quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
By the way, I have the coolest dentist in the world. This guy is down to earth and you can tell he likes people. There's no pretense with this guy, and his staff are the nicest people.

His receptionist is my kinda gal. She's funny as all get-out. Last time I was there, were talking about the dental techniques demonstrated in Marathon Man and Affliction (in which Nick Nolte pulls one of his own teeth with a pair of slipjoint pliers.)

Ask her about the ol ice skater skate and coconut (ala Tom Hanks in Castaway) method.

Maybe that's more preferable to slip-joint pliers?

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:
Very interesting. We are having a very similar experience.

We've been going to the same dentist for years - more like decades. When the original dentist retired, he sold the practice to a young dentist who we liked, so we continued with him.

A couple of years ago, the hygenist leaves and a new one replaces her. The new hygenist seems to find an issue with each visit. We don't have dental insurance either, so these "issues" tend to be unexpected and costly.

On my last appointment, for a routine cleaning (appx $125), this hygenist said I needed extra cleaning work. I foolishly said "OK" without asking more. When I checked out, I was presented with a bill for $730.

We like the dentist, but he has to know and be OK with what's on. I got home and told the wife that it's time to find another dentist.

Take that up with the office. They didn't handle that well. They should explain that in advance. I bet you can get a reduction.

quote:

On my last appointment, for a routine cleaning (appx $125), this hygenist said I needed extra cleaning work. I foolishly said "OK" without asking more. When I checked out, I was presented with a bill for $730.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
Extra cleaning. Peridontists do deep scaling and that would be an approriate charge. I would want a perio to do that work anyway.

To go from 125 to 730 is excessive. I’d ask for an itemization.
I think we have a dds on board- MNSIG maybe? He might shed light.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:

Take that up with the office. They didn't handle that well. They should explain that in advance. I bet you can get a reduction.

Thanks. We did that, but just got more "it was necessary" and no reduction. I'm going elsewhere.

On the X-Ray. Our dentist says once a year is enough., ours is also $60.00 a XRay.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:

I doubt she gets a bonus for selling x-rays. In fact, that may well be illegal since that is a matter of medical judgment and may be legally mandated to be up to the dentist.

It is his practice, and he is and should be free to make these choices, just as you are free to go elsewhere.

I have no idea whether you will find a dentist who is any different. Apparently they exist, so maybe you can. Good luck.

Maybe not but she certainly pushed me hard to get them.

It IS their practice and I suppose dentists are free to insist on every patient getting yearly routine X-rays or be dropped. I'm just thankful doctors don't do this.

quote:

X rays are NOT a huge profit machine.

I suppose it matters on how many they do

Profitable, not profitable, whatever. There is no way on God's green Earth that I would tolerate a physician telling me "You will do (whatever), or else." I'd be on my feet and out of that office as fast as I could settle my bill and the doctor would get a hearty "FUCK YOU" on the way out. You're not releasing me, motherfucker, I am releasing you. Where I live, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting an MD, OD, DDS or whatever. Some people treat physicians as if they're God Almighty. I am not one of those people. Body mechanics are not deities.

Fuck you and your ultimatums and cram your "or else" as far up your ass as you can get it.

You wanna push my buttons? Pull some shit like that when I am PAYING you for services, and you will get a response which leaves no doubt as to how I feel about that kind of bullshit.

The only thing a physician might do which would get a faster negative response from me is if they were to ask me about "guns in the home".

LOL that's kinda how I felt Para, I just don't quite have your knack of expressing my feelings.

Since I have pretty serious periodontal disease, I get cleaning every three months. I think they want x-rays once-a-year? TBH, I never paid attention. When they tell me it's time for x-rays, I get x-rays. *shrug*

Upon my last hygienist's recommendation I went back to a periodontist I saw years ago. Bad news: Two teeth had to go. One I already knew about. Had an infection near the end of one root that a root canal didn't cure. (There went a bunch of money down the drain. Not my dentist's fault. She told me the tooth probably wasn't salvageable. I overrode her.) The other, the periodontist discovered a deep cavity below the gum line. (That tooth for years has had a chronic problem with deep pockets.)

The periodontist took a crap-ton of x-rays. He wasn't happy with some, and took a bunch more on the second visit.

My dentist, and nearly her entire office, carries. So does my periodontist. Neither has any problem with me uncovering when I take off whatever cold-weather outerwear I'm wearing. That's pretty cool

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Profitable, not profitable, whatever. There is no way on God's green Earth that I would tolerate a physician telling me "You will do (whatever), or else." I'd be on my feet and out of that office as fast as I could settle my bill and the doctor would get a hearty "FUCK YOU" on the way out. You're not releasing me, motherfucker, I am releasing you. Where I live, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting an MD, OD, DDS or whatever. Some people treat physicians as if they're God Almighty. I am not one of those people. Body mechanics are not deities.

Fuck you and your ultimatums and cram your "or else" as far up your ass as you can get it.

You wanna push my buttons? Pull some shit like that when I am PAYING you for services, and you will get a response which leaves no doubt as to how I feel about that kind of bullshit.

The only thing a physician might do which would get a faster negative response from me is if they were to ask me about "guns in the home".

Slight thread drift, but years ago, I had multiple surgeries. After the sixth office visit with the surgeon, during the office intake portion of the visit, I was asked " any guns in the home?" I replied that I would not allow such a thing in my home. I had one in my pocket!

Things like we're seeing in this thread are why I've fired 3 Doctors so far in my life.

quote:

Originally posted by ltbarber:

"any guns in the home?"

I have never been asked that question, although I had one urologist glance at my carry gun and say, "What's that -- a SIG? I carry an H&K."

Another doc (also a urologist), got all enthusiastic, telling me about his new P320.

I do have a response prepared in the event that any health care provider asks me whether there are any guns at home. A shocked look, along with "I'm not even going to dignify that question with an answer." An ambiguous reply, take it however you want to, and let's move on to the next question.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
I found a good dentist, sole practitioner who owns his own practice.

Small staff, all of them very patient-oriented.
<snip>

Ditto. (And he offers laughing gas. )

I also keep a list of services owned and operated by one skilled, responsive, and reliable man: plumber, electrician, HVAC guy.

I get my teeth cleaned every 4 months. Get bitewings down every 3-4 visits, it's cheap like only $30-60 or something. The full panoramic ones are the pricey ones, $200-400 ( can't remember) I get those every 3-4 years. Been seeing an orthodontist recently, they take the panoramic and others every six months.

I don't really care how much it cost me, you only get one set of teeth. I also benefit from 15% family discount since he's my cousin. Been doing my teeth for over 30 years. The only thing I ever objected to was having wisdom teeth pulled, he finally got his wish last year. I got them yanked as well as a fifth tooth that I had damaged the bone in my jaw from grinding and the tooth was getting loose.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by ltbarber:
"any guns in the home?"

I have never been asked that question, ...

Nor have I. Not by any healthcare provider.

Several years ago, I walked out of a dental office in San Antonio. I was there for my yearly exam.

45 minutes past my scheduled appointment, I walked out. I had not pulled out of the parking lot yet when the office manager called and asked where I was going.

I told her I had appointments at work and I had already waited 45 minutes past my scheduled time and was still in the waiting room.

She told me I would be billed $60 for a no-show. I told her that would be fine and I would be billing them for my time and my billable rate is $250 per hour with a 2-hour minimum. You can subtract the $60 from the $500 you owe me.

She stuttered, mumbled something, and then apologized.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by ltbarber:
"any guns in the home?"

I have never been asked that question, ...

Nor have I. Not by any healthcare provider.

I've never been asked that, but a Nurse Practitioner, speaking very low, asked me if I felt safe.

I told her I felt safe everywhere I went. I didn't tell her why.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
I get my teeth cleaned every 4 months. Get bitewings down every 3-4 visits, it's cheap like only $30-60 or something. The full panoramic ones are the pricey ones, $200-400 ( can't remember) I get those every 3-4 years. Been seeing an orthodontist recently, they take the panoramic and others every six months.

I don't really care how much it cost me.....

Wow cleanings every 4 months, bite wing X-ray every year, full X-ray every 3 - 4 years.... I guess you don't.

As (I think) I mentioned my cleanings were $120 which I had done every 8 months. Over 35 years or so they've also done a couple crowns and refilled a few old fillings, and took various X-rays as needed which is perfectly fine and referred me to an orthodontist for 2 root canals. I have no insurance so everything is out of pocket. My gums are fine, he even comments that it's always nice to see healthy gums like yours. I floss twice every day and brush at least twice every day. (Had I flossed even once every day starting when I was very young I probably wouldn't have any cavities.)
Up until around 6 years ago I also had "bite wing X-rays" every 2nd visit or so, Lord they must have done a couple dozen of them on me over the years, and the end result was always the same. Dentist would come in afterwards and poke around and a few times he discovered a place that needed attention which we'd schedule. Then she'd bring the X-rays in, he'd look them over, and hand them back to her to put in my file. Of all those X-rays never once did he (or she) say "look at the hidden problem that this X-ray has revealed." Any and every dental problem I've ever had was discovered:
1) by me (chip/broken tooth, cracked filling, ache, etc.)
2) or by the dentist himself poking around.
3) or by the hygienist during cleaning.
None by "routine bite wing X-rays".