Sunday Dental Thread: No teeth today...

[PCIntern]

So I'm moving my office...just a few floors here in downtown Philly, and although many might think that moving dental chairs, x-ray units, and the like are difficult, they're easy compared with moving the phones. See I have this phone:




Actually, I have 6 of them, a fax, DSL, and a private line off the system, and in 1980, when I subscribed to this setup, the salesman from Bell Telephone (Remember them?) said, "Technological advances will occur, but this is all the phone you will ever need." And he was absolutely correct. I had to buy the system from Lucent after the spin-offs occurred, but I have only had to replace one unit in all these years. I can buy them on e-bay for a few bucks new or almost new, and they last forever. I have 3 spares in my closet including a spare master which I paid a whole 16.00 for, plus shipping.

So when it was time to get ready to plan to move, I called a guy I knew who had retired from Verizon, and he nodded all the way through my pitch, that I was moving to save money, that this system was perfect for me, etc. So of course, he sends me, and I'm not kidding, a proposal for nearly $7000.00 for wiring and new phones.

I called him and he sort-of-apologized. I came to terms for, get this:

600.00 his fee
1100.00 new office wiring
550.00 Verizon wiring charges

For a grand total of 2250.00.

when I moved to the space 25 years ago, I made one phone call to Bell/Verizon -whatever the heck they were called in those days - and two guys showed up, spent the whole day, and I think I paid $250.00 for the installation.

The phone company used to actually function. You called, they came, anytime day or night. They worked continuously until the problem was resolved and if it got hairy, they called more people until they got it resolved. It was reliable and nearly-perfect.

Just noting and reminiscing a bit, before the nightmare begins this week.

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Regulated monopolies did work (do work?)

What's weird is that AT&T has gobbled up all the baby bells. Will it be broken up again by the courts like in 1984??

[Sal Minella]

8. Maybe, if we can get some impeachment hearings rolling soon.

[DemReadingDU]

2. I remember that kind of phone

Whatever happened to Ma Bell, and baby Bells? Those were the days!

I suppose after 25 years, one could expect to pay a bit more, but $2250. wow.

Should be an interesting week, let us know the progress.

[Occulus]

3. How many people total are in the office that use the system? n/t

[PCIntern]

4. Nine total...

2 receptionists 6 different lines for different purposes...also, everyone uses their cell phone for personal.

[Dappleganger]

5. My father retired from Bell Atlantic (now Verizon)

and afterwards did part-time office installations for extra money. Remember they are getting no subsidies and of course my father always belonged to the union and was considered an expert in his field. Phone companies are nowhere near what they used to be wrt skill, unfortunately--it's all about saving every penny they can and if it takes sending out multiple people out to do a job and taking longer, just to undercut the more experienced workers, that is what they do.

BTW, why did you think the installation would cost the same as 25 years ago? You know the original installation was heavily subsidized, don't you?

[PCIntern]

13. Of course I knew that...

"heavily" isn't the word...

I was ruminating that all I had to do in those days was to make one phone call...and that was that.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. My dentist charges a hell of a lot more than 25 years ago too.

If your rates are the same as they were back then, I'll come to Philly to see you instead of going to Costa Rica. I'm sorry, but hearing a dentist complain about the high rates of other professions, including those that are necessary to their own business, is just a bit ironic to me.
Are your rates the same as when you last bought your heavily subsidized phones? I doubt it so much. It is one thing to price gouge, another to whine about others making a fair buck as well.
The very image of the modern dentist, hand out, wallet glued shut.

[seabeyond]

7. ya know.... word. i was thinkin the same. nt

[Sal Minella]

9. If you make a practice of reading PC's posts, you'll find interesting

tales of seeing emergency patients at odd hours on Sunday and other stories that Hippocrates would approve of wholeheartedly.

In other words, I've been reading PC long enough now so if somebody tried to tell me "He's in it for the money," I would laugh in the speaker's face before I had time to think, "No no, rude."

[PCIntern]

14. Thank you...

I'm truly appreciative of your post.

I don't post 5% of what I do for folks...I'm at the office and have fielded no fewer than 4 problems, and I'm here to pack up...not necessarily to work. when I leave here, I'm gonig to the home of a patient literally on her deathbed from lung CA to recement a fixed bridge. I've done this a few times, and let me tell you, you never forget the images.

[Leftist Agitator]

10. +1000

[Dappleganger]

12. Well said.

Our family has had a shit-ton of dental work done in the past few months, and that is the truth!

[PCIntern]

15. Not whining...

stating a fact.

the fact that dentistry is frighteningly more expensive than years ago doesn't seem to stop YOU from whining. I tell all my patients who complain about root canal fees (no, I don't do endodontics) that I myself can't believe what it consts. And I can't really justify them. Sorry to disappoint you...I receive about 52 dollars for many cleanings and exams which we perform here, and my hygienist makes 36 an hour. Do the math.

[Control-Z]

25. I feel the same.

Dentists and Veterinarians. They know you have no recourse when they lie, do substandard and/or unnecessary work, and then overcharge you for it.

[PCIntern]

26. all of us do that every day...

yes...that's why I'm up at 3 AM, getting ready for a particularly challenging case today, whereing the gentleman has had a maxillofacial anomaly since birth which has only increased in severity with age. this is a very tricky case and requires great thought and consideration, in order that he not be reconstructed inappropriately, so I'm doing a prvisional wax-up myself, at home, with bunsen burner and stinking pink wax.

Yes, we do this because we're just in it for the buck and want to screw up everyone's mouths. tell you what...you don't like dentists, fix your family's teeth yourself.

[Control-Z]

27. My, my.

Did I strike a nerve? Sounds like you know exactly the kind of dentist I'm talking about. You may not be one. I don't know you. But you certainly know about the ones I speak of.

And there is no recourse. You know that too. Dentists protect each other.

Edit: to remove any assumptions about your ethics.

[PCIntern]

30. ...yes I do...

and so what? I know a a lot of all kinds of people in any business, profession, why I even know some odd posters, but I am appreciative of your asssumptioon that I may not be a creep. I shall enjoy reading your future posts in this and other matters.

[ensho]

11. an aside: why doesn't medicare cover dental

is because you dentists are so powerful and wealthy you can keep medicare out?

or what?

[PCIntern]

16. Yes, in fact...

I get this check every month from my organization which pays me 175K per week not to allow Medicare to pay for dental. I also get a 60000 dollar a month check from the folks who have the secret tax on food...

:sarcasm: just in case...

[ensho]

31. why do you think dental is not part of Metacare?

everyone knows that bad teeth can lead to bad health and that pregnant women with bad teeth can have health issues.

[mistertrickster]

17. Interesting report. There's one thing I never wanted: a cheap dentist.

A premimum price for a premimum service suits me just fine when it comes to my teeth.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. I spent $100 on a toothbrush

and my toothpaste is $15 a tube.

Taking care of your teeth is nothing you should do on the cheap.

[Skittles]

19. Prevident?

I get my toothpaste from my dentist :D

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. Yep

Bought my toothbrush from my dentist too.

[Skittles]

22. I love that stuff

I get the one for sensitive teeth :D

[Jamastiene]

28. Prevident, I hear ya.

Now, on to the toothbrush. Mind sharing what kind it is? I finally found decent floss that doesn't tear my gums up and I'm good there. Actually, I wish I had discovered this floss ages ago. OMG, it's great.

[Contrary1]

21. A bit off topic, but I love my dentist...

I carry on about his prices, and he carries on right back with me. He has one more to put through college, and is depending on me. ;)

Truth is, I woke up with a horrible toothache about 30 years ago, opened the phone book to Dentists, closed my eyes, and pointed. He was the lucky winner. Actually, I was the lucky one.

On my initial visit, I had requested that he pull all of my teeth. I had suffered with different dental problems for many years. He talked me into saving them.

He jokes that I have the thickest patient records he has ever seen, and I believe him. We have been through multiple root canals, crowns, caps, pin buildups, you name it. He once fashioned a mouthpiece at no charge to prevent damage from grinding my teeth, while asleep. Now, he is going to work on a partial plate that I haven't worn in years to save me the cost of buying a new one.

Dentists often don't get enough credit. So; PCIntern, while your nightmare begins...please know that many of us out here are grateful for your dedication and hard work.

[Jamastiene]

29. I love my dentist too.

I can honestly say with 100% certainty that he never hurts me. He is truly one of those "painless" dentists. He has mastered the "painless dentist" thing. I love it when he cleans my teeth too.

Hyperbole, but close to the truth----> I almost wish he would put some Luther Vandross on the speakers and burn some incense when he ends up cleaning my teeth instead of the hygienist. j/k

Sometimes he cleans them for me, if my TMJ is acting up. He knows how to work my mouth so it doesn't hurt as bad and he knows my dental history (long story, not his fault). So, that works great for me.

[joshcryer]

23. Do it yourself for a fraction of the cost.

If I was on the east cost I'd do it for you for a quarter of it (and I'd walk away feeling guilty for taking your money for an hours work).

[PCIntern]

24. Took the whole day to wire 25 pair cables, fish thru

old walls, place jacks, set up board with connectors, etc. Not for amateurs...this is old-fashioned stuff, not plug and play.