San Diego

Former Patients Say Bankers Hill Dentist Left Work Unfinished, Owes Them Money

Dr. Houman Hivand says he is working to rectify the situation with each patient

 A local dentist is accused of performing unnecessary work and leaving important dental work unfinished.

Antoinetta Nacar says a newspaper ad led her to Doctor Houman Hivand. She says she thought she needed a crown for a tooth giving her pain, so she gave Hivand a call.

"The job was really not done good because when I got home, under the tooth it was scratchy and uncomfortable," Nacar said.

She says Hivand pressured her to do more work than she wanted, including a root canal, impressions and extra lab work. She claims the dentist's staff wouldn't let her leave the Chula Vista office until she paid in full, more than one thousand dollars.

“I was under the impression that he finished and I paid but I found out that what he put on my tooth was just temporary and the tooth was not finished.” Nacar said. "He left this uncompleted for a month, completely alone, which you know I could not eat, it was hurting, inflamed and bleeding. Very uncomfortable."

NBC 7 Investigates found Nacar is not the only one to make claims like this.

Detailed in three small-claims lawsuits and two complaints with the Better Business Bureau, other former patients say Hivand also made them pay in full before the work was finished.

The Better Business Bureau rates Doctor Hivand with an "F" rating.

Hivand says the “F” rating is due to failing to answer one of the complaints filed with the BBB.

Nacar says she returned to Hivand’s office multiple times in the coming months but says it was the last visit she will never forget.

"The dentist arrived,” she said. “And he asked my husband and I 'How are you?' and I answered just like normal "Doctor I am having problem and pain. I didn't even finish my sentence, he started to scream at me 'Get out from the office. Get out, both of you. Right now, get out!' and I said 'But you have to finish the thing, I am in pain-' 'I don't care if you are in pain.”

Nacar claims Doctor Hivand physically removed her and her husband out of his office and into the waiting room, without finishing the work.

In a statement Hivand also said Nacar “was very rude to the staff. The patient was asked several times to stop because other patients were present. She chose not to stop at that point she was asked to leave.”

"I was terrorized by him. I was shaking, I was crying,” Nacar said.

Worse she says Hivand refuses to refund her any portion of what she's paid.

Hivand declined NBC 7 Investigates request for an on-camera interview but in an email said he denies Nacar's allegations, noting that her case required treatment on several teeth, a course of antibiotics and impressions.

Nacar filed a small claims lawsuit against Hivand, demanding a refund for all the unfinished dental work. Hivand didn't appear in court and the Judge awarded Nacar what she asked for: almost $5,000 dollars.

Four months later, Nacar hasn't seen a penny. Michael Nacar, Antoinetta’s son, is furious with the situation.

"For this guy, this particular doctor to do what he did to an elderly couple it’s just inexcusable,” Michael Nacar said. “No reason for a professional medical person to do something like that.”

The three other former patients who filed small claims suits against Hivand were also awarded refunds when Hivand didn’t appear in court.

After NBC 7 Investigates fcontacted Dr. Hivand's office, the dentist paid one of those former patients their full refund.

In a statement, Doctor Hivand said he is working to rectify the situation with each of the other patients. There are no disciplinary actions on his record according to the Dental Board of California.

Nacar filed a small claims lawsuit against Hivand, demanding a refund for all the unfinished dental work. Hivand didn't appear in court and the Judge awarded Nacar what she asked for: almost $5,000 dollars.

Four months later, Nacar hasn't seen a penny. Michael Nacar, Antoinetta’s son, is furious with the situation.

"For this guy, this particular doctor to do what he did to an elderly couple it’s just inexcusable,” Michael Nacar said. “No reason for a professional medical person to do something like that.”

The three other former patients who filed small claims suits against Hivand were also awarded refunds when Hivand didn’t appear in court.

After NBC 7 Investigates contacted Dr. Hivand's office, the dentist paid one of those former patients their full refund.

In a statement, Doctor Hivand said he is working to rectify the situation with each of the other patients. There are no disciplinary actions on his record according to the Dental Board of California.

NBC 7 Investigates also found several civil lawsuits filed in San Diego Court for matters pertaining to Doctor Houman Hivand’s business practices.

Three lawsuits were filed by owners of Hivand’s former office locations in Pacific Beach, National City and Chula Vista. All three owners claimed Hivand owed them thousands in unpaid rent and had to be evicted as a result of that unpaid rent.

When asked about the office evictions and civil lawsuits filed, Hivand told us in a statement, “What led to our evictions again was due to economic and financial hardship and the growth of the 6 offices that we could not keep up with. It is unfortunate for all involved.”

Another civil lawsuit filed against Hivand in March was filed by O.D.’s Dental Laboratory, who sued Hivand for $500,000. Money that the lab claims Hivand owed for lab work they performed.

Hivand told us his office contracts with several different dental laboratories but would not go into detail on the circumstances behind the O.D.’s Dental Laboratory lawsuit.

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