Here’s what just took place.
- My dentist tells me I need a root canal and sends me to a dentist who does only root canals-- so I guess we can call him a specialist.
- The specialist breaks it down into 3 visits, probably to make it seem like I’m getting more for the price? Three visits were not necessary. Dentists used to do it all in one visit!
- The specialist performs the root canal but doesn’t put a final filing. He puts a temporary filling and tells me I have to go back to the original dentist to get the final filing. He charges me 1400.00 for his work. Makes me sign a form to make sure I pay. Onto the credit card it goes and deeper in debt. He knows that I cannot afford it but gave me no option but to pull the tooth. No payment plans. Nothing. No mercy. It’s a front tooth and can’t pull it.
- I go back to my regular dentist who does the filling for an additional 150.00 and tries to get me to buy a crown for an additional 1000.00.
- The specialist works only two days a week. My regular dentist works only 4 days a week. Doing a little research, most dentists in my area work only 4 days a week. I have yet to find one who works 5 days a week.
My question is this: am I being ripped off? I’ve called the ADA. They won’t comment and sent me to the Massachusetts Dental Society. Mass Dental won’t answer either and sent me to the three top dental schools. They won’t answer either.
What I’d really like to know is this: materials alone, what does it cost the dentist to do a root canal. Keep in mind, if a special machine is needed to do it, break it down on a per-customer or per-session cost. Don’t factor in x-rays cause they were not part of the price. For example, if a special machine cost the dentist 30 grand, obviously you cannot add the 30,000 to the final cost of a root canal. But maybe it’s a buck a patient over so many hundred thousand uses, etc. And I understand this can only be a ball park figure but try to get it accurate within 100.00. If adding education into the final cost, remember, 1400.00 per root canal times how many teeth in a mouth, times how many clients, etc.
It’s my first root canal and I have a feeling I’m being raped! If you can answer this question, you’re good! Hopefully you can do us all a favor and answer this one. Dentists stick together and it’s unlikely you’ll get an active dentist to tell. I’m guessing a retired dentist or someone in academia may oblige.
By the way, the alternative to a root canal or getting it pulled is to put an implant and that’s roughly 5,000 a pop! A crook robs a bank… he’s a crook. But these dentists are worse than crooks because they have you by the throat. You need teeth to maintain health. You need teeth to keep your face right and to keep all your other teeth in line. If one tooth is wrong, it affects every other body function…and it throws the placement of all the other teeth in the mouth. They have you by the throat and there is little mercy for those who cannot afford it except to go to dental schools where it’s cheaper but often far away drives and months of waiting…only to be worked on by a student who may or may not make a mistake along the way.
I have no issue with dentists becoming rich. I do have issue with the speed in which they attain that goal. Raping people to get rich fast is obviously okay with all dentists. From their perspective, it’s a cruel world and they are going to “get theirs.” Problem is, their antics amount to just another evil in our society which is not felt by anyone but the low-income crowd or folks without good insurance. Get rich at a reasonable speed… do the right thing. They never will unless forced.
Thanks.