Hi Guys!
So in my quest to cut back on spending I found a local dentist office that was running a $39 new patient cleaning, exam and x-rays. Being the dental wimp that I am I made my sweet husband go first. He came out alive with a clean bill of dental health.
Next up where girls, minus the baby {she’s 18 months… can I still call her that?}. Anyways the girls too had no major issues but they recommended a few things to the tune of $500… sealing teeth, filling a little chip on one tooth and then a consult for braces.
I wasn’t thrilled with their cleanings. They were really quick and their teeth didn’t have that super, just dentist clean gleam… but I kept going and we went to the consult for braces.
They quoted $3500 for each… but by the end of the appointment. we were at $7000 for each due to random things they needed that made no sense. They couldn’t give me a breakdown because it was a package price… yeah, you know where I’m going with this…
So I decided to hold off on the braces and think it over.
Next up was me. Truth be told I hadn’t been to the Dentist in a few years. When we were doing IVF my DR. told me to avoid any xrays so I had my teeth cleaned but no xrays. When I would get pregnant I would brush really quick because I was so nauseous. Then I would miscarry and be so depressed that again I was just going through the motions when brushing my teeth.
So last week I expected a cavity. My teeth were still pretty clean but I had a bit of swelling in one spot. What I was told was c-r-a-z-y!
The dentist sits down {he looked like a used car dealer} and told me to brace myself. I almost puked.
He goes on to tell me that I need 2 crowns {one a replacement for a cracked one} and that I need to see his in house periodontist for a surgery along with replacing all of my silver fillings.
Best part… it needs to be done asap or I will be having teeth fall out… FALL OUT!
I agree to the $300 super cleaning that is only needed by the swollen part but that they charge for the whole mouth and $200 for a laser treatment to kill any bacteria in the area. I’m freaked out and desperate.
I get home and my husband laughs and says I need to go to a “real” dentist. Yesterday I drove an hour and a half to a dentist that my sister saw in a very large city.
It was a miracle {not}. I need no work. The cracked crown is one that I’ve had for 18 years and was installed with a lip if you will. She said it’s been good for years this way, there is no reason to get a new one. I do need to watch the swollen area and she gave me some advise on what to do. It might need some work if it doesn’t get better… but not anywhere close to what this guy wants to do.
So instead of $39 I paid a total of $627. And all I got was a cleaning.
A cheap lesson to learn. Always get a second opinion.
Any one have any crazy money stories to tell?
About Heather
I would have commented, but it wouldn't do me any good. I've never heard of the place!! Glad to see you now have a couple entries.
I've practically lived at the dentist for the past 10 years. Had a TON of work done. I trek into Boston and go to Tufts dental school though. WELL worth it. I was just there last week for a cleaning and they told me everything looked fine and they'd see me in 6 months. WHAT? I nearly fell out of my chair. They didn't even harp on me for not flossing enough. Wow, that was a first.
Fun fact: I have gold crowns on all four rear molars. I call them my "symmetrical bling"!
I had a terrible experience too with a dentist fleecing me. I just needed a cleaning and x-rays but they asked me if I wanted a deep cleaning, I said yes thinking it was inluded so they did it, then showed me the bill. My insurance pays for cleanings but because it was a 'deep' cleaning I had to pay $200 for a cleaning that was no deeper than any other I've had done. Lesson learned, always ask how much things cost before getting any extras, no matter where you are.
I absolutely hate posting as anonymous but in this case it is necessary ~ I was fleeced by a person I thought was a very good friend. I wanted to meet her and have her take my family pictures, so in exchange I offered to fly her to where I was. Between the offer and the time she came she actually started charging a sitting fee and for her photos, what when we started was going to cost me $300 to $400 and get to spend a weekend with a friend became almost $1500 and then some and the whole time she was here she only wanted to edit photos…in the end I lost a friend and A LOT of money…I hate learning lessons this way
Sorry about your dentist experience….
Ooh… want a crazy DENTIST story? A former dentist of mine is now in federal prison for tax evasion and other charges. She and her husband made national news when they barricaded themselves in their home during a several month standoff with police. Just a funny story, that's all…
Oh my gosh you guys! What is up with all of the crazy Dentists?
I think I've discovered something…"deep cleaning" seems to be code word for "wasted money"! And what is up with your old Dentist, Lianne? several month standoff? OMG!!!
Anon, I totally get the need for no name… I can't believe she did that to you. Sucks big time. Guess she wasn't really a friend after all… just wish you could have paid less to find out, lol!
While I was at the bad office I heard them telling people they would work it to make the insurance pay for extras, not in a good way. They seem to work the insurance and the patients.
You all will be glad to know that I am obsessively taking care of my teeth now, like really!
Deep cleanings really are necessary for some folks, but a lot of dentists like to sell them to get get more money out of patients/insurance. They aren't even good for you to have if you don't NEED it done. Yet another reason why I get all my work done at a dental school and not a "regular" dentist. You don't get any of that BS at the school.
I had a friend in college whose father was a dentist. To go to dental school, you can get in with any Bachelor’s degree. So you don’t need a science background etc. His dad had a Business degree, of course. We go to a D.M.D. I believe she has more medical training. Still charges an arm and a leg. My husband has been having most of his fillings replaced (silver for white) with her. I think it’s just because she is VERY pretty! My dad used to go to a dentist that was a bra and panty model for the JcPenney catalog on the side. My mom’s best friend growing up is also a dentist. He once traveled Antarctica to check the teeth of the people stationed there. Dentists are VERY weird people. lol
My story begins by my tough time with a local dentist. His patient rooms have one 16 inch flat screen television that plays spa music or sea waves while you wait for the dentist to come it. His chairs are placed to where they are facing the back of the room. If someone like me that is claustrophobic and scared to death of the dentist. A little background(I’ve had 22 years of work on my teeth… extensive work and I’m only 28… must be questionable teeth genes). Anywho, this dentist, “con artist”, swears that I have to have 2 crowns replaced, 3 teeth filled in and that one tooth is on the edge of falling out. I asked what the cost was going to be since I was uninsured. $950 per crown, $500 per tooth to be filled. I was flabbergasted, not to mention he needed me to pay a deposit of half the total price to book my next appointment!!
Mom suggested I go see a dentist in the town over and said he’s a good guy. He is incredible. I asked what he thought about the situation in my mouth and he said I was fine, I just need to floss a little more. I asked about the crowns, he said I was good for another 10 years or more. I didn’t need ANY fillings, he said those teeth were fine. Since I’ve been going to this guy, I got my first good teeth report… in 22 years!
wow – i’m so glad you went to another dentist – I hope you get the word out there locally about this shyster
I actually worked for a dentist for several years and learned a lot. Did you know that when you have a gold grown it’s really yours? I found out that dentists will like to replace them because they get to keep the gold and cash it in. I had several dentists who wanted to replace mine. So I let one replace an enlay which he wanted to keep and the other dentist replaced a gold crown. They were furious when I said I was going to keep them. The last one who wanted to replace my crowns but did fix a bad one that was put in horribly, I kept the gold crown he replaced, guess what? He didn’t need to replace the others. A miracle occurred. My mouth was in great shape. He said I was smart because the cost of gold had gone up a lot. What is now? 1,555.00 an ounce. No wonder like like to keep all the gold from the mouths they can. It really adds up. Next time tell them you are keeping your gold.
Sounds like you went to a Holistic dentist. They aren’t all bad. But the ones that insist on doing more invasive replacement work are just like chiropractors that require 3 visits just to get to actually treating you & then tell you that you need to come back every 2 wks. He did sound like he was drastically over charging. I despise those “doomsday” doctors. Was this guy young or recently out of school? Younger, or more recent high-tech doctors tend to be very clinical & invasive.
I go to a great Holistic dentist; In fact, I go out of my way to go to him. My cleanings are the periodontal deep cleans and insurance covers all but $60. (I had pregnancy issues too…so I understand you on that one!) The laser treatment is really cool & crazy good, I’ve had it done w/o even being charged prior to any invasive therapy ie fillings, pulled wisdom teeth etc. And I do agree that silver fillings should be replaced. But for some people the mercury fillings don’t have any affect…for me, it made a big difference. Not to mention it looks soooo much better then having a mouth full of metal. But the better way to introduce someone to it is to have them replaced as they can. Thats how I did it. In fact, I replaced some old ones w/inlays & composites to actually improve the dental work done when it was originally placed 15+ years past.
I say, to each their own. Good job on getting the consult!