When I was little, I had 8 fillings in one day. Two in each back tooth in the same exact places. The assistant whispered to me I didn’t have any cavities when the dentist was out of the room. I told my mom but she didn’t believe me.
I’ve never found a dentist who wasn’t doom and gloom and $$$$$. Always came out worse than I went in.
The guy I have now is great. He once found some decay (in a pocket caused by braces when I was a teen - there’s another story) but he held off on filling it for several years opting for a wait and see approach. When he did fill it it was a very small filling. Practices and attitudes have changed quite a bit in recent decades.