Comments on: And What About Dentists?

By: Julia Smith

Julia Smith — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:37:52 +0000

I fully agree with you. I work for a dentist now and she is so greedy. it’s sad. It is more about the money than the patient and now with the economy the way it is, she refuses to understand why patients don’t have money growing in the back of their house. I work the front office. Maybe I am to nice to be in this position, but I feel for the patients. I put myself in their position, as far as financially. I know that had they gotten the treatment when it was first recommended they wouldn’t be in this predicament, but they are still human beings. I have fillings myself and I have to go elsewhere because it’s not enough production ($$) for her to be interested in doing. I could go on all day about this place and the way we are treated when the schedule falls apart. (again not my fault. but they don’t understand that) I would love to find an patient that comes in and the first question they ask is “how do you treat your patients and your staff?” this will determine if I become your patient. I would love to see the response that a peron gets. you can tell a BS’r from the start. Maybe not “all” dentist are greedy. I would just like to find one that isn’t forcing patients to do tx to pay for their ridiculous spending habits. And they tell us not to live above our means! I can’t wait until my husband finishes school. I just hope that I never become one of these greedy snobs. and this crap about “the lab charges so much to make your pieces” is a load of crap. If you only knew what the dentist actually makes you would croak

By: Ashley

Ashley — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:53:33 +0000

I’m so sick of these greedy dentists!! I need work done on 4 of my front teeth, but I can’t get it done, because I have Medicaid! They don’t want to accept it cuz they don’t get paid enough! I hope one day they are in the same position as I am!! The last dentist I saw was a jerk! I went there, he looked at my teeth and the xray and try telling me I was completely missing a tooth. I’m like no…It’s there, there’s just a tiny bit of it left. And he tried to argue with me. Then he relized I was right. Then he told me to find someone else that with except Medicaid to put my crowns on…JERK! And he didn’t even clean my teeth! Not only that, I know I have a cavity forming and he told me I don’t. I feel it everyday a**hole and I’ve had a different dentist tell me that I do! If I don’t get at least the one crown put on that tooth that is almost completely gone..it’s gonna cause me medical problems. GET OUT OF YOUR STATE OF GREED! YOU’RE BETTER OFF THAN MOST OF US. BUT I GUESS WE POOR PEOPLE DON’T MATTER TO YOU!

By: Susan Housekeeper

Susan Housekeeper — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:57:51 +0000

I have for a long time wondered if the woes of healthcare costs are in any part due to greedy practitioners. Dentists in my opinion are the worst. My son had to have a procedure to expose a tooth for orthodontic work, as well as removing 2 baby teeth. Now, the whole orthodontic work costs about $5000, which seems like a lot, but is a relative bargain. That is the ENTIRE fee, over the course of the 2+ years anticipated. The ORAL SURGEON charged $2100+ for the consultation and procedure under general anesthesia (we deemed necessary because of fears of my son). It took less than an hour from start to finish. The general anesthesia part cost $600. We have no dental insurance, so I tried to negotiate a bit, asking for a break since it was to be paid entirely up front, no billing ins co, etc. They gave us 5% off their full rate! That was it! I suspect an insurance company would compensate a lot less but that is a guess.
Then there are regular dentists. OUrs charges $1500 – $2000 for a crown. Again, no breaks for paying up front. (They used to do that, “a service” they claimed; no patient has a right to anything; we have to beg!)
It’s not that we don’t know other professionals such as lawyers and accountants also overcharge. But somehow it seems particularly egregious when the going rates (if that is what these examples are) are driven by the inflated amounts they quote to insurance-covered patients. And don’t believe their malpractice insurance rates are so high that they “must” charge these amounts to “cover their costs.” According to one website I checked out, they still cleared PLENTY!
I believe they get away with gouging on prices because they can. True, perhaps they are overworked, and have to do something to limit the number of patients. I just think they should be examining their consciences a little more.

By: The Nittany Turkey

The Nittany Turkey — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:51:13 +0000

You’re lucky you got away with only several hundred bucks down the proverbial drain. For me, it was thousands. I added it up and found that I wound up having paid that periodontist about $10,000 through the years.

I now have a deal with my GP dentist. Clean my teeth four times a year, inspect my mouth twice, x-ray it once a year, and check the periodontal pockets twice a year. If anything requires a periodontist, we’ll discuss a referral (but not to the same one I had before, the dick). When I get a cleaning and don’t see the dentist, I’m charged substantially less. It works for me.

I hope you can find something you can live with.

By: Malia M.

Malia M. — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:57:07 +0000

Wow, just as I thought. The “you have periodontal disease” is a crock of crap. Having what I believed to be a full mouth of healthy teeth, apparently appeared to be a mouth full of monsterous bacteria to my dentist. Several hundred dollars later and my teeth seem to be in the same shape they were when I arrived… healthy. It’s sure is quite a profit they are rackin’ in. Great story, glad to know I’m not the only one who has experienced this, but how unfortunate.

By: The Nittany Turkey

The Nittany Turkey — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:32:27 +0000

I am happy to be served by the exception to your sad tale. My GP dentist is kindhearted and his staff loves him. They’re always smiling. One time I was there, they were particularly happy. I asked why. The receptionist said, “Dr. P is attending a dental conference in Las Vegas in October and he’s taking all of us with him as his guest!”

Recently, two of his employees, a receptionist and a hygienist who had been with him for 20 years both became seriously ill, the former requiring open heart surgery and the latter, treatment for lymphoma. Dr. P is involved in both their lives, helping their families, and keeping patients involved in their progress.

My cousin was a dentist who served in the Army in World War II and who established a practice in a town in Pennsylvania afterward. His wife was always getting on his case because he refused to charge people he knew were unable to pay. A bygone era? Perhaps, but I want to believe that such people exist today in the profession.

It sucks when your chosen profession becomes unrewarding because of the personalities involved. I hope you can eventually find an exceptional dentist with whom you can be happy.

—TNT