Wherever you find a third party payer, you have fraud, and government programs are the worst.
I wish I remembered which company it was so I could make sure to never deal with them again.
Readers Digest. I read an article 20 years ago. A guy went traveling all over the country checking out all the things that needed to be done. Results were all over the place mostly having to do with the coverage. He complimented ONE dental student from San Jose, Ca for getting it right. His name was Wong. That’s all I remember. Summation-the author was troubled.
There’s always the town in Mexico across Yuma. My crown fell out and it wasn’t worth the return trip.
I had to find a new dentist maybe 25 years ago as my old guy was retiring. I REALLY liked and trusted my old dentist.
I interviewed a Chinese dentist recommended by a friend and had him do a complete examination. He used a then-new micro camera which made incredibly detailed photographs of every tooth. Of course, he found microcracks everywhere and many other problems. He worked up an estimate of $15,000 to fix everything and I ran from that crook as fast as I could. What a con job. I wouldn’t let him get near my teeth and I did not get any of his recommendations done. The new dentist I hired after the con artist said everything was fine, confirming what my retired dentist had said.
Here I am, all these years later, and just fine.
I try to avoid dental chains. Too many dentists there work on some sort of commission basis. Meet your monthly billing quota, or out you go.
That’s why I prefer an older dentist in private practice. You can still get taken, but the chances are less.
My new Dentist was strange. He kept asking me this one question, over and over: “Is It Safe?” he kept asking.
Finally, I just said ‘Yes Doc, it’s safe!’ to shut him up!”
A dentist is someone you should build a relationship with. I’ve been with mine for 30 years. He’s come in on weekends for me. He never tries to “sell” me because he knows the value of a lifetime client.
Going to a “factory” will get you factory results.
In California many years ago I sprang for a newspaper ad dentist, something like $39 cash for a full teeth cleaning. They did the cleaning, and then found dozens of tiny holes they wanted to fill - so many they handed me a consent form for general anesthesia (!!)
I paid the $39 and Noped my way out of there. I asked my to-be future dentist about those little dots. “Those are harmless, not likely to ever become cavities.” They’re still not cavities, decades later. No way I was going to be put under at an office by myself (i.e. with no ride arranged) based on a newspaper ad.
Some 20 years ago a dentist told me one of my teeth showed signs of cracking and that it’s going to need a root canal and crown very soon. He wanted to schedule it.
Fast forward two decades and two other dentists and that tooth is still there, still fine.
I always stick with dentists who say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Yeah, there’s a small crack in that filling. It might stay that way for 20 years. If it starts to hurt, then come in and we’ll look at it again.
My dentist didn’t tell me I’m fat but did tell me to open my mouth and say “oink”.
I’ll be 85 in two weeks. Perfectly healthy—EXCEPT for my eyes and teeth. Eye problem was caused by an idiot who wrecked a cornea when doing cataract surgery. Failed to do the simplest 2-second test for corneal dystrophy beforehand and used wrong drops, thus wrecking my cornea. Corneal transplant ensued, fortunately by fellow who is now rated as top transplant ophthalmologist in the US.
.Teeth have been awful all my life. Even a baby tooth had to be pulled. My dad had the $$ to get me the best dental care and I’ve kept it up But, this year,, horror of horrors, upper teeth had to go...and they went. Big sigh. Found highest-rated denturist in town—158 ratings all 5-star. XLNT result, but “Save her teeth” was almost the family religion and I feel guilty for abandoning the quest. My dad must be rolling over in his grave. Or laughing his tush off about the crybaby I’ve become. Big sigh.
Thing is, my dentists have not in any way done unnecessary work or overcharged. They kept my fangs in my face far, far longer than expected.
Or, if you have dental insurance, they want to drill out all the old fillings and replace them.
Years ago, I had a filling done, and paid through my employer insurance plan.
About 2-3 years later, due to poor work on the filling, I now needed a root canal & crown.
The original dentist had already lost his license for shoddy work, and defective equipment, so the new dentist charged me my co-pay, and billed my employer’s plan.
I soon got called to the insurance admin’s office, to be told the billing was being denied: only one root canal per tooth allowed!
Fortunately, I had my copy of the original billing. The MOFO had double invoiced: filling invoice to me; root canal & crown invoice to the insurance.
This time it was the legal authorities, rather than the State Dental Board that nabbed him. Before it was over, feds also had him for tax fraud: double books, one set of what he was charging the patients; the other, what he was actually collecting from insurance.
Yes, Smile Generation tried to rip me off, got a second opinion and stopped just in time. My company choice one year was supposedly the premium dental for low price, turned out to be all companies with “Smile” in the name. Checked them out, all rip-offs. Went to one just for a free exam just to tell them off, then had to wait a year to get coverage with a real dentist.
My cousin is a dentist in ETx. Honest as the day is long. He’s got a wait list and you can’t get in to see him for months. He and some colleagues go down to Honduras regularly to treat the poor. He won’t take payment from me for my occasional services so I plop down some cash and he puts it toward the cause.
Well I'll stick with my coffee stained teeth, so long as they are healthy.