Dr. Michael W Noble

I did not have a visit at this office, but I was contacted to deliver American Sign Language Interpreting Services to their office for an emergency surgery. The Deaf person wanted service from my agency and the dentist office acalled to arrange an interpreter. This was an emergency and I was doubtful that an interpreter could be secured (plus it was ice and sleet outside!) I did, luckily, secure an interpreter and send them to the appointment. When I called the office back to confirm that an interpreter was on the way, the office manager said "no thanks, we will just use writing back and forth method for communicating". There is so much wrong with that. Denying equal access to the Deaf patients, securing an interpreter is not free (especially during and emergency PLUS ice storm), worried about cost to the office and who will be responsible for payment of the accommodation instead of the patient being 100% well taken care of, being overall unprofessional/ignorant about ADA laws and… services in place to provide human rights is not the way any business wants to be perceived in the community. The dentist office should be ashamed of themselves and their conduct handling this situation.