My new dentist looks like a gigolo and I don’t trust him.
Due to insurance changes, I lost my regular dentist 2 years ago, and I just hadn’t got around to getting a new one.
This new guy offices in a trendy, upscale part of town. As I walked in, I listened to him telling a well-kept girl who looked to be in her late teens that she needed a root canal. When I finally saw him, I instantly felt some misgivings. This guy has big, steroid-type, muscles, an obviously tanning booth tan, and beautifully swept back silver hair that is rather thin on top and so regularly spaced that it must be implants. He was also wearing big, chunky, gaudy jewelry. He looks like a gigolo.
This gigolo dentist has prescribed a deep cleaning (not covered by insurance) for me. I suspect mercenary motives, because:
He looks like a gigolo.
He didn’t discuss it with me, only told me we would schedule a cleaning. The office person told me about it.
I’ve never needed a deep cleaning before, never even heard of it, and I’ve been a regular twice a year prevental dental patient until 2 years ago.
A google search indicates that deep cleanings are primarily for people with periodontal disease, which I don’t have. No bleeding gums, no pain, no pockets or holes, no exposed roots, no cavities. The only tartar buildup he mentioned was on my front lower teeth, and he didn’t indicate that it was a heavy buildup.
When he finished poking at my teeth (for all of 2 minutes), he only commented that my teeth were in very good shape for someone who hasn’t been to the dentist for 2 years. I thought he sounded disappointed.
He looks like a gigolo.
Should I get a second opinion? Demand a regular cleaning rather than deep cleaning? Get my insurance company to assign me a different dentist and start all over again? Am I just being prejudiced because he looks like a gigolo instead of my nice, Mr. Rogers-style dentist that I lost?
I agree with Manduck. If you don’t like and/or trust him, it doesn’t matter whether he’s a good dentist, a liar, a gigolo, or whatever – find a dentist you’re comfortable with.
“Deep Cleaning” is a fairly radical procedure, only to be used for persistant periodontal problems that doesn’t respond to aggressive brushing/flossing. I’ve been threatened with it in the past (“if your gums don’t look better in 2 months, then we’re going to have to do a deep cleaning”). For him to take one look at your mouth at one moment in time and perscribe one to you should cause a big red light to go off over your head.
Are you sure he didn’t want to schedule you for a normal cleaning?
I’ve had a few friends with no dental problems who have had the deep cleaning pushed on them. It seems like a trendy thing to do for people who are masochistic about their self-improvement.
You have to have trust in your dentist or you will never be satisfied. I have had a deep cleaning done on my teeth but I do have periodonatal problems. My pockets were in the 5-6 range on some of the teeth so that is a good indication. It was performed by the hygenist and she just did local anestetics. I was a bit sore for a day or two because they scrape down under the gum line to get all the buildup removed. Look for another dentist and get a 2nd opinion.
I’m only masochistic in my romantic relationships, not in self-improvement.
I don’t know about the need for anesthetic - he didn’t discuss the deep cleaning with me. He just said, “cleaning.” Then the front office person told me that he had prescribed it, and we proceeded to have this long discussion where I asked what it was, why I needed it, etc., etc. She pointed to the form he’d completed for treatment plan, and had me sign a treatment plan with the deep cleaning on it, saying we’d discussed cost, but not committing to performing it. I suppose it’s possible he checked the wrong item on the form, but she indicated that he orders it pretty frequently on patients, and didn’t seem inclined to question it.
Ya’ll are scaring me with this talk of masochistic dentistry requiring anesthetic.
I appreciate the support on the trust issue. I try not to judge people on appearances, and wasn’t sure if I was assigning evil intent to him just because of his looks.
I appreciate the support on the trust issue. I try not to judge people on appearances, and wasn’t sure if I was assigning evil intent to him just because of his looks.
Did I mention that he shaves his body hair? ewww.
always judge on your dentists appearance. If he gives you a strange vibe…he’s probably strange. point being, always trust your first instinct.
And Never, Ever let a man who shaves all his body hair into your mouth!! Ever.
Well, I can’t speak for anyone else but…I didn’t find it that horrible. And I had no idea it was considered that radical a procedure. No anesthetic… just nitrious oxide. And I didn’t have any major periodontal disease…just bad gums, and I hadn’t been to the dentist in a while.
So I wouldn’t be afraid of it, but…
I’d be worried about an MD who didn’t discuss ANY given medical procedure with the patient before he scheduled it. I would say
Flee!
But if the second opinion says you need it, it’s not that bad :).
They used to have to put me on heavy nitrous just to get a standard cleaning past my gag reflex. The reason I asked about general anesthetic was that I’ve heard stories (though they may be UL) about dentists who would put female patients under, and then… have their way with them. Again, this sort of falls under the “assigning evil intent to him just because of his looks,” but the way you described him, my mind imediately jumped to the stories I’d heard.
I’ve never heard of such a procedure. Now my sister is the dental hygienist student in the family, so I’ll ask her about it, but I suspect you’re being ripped off.
Go find yourself another dentist. (If he had tassels on his shoes, I would have fled screaming myself.)
Just Novacaine. Deep cleanings aren’t that big of a deal. The numb your mouth and scrape your teeth all the way to the roots, to allow your gums to be healthy. I did mine in two separate appointments, one for the upper jaw, one for the lower. Took maybe an hour each time. If you’ve had it done once and maintain a good cleaning schedule after that, there’s no need for another one (barring unusual circumstances).
That said, you should feel comfortable with anyone whose involved in your healthcare. Go see another dentist-- they’re not scarce.
I have to say, I’m amazed, given the title of the thread, how restrained everyone has been about mostly keeping the comments dental.
What sprang to mind for me was that maybe there is a new service industry–men pay beautiful women to watch them dance or touch themselves…maybe now women are paying gorgeous, studly guys to watch them give the house a real deep down thorough cleaning. I think I would be interested in this.
