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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Office of the Indiana Attorney General has reached a settlement with New York-based Aspen Dental Management Inc. over deceptive advertising and unfair tactics claims used to promote services in Indiana.
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller’s office alleged that Aspen Dental marketed free or discounted denture consultations, dentures, initial exams and x-rays at Indiana practices without adequately disclosing limitations or qualifications for these offers. Additionally, these advertisements promoted interest-free payment plans through third-party creditors without adequately disclosing the limitations or qualifications of such lending agreements.
The AG’s office received 73 consumer complaints against Aspen Dental based on these advertising-related allegations. Many of the complainants were over 60 years of age.
There are 30 dental practices licensed under the Aspen Dental brand in Indiana, but the individual practices are not part of the settlement.
Aspen Dental must now fully disclose the terms and limitations of its advertised promotions, stop advertising products or services as “free” that are not, and provide training to employees at its affiliate dental clinics in Indiana on terms and conditions of third-party credit agreements so that full information is passed on to consumers.
The company will pay $95,000 to the state, of which $15,000 will be used to repay affected consumers. The remainder will go toward state investigative costs and future consumer protection enforcement.
In a statement, ADMI said it cooperated fully with the Office of the Indiana Attorney General but continues to disagree with their conclusions.
"The OAG itself acknowledges that many of the issues were addressed by ADMI prior to settlement," the company wrote. "Also, it is important to note that the 73 complaints cited by the OAG were received over a 9-year period during which the 30 independently-owned Aspen Dental practices in Indiana provided care to more than 338,000 individual patients."
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