I’ve never gotten a 2nd opinion before deciding on dental procedures; might need to do so in coming weeks.
If you’ve done this, or if you’re in the dental profession:
How does it work? Does patient pay full price for another complete dental exam? I’d assume so; maybe 2nd dentist can use x-rays from 1st exam, eliminating that cost? Is it standard professional protocol among dentists to share x-rays if requested?
Or can 2nd dentist skip full exam and focus only on the specific problem?–for example, one tooth for which 1st dentist recommends extraction+implant, and you wonder whether it could be crowned.
I’ve seen a number of dentist-related sites that discuss, and recommend, getting 2nd opinion, but the fee/cost isn’t addressed–
–Except this from Angie’s List:
“Dr. Mark Levy, a dentist with highly rated StoneRidge Dental Care in Gahanna, Ohio, offers second opinions and believes patients are just starting to increase their dental IQ and becoming less afraid to question the treatment their dentist proposes.”
[…]
“Levy also offers second opinions free of charge. “I feel it’s somewhat a duty of my profession,” he says.”
The one time I looked for a second opinion in dental treatment I paid for it out of my own pocket. But it was worth it. The first guy claimed my teeth were loose (really? They seemed very fixed in place to me) and was mandating all sorts of expensive treatment. He also wanted me to sign a contract that I’d agree in advance to do whatever he recommended.
I got a second opinion. My teeth were fine and did not need extensive/expensive treatment. And no signing of a contract required.
As I said, I paid out of pocket for the second opinion, but the dentist doing it did knock some off his usual fee as I was there for him to evaluate something very specific, not do a cleaning or treatment himself at that point. If I had to do it again I’d be very specific about what I needed the second opinion for and probably do a little negotiating as to cost.
Great info, thanks–your 1st-opinion experience is what I’m concerned about and want to avoid–since I’ll be paying out of pocket too, will be sure to discuss with 2nd-opinion dentist–
Dentist here. Can’t speak for your state but in TX you are entitled to records including x-rays(usually for a slight charge since the state board limits what can be charged for records). All most all dentist will send them to another dentist for you, even for a second opinion. You will be paying out of pocket for the second opinion so you would only be saving the x-ray cost at the second office.
Dentists can do a limited exam for a one time problem instead of a full exam on the first visit. So will some won’t just depends. I’d always rather do a full exam and then address your chief complaint verses doing a limited exam because of the potential to miss things. It varies in every situation however.
My personal feeling is that many dentists(but not all of course) that aggressively promote free second opinions usually aggressively diagnose problems that I don’t always agree with. Sometimes paying for the second opinion from a trusted and reputable dentist is money well spent.
I had one that was trying, somewhat successfully at the time, that I had a infection and having bone loss, and I needed a bone graft which she would do and an implant that she knew a great implant dentist for. Got a second opinion for free w/ my insurance and everything is fine. Further I found out that never let one doctor do a bone graft to prep the site for another doctor to do a implant. They should be done by the same dentist, or at least under the direct guidance of the implant dentist.
If Dentist #1 had any objection to fully cooperating with a second opinion, including sharing medical rrecords,I would never go back to #1. I believe that would be considered non-professional.
This is just my opinion as a patient who’s had extensive dental reconstruction:
If you have to ask and wonder whether you need a 2nd opinion you obviously do not trust Dentist #1. Leave there.
My dental insurance paid for a second opinion about implants. I had my X-rays and records sent to the new office. No problem.
Check with your insurance company about how they handle second opinion payments.