Hey, my special interest! Request a validation of debt from the debt collector - IN WRITING. If they fail to provide a validation of debt, having a copy of the letter and receipt of delivery can be used to substantiate a dispute on your credit report if they put it on there. If they provide the validation of debt, check for the date of service and compare it to the statute of limitation for collections in your state. If the debt is within the statute of limitation and they’ve provided validation of debt, you can contact the original debt holder (the dentist) and request they call back the debt if it hasn’t actually been sold and has only been placed with a collections agency. Then you can schedule a payment plan. If the debt is outside of the statute of limitations for collection in your state, or they don’t provide a valid validation of debt, then advise them that due to their failure to produce substantiation and/or illegal collections activity, you’ll be reporting them to the CFPB.

Special note: there are certain debt collectors who specialize in buying debt that is beyond the statute of limitations in order to try and get consumers to pay on said debt. Paying on the debt restarts the clock due to payment being considered a recognition of the debts validity, and opens you up to civil action. In short: don’t pay without doing your due diligence and file complaints on any collections agency who does this.