Have you ever felt ripped off by a dentist?

Yep. In college I thought I had split a tooth. It just looked different/split. I did not have insurance and went to a dentist based upon picking a name out of a phone book. He I am sure could tell in 10 seconds that nothing was wrong but spent 15 ,minutes poking my gums with a needle, he claimed looking for nerve damage" just to be sure". I yelled everytime, so my nerves were fine. This came to $120 1985 dollars.

When I got an infected tooth. I called the dentist to make an appointment. But, he called in a prescription for me and made a future appointment. The swelling increased, dramatically. I called him back and told him the antibiotic was not helping. He said, "Just give it time." By the time I finally walked in his office, he saw right away that he had goofed, badly. "Don't take any money from him," he told the nurse. He told me to go straight to Herman hospital. Herman turned me down, despite the fact I waved $1200 dollars in their face. They later sent me a bill for telling me to go to Ben Taub. Ben Taub made me wait nine hours before anybody began running tests and taking information. Finally, an oral surgeon happened to walk by. The instant she saw my face, she called to have me admitted. That same night, they operated. Had I waited another day, they told me, I would have died.

Yes

Spent $20,000 on an extensive dental "makeover" involving extracted teeth, extensive bridgework and porcelain veneers.

The damned bridges kept falling out and I went back on numerous occasions to have them re-cemented in.

At one point one of the remaining teeth became infected. "No problem" says the dentist, "I'll do a root canal." In the process of doing the root canal he broke through the base of the tooth. "Oops...this never happens. You need to see an endodontist."

The endodontist tells me he can't save the tooth and it will have to come out. The problem is the tooth is an anchor point for a very large bridge.

What to do? "Implants." says my dentist.

So it then costs me to $14,000 to have six implants inserted (with two more extractions) by a different specialist, and $2,000 for a new bridge (my dentist gave it to me for cost)

Problem solved, but the smaller of the two bridges continued to fall out. Rather than going back to my dentist I went to a new one. $6,000 for one implant and a new bridge, but no extractions.

After recounting my tale to the new dentist he told me he would have recommended implants straight away. I asked him why the first dentist didn't make this recommendation. "Probably because he doesn't do implants and wouldn't have made the $20,000." Such honesty from a health provider in respect to one their fellows is unusual, but he didn't tell me anything I hadn't already figured out.

So $42,000 sunk in my mouth, and not a penny covered by insurance. Most people can't afford this kind of expenditure but it was hardly a trifling expense for me either. I'm happy with the final results though. I can smile whenever I please.

Wow everyone.

My situation is not as extreme as shelling out over $40K or almost dying. Good heavens edgar, that's a horrible story.

I'm just thinking work may be getting recommended that I don't need. I intend to get a second opinion.
I respect the practice of dentistry, but it seems more and more there's those who just want to get you in the door, and push services....Like in this case.

A little background. I got my teeth genes from my mothers side, and that's a good thing. When the woman passed away at 78, she had never had a cavity. While I do have some fillings, all but one of which came from early childhood, when didn't realize how important brushing was. They are all very shallow fillings, I didn't even need novocaine when they were drilling. My teeth are way sounder than average.

Over the years, I've never bought into this getting your teeth cleaned. I would add on the dental insurance every other year at work, go for a cleaning an ex-rays, and skip it the next year. I know some people are thinking that's negligent. Seriously though, I would go to the dentist after 2 years, tell them I got them cleaned abut a year ago, and before they started cleaning I would ask "is there a lot of tartar?" and the answer would always be. "no, they look pretty good" When they would do that probing thing, calling out numbers (1,2,3 means good gums, 4 means watch it, at 5 starts the need for scaling.) It would always be 2's and 3's) The last time I had gone a couple of years ago, they were still all 2's and 3's except for one 4, and was told to pay particular attention to that area.

So, now I'm not working, and I didn't sign up for the dental on Obamacare. It just wasn't on my radar at the moment.

Looking through those coupon things that come in the mail, I saw that several dentists in the area were offereing those "get 'em in the door" deals of $29 for x-rays and exam. I saw one from a chain that was adding in the bonus of a cleaning. I thought I was overdue for x-rays, adding in a cleaning was a bonus to me. What the hell it's practically free at $29. I know, I know, you (generally) get what you pay for, but I just wasn't concerned about my teeth, as explained above. My main thing was to see if I'd gotten any cavities.

Ok, so I go, they take x-rays. The dentist walks in looks at the x-rays and says "no cavities" I say "Great!" He looks in my mouth and the ONLY comment he made was "You have very good teeth"
At that point, I was surprised he didn't mention something else, as every dentist I've been to in the past 15 years as said something....About 15 years ago one of the filling I had from early childhood had cracked (it was overdue to do that I learned) and I had to have a crown put in. Since then, every single dentist I've ever been to has gone out of their way to say "that crown was done by a really skilled dentist, that's excellent work" or words to that effect. He was the first one you didn't say anything. Not like that was so important to me, but whatever, I just noticed it. Anyway, like I said, the only thing he had to say about my teeth was that they were good teeth.

He said "the hygienist will be in soon for the cleaning."

She comes in, starts probing in my mouth, calling out the numbers so the other person could record, and I'm alarmed to hear her start with "5, 5, 5, 4, 5,4,5, 3,3, 4" etc.

I'm thinking "how the hell did I go from always having 2's and 3 and the last time one 4, to going to all these 5's and 4's?"
I know, I only go every couple of years. However, it doesn't make sense when I'm doing nothing different. In fact, some aspects of my life that could effect my teeth are even better.

After getting done with the numbers, all she says is "I'm going to send in the (didn't catch the title) for the care plan"
Then this fast talking babe comes in and starts throwing procedures and amounts around. I'm like "huh?" At one point, I got my mind together. She said something like "and of course the....." I interrupted and said "What do you mean "of course"? I don't know what that is, and I really don't understand what you're talking about"
She said "well, didn't the hygienist discuss this with you" and I told her "no, she just said she was sending you in"
So then she backs down and tells me I need deep cleaning (sounds nicer than scraping and planing) and the the cost would be over $1,500.
I tell her I don't have insurance, and didn't have plans to get any until the beginning of next year when I renew my insurance.
"Oh, well if you don't have insurance, we have a special discount where it would cost you $500 and something dollars" and she trying to hand the paperwork for me to sign.

I told her to hold on there babalouie, and that I'd get back to her. She tells me the price is good for 90 days, and I say "what if I do this but don't have the money until after 90 days?" and she says, "don't worry, we'll keep this price for you."......yeah.....right.

I drive home thinking this smells like last Thursdays fish.

I'm not saying something didn't happen where I now need this, but it really seems like they just want to get you in the door, so they can find something else, which may or may not be true.

I dunno. I'm going to check out dental prices. Who knows, with the deductible, if I need this, it might end up costing me the same thing.

You may want to research gingivitis to determine if it can pop up on you.

I respect the practice of dentistry, I just don't respect very many dentists. Of all that I have had, only one (a woman, and I think that her gender is not a coincidence) didn't either butcher me or rip me off. (It's too soon to tell about the latest one, but at least he didn't butcher me)

On the other hand I was reading the other day that in spite of dentists nagging us for 30 years about the necessity of flossing there is in fact a stunning lack of scientific evidence that it does any good. There are almost no studies, and most of the ones we do have show that flossing does not change the outcome.

I don't know. It works for me.

Yes it may happened to us many time, different dentist try to solve the problem by their personal experience. So it may possible that if a dentist is telling you something different then another dentist.
Once I went to a dentist for cavity filling, so filled the cavity by silver filling, and told me that it is good than that of white filling. But later when that filling was removed by itself and i went to other dentist then he told me that silver filling isn't that much good.

I never had a cavity until I was 12. A cash strapped dentist told my mother that all 4 of my lower molars needed fillings, six months later he told her all 4 of my upper molars needed fillings. I suspect he was filling food/tea stains because I was never ever diagnosed with tooth decay after that. However, the fillings now 40+ years later are eroding, 3 molars had to be repaired.

I will change dentists more frequently than underwear, and my underwear is fresh every damn day. A good dentist is gold, a shady dentist will milk you for every buck in your wallet. Let me define that, if you have pain in a tooth that has had the nerve removed, it might be infection that needs to be treated with antibiotics. If you are uncertain or wary of the advice your dentist gives you, find an independent source, not one recommended by your dentist. Please do the research, we only get a certain amount of permanent teeth, take care of them. If your dentist or his/her dental tech start clucking over your teeth, get a second opinion or a third, or forth. It's your teeth, keep them.

Totally agree glitter.

I'm not putting down the practice of denistry. Not at all.

Unfortunately, there are those in it just for the money.

Firstly I want to tell you that filling is never be permanent. It will get eroded by time. Moreover changing dentist so frequently never heal your problem, its your teeth, please don't play with them.

Go and find a good dentist which will cure your problem and also don't make you change it so frequently more than your underwear

Please do take care of your teeth. As teeth will help you to taste the tasty food items.

I know I am late to the party -- but -- I do not think I would ever use those coupon things to go to a dentist. If a dentist needs a coupon to get a patient, I figure they can't be that good.

Any way -- not a dentist rip off directly -- I think they charged me reasonably -- more so the damn insurance. I get insurance via work -- I pick a slightly higher one so I can see any dentist I want. Simply I will have less coverage for any work if I choose a dentist outside "the network."

Recently I had an issue with an old filling that caused a piece of my tooth to break away. I needed to get a root canal and then a crown. I was worried -- and asked this sounds expensive -- the answer -- well you have insurance right so it shouldn't be as bad. Ok -- so I get an estimate at endo (whatever the rest is) not bad considering with insurance less than $300.

Then yesterday with my final crown put in my dentist says oh that is $1,100 - I say what the h*ll? No one told me it would be that much - I don't have $1,100 in my back pocket. Oh well you have a max on your insurance and the root canal pretty much took all of that so basically I am stuck footing the bill for the crown and its work.

They were nice saying I could pay half now and half next month...she did say it is crazy -- the prices for dental care go up every year -- my comment and the dental insurance -- but the maximum coverage each stays the same.

Damn I pay more in insurance each year than this damn once or twice in a life time type care. Its a racket.

Good heavens Linkat.

oh, btw, that's going to be $1,100.

Yeah - normally my dentist is very good (well his office person) - they are usually clear about the costs so I can't get too mad as this is the first I was ever surprised like that.

He actually is good about not doing work unless he feels it is very necessary. For example this particular tooth he had been keeping an eye on saying well it is holding up now, but eventually the tooth will weaken and can break because of the filling. He rarely does additional work and has been rated very well - either through websites and other awards. He is a bit quirky but doesn't seem to be a rip off.

The endo guy was great. I never had a root canal before, but heard things about them. No pain what so ever and from the endo guy and my dentist my roots were tough as they were curved toward the ends. They were also very clear on my costs and the entire process in my initial consultation.

So I don't have complaints on the dentist - just the damn cost.

Good. Don't give up, but you know what? If a dentist is taking money from us but if he made the work done completely and efficiently then it is worth paying. So all we need is a good dentist whether that dentist take 100 bucks or 1000 bucks.
We only want our work done. Because at the end of the day we want a good oral health.

yeh always. They are slimy as hell. I had some fillings a couple of years back and a root canal some other seemingly minor work that came to a huge estimate of 700 dollars. I thought they made a mistake at first! I was not expecting it to be cheap but Jesus. I thought it would be more like 300 dollars or something.

You know what you need to do? First consult to any of your friends or relatives, if they have any kind of issue related to the tooth then ask them where they went before. So this thing might help you a little bit. Unknown dentist could charge you more.

Update:

Yep, that first place was trying to rip me off.

Now that I have dental insurance I went to a dentist I had seen before, and who has a very good reputation.

My teeth are fine. I just needed a regular cleaning, and I was on my way.

I fully understand fillings will eventually erode. I've changed dentists when I've been alarmed by their advice. When I was 20 I noticed my gums were bleeding when I brushed. I immediately sought help. The dentist who examined me, told me my original 4 fillings were placed without having the proper lining. He said he would remove the fillings, refill them properly and outlined an 8 week treatment plan that was extremely expensive. I booked another appointment.

After getting home, I started to sweat a little about the expense, then it occurred to me that he never said this treatment would correct the gum problem. I sought a second opinion, I didn't tell the new dentist anything other than my gums bleed when I brushed and I was worried. He x-rayed my mouth then came back and said my wisdom teeth would not be able to erupt because they came in sideways and were crowded the other teeth. He sent me to an oral surgeon who removed the wisdom teeth but it was a major undertaking. It took over 4 hours to extract the teeth because some of roots were wrapped around the jaw bone. Since I had never had a tooth extracted, I didn't think it would be painful. Wow, was I wrong. Once the wisdom teeth were removed my gums stopped bleeding.

I refuse to stick with a dentist who pushes treatments I don't see the need for. I have all my teeth, they are in great shape and I think it's because when I start to doubt the methods, I get a second opinion. And that my friend, is why I still have bright white choppers that are all nature made.