Dental Treatment Started, Not Paid For, And Now Do Not Want To Continue Due To Risks That Were Not Discussed. What Are My Financial Obligations?

I had a virtual consult with a dentist on March 21, 2024 to discuss issues with TMJ. He shared his screen and showed me pictures of CT scans explaining TMJ and then told me about his treatment plan, which he essentially advertised as a flawless holy grail. It involves wearing a splint for 3 months to reposition the jaw, and then braces for 3 years to permanently reposition the jaw. The first phase (splint) costs $4,800 and includes the splint and all appointments (which are every 2-3 weeks for 3 months). It is not at all covered by insurance. It includes the splint and all associated appointments. The orthodontic piece is entirely separate.

I went into the office on April 2 to start the process. They took CT scans, x-rays, and took molds of my top and bottom teeth to make the splint. He pulled up my images and showed me where my jaw is allegedly messed up and how his two phase process will completely fix all my issues. Their policy is that payment is due in that visit, but they told me I could pay when I pick it up instead. I am supposed to pick it up tomorrow, April 23, 2024. However, I (completely coincidentally and by accident) saw a post on the TMJ subreddit from someone else who went to the same dentist and was given the same speal about the treatment plan. There were dentists that commented on the post talking about how this is considered “quack dentistry” by many and has no scientific backing. This is why it is not covered by insurance. Even worse, it can make the jaw WORSE and exacerbate the problems, and the treatment is PERMANENT. I began to research this more and have found several scientific articles from sources such as the National Institutes of Health that have found no improvement with the splint + braces process. The American Dental Association doesn’t even recognize neuromuscular dentistry, which is the specific “specialty” that this dentist is in and that other dentists pushing the same procedures associate with.

I feel incredibly bamboozled and I no longer want to proceed with treatment. Again, at this point, I’ve had a CT, xray, upper and lower molds, and the splint has been made. I am supposed to pick it up tomorrow, but at this point I do not want to proceed with anything. Since I was technically supposed to pay upfront but haven’t yet, I’m trying to determine what my financial obligations are, if any, in this situation. At most, I think I should only be on the hook for the imaging, molds, and splint and not any future appointments. However, I was most definitely not adequately informed about this at all. No risks were discussed. Nothing negative was discussed at all. It really was presented as a flawless option that will definitely fix all my problems.

Unfortunately, I cannot remember if I signed any sort of consent document while I was there, and I hate myself for that. Regardless, there was never any verbal discussion of anything but how great this treatment is.

Can someone help me understand what my obligations may be in this situation? Can they come after me if I don’t pay? Do I have an argument for not paying? I am in Pennsylvania.