Totally flooring dental experience.

[woodsprite]

I just got back from my dentist from having a chipped tooth taken care of. He worked me in this morning, but I was actually in the chair for about 15 min. He said he didn't have to file it down and it took such a small amount of tooth filler that he wrote "no charge" on the paperwork. He said "Truthfully, it would cost me more to do the paperwork and deal with the insurance company than I'd make charging either you or insurance." While that's probably true, I'm surprised he just admitted it and moved on.

[MineralMan]

1. My wife's cousin's partner has a dental practice.

He schedules a couple of blocks of time each week to do dental work on people who can't afford dental work. Most of those patients are either existing patients who have lost jobs or referrals from other patients.

He does everything from routine work to root canals for these patients. Good on him, I say!

[woodsprite]

2. That's really nice. This doc's office does volunteer work

in the community to provide dental care and hygiene instruction for people in the local housing projects, nursing facilities, prisons, etc., but I've never known them to waive billing in their own office. I've been going to the same place for the past 33 yrs. As long as they're in business, I'll stay with them.

[seabeyond]

3. i have totally been screwed by dentists since i lost my longtime dentist.

it is all about the money and i have serious stuff to do, but i dont trust any. i cannot find a referral. all i want is an honest dentist

good to hear they are out there. my give me the incentive to try and hunt one down.

[david13]

4. I had run into some very bad dentists also. There are some bad

ones out there, all about the money, and with no particular good dental skills.
More recently I got lucky and found some that were better.
dc

[seabeyond]

5. ok. i will bite the bullet. sigh. nt

[leftyladyfrommo]

7. I go to the dental school.

It costs about 1/3 what a regular dentist would. And they do great work. It is slower.

[seabeyond]

8. i think i will give that a try. maybe. lol. i have asked so many people in this area

and no one has a dentist they just LOVE. no one will recommend. which bothers me.

[AnArmyVeteran]

13. Why? I already know how to work with epoxy, yank teeth and give shots.

And I have my accreditation through the same organization Rand Paul uses.

[alfredo]

15. I'll second that. They are cheaper and better. Yes, it

takes longer, but worth the time. Not only do you get good care at a low price, you help the next generation of dentist learn their craft.

I went to the University of Kentucky School of Dentistry. The VA referred me.

[AnArmyVeteran]

9. I went to a dentist for 15 years & when I didn't have insurance he wouldn't see me.

STORY #1:

I made that guy a fortune over 15 years of being a faithful patient. But as soon as I lost my insurance many years ago he refused to lower his bill to help me out.

I know dentists are not reimbursed the entire amount they charge from insurance companies or the government. Some services they only get 50% or less. But when I went into see him after I lost my insurance he refused to offer me the same deal he gets from insurance companies.

If a filling costs $75 and he gets $50 from an insurance company why can't he offer that same discount to cash customers? And when a person pays cash it means he doesn't have to file any paperwork, which saves him time and money. I don't get it. I never went back to that greedy, compassionless dentist.

STORY #2:

Before the previous dentist I regularly saw a dentist next to NASA where I worked. But NASA had a year when they had massive layoffs. This dentist put a sign in front of his office saying he reduced his fees and he would work with people who were affected by the layoffs. This dentist had compassion for those who had lost their jobs and their insurance and gave them reduced fees, and in some cases free services. And if a person couldn't pay the entire balance he would allow them to pay off their debt over time.

[seabeyond]

10. i want number two. but, i have the money and insurance to pay, i just dont like being f*ed

with little regard to the actual need of my teeth.

i had one for decade and half. was friend of parents. i could trust him, lol. even gruff, just loved the man.

[seabeyond]

11. hey... youa re a conservative republican now. whatcha doin talkin on this board. nt

[AnArmyVeteran]

12. Damn! I got caught!

And I didn't say I wasn't going to stop posting on DU :) Of course I'm listening to Rush as I speak. (like hell I am!)

[seabeyond]

14. lol. wink. nt

[mopinko]

6. i used to go to a dentist that had a fitted out van, out of his own

pocket that he took around to the poorer neighborhoods here. he taught at a dental school, so he took students out with him. he was a cool guy.

[Greyhound]

16. Good on him. I wish this profession would clean itself up.

They've been protecting rip-off artists and quacks for decades.

More like him, fewer like the creep that ruined my teeth so my parents would buy him another yacht.

[mdmc]

17. ..