New Dentist....does this smell right?

[RobinFabulous]

Robin,

I'm certain I have some bone loss. I do brush 3-4 times a day (I'm at home and brush after every meal/snack), and I'm an on again off again flosser.

I don't drink soft drinks (ice tea brewed at home and water), and I don't care for sweets.

I have no doubt that at 45 I have some problems as a result of aging. DH has cavities from way back when and it doesn't surprise me that his prognosis was so much worse then mine.

I will gladly have a deep cleaning done if that's what I need. Something about the whole visit didn't feel right.

There weren't even private rooms. There were half walls seperating each section so I could here everything that was being told to the other patients. It felt like an assembly line operation.

I'd try to find someone else. My deep cleaning was more than at a normal dentist, and so painful they normally do it in quadrants, mine was done by a Peridontist. DH's was much easier, and I do believe his dentist tried to scam him... They did the deep cleaning then had him come back for a regular cleaning a few weeks later. They also managed to sell him a waterpik, and charge more than his co-pay should have been. There are dishonest ones out there.
If you'd rather most Peridontists will see you without a referral, as they're able to do cleanings as well.

 

[jameybano]

Something very similiar happened to me in December. When I arrived the dental office, the entire staff was new, including the dentist. She told me I had 8 cavities! ( I am 38 and had had only 2 my whole life). Something did not feel right, so I called my insurance company for a referral. Guess what? No cavities! And six months later...no cavities.
I can only guess the new dentist knew that I had good dental coverage and had a quota to make.

 

[RobinFabulous]

This happened to my wife. She switched dentists to make it easier for my DD3 to go and get her teeth cleaned. My wife never had any problems and just had her teeth cleaned 6 mos earlier w/o any issues. The dental hygentist said they had to do a deep cleaning and never explained what she meant by it. The dentist came by and ok'd it. Well my insurance didn't cover it at all. We were liable for the bill, and to top it off when she switched back to my dentist, they said the other guy had to be a crook because the only way you'd have that done, is if it your teeth are in disgusting shape. That should never be done on a person who brushes regularly.

Tony

ABSOLUTELY INCORRECT. Plenty of people can have decent looking teeth with stuff below the gumline. Pockets are common in smokers and tabacco users as well.

 

[surfergirl602]

All of these horror stories about dentists are freaking me out!!!

 

[IluvKingLouis]

Wow....well the thing now bothering my Dh and I the most is the lack of Dr/Patient confidentiality (now that we're discussing this visit).

As I mentioned the initial consultation was done in rooms with half walls so while I was waiting to be seen I overheard the Dentist's visit with DH. This is bothering us as we are both believers in the Dr/Patient confidentiality.

Is this the new norm?

 

[Stacerita]

OP here! Please keep the comments coming. Trying to get DH agreeable to a second opinion even if it's on our own dime.

I have never had a cavity (nor did they find any), I'm a regular brusher and rarely eat sweets (don't like them). Now I am an on again off again flosser...I know bad.

Please keep your stories coming!

You need to get a second opinion. If you are worried about the cost, see if you can find a dental school or a college/university with a dental program. See if you can get a visit with one of the students. Their work is monitored and will be checked. They are wanting to get it right, and aren't there to be paid.

 

[pianoronni37]

This is a bit scary, as I've been away from the dentist for (yikes) 8 years. After I graduated high school I didn't think about it - then of course at 21 I lost insurance under my parents, and finally after getting my 2nd bachelor's degree I have a full time job with insurance. I'm now 26 years old... and I know that I have problems as my gums and teeth are always bothering me... but the cost!

$1400 for a deep cleaning??

Please let me know if this is right, or if this is a scam... because I'm pretty sure I"ll need one, but I'm VERY sure I can't afford that!!

Happy Smiling, and good luck with your dental woes!

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

Wow....well the thing now bothering my Dh and I the most is the lack of Dr/Patient confidentiality (now that we're discussing this visit).

As I mentioned the initial consultation was done in rooms with half walls so while I was waiting to be seen I overheard the Dentist's visit with DH. This is bothering us as we are both believers in the Dr/Patient confidentiality.

Is this the new norm?

Honestly, I think it is the new norm. I haven't been to a dentist in years that has had actual doors on the treatment rooms (and I've had 3 dentists in the past 5 years due to various moves). Our dentist has small rooms, but there are archways as entrances, not real doors ... you can hear snippets of conversation from other rooms carrying down the hall. I guess it doesn't bother me b/c I don't tend to think of my dental history as top secret - but I can see how questions about the types of meds you are on or any changes in medical history might be sensitive.

My orthodontist didn't even have 1/2 doors ... it was like a beauty shop with 3 chairs on either side of a central island and each chair staffed with a hygienist.

* I just did a google search trying to figure out why dentists seem to lack doors these days ... I found a thread with someone searching for a "closed door dentist" b/c all the new offices have no doors. So, other people share your discomfort. I'd call around and/or ask co-workers or friends who they see. DH had an awfully rude dentist before we moved (I went to a different one). I asked one of my neighbors who they see afer we moved here ... it took us a good 6 months to get everyone appointments for cleanings b/c the recommended dentist was booked solid, but it was worth it! The guy is wonderful and his staff is so good with everyone. I now understand why we had to wait for so long to get appointments.

Good luck!

 

[mommybrown]

This is just my opinion.
I have always preferred a private dental practice as opposed to those that are corporate owned. In a corporate owned practice, the providers change often. You may not have knowledge of the change until you are at the appointment. Most corporate providers are also able to provide a discount with your insurance, due to working out fees with them. I have been told, like previous poster stated, that patients felt like an assembly line. The privacy issues would also bother me as well. I have always believed in my gut instinct, if it didn't feel right leave. Your friends and family are the best referrals.
There are some great dentists out there so please do not be scared- do your research!!

 

[StephMK]

Ugh, I feel your frustration of trying to find a decent dentist! I'd gone to the same dentist since I was 9! His son entered the practice & my whole family saw them (my parents still do) until we moved out of state.

I would like to think the dentist I first took my kids to was well meaning but over-zealous. She told me DD needed a tooth pulled, small mouth, but no prob, there would be any root, pop right out. There were no issues thankfully but a big root and not easy to pull. I felt horrible for DD though she was a trooper.

Then she tried to tell me DS had 4 cavities on his back teeth. And because each was between the back teeth, it billed as 8, plus she recommended gas and would not do them all at once, one "set" at a time, gas $68 each time. Grand total over $1k with us paying $600+ as the gas wouldn't be covered by ins but recommended for comfort.

I took them for a second opinion a few months later and was told no cavities. I questioned & explained his last appt, they looked again & saw some small spots but nothing they felt needed treatment or concern. I'm not happy with them either because there is no friendly feel to the office, we wait forever & have not had a decent talk with a dentist. It's convenient as they offer late hours. Also we somehow pay a good bit even though preventative is supposed to be covered. We're still on the hunt for a true family dentist.

I'd definitely get a second opinion. That is a lot of money to shell out and I'm sadly starting to learn that you just can't trust someone simply because they are a dr. If you wouldn't take the first estimate on a home repair, why do that for yourself if you're not certain?

 

[skhermsmeyer]

Same thing happened to me in 2005. They said I needed a deep cleaning and an injection of something to bring my gums back up since they had "gone down". I only went in because I chipped my front tooth (had chipped it years before and it finally gave, a different dds did the original repair). They said they had to clean my teeth and do an eval. I was okay with a regular cleaning b/c I was due, but to hold off on the "deep cleaning" and the injection of stuff they wanted to put in 4 pockets (I forget the name). My sister was in dental school at the time in KS and I live in GA, and I told them I wanted to talk to her first. Well, they did it without my permission, so $1400 later out of pocket, my teeth were in exactly the same shape and I didn't need any of it done. They did repair my chipped tooth and 2 days later, what they replaced came undone. They didn't call to verify my dental insurance and just made an assumption on what they "thought" the insurance would pay.
You're entitled to ALL of your x-rays. I'd pick them up and take them to a new dentist.

 

[Piecey]

Wow, I was told I had cavaties awhile back by the Dentist I'd been seeing for years through elementary/high school (and had several cavaties filled with)..

On my last visit to get a cavity filled, he told me I had another cavity (that I magically hadn't had before, which I think is their way to get me in the door twice and bill insurance twice)
I was having surgery so never made it back to have that cavity filled and when I decided it was time, I switched dentists.

She found no cavity. I've been to three different dentists since then and they've never found this supposed cavity.

Shady, shady dentists!!

 

[hopemax]

The cost has me going I wondered if you were in NYC or something, but you are in CO like me. My dentist is in Arvada.

I was a very bad dental patient. My childhood dentist was arrested for assaulting a couple of his female patient . I was in 8th grade when that happened and I didn't go back to the dentist, except for one emergency, until last year, so 20 years between visits.

When the dentist did my evaluation, he gave me a list of exactly what I needed done, with the codes so I could check with other dentists, and what his fees were. First they did a full mouth debridement, and then I had the "deep" perio cleaning for the center teeth, both upper and lower. I just looked up the charges, and it was $139 for the lower, and same for the upper.

FYI, I went back and reread your concern about the openess. My dentist office has the partial walls too. There are about 7 spaces although it seems like only 2 are in use at a time. One for the dentist, and one for the hygienist. You can hear people talking as they are getting ready to leave or coming in. It seems like people are talking louder, more animated. But then it quiets down so you might hear a murmur, but not make out any words.

 

[ZPT1022]

I didn't read any of the replies so here's my take. DH and I recently got new dental insurance and had to switch dentists. DH had a few cavities, I had 12. Now, that sounds like a lot for someone who has been regularly going and regularly brushing but I am losing the enamel from my teeth due to severe GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), so I knew this day was coming. The dentist was awesome. She kept suggesting we go for a second opinion because she knows how bad it must sound to switch dentists and all of a sudden need all this work done. She was all about letting us verify it so we knew she wasn't scamming us- which just made us trust her more than the already good vibe we had from her and the staff. She also suggested that DD needed sealants before braces went on, which was fine. DD needed a tooth pulled before having molds made for braces and she did it at no charge. We really won the dentist lottery with her, she's just great. Trust your gut on this one

 

[bumbershoot]

This deep cleaning thing seems to be the new thing. It hasn't been offered to me yet, but I'm sure it's coming. With me, I've been complaining about something for a year, and the dude keeps telling me it's not a problem...but when my hubby went in, they never did a cleaning and said he had something like 8 cavities, he needed the deep cleaning.

Well he just had that done a few years ago. NO cavities a few years ago, when it had been upwards of 14 years since his last appt. Now it's been only a few years, a whole bunch of cavities, and he has to have this done again? Yeah, no. It doesn't seem right.

But it's the same dentist that I see, and he's the longtime dentist of a good friend, and he hasn't said these things to US... Then again hubby didn't like him, and the dude is charming beyond charming...so something's weird.


He did have one filling done, but he hasnt' gone back for the others, because of money. Also b/c when he went in for that filling, they handed him the sheet with the other cavities...and the number had multiplied. It's WEIRD.

And we know they have another patient with the same name, b/c they asked if his middle initial was something else, when I made the appointment for him. I cannot help but wonder if they've gotten files mixed up.


We know from experience with DS that what one DDS sees as a cavity, another doesn't. It would be interesting to see how various dental schools teach, b/c there's such a difference. First DDS son saw found only the obvious problems, but was nervous to work with him b/c he was only 1 and she isn't a ped DDS. Found another, and he was a piece of work. Found the obvious problems and wanted to pull those two teeth, saw a big cavity that would probably require those teeth pulled (so that meant the top front FOUR teeth, all gone), then multiple "spots" that were cavities and they needed to be filled. Under General. In office. We'd have to coordinate benefits and get the anesthesiologist and his nurse from the hospital...yeah whatever.

Found another guy...he filled the cavity with NO drugs or gas, pulled the two obvious teeth with just a hint of lidocaine, and has been watching the spots for the last 2+ years, and they haven't changed at all.

Second opinions are good.

There weren't even private rooms. There were half walls seperating each section so I could here everything that was being told to the other patients. It felt like an assembly line operation.

As to that, I have NEVER been to a dentist with a full wall and door. Well, DS's dentist has a private room for the littlest kids who are going to cry. The rest of his office is totally open, once you're out of the waiting room. My dentist just has cabinet/partial walls between each station, the first dentist we took son to had cabinets as well.

I would never ever EVER feel safe in a room that's totally closed, since dentists don't always have someone with them while they are looking at your teeth. Scary scary. IMO.

 

[Floridagal23]

I'd get a second opinion. You can go to a periodontist and pay OOP for a better cleaning by their hygenist for way less.

On a different note, I go to the dentist very regularly and developed 11 cavities over the course of a year. I was studying for the bar exam and drinking really sugary coffee drinks and vitamin water and didn't floss. The cavities were all photographed by my dentist, who owns an office in the same medical building as my dad's and we really trust him. I don't have dental insurance but get a discount through his office bc of my dad. So..maybe he's not scamming you, but for peace of mind, get a 2nd opinion, and for a deep cleaning, I'd see a periodontist.

 

[RobinFabulous]

Wow....well the thing now bothering my Dh and I the most is the lack of Dr/Patient confidentiality (now that we're discussing this visit).

As I mentioned the initial consultation was done in rooms with half walls so while I was waiting to be seen I overheard the Dentist's visit with DH. This is bothering us as we are both believers in the Dr/Patient confidentiality.

Is this the new norm?

It's the new norm. We started seeing it in children's practices about 5 years ago here. Also the new children's practices want you to stay in the waiting room & have a "gallery" so you can walk by and check. They're trying to maxamize space I think. Usually offices that are designed like this do have a couple rooms for procedures, or people who aren't comfortable. When you find someone else if thier office is open, just tell them it makes you uncomfortable and can they put you in a room.

And FWIW we live in a pretty poor area... My peridontal cleaning was almost $5k, my pockets were 6's, 7's, and some 8's. I was given a flouride rinse and came back in a month (because the flouride can stain your teeth) where they cleaned them and the pockets were down to 4's 5's and one 6. Three years later I don't have anything beyond a 3.

DH's were all 6's and 7's I believe (I didn't go with him) and his after his six month check were down to 4's and 5's

 

[happygirl]

Has the dentist seen your X rays??

 

[rottiemom]

Wow....well the thing now bothering my Dh and I the most is the lack of Dr/Patient confidentiality (now that we're discussing this visit).

As I mentioned the initial consultation was done in rooms with half walls so while I was waiting to be seen I overheard the Dentist's visit with DH. This is bothering us as we are both believers in the Dr/Patient confidentiality.

Is this the new norm?

I suspect that it's the new norm. I'm all for it! I've got to tell you that I have big issues when it comes to going to the dentist...BIG issues. I finally forced myself to go 2 years ago when I thought that I had broken a tooth. My husband had to practically put me in a carrying crate to get me into the office to see his dentist. The first thing that I noticed was that everything was out in the open, nothing was hidden. For me, this is what made it possible for me to get into the chair. And honestly, I've never noticed the conversations that might be going on in the other areas so I think that if you make it a point to keep your voice down you should be OK.

I suggest that you get a second opinion on the deep cleaning. It may very well need to be done (many factors, including pregnancy, can wreak havoc on teeth) but a second opinion with a periodontist will help you know for sure.

After not having gone to the dentist for years (seriously...years) I needed a deep cleaning and it was just as Robinfabulous described. They did it in quadrants. I opted not to have novicane, rather the hygenist used numbing gel. I have to tell you that the numbing gel is a miracle & I hardly felt anything. No needles & no novicane charge, either. My hygenist is also wonderful (I describe my visits as similar to taking my dog to obedience school...lots of praise & positive reinforcement ) and that's a huge part of it. 4 separate visits, my x rays are right on the screen in front of us so that the hygeinist can see what she needed to go after & show me what she was going to do. I now go for regular cleanings & do not have to be brought into the office in restraints .

Good luck with this!

 

[MermaidsMom]

I had a dentist start to CRY 20 years ago because he said I needed 5 crowns immediately or my teeth would splinter apart!!!! CRY! Well guess what, the teeth are still here......and working.