Dentists: Running their quiet scams.

I'm sure there are some dentists that are ethical, but I highly suspect that a very great percentage are no better than those appliance repairmen one hears about going into some poor, old ladies home and socking her with a big bill while claiming it needed an expensive part, when in fact it only needed a forty-three-cent fuse.

I wish some moneyed, high-profile, nationally syndicated TV news show would do an in-depth investigation into what many of these white- collar rip-offs are doing, REALLY expose them!

The last time I went to one of these crooks was a couple of years ago. Before the guy even said hi, he looked at my paper work and commented, "You've got excellent insurance." He then proceeded to do a little picking at my teeth for all of twelve-minutes while chatting with his assistant about computers for the entire time.

For all his big "work," I had to pay a $50 deductible and my insurance company was socked for around $400!

I did that sort of nonsense a couple of more times (with him) and then didn't bother returning. I figure I gotta work my tail off for the little money I make, and so why should I be a-party to this guy pouring Fort Knox into his pockets by way of me and my insurance company. Besides, my teeth work fine.

Also, I really loved it when he kept sending me these mail notices begging for me to come back for some more "treatment." LOL!

Greetings! At least he didnt get you for a root canal. My dentist loves root canals whether you need one or not. . I had one and hopefully no more. My gum stayed absessed around the tooth and eventually had to be pulled. He wanted to cut half of the tooth out do another root canal and grind the toth down behind it and do a partial bridge. I said no thanks.

I tell you what I went through an experience in wish I had my gums scrape, each side of my mouth went for 500 dollars, just because in the patients form I said that my father had gum disease.

Later when I moved to GA I took my records to my new dentist and he told me that they procedure they did to me was not necessary, it was nothing wrong with my gums.

I was so mad, but the insurance paid for it.

I also had a root canal 10 years ago and and it got infected, I will never ever allowed to have another one, it was the worst pain I ever had. He did the three roots all in the same day and got infected.

I have a plan that covers up to $2500 per year in dental work. I specifically go to a dentist who is familiar with my particular plan as I WANT it maxed out. Fees and procedures are mandated by the plan so no one is being ripped off.

If it's covered under your plan, you are entitled to it.

If the dentist is billing improperly, it's not your problem.

I have a wonderful smile.

I too have a plan that covers most procedures and my dentist at least will set things so they don't conflict with the plan. However a deeper look into dentist would be very interesting, perhaps a 20/20 type investigation.

deevee --

And in what socialist country do you live?

Originally posted by TheManInTheShadows
deevee --

And in what socialist country do you live?

My dental plan is paid my employer NOT my government.

I have a wonderful smile AND wonderful employee benefits.

Same here. Around 50% paid by the employer and around 50% paid by myself.

I'm a nurse and I have great dental coverage that is paid for by my (gasp) employer! My co-pays are small and I feel my dentist is highly skilled and honest...however, I can't say the same for the dental lab. They do not seem to be able to make a crown that fits right the first time.

I am sure that there are dentists out there that are like mechanics and do things that are not needed....like gum scrapings and root canals...how sad.

[edit on 1/15/2005 by Cherish]

Dentists, one of my least favorite professions
Two years ago, I went to a new dentist to have my teeth cleaned. Before the cleaning, the dental hygenist did a check of my teeth and also checked the gum pockets. Mind you, I'd had the gum scraping done a few years previously and I'd been told my gums were in good shape. This new dentist reports that the hygenist can't clean my teeth until I have my gums scraped again. AGH!!!!! Like a fool, I say ok and allow them to use a new laser procedure on my gums. After about $1200 of work (none of which is paid for by insurance), the dentist announces that he has a "treatment plan" for...complete with computerized images of "the old me" and the "new me". He began pressuring me to have Da Vinci veneers on all my teeth and I don't even remember what else (and I've got good looking teeth). The price of treatment????? $22,000.00!!!!!! Of course, I was "guaranteed" I'd look like a Hollywood star. I said "no thanks" and ran for my life.
joey

Sometimes it feels like pressured sales, like your buying a time share!
Sometimes they ask you to decide about expensive procedures right there before they start.

just think, what would have happened if he looked at your chart, "oh, you have no insurance"....you probably would have had to live the problem, or he would have socked you with a $700-$800 bill....just to make up for the "loss" from the insurance companies and medicare/medicaid....
this is what I believe the hospital did to me. What they would have charged a insurance company or the government was half as much as they charged me.

It's nice to know that I'm not the only one that sees things as being a little to sweet for dentists. Maybe there should be a movement to promote people to think about having all their teeth removed on their 20th b-days, as then they'd only need to get a new set of dentures every five-years or so. No fuss, no muss.

By the way, I once read where people with dentures live much longer than people that keep going in to have their teeth tweaked ... due to disgusting things continually flowing from the (always rottening) teeth straight into the boodstream, where it affects the heart. And I'd bet dentists everywhere would try and say this is a bad idea even though they know it's a GREAT idea. Or at least I can say that the few people I've know that have dentures all say they love 'em!

My wife works in the dental field. All of the above problems are directly related to not brushing your teeth!! There are a percentage of people with "bad teeth" but that is mor related to older people. The cavities the baby boomers have and the cavities today are totaly different. Now there is flouride in the water. If you have a well you should be giving your kids flouride pills or drops to compensate. So all the above gripe are due to a lack of good oral hygene. Brush once and a while you nasty pigs!

My mom is a dental hygenist and I will tell you right now her boss is in a comfortable financial situation. I practically work for my moms boss I'm in the office so much and I know dentists do not rip you off. The main reason is that, unlike some, let's say, automechanics, insurance looks closely at your dental records, and if they think you're being overcharged, they will send someone in to investigate, without you even filing a complaint.

Dentists are the least of our worries.

They may check to see if your over charged, but does the insurance company check your teeth before you go in to see if you need the treatment?

``

OK, like everywhere else theres always a bad egg, rotten apple.

the suing public, the litigious society is the crux of your complaint.

the dentist suggests all those 'overboard procedures' to help protect
themselves from disgruntled patients later on.
the dentist also has a mountain of paperwork to do, at a cost, to even
provide a simple procedure....you only are aware of the 15 minutes of
simple manipulations & hands on treatment

a growing number of health professionals are quitting their private practices....because of the insurance factor.
I'm glad i've managed to maintain a relationship with a Dental Practioner
who is also a surgeon and cosmetic dentistry...

PS check at a community college or learning center in your area for inexpensive procedures like 6 month cleanings...save$ and meet interns too!

reply to post by marg6043
if you had periodontal pockets measuring 4 mm or greater with bleeding then you had gum disease and it needed to be taken care of. perhaps the second dentist you went too, after your fisrt 'gum scraping', maybe your mouth was healthier and you did not need it then. amazing when you get the infection, plaques tartar out from under your gums. things get healthy. hopefully you take care ofyour teeth and gums now. rdh

I was just talking about this in the ATS chat not two hours ago. I have to get my impacted wisdoms out and something is messed up, there is a root in my sinus. I'm taking pain meds right now but man, I hate the dentist. I hate the fillings I had done earlier this month. I am such a baby about the dentist, I'm so afraid of the place. They gave me nitrous oxide last time but I was too afraid to let it take effect. I'm going back Wednesday for a surgical consult.

Cavemen lived without their teeth being cleaned and poked and prodded, I'm sure I'd do okay too.

Its actually a catch 22. My wife worked in dental for a long time and I can tell you the dentists get ripped off on every damn item they buy. The chairs are all special made and cost around 5k minimum that you sit in. Everything they do they get raped because of its prices and then the customer gets it.

It takes a dentist a very long time to really start making money. And don't forget they have over 100k in school bills to pay back along with the hygenists who make 50k a year. Running even a small office costs alot.

They also have very strict standards that they are held to for billing and hygine of the facilities along with ongoing training.


So as the poster above said ( star for you btw) Brush your teeth.