Community Chat

[ivey]

A couple of months back, several posters expressed how they feel like the dental office always "finds" something to add on.

We talked about this a while back, but I experienced it again today. I went to the dental office for cleaning, and they hygienist said "you are all caught up on your xrays. But we need to take a photograph of a tooth." I asked if there would be a charge for that and she said no.

My hygienist talks to the dentist by a microphone/earpiece, and he tells her he wants an x-ray of a particular tooth I've had trouble with for a number of years. It's not giving me trouble now, but that tooth has had 2 root canals, 2 crowns and and 2 epicoectomies. What he's seeing is the scar that's a little dark on the outside of the gum. No pain, no infection.

I told her an emphatic no--that there was nothing else we were doing to that tooth--it's just the scar. And then I finally added, "it seems like he's just trying to get extra money." She's very nice and said "it's your mouth and your choice always."

I'm thinking of looking for another dentist--I hate to because I've gone to this office for about 25 years--but there's a new dentist in it. (My old dentist was pretty bad about this also.)

Just venting about a subject that bothers a lot of us.

[kittykatkay]

Sorry you are having to go through this. Luckily, I love my dentist. But, if you are having any kind of doubts - even just one....it's always best to get references from people you trust and find another dentist.

[scotttie]

If they had done the first root canal correctly there should not have been a need for another...am I right?

Anyway, once you lose faith in any medical provider don't be afraid to move on.

[tansy]

I'd say move on if you feel like this, ivey I am beginning to feel the same way about our current vet, unfortunately.

[straykatz]

I think dentist's are bleeding insurances dry.....I now refuse 2 sets of xrays per year..I told the hygenist don't care if my insurance pays for them or not....it's my mouth and if I'm not having dental issues then 1 set per year is all the radiation my mouth needs!!!!

[scotttie]

On 1/21/2014 straykatz said:

I think dentist's are bleeding insurances dry.....I now refuse 2 sets of xrays per year..I told the hygenist don't care if my insurance pays for them or not....it's my mouth and if I'm not having dental issues then 1 set per year is all the radiation my mouth needs!!!!

I only allow one a year...if that.

[151949]

We have gone to the same wonderful dentist in pittsburgh for 30 years . he has never ripped us off. Since we moved to Fl - nothing but rip offs. Last week my bridge came loose - the dentist charged me $60 co pay and my ins co $150 to take 5 min to reglue a bridge.Our dentist in pitts. doesn't charge for that at all.We try hard to avoid the dentist here in Fl. as much as we possibly can - one time only for a cleaning. Then when we are home for the summer we go to our regular dentist and see what is really up with our teeth. This has really become a buyer beware situation.

[brii]

In my next life I am coming back as a dentist or an orthodontist. Their bills add up fast. I limit X-rays too

[scotttie]

On 1/21/2014 brii said: In my next life I am coming back as a dentist or an orthodontist. Their bills add up fast. I limit X-rays too

Ohhhh yeah......

[gazelle77]

It makes me SO MAD when I go for cleanings and they always want to do X-rays. Unless I have a particular situation that would be helped, I do not want them but maybe once every three years. My insurance covers them 100 percent so I think they PUSH them for the extra income. A year ago, I went and had a new hygienist...Brandon....for my cleaning ( which I have done 4 times a year). When I said no thanks on the X-rays, he said " well do not blame me when your teeth fall out!" I was so mad I was in tears, told him he had no right to say such a thing! Next time I went for my cleaning I said I did not want BRANDON.....they told me he no longer worked there. WONDER WHY???