Are there ANY reasonable dentists left🤔😮😳 - Page 6

Mary Bailey · ‎03-09-2010

@homedecor1 wrote:
@Mary Bailey wrote:
I work for dental insurance very eye opening

the first thing the dentist office when they call in how much benefits a person has left for the year, then they want history and replacement clause on plan. I think they just want to use up the patient's benefits even if they don't need it.

my friend works for a dental office, she told me they get monthly bonuses if they can up-sell (night guards, invisalin...etc)

@Mary Bailey

Interesting to note I said "the crowns are $1850/each? Isn't this pretty high?"

Business Mgr. said "oh not really this is the fee we charge patients with insurance" ...

I said "isn't this illegal to charge a insurance vs. private pay different prices?"

She said " no, in your case your insurance pays 50% so you only pay 1/2 of our insurance fee". A private non insured patient fee is higher to absorb the difference".

Right there I scratched my head.

I called this office today to tell them I want a predetermination of benefits from insurance company before I make a decision to return to them. Told me it could take 3-5 weeks..ok I'll wait🙄🤔

Funny thing, I called 3 different dentists today based on friends recommendations. As soon as I answered I had dental insurance they advised I'd first have to come in for "treatment consultation". It's not like I'm having a hip replacement just a dental cleaning🤔😡

Doesn't surprise me what they do! I'm heading home for the month of August at this point I'll just go to my own dentist ...at least if he says my teeth are a disaster then I'll proceed.

Aggravating🤬🤬🤬

I agree with what she says. (hospitals and doctors do the same thing. I worked medical insurance too)

The reason they have a one fee for the crown is because they could be "in network" with multiple insurance companies and have different "contracted amounts" with each insurance company. It would be too much to bill each company a different fee.

The insurance company's system will knock their regular billed amount down to what they are allowed to bill.

I always urge patients that they get a Pre D. A dental consultant (a dentist) will review the records & xrays to see if service should be allowed. Although not every single claim/pre d gets reviewed. (Some dentists even get services reviewed to because they "over utilize" procedures)

I would try tell the dentists, no you clean my teeth first then we'll discuss other treatments. Not the other way around.

Luckily when they know I work for dental insurance I don't get that up-sell. I usually have to bring up stuff I want.

LexaMom · ‎03-10-2010

@drizzellla wrote:
@LexaMom wrote:
Well - I just got home.. and I'm disgusted.

First of all its a new hygienist and I assumed my own dentist would be there at least - well he wasn't - they hadn't told me I would be seen by a different dentist.

And - even tho they just saw me 4 months ago - now I need 3 fillings, should get a wisdom tooth removed, and I have a dry mouth so my roots are getting soft and are cavity prone.

If this had come from my own dentist it would be different. But I told them I would have him do two fillings but wanted to talk to him about the rest. They want to do fluoride treatments too.

Actually, the Cavitron wasnt as bad - she used a lower setting.

Why is it so stressful to go to the dentist?

Did your Dentist say how you had 3 cavities in 4 months?

I faithfully went to my dentist every 6 months. And my last visit he "discovered" a cavity. It was so bad that he said I would need root canal and a crown. I asked how I could have such a bad cavity in a formerly pristine tooth so quickly. He never answered my question.

Yes - I did ask why I had all these problems when everything was fine 4 months ago. The hygienist said that a dry mouth could cause problems really fast. The more I think about this is because I am a mouth breather - but have been for 20 years (this is due to a deviated septum - long story). I really want to talk to my own dentist about all this - but I am also ready to ask for a new hygienist.

granddi · ‎03-16-2010

Standard of Care Law and Legal Definition | USLegal, Inc.
definitions.uslegal.com/s/standard-of-care
Standard of Care Standard of care refers to the the degree of attentiveness, caution and prudence that a reasonable person in the circumstances would exercise. Failure to meet the standard is negligence, and the person who fails to meet the standard is liable for any damages caused by such negligence.

Standard of care as legally defined does not give the excuse to capture a dental patient who has an appointment for a routine cleaning and then bombard them with a sales pitch for unnecessary or cosmetic proceedures. It violates a professional trust to coerce patients into spending for services that are discretionary.

Maybe when making an appointment at a new dentist, one should ask if the techs are on commission?

I can tell you that when dentist (and other medical providers) are getting the sales pitch for equipment, the pitch is all about money. They are told how many patients they must "sell" to see a return on investment.

Example: Being offered optional retina photos at the eye doc is a money making ploy. Insurance will not pay for pictures. So to make up for lost revenue on eye exam patients they make up the difference with optional add on's.

This does not mean that dentists are all dishonest people. It means that consumers have to be informed and ask lots of questions.

LexaMom · ‎03-10-2010

@LexaMom wrote:
@drizzellla wrote:
@LexaMom wrote:
Well - I just got home.. and I'm disgusted.

First of all its a new hygienist and I assumed my own dentist would be there at least - well he wasn't - they hadn't told me I would be seen by a different dentist.

And - even tho they just saw me 4 months ago - now I need 3 fillings, should get a wisdom tooth removed, and I have a dry mouth so my roots are getting soft and are cavity prone.

If this had come from my own dentist it would be different. But I told them I would have him do two fillings but wanted to talk to him about the rest. They want to do fluoride treatments too.

Actually, the Cavitron wasnt as bad - she used a lower setting.

Why is it so stressful to go to the dentist?

Did your Dentist say how you had 3 cavities in 4 months?

I faithfully went to my dentist every 6 months. And my last visit he "discovered" a cavity. It was so bad that he said I would need root canal and a crown. I asked how I could have such a bad cavity in a formerly pristine tooth so quickly. He never answered my question.
Yes - I did ask why I had all these problems when everything was fine 4 months ago. The hygienist said that a dry mouth could cause problems really fast. The more I think about this is because I am a mouth breather - but have been for 20 years (this is due to a deviated septum - long story). I really want to talk to my own dentist about all this - but I am also ready to ask for a new hygienist.

Just got off the phone. Told them that I don't want two people that don't know my history to be analyzing my teeth. So i changed hygienists - and the new one comes in early on the same days as my old dentist. I'm still so aggrevated about this. In the meantime, I will start using Biotene but I really don't know why I haven't heard about a dry mouth until yesterday.

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

Update: Grrrrrrrrr called this office today requesting my dental records. I was told a $75 fee and they will not forward tonew dental office I choose😡

Absolutely not I am calling my dental insurance carrier tomorrow

ridiculous!!!!!

Mj12 · ‎03-09-2010

@laraffinee wrote:
Let me give you a dentist's perspective on this.

What most patients don't understand is that as dental professionals, we are obligated to identify, diagnose and suggest treatment for EVERYTHING in the mouth.
Anything we miss is considered negligence.

Anyone coming in for a whole mouth exam is going to geta massive treatment plan, identifying everything that needs to be done to create "ideal" dental health.

The important part is, at least in our office, is that signing it ONLY means you have read it and have had it explained to you - NOT signing up for everything in that plan. Many people are overwhelmed when they get one of these, but I explain that this is the ideal and now they can decide if they want to do any of it.

We are obligated to provide a standard of care and will refuse harmful treatment...for example a lady I had yesterday had a severely decayed, abscessed tooth and insisted on just getting a filling. I explained why I would not do that because it is really bad for her health as it will swell up etc. I explained that it would be a root canal or extraction as the only choices that are acceptable for her health, I let her decide from those two choices.

As far as the new "fancy" equipment" purchases...yeah, guess why we have to get all that stuff...to better diagnose all those those things that used to get missed with wet xrays etc. We are held to the highest standard of care, that's why we have to buy that insanely expensive technology. Patients have no idea how much our equipment and supplies cost. You would faint at the sight of our monthly supplies bill!....and that is after our supplies guy searches for the best prices and haggles and negotiates for the best price! You have no idea!

If someone comes in with a single tooth problem, like a toothache for example, they don't get that whole treatment plan workup, unless they are also becoming a new patient in the office and not just an emergency treatment.

This is what dentists have to deal with.

As far as integrity goes, I have found that most of the people in my profession are good people who want the best for their patients. There always are a few bad apples in every profession. You have to find someone who you can communicate with and trust.

Thank you for posting this, @laraffinee . My sister in law is a dentist, with her own practice. Those "fancy machines" are out of this world expensive - but necessary. And she continually has patients who neglect their teeth forever, rejecting certain routine treatment plans, then when of course something bad happens (and it always does), they want the cheapest/quickest possible fix. Doesn't work that way.

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

@Mj12

I'm sure it's costly but one has to prove to me all these excess procedures are necessary!

I for one am extremely conscientious of my dental health. Yes, there are those who can't afford to "absorb" equipment costs just for general routine services! I'm sorry but IMO the normal routine cleaning 6 mo check-up (no issues) should not be over $200!

Yes, dental issues can pop up anytime therefore I hope your SIL sympathetic to those who "need" her.

ccassaday · ‎10-21-2010

My family has been going to the same one for 30 years. We started seeing him right out of dental school when he started practicing with his dad. We really like him. After I had my jaw joints put in I have had a lot of dental work to be don’t. He did a treatment plan and was conservative on a couple issues. We will be having a consoltatoon with him next week about my front bridge. He had quoted me 8k. The IU dental school has giving me a price of 4K. He had mentioned if we couldn’t get them to do it he would do it for half. So we are going to see if he will match the price so we don’t have to drive down there for so many appointments. He even gave us a payment plan on the stuff he already did.

Mj12 · ‎03-09-2010

@homedecor1 wrote:
@Mj12

I'm sure it's costly but one has to prove to me all these excess procedures are necessary!

I for one am extremely conscientious of my dental health. Yes, there are those who can't afford to "absorb" equipment costs just for general routine services! I'm sorry but IMO the normal routine cleaning 6 mo check-up (no issues) should notbe over $200!

Yes, dental issues can pop up anytime therefore I hope your SIL sympathetic to those who "need" her.

Oh she is always (and I mean always) available - we've been out to dinner with her when she gets a call and had to leave.

O/T - she also participates in frequent no-cost dental clinics to those who cannot afford care. I'd guess many dentists do the same.

panda1234 · ‎04-27-2015

@drizzellla wrote:
Homedecor1 - What is going on? That sounds crazy. I am glad you did not sign anything. And also hope you get a second opinion. But the problem will be that the new Dentist will want to do all the Xrays and scans the other Dentist did.

I swear my Dentist is doing the same thing. He is trying to pay for his new 180 degree Xray machine with my checkbook. He also moved into a larger office. And of course had it completely remodeled.

I can't seem to bring myself to go back to him. There are several things that I am not happy about his work. And crown that was not fitted exactly and caused another tooth to break and an implant to loosen.

Also, the Dentist said I had a "bad" cavity. He filled it and the tooth broke about 1 week later. Before I left the Dentist's visit. He gave me an invoice of all the work he would need to do because he knew the filling would not last. I keep wondering how I had such a bad cavity if I had been going to the Dentist every 6 months.

Hope you find a reasonable Dentist. I am looking for one too.

@drizzellla I could be wrong, but I thought this industry was regulated. There are "reasonable and customary" charges acording to the area you live in. Anyway, they are out of control.