I have a What-ity?
When most people are looking for a new doctor or dentist, they simply ask their friends for a recommendation. While I acknowledge that this is a horrible way to pick a dentist, it did not help me at all. All of my friends are either in the DHMO (different network of dentists), or they travel out to the 'burbs to see the family dentist.
I decided to do the next best thing. Knowing that Penn has a good dental school, I searched our dental provider network for a dentist who is in Center City with a degree from Penn Dental School sometime between 1980 and 1990. Bonus points to anyone with a Jewish name. I'm horrible.
I found a dentist that fit the bill. I called the office to schedule my six-monthly cleaning in March. Unfortunately, they require that I come in for a 90-minute appointment for a comprehensive dental examination with the dentist before they will take me as a patient.
I thought this was a great, albeit inconvenient idea. Since I have such great teeth, I never spend more than about 2 minutes with the dentist every six months. This was a good opportunity for a thorough exam.
I went in for this comprehensive exam. I was surprised to see that there were three people in the office. The dentist, one hygienist, and one technician. The hygienist was doubling as the receptionist. However, I was very impressed with the dentist. He even had these nifty cameras that he used to take close up pictures of my teeth and show them to me on the television in the exam room.
The dentist said I had a very boring mouth, which is a good thing. He complimented my x-rays. Then he looked closely at one of the pictures of a molar on the television. Then he started probing around that tooth. Then he had me look at the picture. I HAD A CAVITY!!!! The dentist said on a scale of 1-10 where 1 is the least severe and 10 is the most severe cavity, this one registered a 0.5. It didn't even show up on the x-ray. He said that he could probably even fill the cavity without Novocaine since it was such a small hole and such a quick job, though I have no intention of letting a dentist drill my tooth without drugs.
I still don't understand. I saw the little hole on the television, but I have not had a cavity since 1988. It just was not possible. My teeth are great. Should I believe this guy? It's not like he can put a hole in my tooth and 'create a cavity'.
I asked how long he thought that cavity was there. The dentist said that it was so small that it probably formed recently, but it was also so discreet and tiny that it could have been missed in the past if it had been around for a while.
I'm always skeptical about a dentist that tells you that you need work done the first time you see them. However, if this guy is scamming me, he fooled me good today. Not that I think he would really scam me for ~$100.
Despite the horrific outcome, it was the most thorough dental exam I've ever had. Now I'm scheduled for a cleaning and a filling next month.
So sad :(
I decided to do the next best thing. Knowing that Penn has a good dental school, I searched our dental provider network for a dentist who is in Center City with a degree from Penn Dental School sometime between 1980 and 1990. Bonus points to anyone with a Jewish name. I'm horrible.
I found a dentist that fit the bill. I called the office to schedule my six-monthly cleaning in March. Unfortunately, they require that I come in for a 90-minute appointment for a comprehensive dental examination with the dentist before they will take me as a patient.
I thought this was a great, albeit inconvenient idea. Since I have such great teeth, I never spend more than about 2 minutes with the dentist every six months. This was a good opportunity for a thorough exam.
I went in for this comprehensive exam. I was surprised to see that there were three people in the office. The dentist, one hygienist, and one technician. The hygienist was doubling as the receptionist. However, I was very impressed with the dentist. He even had these nifty cameras that he used to take close up pictures of my teeth and show them to me on the television in the exam room.
The dentist said I had a very boring mouth, which is a good thing. He complimented my x-rays. Then he looked closely at one of the pictures of a molar on the television. Then he started probing around that tooth. Then he had me look at the picture. I HAD A CAVITY!!!! The dentist said on a scale of 1-10 where 1 is the least severe and 10 is the most severe cavity, this one registered a 0.5. It didn't even show up on the x-ray. He said that he could probably even fill the cavity without Novocaine since it was such a small hole and such a quick job, though I have no intention of letting a dentist drill my tooth without drugs.
I still don't understand. I saw the little hole on the television, but I have not had a cavity since 1988. It just was not possible. My teeth are great. Should I believe this guy? It's not like he can put a hole in my tooth and 'create a cavity'.
I asked how long he thought that cavity was there. The dentist said that it was so small that it probably formed recently, but it was also so discreet and tiny that it could have been missed in the past if it had been around for a while.
I'm always skeptical about a dentist that tells you that you need work done the first time you see them. However, if this guy is scamming me, he fooled me good today. Not that I think he would really scam me for ~$100.
Despite the horrific outcome, it was the most thorough dental exam I've ever had. Now I'm scheduled for a cleaning and a filling next month.
So sad :(
posted by GaryGinew at 7:15 PM
1 Comments:
First of all, Gary: yes, he might try and scam you for $100. Dental fraud is a $6 billion industry in NYC alone! I'm surprised you don't know this, knowing something about dental insurance. :) Okay, I've only heard that number anecdotally, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me.
My own sister has recently been the victim of dental fraud (according to self-report), or at least dental non-communication. She was told that she had a cavity on one side of her mouth but when she went in to get it filled, they numbed and filled a tooth on the opposite side! Granted, my sister isn't always the clearest communicator, but I think the dentist is also responsible for thoroughly explaining all procedures to their patients.
Second of all: as a person who has suffered many cavities, I have to admit I'm surprised they opted to fill a 0.5 cavity. I've had "precavities" before; small points where a cavity may be developing but doesn't show up on the x-ray. I was told to use ACT daily and come back for further inspection. The fluoride in ACT can help remineralize tooth enamel and prevent unnecessary fillings. I'd recommend using ACT for the next month and seeing if there's a change when you go back to the dentist the next month.
Third of all: why is word-of-mouth a bad way to find a doctor/dentist? This seems like an ideal way to me, as long as the person recommending prefers the same characteristics that you do (eg, price, location, style of care, etc).
Anyway, long rant about obviously a small subject. I hope you are having a cavity-free sweet time with my old roommates and are having a blast in Philadelphia!
Post a Comment
<< Home