Community Chat

[moonstone dunes]

It happens to me too and I have seeing my dentist for over 20 years. They want me to shell out for ZOOM whitening, bonding and crown replacements. There is a staff of pushy admins and they want their money upfront the day you have the visit. My dentist has expanded his building space - big $$$ - for his son's practice, takes his extensive staff on ski trips and hiking excursions. sponsors concerts and free dental care days (which is great, lots of folks never go to the dentist.) but who pays? hmmmm

[straykatz]

I refuse to have xrays more than 1 time per year so it's now in my dental records and I signed some paper stating I only want then 1 time per year....so they don't push th exrays anymore...but then there's also the cancer screening and fluride treatments they push....I just think so much of the expensive health care including dental care in this country is because of insurance companies approving/paying for unnecessary procedures.

[gazelle77]

On 9/11/2014 only shops online said:

On 9/11/2014 straykatz said:

I get what the OP is saying....everytime I go to the dentist it's no longer just a routine cleaning checkup....but they want to do xrays multiple times per year because the insurance will pay for them....that annoys me beyond words....I don't care if they will pay for 12 xrays per year....1 time per year is sufficient and IMO my mouth/throat/thyroid/etc. does not need multiple exposures per year to radiation just because the insurance is willing to pay for them!!

Exactly! The x-rays seem to be a big thing. I think it is because the new digital x-ray equipment is so expensive.

I recently changed dentists because of this. The last time I went to my previous dentist, I had a new hygienist who was brutalizing my gums trying to insert the digital x-ray apparatus. I finally told her to stop and not do any x-rays.

After my cleaning, the dentist came in and did his usual cursory exam and then started palpating my throat. He said I had swelling in my throat and should see my doctor. I questioned him, but couldn't get a straight answer from him.

I have thyroid disease and had just been to my endocrinologist the day before. I called my endo and he asked me "why he was touching my neck." However, I was concerned so he told me to make an appointment with my ENT doc. Of course, my ENT doc couldn't find any abnormalities. This dentist was being spiteful because I wouldn't allow the x-rays.

We know one other person that used to go to this dentist. And, he said he had a similar experience when he declined the x-rays.

I see a periodontist twice a year, and a regular dentist twice a year. I love my periodontist. And, even though he could really try to make a lot of money off of his patients, he is very conservative. However, it's really hard to find a good general dentist. And, I'm not too crazy about the new one I saw a few weeks ago either.

OMG! YES!! I declined Xrays one visit... I do think they push them, I am not against them but do not need excessive Xrays like they want to do.( totally paid 100% by insurance) and the hygienist fellow who was new said back to me:

"FINE, IF YOU DO NOT CARE IF YOUR TEETH FALL OUT" and then he told me I would have to SIGN A WAIVER stating I refused Xrays..... I told HIM I would not sign anything.

I was very upset at this comment and I told them at the front desk about it. Next time I went there I asked not to have him(Bradley... I remember his name fondly) be my hhygienist.. they said he was no longer working there... you have to stick up for yourself and not worry what they think about you.

[patbz]

DH and I go to same dental practice 2-4 times per year (he needs deep cleanings). Even though I am 70 I seldom have any teeth issues ( 1 crown and 2 fillings in over 5 yrs) because I am blessed with great teeth. The only major thing I ever had done, other than wisdom teeth was replacing amalgam fillings with gold 25 yrs ago. DH is finishing up $ 22,000 worth of implants and a bridge. This work included bone grafts, sinus lifts and 5 implants. He has always had periodontal issues, wore braces as a child etc. BTW he is 63. We like our dentist very well and think the difference between us is genetics, not a dentist's greed.

[kdgn]

I am even more grateful for my dentist and his practices after reading some of these responses. I have never had unnecessary x-rays and my insurance covers them. I do not get yearly x-rays: he has never pushed them. If I get x-rays it's done for a reason OR because it's been so many years since I last had routine ones.

I have excellent insurance, I pay no out of pocket expenses unless I go over the cap. He works with me on that one too. A few years ago he started a procedure in December and suggested finishing it up in January so that I wouldn't get hit with an $800 bill.

Palpitating the neck is done by many dentists as part of the oral cancer prevention checkup. It's not the dentist doing something that he will profit from-he will recommend that you see your own doctor if he suspects something out of his area of expertise.

[scotttie]

A minor point. They don't remove your tooth OP to do a crown.

Also, something is definitely wrong here if they are calling you at home and bugging you to have this procedure. I'd get a new dentist.

[LilacTree]

I had a dentist for nearly thirty years. We were both young when I started seeing him. All of my dental work was done by him. At first he would put me on a payment plan and I would pay him monthly, which always lasted beyond the work being finished and I always paid in full. That happened several times.

Suddenly he stopped that practice and said I had to pay in full up front before each procedure, and it was hard not to see the cost was much higher. I continued to go to him (as two of my daughters still do).

After the last procedure he performed on me, which was a lower bridge that I paid up front for, I remember getting a six month reminder for teeth cleaning which, sad to say I never followed up on because of my various disabilities making it very hard to drive to and from his office. (I can go to the dentist/doctors now because my kids drive me.)

Shortly after that, I received what I almost threw away because it looked like a WalMart four or five-page newspaper-sized advertisement. It was from my dentist, and all of the articles were about how dangerous it was to neglect one's teeth . . . even to the point that several of them discussed how death can ensue if one's teeth and gums are not healthy.

I'm not saying any of it was false (but certainly overly dramatized), but I couldn't believe he was sending out such a piece of trash to his patients. I angrily threw it away. About a month later I received another one just like it, all updated with new warnings. That's when I folded it up neatly in an 8-1/2 x 11 clasp envelope with a letter that I doubt his adoring staff ever let him see. I was furious that he would stoop to this level and told him so.

The dentist I am presently seeing (in fact today) is just to get the work done. He seems capable, and because I belong to a discount dental plan now, I can just about afford it. However, I can't wait until it is over. I wouldn't expect him to treat me as though I was a 30-year patient. However, last time I went, he took the time to go out into the waiting room, find my daughter and exclaim to her how well I did, which was surprising and she thought he was very enthusiastic and liked him a lot. However, once this long period of work is done, I would not be surprised to get a lot of notifications from him either . . . although I hope it wouldn't look like a BB store advertisement with dire warnings in it.

[Shorty2U]

I go to an older country dentist. He's wonderful. I have a beautiful smile after 2 years of dental work, requested by me, and thanks to him!

[missy1]

Mine doesn't................ because I don't have insurance.

[colliemom4]

I totally agree with what you are saying. There was a thread about this on Beauty Banter a few months ago and hundreds of people responded about their experiences.