This may sound like an odd title for a blog post. And you may be thinking I would write that because I want people to see me for some kind of expensive exam or something.
But the truth is that sometimes I get a little disappointed with my profession and some of the people in it. This week we have seen a lot of patients come to us for second opinions regarding treatment other dentists had told them they needed. What we found is that most of these treatment plans were very large and included a lot of treatment that really didn’t need to be done. The one thing these patients had in common was that they had gone somewhere based on a coupon promising a $39 exam and x-rays.
What good is a $39 exam if you come away being told you need $4,000 or $10,000 worth of work? In all fairness, some people really need that much work done. But a lot of people don’t. They are at the mercy of what the dentist tells them.
When I came out of dental school, I thought that all dentists were the same and had the same ethics. Unfortunately by sad circumstance I have realized that is not the case.
Am I saying that the way I treat teeth is the best? No, but some of the things I found planned for these patients was just blatant over-treatment. They were going to have their teeth drilled on for no reason!
So just remember, it is okay to go in for the cheap exam and x-rays, but be very careful about what gets planned for you. If it sounds like way more work than you think you need, that should be a clue. If you have been in for cleanings pretty regularly and brush your teeth regularly, you should questoin any recommendation for a “deep cleaning” or for thousands of dollars worth of work.
If your teeth are in bad shape or you aren’t brushing and flossing ever, you should probably expect a big treatment plan.
If you have any questions about a treatment plan or anything written here, please e-mail me at heapdds@gmail.com or call the office.
Again, I am not trying to steal you away from your new dentist or overly criticize every dentist in order to make myself look better. Every dentist works a little different. I’ve just seen too much recently that has me a little worked up.
Thanks!
Tags: Cheap Dentist, Dentist Mesa, gilbert dentist