Had to get two teeth removed this morning the doctor did an outstanding job with numbing and extracting my two teeth took less then 10 mins to pull both out would recommend to anyone
Went to O'Brien Family Dentistry in Salem for my routine exam, and it was a great visit. The dental assistant Cassie did my cleaning—she was kind, informative, and thorough. Really appreciated how she explained everything and made me feel comfortable. I'll definitely be going back! For anyone in the area needing reliable preventive care, this is a solid choice. The whole experience was smooth and left me feeling good about my dental health.
Thanks for coming in for your routine exam in Salem! We're glad Cassie provided great preventive care at O'Brien Family Dentistry. Looking forward to seeing you again for your next cleaning!
I just left with great news, Aspen dental told me I was going to lose two teeth. Sprinkle Family dentistry was able to save one of my teeth! That is what makes me smile! Thank you everyone 😀
Awesome dentistry and even greater staff!!! Thank u for giving hope back into having better teeth and smile...thank u again!!!!
This dental office in Salem didn't really meet the standard of care I'm used to. Wait in the waiting area wasn't long, but I could hear the hygienists speaking and laughing super loudly in the back. Once in the chair, I realized they were yelling back and forth to each other while patients were in chairs. Got very little personal attention, and even the dentist had personal chats with the hygienist, only speaking to me when necessary. At checkout, I asked the receptionist if they're always that loud, and it just felt unprofessional for a place offering services like teeth whitening.
Thanks for sharing your experience in Salem. We're sorry to hear about the noise and lack of personal attention during your visit to O'Brien Family Dentistry. We're reminding our team to maintain a professional environment, especially for procedures like teeth whitening. We appreciate your feedback and hope to do better next time.
Everyone is so nice! Myself and both kids have been. They are caring and a fun environment.
If I could give more than five stars, I totally would. Highly recommend this place to anyone in Salem looking for a dentist. I had two wisdom teeth removed that were causing a lot of problems, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. They took me out of the world of pain I was in, and I'm so grateful. God bless them! For emergency dental care like this, they really know what they're doing. Made the whole process way less stressful than I expected.
Thanks for the high praise! We're glad we could help with your wisdom teeth removal and provide emergency dental care in Salem. At O'Brien Family Dentistry, we're happy to hear you had a great experience. Come see us anytime!
