I have done extensive research on educating the public on dental practices and procedures Here are my recommendations to save money and protect yourself against unethical practices and unwarranted procedures.
(1) Buy dental insurance. It will save you an incredible amount of money. It can also protect you against unethical practices like overcharging. If a dentist doesn't accept dental insurance, it's usually a bad sign because he or she wants to be able to charge whatever fee they desire without being limited by a dental insurance plan. This is the most important thing I can stress
(2) Dental schools offer great discounts. The work is performed by dental students that is supervised by professional dentist or faculty. The dental clinics are non-profit and designed to teach their students so you are less likely to be placed on an extensive and costly treatment plan as you would by seeing a dentist in private practice.
(3) Dental chains can be great sources as well. The dentists who work at these chains are paid on salary(~110K per year) and thus they have less incentive to misdiagnose a costly plan since they see little of that money. These are usually young dentists who desire experience and money before starting their own practice in which they will earn 2 to 3 times as much as they did working for the dental chain. Even though these practices are owned by corporations, the actual people deciding your treatment plan are the salaried dentists who will work on you. Again, these dentists are probably going to leave that chain in 1 or 2 years to make more money in their own practice so their goal is to get a steady paycheck and since they are paid on salary, they are not going to take it upon themselves to do an extensive procedure if they don't have to since there is little benefit to them to work so much harder if it is unwarranted. However, a dentist in private practice owns the practice and any procedure he or she does goes directly to them, thus private practice dentists have more incentive to diagnose an extensive and costly treatment plan.
(4) Always get a second opinion (and perhaps 3rd) when diagnosed with an extensive treatment plan. Dentists can vary considerably in their diagnosis There was a Readers Digest article published years ago in which a researcher traveled the country and saw many dentists. The results were astonishing and the diagnosese and treatment plans varied from $800 to $30,000. The researcher was formally diagnosed by a panel of reputable dentists before he engaged in this cross country experiment. Here is the article
How Honest Are Dentists
(5) Always call before you make an appointment for a cleaning and X-rays. Ask what is entailed. The latest scam involves two separate appointments for a cleaning and exam. Traditionally, a cleaning and exam is held on the same day. The patient gets a cleaning done and then a dentist will examine the mouth and diagnose if any future work is to be done on a separate appointment. However, some dentists will make you come in for two separate appointments, one for the cleaning and the other for the exam, and if you need additional work, you will have a third appointment. Ask the dental office in question if they do the exam and cleaning on the same day.
(6) It is also important to ask how much X-rays are. The cost of X-rays can vary considerably with each dentist. The reason is some dentists use expensive techonology that isn't necessary such as the Panoramic X-ray. In the past, the panoramic views were performed almost exclusively by oral surgeons, endodontist and other specialists who used this for suspicion of jaw or sinus pathology. General dentists started employing this technology as well knowing they can make more money off this. You don't need a full-mouth series of X-rays every visit. Full-mouth series are done the first time a patient arrives in the dental office and then bitewing X-rays are done one followup visits. If you have good oral health and no history of dental pathology, you do no require more than one X-ray per year. Unethical dentists will order X-rays on health patients with each visit. Obviously, this will differ if you are someone with a history of periodontal disease but I'm speaking with reference to a person with no evidence or history of periodontal disease. Ask the dental practice what type of imaging they use and how much it costs. If they refuse to provide that information over the telephone, go elsewhere.
(7) Vizilte- This is a tool used to screen for oral cancer. It usually costs the dentist around 30-40 for the kit and they then charge between $60-$100 for the procedure. The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, the government agency which sets guidelines for health screening in the United States, stated there is insufficient evidence to warrant this procedure. Furthermore, the ADA also stated that studies to support its use is weak. In addition, Vizilite doesn't detect all forms of oral cancer which further makes its use questionable
ViziLite Screening: Does It Make Sense?
(8) Being charged separate for an Oral Cancer screen - Oral cancer screening is important. However, screening for oral cancer has traditionally been included in the exam portion of the "Cleaning and Exam." Some dentists have now decided to charge a separate fee for what they were doing for free just years ago. There is no need to pay an additional fee to screen for oral cancer. It should be a part of any dental exam. When calling and inquiring about services, ask whether the dentist charges a separate fee for an oral exam. Or if you want to be more polite, simply ask what costs or procedures are involved with the exam.
(9) Know your rights as a patient: You are not required to undergo any diagnostic procedure without your permission. When you are in the dental chair, it's easy for a dentist or his hygienist to start doing X-rays without asking your permission in advance. You will ultimately be responsible for any tests that they perform so always ask if there is a separate charge or fee if they start doing things. Do not be afraid to leave the dentist office. You can leave in a professional and polite manner by simply saying "I'm sorry but I would like to think about it before agreeing to any tests" If the dentist or hygienist gets upset, then that's a sign that you don't to be treated there. An ethical practice will inform you of whatever procedures will be undertaken
(10) Just know that this thread will be met with resistance from dentists in private practice. I will be assailed because the information I've provided isn't something dentists want you to know. Please feel free to disburse this information. That being said, there are many ethical dentists who provide great work and charge patients fairly. Just do your due diligence by researching dentists. After all, if you can pay $150 for an exam and cleaning versus $300, wouldn't you do that? Or if you could save thousands of dollars by doing a little calling around and getting a 2nd or 3rd opinion, isn't it worth it?
Good Luck to all of you
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Can someone recommend a great Dentist, PLEASE! I'm desperate!
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