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Every once in a while we have a new patient come to our office for an exam and after seeing the cost of treatment, make the comment, “I might want to find someone cheaper.”
I can understand that completely but what does “cheap” really entail? I thought I would blog my thoughts on it quickly.
First, is my office the cheapest around? Definitely not, nor are we the most expensive. Probably somewhere in the middle. So I’m not trying to justify some outrageous fee or belittle the office that does things more cheaply. I feel that for what we offer, we are definitely cost-effective. I like to think we are similar to getting a really good deal on a Lexus.
So, is “cheap” the same as “cost-effective”? Nope. If I told you I could do a filling for $150 but the guy in the alley behind the building could do it for $25, would you automatically have the guy in the alley drill on your tooth? I hope not. If you needed a cap or crown, would you go to Mexico to have it done for half the price? Some people do.
But I can tell you what happens down the road. And most people who have had dental work done in Mexico or have been to a very cheap dental clinic can tell you the same…the quality associated with the cheap price will come back to haunt you.
I can’t even tell you how many crowns, bridges, fillings, dentures, etc. we have to redo because someone wanted to save some money. Sometimes the tooth is so damaged we can’t even save it. Sometimes people come back with serious infections. Please don’t go to Mexico to save a couple bucks.
So the person goes to Mexico because our crown fee is around $1000 and in Mexico it is $500. Then they come back a few months later because they are in pain or because their crown is broken. They don’t want to go back to Mexico to have it fixed by the same guy who screwed it up in the first place. So they have to pay me $1000 to make them a new crown. So now they are out $1500 and a lot of pain, travel time, etc. when they could have just done it the right way from the start.
The same goes for any industry in the world. Are there any of us who go to a brain surgeon because he was so much cheaper? No way! You want the best because it is your health on the line!
Quality has a cost. Whether it is a car, a house, or a dentist. It is impossible to be incredibly cheap but still use the best materials, emply the most qualified staff, and take the time to properly care for the patient.
So please don’t get too sucked in by a “cheaper” dentist. Look at dental offices and find the one that is the best value or most cost-effective. If you want the cheapest possible, any guy on the corner can slap some low quality plastic in your tooth and call it a filling. But that’s not what you want for yourself and that’s not what I want for you either.
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!