No, I did not have a noctural visit from the tooth fairy. She hasn't visited our house for years, but I did have a daytime encounter that also lined my pockets in another way.I have been a cantankerous dental patient. I bet my chart is flagged as one who is difficult. It started two or so years ago when my long time dentist lost much of his vision with detached retinas. He sold his practice. I followed to the new dentist but he didn't inspire the same confidence as my former dentist. My former dentist had a sign outside his office that read, "We cater to cowards". My kind of guy. Anyway, after one exam this new guy announced I had a cavity on a back molar that he would put a crown on. Out he marched. No time for questions from me. Having no dental insurance since retirement, I decided to look for a dentist who would consider filling the tooth. (Cheaper, I thought). One of my former co-workers had a daughter in-law who had a newer practice and I got an appointment with her. When I went in I found I was not seeing her but her partner. Okay, I guess. This dentist assured me she could fill it, not just crown it. (Cheaper, right?) She did not like the panoramic set of xrays (current) I had transferred from my former dentist. She wanted a new full mouth set. The bill is mounting. Okay. She then told me she found another cavity. Oh, oh. What to do . I made the appointment for the fillings. When she had me in her grasp and that drill humming she announced, "There is another cavity!" She said that one more time for a total of four cavities to fill and a bill of $900 or about what the original crown would have cost. Oh, my. I get my teeth cleaned every four months (my choice) to combat mild gum disease. Four newly filled cavities in a woman who hasn't had cavities in decades. I take care of my teeth, I floss... Anyway, I refused xrays the next time they were due. They were not happy with me. No xrays. Four months later I refused again but got more pressure to have the xrays. My response, "After two sets of full mouth xrays, you saw two cavities. The dentist found two more. I don't have a lot of faith I need xrays that frequently if you couldn't see those cavities on xray and I have no insurance." The hygenist then sent the dentist in to talk to me. I succumbed. This is not my favorite place to spend time. (See, I think my chart must be marked as difficult patient.) After she looked at the xrays, she told me I had a cavity. She also said I needed another crown replaced that was irritating my gum. When I went to the desk to pay, the receptionist said they could get me in the next day to do the work. I declined and said I would call and reschedule when I knew my schedule. I didn't. They called me the next day saying the Dr. was worried about me. Time for a second opinion. A few months went by and my next four month cleaning appt. was approaching. I made an appt. with my husband's dentist and called to cancel the previous cleaning appt. and request my xrays be sent to the new dentist. The old office called me the next day saying the Dr. was worried about me. Time to have the filling done. Yesterday I went to the new dentist. My xrays had not been transferred but I did have a "work order" from the old dentist showing which tooth needed filling. Bless his heart, the new dentist asked if he could re-xray "at no charge to you" to find the cavity. They did a set of xrays and looked at them. He examined me and then they did another xray of the tooth that supposedly had the cavity. Conclusion: "There is not a cavity in that tooth. No cavities. He also told me I did not need to have that crown replaced." He sure looked like the tooth fairy putting money under my pillow. I paid cash and got a discount. $100 total bill and my faith in dentists restored.
No comments:
Post a Comment