Florida Craniofacial Institute, Dr. Pat Ricalde

"While I loved Dr. Palermo, I cannot get the office to call me with results of my infant's CT scan. I've left three messages, and now the peer to peer insurance review for my son's helmet is closed. It is going to cost me $2700. I need to know if he has craniosynostosis. I am extremely concerned for my baby. I know it's not the doctor's fault, but maybe if I leave a poor review someone will contact me!"

"Two stars because the nurse was nice and obviously the doctors are intelligent. However, imagine a doctor coming to meet your son for the 1st time and fear bombing you off the rip that he needs a CT scan. Causing me, his mother into tears, and then following up with “oh but I think he’s ok” a week before Christmas. Got that image? Ok. Then she proceeded to tell me that if the CT scan came back OK, (which the people at the hospital told me she had the results within 24 hours) and she was able to review the images that she would get back to me as soon as the scan was done, which never happened. I was scared, sad, depressed, unable to sleep for weeks, calling her office, asking her to please tell me that my son was OK, where she didn’t. In fact, she ignored me along with all of her employees up until the day of his recheck over a month later. Not to mention the best part them knowing that I was going directly to schedule CT scan and they didn’t send my records to my insurance company immediately causing my first scheduled CT scan to get canceled along with the second CT scan to get canceled because then her notes weren’t good enough for the insurance to approve the scan. Front desk staff is rude, and Dr. Pat Ricalde is heartless. I literally went all the way back to their office over an hour and a half away for them to tell me that my son scans were fine and recheck in five years. Which I never ever will go back to this establishment for a recheck. And on top of it after all that they know that they put my son and I threw they made me wait over an hour and a half when I was 30 minutes early for my appointment. Don’t go to this establishment they don’t care about your feelings your child all they care about is money. And A simple apology would’ve made me refrain from leaving this review altogether, but not one employee ever apologized for the hell they put me and my son through. That’s all. Don’t go here."

"Dr Ricalde came highly recommended by both my ortho and a lot of people in my orthognathic surgery support group. After talking one on one with a few of her patients who shared with me their amazing experiences with Ricalde, I decided to finally move forward with the process and schedule the appointment. She is busy, but it's well deserved. If it takes a while to see her, it's worth it. Within 5 minutes of meeting her and speaking with her, I knew that she was my top surgeon of choice and that I am in good hands. If you need surgery, don't do yourself the disservice of not having a consult with her."

"Dr. Palermo is such an amazing and skilled surgeon, but most importantly, she is kind. I was extremely nervous about my double jaw surgery procedure, and she found a way to place me at ease. She thoroughly explained the process and answered my 101 questions! She has a gift of understanding, which is very important to me in a doctor. The healing process was not easy, but I would do it again if I had to because it was worth it. I smile bigger, brighter, and with more confidence. My orthodontist laid the groundwork with braces and Dr. Palermo took me across the finish line! I am forever grateful for her."

"This is the most personal and professional office ever. My 19-year-old son fractured his jaw falling off a skateboard. Dr. Palermo treated him with expert knowledge and care. But everyone in that office is great, from the front desk to the nursing staff and technicians. They visually explained the situation, moved around appointments on the holidays to fit us in (including opening early), and laid out every option so that we could make a fully informed decision. Highly, HIGHLY, recommend. This was a very scary emotional visit that they handled with all due professionalism."