Is my Dentist milking my insurance coverage?

[Mark Henry]

I have pretty good teeth, I'm 50, I had braces as a teen, 2 small fillings, slight recession, but 3 month visits and bit more diligence has reduced that. My first dentist I had for 30 years and my mom was his assistant for 12 of those years. He was quite conservative and wouldn't even file the points off my incisors off like the orthodontist wanted. When he retired he referred me to one of his students (taught PT at UofT) who was also conservative. About 2 years ago this dentist and his partners sold the office/clients to a new dentist. Very quickly the practice began changing and pushing heavy on cosmetic dentistry.

Yesterday I went in and they did a full "5 year" x-ray. In the past this would be a half dozen shots, this time I got an x-ray for pretty well every tooth. Near the end I was getting agitated quipping that I was going to glow by the time they were done. I then had my cleaning and last I saw the dentist. I've always had naturial pits in the back of my eye teeth, now she wants to fill these (plus another one) as they could become cavities, said it shouldn't even need freezing. So I'm thinking to myself WTF are they cavities or not? She also wanted to fix a tiny chip in a tooth that day, it is minuscule, when I did it the last dentist only offered to file it slightly if it bothered me, it doesn't. I declined saying I didn't have time today.
In a the past she also tried to sell me a mouthguard as she said I grind my teeth in my sleep. News to me and my other dentists have never said this. She sold my wife one that sits in a drawer, I've never heard her grinding her teeth.

My kids have had their amalgam fillings replaced (even in baby teeth), offered as soon as our new insurance covered this procedure. For the last 2 years she's always pushing braces for my 10 year old boy, who didn't/doesn't even have all of his adult teeth yet.

It's also worth mentioning the fact she is having a large brand new building built with some fancy dental spa name and our long time receptionist (not retirement age) is gone.

What do you think???

[schamp]

Find a new dentist. Call you old dentist and have a chat. Bet he can refer one.

[pete3799]

I'll need pictures of your dentist before i can answer.
Sounds like she's milking it to me.
A new building you say........ did you guys get some of our stimulus money

[recycled sixtie]

I would say get a second opinion before u or your family get anything else done. It is comparable to taking your Porsche into a repair shop and they tell u you need a whole bunch of stuff done when u are not sure about it. Get another opinion. I trust my dentist implicitly and if I did not , I would never go back.

[pavulon]

Is she fertile?

[Mark Henry]

About the same age as me so likely menopausal, OK but doesn't turn me on.
Besides I already have a younger sugar mama.

[RWebb]

you know what they about med. school vs. dental school, right?

[biosurfer1]

When I moved to the city I live in now, I had to find a new dentist. The first 2 visits she brought up what seemed like quite a few procedures that I needed (not cosmetic, but I never seemed to have problems before). I will say that after those first 2 visits and completing the procedures, every visit since then has been pretty standard.

I think she just pointed out things she saw that maybe my old dentist didn't and now things are up to her standard? If she had recommended more procedures that third visit I would have been suspicious but ever since its been fine.

[azasadny]

Good dentists are out there, find one. Ask family and friends who they go to...

[makaio]

She's trying to cover the cost of the new building.

I use to go to this dentist that was great when he shared an office and had low overhead. A few years after I started going to him he built a spectacular new building and went out on his own. About a year later he started pushing the crap that's being pushed on you and trying to get me to have all this work done that I didn't feel I needed. So I went and got a second opinion and it confirmed my suspicions.

[barryr]

Totally milking it!
"as they could become cavities, said it shouldn't even need freezing."
Both you and I could win the lottery too!
As for the x-rays I hope you had the lead appron on. "5 year"? They can see all your teeth in 3 or maybe 4 x-rays total.
All about her bottom line, get a new dentist.
Barry

[89911]

Being a Dentist, I find it incredible disheartening to here stories like this. Nothing good comes of it and it just leaves more people then ever leery of going to the Dentist. I could go on and on what my philosophy is, but I know I can leave the office and never think twice on what I have done during the day and whether it was the correct choice. I sincerely don't think Dentist overtreat on purpose. I think some come from a point of view that takes "preventive" medicine to a whole new level. Yes, I guess if your going on a 10 year space trip to Mars, every possible scenario on what should be done to your teeth should be followed, but this rarely is the case. I find nothing worse then getting a patient that has been going to a Dentist for years and told they are fine to them seeing me with a mouth full of work. It happens, but very rarely. Bottom line, if you don't have a level of trust with this Dr., seek an opinion elsewhere.

[sammyg2]

Some dentists act like they have a blank check. Find a new dentist.

I went to a new dentist starting about a year and a half ago, and on the first visit I explained to him in plain english that I would not put up with any games. No uneccessary work, no ridiculous billing, none of that.

Later I had some minor work done and they told me my cost prior and I paid that amount on the spot.
Then a month later I get a bill for $85 saying that it cost more than they "estimated".
I asked the dentist what was up with that, he said he has a billing service handle all that for him and it's common for them to ask for more afterwards simply because most people will pay it.
So in three months when it's time for another cleaning I'll be going somewhere else.

There are plenty of good ones out there but it seems to be getting harder and harder to find them.

[Mark Henry]

Originally Posted by 89911

Bottom line, if you don't have a level of trust with this Dr., seek an opinion elsewhere.

I think this is the crux of the matter. I don't mind proactive, but I believe that this work is more of something you keep an eye on. Not much is going to degrade in three months time. drilling in good enamel for something that might happen makes no sense and could cause problems down the road IMHO.

I also just found out one of my wife's co-workers husband had a root canal done by this dentist less than a year ago, he had also never been told there was an issue before and now he has pain that he never had before. They have found a new dentist as well.

My mom loves her dentist so I think I'll try to get in and see what he says.

[vash]

i am removing my teeth when my dentist retires

i have a great one. my FIL has a insurance milker. the contrast is striking. my dentist subscribes to the theory..if it aint broke or not causing any pain..leave it.

[Zeke]

I see my dentist every six months. Although I've had a lot of work over the years, I was always in pain before they started. Never has he suggested any work. He pretty much waits for people to come to him and he's booked out months.

I think (guess) he keeps his appointment book in a way that he can see emergencies.

[Brando]

This is a bit frightening. I just got dental a couple months ago and have to choose a dentist. I've got some issues but the big one is bone grafts + implants. They see that and their eyes get all starry with the big check(s) they're going after.

[azasadny]

January 24, Associated Press – (Massachusetts) Dentist accused of paper clip use in root canals. A former dentist in Fall River, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to Medicaid fraud for using paper clips instead of stainless steel posts in root canals. Additional charges include defrauding Medicaid of $130,000, assault and battery, illegally prescribing prescription drugs, and witness intimidation. Some of his patients reported
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infections after he performed root canals on them, said a spokesman for the state attorney general’s office. Prosecutors said the 53-year-old was suspended by Medicaid in 2002, but continued to file claims from August 2003 to June 2005 by using the names of other dentists in his practice. His license to practice dentistry was suspended in Massachusetts in July 2006, and he currently is not licensed to practice dentistry in any state. Authorities said instead of stainless steel posts for root canals, he used sections of paper clips in an effort to save money. Source: Dentist Pleads Guilty To Medicaid Fraud For Using Paper Clips In Root Canals | Fox News

[dhoward]

I've needed to have my wisdom teeth removed for the past 30 years.
"They're gonna cause problems..."

[Mark Henry]

OMG...but I don't think my (soon to be ex) dentist would go that far.