Why Are So Many Dentists Such Con Artists?

[HeatherParr]

About seven or eight years ago I read this article about a guy who traveled the country and had about 40-50 dentists examine him and offer treatment plans. Before he went, he had a panel of dentists from a dental school give their recommendations. The treatment plans from the dentists he visited while undercover varied from 2-3 fillings (from a dental student) to removing most of his teeth and getting implants or something. I think the average treatment plan suggested about 10-12 fillings and/or crowns.

When we were looking for a new dentist around this time I took my son to three different dentists. One said he needed 4 crowns plus 3-4 fillings (I can't remember the exact number), another said 8 crowns plus about 4 fillings, and the third said 2 crowns plus 2 fillings. I chose the third dentist. Unfortunately she moved a few years ago, and I'd like to find a closer dentist anyway.

In June I had x-rays taken and one of the new dentists at the practice recommended 3 fillings. I could see one cavity on the x-ray, but the other two didn't look like anything to me. I had a consult at a closer practice today (using the same x-rays) that two people had recommended to me because I wanted a second opinion. That dentist wanted to do the same 3 fillings, plus 3 more, plus a crown. She also claimed I have two fractured teeth. (I think these supposed fractures are part of the suggested fillings.) She also really wanted to do a panoramic x-ray to look for infected roots and to examine the one wisdom tooth I have. It seemed like she was inclined to remove it, although my regular dentist said it's fine to leave unless it starts to annoy me.

Anyway, all this is to say I hate looking for dentists. It seems like either a bunch of them are liars and/or there is a big philosophical difference about when to drill. I asked me previous dentist about it once, and she appeared to be trying to find a diplomatic way to state that she is more conservative about drilling and that others want to drill everything that looks like a pre-cavity just in case it turns into a cavity.

In contrast, I found looking for an orthodontist recently to be very straightforward because I could easily see which teeth need to be fixed. I took DS to three and their suggested treatment plan was about the same for each.

[JessicaBaker]

I'm thinking about putting veneers on.

[JasmineWright]

Unscrupulous specialists can make incorrect diagnoses, prescribe incorrect treatment and offer non-existent services. It is worth knowing how to protect yourself from this by contacting a dentist. ... There are many ways to lure money from patients. asto for dentists, the main thing is that there is a patient, and there is something to treat! And sometimes, after an appointment with the dentist, there is a persistent feeling that there are more problems than there really are. The best client is a person with bad teeth, such a person can be "treated" endlessly! I found for myself smileworkshop.com and I am very happy with their service.

[JessicaBaker]

The guys are making money, haha

[Piercepau]

They just try to get the maximum out of each client. Most service companies/agencies/clinics opt for this way. I don't justify it, as I think it's a scam. But it's a reality of the service market. Take it or leave it. Only a few percent of businesses work for their reputation, as it's a much harder way of doing business. Nevertheless, in the long term perspective, it's much profitable. My local dental clinic has an impeccable reputation, so I know I pay for quality. How to find such ones? Unfortunately, you can't say which clinic is trustworthy without visiting it. Your own experience > any web reviews.