Patient consent obtained... but mother demands refund
"What does our child know to do this without my permission"
A story has been shared about a mother causing a scene after her son in his 20s paid 200,000 won for cavity treatment at a dental clinic.
Recently, a post titled "From what age is a child considered an adult?" was uploaded on social media. The author, Mr. A, who works as a consultation manager at a dental clinic, began by saying, "A 23-year-old man came alone saying he thought he had a cavity."
Mr. A explained, "After taking a panoramic X-ray and conducting a clinical diagnosis, we found areas that required cavity treatment, so we moved to the consultation room. I explained the location of the teeth to be treated, the materials, and the costs, obtained the patient's consent, and performed the treatment on the same day."
However, a few hours later, Mr. A received a call from the patient's mother. She immediately shouted, "How can you treat my child without guardian permission? Did you over-treat or overcharge a child who knows nothing? Why did you make him pay 200,000 won? I'll come to get a full refund, just wait."
Mr. A said, "I was confused, thinking she was referring to someone with the same name. It turned out she was indeed the mother of the 23-year-old man who had cavity treatment." He added, "I also have children, so I always think of my kids as little ones, but isn't a 23-year-old an adult?" expressing his disbelief.
He continued, "I explained everything to the patient and treated him after getting his consent, but she said, 'What did you do to my child?'" He criticized, "If the money is coming from the parents, they should clearly say, 'I'll call my mom to ask.' Their problem lies in their parenting style, where they don't allow their children to express their own opinions clearly and raise them without independence."
Later, Mr. A said, "The mother reported us to the public health center. We sent a neat fax with a copy of the chart, detailed statements, the process of explaining the treatment costs, and our clinic's non-insurance treatment fee schedule, and resolved the issue cleanly."
He concluded his post by saying, "I moved to Seoul alone at 23, paying for rent and living expenses by myself, so I thought 23 is an adult."
Netizens who read the story responded with comments such as, "Calling a 23-year-old a child is shocking," "Parents always think their own kids are special," "I've experienced this too. I was 34," "This is common when working in hospitals," "It's ridiculous over a 200,000 won payment," and "Just reading this is stressful."
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