Elvira

And 'interview' the dentist. After all you are considering employing him.

Medicine and dentistry in the US are businesses, pure and simple. Their remit isn't to 'help you. If you approach them with the appropriate attitude, you'll more likely to get what you want/need and less likely to be taken to the cleaners.

TruBrit

exactly and the same goes with doctors of medicine, lawyers etc etc... you are employing them and want to check out their credentials if you see what i mean

newbieloubie

Thanks for the advice guys - I'll get on the case

Lesley1020

Good luck with it! Nothing worse than getting a big dental bill for something you didn't really need - been there and done that recently!

Found a decent dentist now and once hubby's insurance kicks in November, they will pay 100% of all cleaning and 50% of any major work, but to a max of $1500 per year, which sucks, as I need a bridge and root canal on 3 teeth and total cost 5 grand!!!

One suggestion may be to have a look at www.careington.com I have this for 12 bucks a month. You get a really great discount if you use their recommended dentist. What this guy is doing for me is submitting the regular office price to the insurance company, and getting the 50% and then giving me the discount too for my "secondary" plan

USBound

This all sounds very familiar to me....

went to dentist here about 18months ago.. this time a recommended place.

he said I needed a deep clean, covered 80% by my insurance, the other 20% was $100.

After he'd done his thing they brought out the bill, $560, that was my part.

turns out the "magic mouthwash" he'd used was NOT covered by my insurance and came in @ $100 per application, 1 application for each side for top and bottom.

so what I needed was a filling, what I got was a lesson in how dentists work to screw you over.

Elvira

... which sorry tale :scared: illustrates the importance of having a clearly laid out and fully costed treatment plan...

frrussre

Me finks they Deep cleaned his pockets, at the same time.
Reg. Frank R.

Partystar

Was it a Full Mouth Debridement? Scaling & Root Planing? Any of this sound familiar?

Paul S

I used American Dental. But i wont be any more. I need more work doing but they operate this open plan treatment room where (just like Aspen) you see and hear everything else going on, plus I just love the way when you arrive on time for an appointment they keep you waiting and finally drag you in. Then you get someone else doing most of the prework and finally the dentist (who all this time has been sat in the front office texting away on her mobile like nobodies business) wanders on in and finally does something

flippin useless

I'd take an NHS dentist anyday :scared:

newbieloubie

Scaling and root planing definitely sounds familiar.

It sounded awful when they were doing it as well!

I've looked at the bill more closely and called my insurance co - the bill was $800 all together, and included x-rays, an examination, 2 quadrants of deep cleaning plus anasthetic and magic mouthwash.

The insurance picked up just over $500 of it - so me paying $270 doesn't feel so bad!

I'm still going to look for somewhere else though - the facilities were horrible.

newbieloubie

My experience was really similar - I HATED the open plan layout. I am a complete wuss at the dentist - so everyone else gets to hear me blubbing when I have an injection (v. v. v. bad experiences as a child!).

My appointment was 8.30 but it was easily 9.15 by the time I actually saw the dentist proper. Someone else did the X-rays - then I sat in the chair waiting for ages (listening to the dental treatment in the chairs around me!).

Cannot believe I miss my old NHS dentist - at least the rooms were separate!

jumping doris

The orthodontist my children go to has an open plan lay out which I find a bit odd.
We have just been to the dentist and have been very, very lucky. I had a wisdom tooth infection and I picked the nearest dentist to me from our insurance co. website.
She looked at the sore tooth and gum and gave antibiotics, apart from the medication, I didn't pay anything. We have all had checkups, cleaning and xrays since then at no cost to us.
I have to have 3 fillings redone and the cost to me, with the deductible, will be $85 total and two of them are big fillings. And they will be white which I am so pleased about.
Her surgery is lovely and so are all her staff. We cannot believe how lucky we are to find her!
Our insurance is with Guardian, btw.

Partystar

That'll be it then, you had 2 quads done for the Scaling & Root Planing, most people can't stand to have all 4 done on the same day, as it's not the nicest thing in the world. Usually the preventative treatment (xrays, cleanings, exams) is covered 100% by your insurance, then Perio (Scaling & Root Planing) is covered at a percentage, which is usually around 80% (or around 50% if they put perio under Major services) & usually with a deductible. Most insurance companies don't make you pay the deductible on preventative treatment.

I bet you insurance doesn't cover the anaesthetic, then you paid a percentage of the 2 quads of SRP, the deductible (norm is $50, but some don't have one or it can be as high as $100) & of course, the magical mouthwash! Sound about right?

newbieloubie

Yep - it does. Having consulted the bill more closely - there was a lot of stuff on there.

I don't feel so much like I was ripped off - but I still want a new dentist!!

Do you know if I am able to go and ask for my X-rays to take elsewhere? I did pay for them after all!

Guest21

You might as well take a trip home it would be cheaper to do that

I had cosmetic dentistry done last year and paid $4,500 for 4 teeth that was with no insurance (does not cover cosmetic normally)
.
The scalling and cleaning was $130 before they would start the procedure which by US rates I thought was cheap the dentist was fantastic the only problem was there was a water fall attached to the wall in front of the chair and you wanted to pee all the time lmao

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