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So I went in for my once every 6 months routine teeth cleaning on Monday. With me it's usually and in and out thing. I'd never needed any work, never wore braces, always get compliments about my teeth and bite. I brush once a day, and floss a few times a month, but somehow they stay in great shape.
We've been a bit tight on cash lately, and my brother (who's teeth are the hyde to my jekyll) recently needed 3 cavities filled and braces. About 5,500 dollars worth of work. He also broke his ankle rollerblading about 3 months ago. Hasn't been a good year for the insurance companies or my parents as far as unexpected costs.
Anyhow, my mother drops me off and tells me that if I need any work done for any reason, tell them that you'll have to come back for it another day because we don't have the money. The visit only costs me 2 dollars out of pocket if everything goes well (which it always does)
I go in and the hygentist tells me that we need X-rays done again. I tell her that I've just had them done on my last visit, but she says that their records need updating. I know that these are covered by the insurance, so I don't protest any further.
After that, she goes to work on the teeth and discovers my first cavity (yeah I know, I'm a real bad ass) much to my disappointment. So she tells me I'll need to have it filled, at which point I explain that I can't have any work done because we don't have the money. She says that that's fine and understandable (the practice is small, so the hygentists know our family pretty well).
After the usual cleaning is finished, the dentist comes in to do the final check. Recognizes the cavity and informs me that I should get it done right now (he knows that I go back to University soon). I explain to him that we can't afford it, at which point he tries to show why i need to get it filled right away. I then tell him that what he's saying doens't change the fact that we can't pay for it at the moment.
So my mother comes back to pick me up and I tell her that I have a cavity that needs filling. She asks how much it will cost, and is told $61 out of pocket and the rest covered by our insurance. She reasons that it would be best to get it done before I go back to school, and schedules the appointment for today. Luckily my sister was scheduled to come in anyway, so it wasn't an extra trip or anything.
So I go in and they fill the cavity no problem. And by 'they' I mean the hygentist. The dentist once again did nothing except check on it at the end.
The kicker is, we come out to pay and my mom, who has scrounged together $61 to pay for this, is informed that the bill will be $122. She asks why, since it was one cavity in one tooth, and $61 is what the cost is and was told to her just a few days ago. The receptionist says that there were two cavities that were filled. My bull**** alarm goes off, and I tell her that there was only one cavity filled. She goes to the dentist to ask about it, and he comes out and says that there were two cavities on the same tooth. When I asked the hygentist in the room, however, she told me that it was only one very small cavity on the top of my wisdom tooth...and I was literally in and out in 15 minutes. It was barely any work at all.
My mom and I stand our ground, thank God, and the receptionist says that due to the original estimate given a few days ago she'll change the cost back to $61. So we pay and get out.
Now, I know that's a whole lot and it's one experience, but it highlights a few things which we discussed on the way home.
1) X-rays were not at all necessary. My Widsom teeth have already come in, and with no problems. This leads us to think that the only reason they take them is because it's something they can charge the insurance companies for. We have been told that X-rays are only necessary every 2 to 3 years, unless a whole mess of problems arise.
2) My Dentist doesn't do much work. I always thought it was because I had good teeth and didn't need any serious work, but my mom informed me that she's spoken with the hygentists before, and they are irate at how much work they do compared to the Dentist. In fact, we've been to a few practices over the past couple years due to changing jobs and insurance companies, and my mom says it's the same everywhere we've gone (and we may end up changing again)
It's my understanding that, from the places we've been, hygentists do all of the work (and get paid much less) while Dentists do a few laps around the place checking on patients after the visit is over, and make 10 times more.
3) Practices attempt to hoodwink people out of their money by charging more than necessary. The reality is, it was not a necessary price at all. On top of that, I'm still convinced that I only had the one cavity as I was told on the day of my first visit and by the hygentist when I arrived, AND by the Dentist afterwards but before billing.
...so I'm an anti-dentite.
Not really, but what are your thoughts? Anyone get screwed by the world of Dentistry and live to tell the tale?
We've been a bit tight on cash lately, and my brother (who's teeth are the hyde to my jekyll) recently needed 3 cavities filled and braces. About 5,500 dollars worth of work. He also broke his ankle rollerblading about 3 months ago. Hasn't been a good year for the insurance companies or my parents as far as unexpected costs.
Anyhow, my mother drops me off and tells me that if I need any work done for any reason, tell them that you'll have to come back for it another day because we don't have the money. The visit only costs me 2 dollars out of pocket if everything goes well (which it always does)
I go in and the hygentist tells me that we need X-rays done again. I tell her that I've just had them done on my last visit, but she says that their records need updating. I know that these are covered by the insurance, so I don't protest any further.
After that, she goes to work on the teeth and discovers my first cavity (yeah I know, I'm a real bad ass) much to my disappointment. So she tells me I'll need to have it filled, at which point I explain that I can't have any work done because we don't have the money. She says that that's fine and understandable (the practice is small, so the hygentists know our family pretty well).
After the usual cleaning is finished, the dentist comes in to do the final check. Recognizes the cavity and informs me that I should get it done right now (he knows that I go back to University soon). I explain to him that we can't afford it, at which point he tries to show why i need to get it filled right away. I then tell him that what he's saying doens't change the fact that we can't pay for it at the moment.
So my mother comes back to pick me up and I tell her that I have a cavity that needs filling. She asks how much it will cost, and is told $61 out of pocket and the rest covered by our insurance. She reasons that it would be best to get it done before I go back to school, and schedules the appointment for today. Luckily my sister was scheduled to come in anyway, so it wasn't an extra trip or anything.
So I go in and they fill the cavity no problem. And by 'they' I mean the hygentist. The dentist once again did nothing except check on it at the end.
The kicker is, we come out to pay and my mom, who has scrounged together $61 to pay for this, is informed that the bill will be $122. She asks why, since it was one cavity in one tooth, and $61 is what the cost is and was told to her just a few days ago. The receptionist says that there were two cavities that were filled. My bull**** alarm goes off, and I tell her that there was only one cavity filled. She goes to the dentist to ask about it, and he comes out and says that there were two cavities on the same tooth. When I asked the hygentist in the room, however, she told me that it was only one very small cavity on the top of my wisdom tooth...and I was literally in and out in 15 minutes. It was barely any work at all.
My mom and I stand our ground, thank God, and the receptionist says that due to the original estimate given a few days ago she'll change the cost back to $61. So we pay and get out.
Now, I know that's a whole lot and it's one experience, but it highlights a few things which we discussed on the way home.
1) X-rays were not at all necessary. My Widsom teeth have already come in, and with no problems. This leads us to think that the only reason they take them is because it's something they can charge the insurance companies for. We have been told that X-rays are only necessary every 2 to 3 years, unless a whole mess of problems arise.
2) My Dentist doesn't do much work. I always thought it was because I had good teeth and didn't need any serious work, but my mom informed me that she's spoken with the hygentists before, and they are irate at how much work they do compared to the Dentist. In fact, we've been to a few practices over the past couple years due to changing jobs and insurance companies, and my mom says it's the same everywhere we've gone (and we may end up changing again)
It's my understanding that, from the places we've been, hygentists do all of the work (and get paid much less) while Dentists do a few laps around the place checking on patients after the visit is over, and make 10 times more.
3) Practices attempt to hoodwink people out of their money by charging more than necessary. The reality is, it was not a necessary price at all. On top of that, I'm still convinced that I only had the one cavity as I was told on the day of my first visit and by the hygentist when I arrived, AND by the Dentist afterwards but before billing.
...so I'm an anti-dentite.
Not really, but what are your thoughts? Anyone get screwed by the world of Dentistry and live to tell the tale?
) but I never realized how easily they could screw you if they want to...or perhaps how easily they already are
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