# Do you trust your dentist? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2019, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695 "2019-04-17T21:47:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/41 "2019-04-18T20:45:34Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > I don’t trust them. > > …he started talking about all the work I was going to need, telling me about the cost, and that insurance wouldn’t cover much of it, but that his office would be happy to work out a payment plan. > > Yeah, right, okay. I left. > > I don’t trust dentists. When a dentist’s office has a financial and credit consultant _right there in the office_, you know you are about to be scammed. This person is not a dentist, not a hygienist, not even the freakin’ file clerk. But a separate person hired for the specific reason to pitch you “easy credit terms” for Invisilign or Implant Plus or whatever. My dentist has all this but I’ve made it clear that he is to NEVER try to upsell me or try to convince me to sign up for braces or “super special teeth cleanse” or whatever. Now that he knows that I know all about his scams, it’s all good. He just does his job. But my wife’s dentist–geeze. Now she’s \*convinced \*she needs braces. I’ve already received the brochure for the $6,000 “easy credit” application. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/42 "2019-04-18T20:57:56Z")
heh one dentist that worked at my dentist office wanted to do about 10-15 k worth of work that would of been a waste of time and money since my teeth are slowly falling apart apparently, he ran a"soft" credit check on me for the “carecredit” card (its a health credit card for humans and pets through synchrony bank ) and said id be oked for 20 k I passed although if they go with the implant idea I might go with it after I see what my plan is willing to pay for… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/43 "2019-04-18T21:29:14Z")
Years ago, at work, I had a tooth break in half on Christmas Eve. I found a dentist nearby who could see me that day and patch the tooth up until after the holidays. When I went back to get the tooth permanently repaired he checked the rest of my teeth. He found that I required two small fillings. When he identified them he let go of the pick and left it stuck in the cavity. I asked him after why he did this and he replied, “So that you know there is really a cavity there. Plenty of dentists will find cavities that don’t exist. They are easy to fix.” ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/44 "2019-04-18T22:40:42Z")
My inlaws used to travel from Ocala to Jacksonville to their old dentist. They tried one guy in Ocala, and he immediately started listing a bunch of very expensive things they supposedly needed done, so they headed back to Jacksonville where they were told it was pretty much BS. They’re too old now to keep making that trip (88 and 89) so they’re trying to find an honest dentist near them. At least they’re smart enough to be suspicious. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/45 "2019-04-19T02:22:15Z")
I have been fortunate to have ethical and scrupulous dentists. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/46 "2019-04-19T04:36:58Z")
Yes, that’s why he’s my dentist! The previous one was from a chain, or I should say “were”. My diagnostic was handled by one person, the actual dental work was done by different ones; I was required to go on Thursday mornings because that’s when “my” work-dentist worked, but if she was on leave I got someone else. They did unauthorized work while ignoring the one piece I’d gone there for. They kept trying to sell me whitening (it wouldn’t work unless I get sleeves, my teeth are actually darker in the center since the damage is from tetracyclines and not smoking or caffeine), they kept trying to sell me braces “these are invisible!” “I don’t care, I’ve told you already I don’t want braces!” My current dentist took a look at that piece and said “without even doing X-rays, that one piece there looks like the reason I’ve got actual hardware-store tools along with all these fancy ones. Do I have your permission to pull it out?” “Yes please!” Best dental work ever. Both him and his team are great. The receptionist is his mother; she keeps the schedule on an old-fashioned logbook but schedules and reschedules via SMS, WhatsApp, email… no problem. I’ve occasionally had to go to other independent dentists for emergency work, no problem. I’m never going to a chain again. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/47 "2019-04-19T08:08:16Z")
My dentist and I have an intense soul bond which means that we are ready at any minute of any day to lie under oath for the other, take the electric chair, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/48 "2019-04-19T11:10:32Z")
I do, except for one instance when he told me an old filling was cracked, and needed to be replaced. I didn’t do anything about it, and at my exam six months later, he told me all my teeth looked great. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/49 "2019-04-19T12:30:42Z")
I trust my current dentist, although I have sometimes sought a second opinion. I’ve left two dentists because I didn’t trust them, however. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/50 "2019-04-19T13:26:38Z")
I trust my current dentist. Very old school family practice, clean cut Mormons. However, I did have a dentist in the past that I did not trust. My spouse and I had moved to a new area and found a new dentist. The first time we went to them they claimed to find numerous cavities that needed attention. Now, we were people who had visited dentists regularly in the past, and knew our dental health histories. So, we decided he was full of shit and just trying to bill insurance for procedures we didn’t need. Bye bye. It seems to me that there are 2 basic types of dental practices. Traditional “family” type practices (which is what my dentist is) and dental “corporations” that advertise on billboards and such. With them it’s all about selling selling selling. I would steer clear of the corporations myself. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/51 "2019-04-19T14:42:47Z")
Reading about all these shady dentists makes me a tiny bit more sympathetic to anti-vaxxers. It shows that there’s often good reason to be suspicious when medical professionals/authorities tell you you need to have something done to you. Does the dental profession need more self-policing , or external regulation? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/52 "2019-04-19T15:31:16Z")
The thing I like most about our dentist is his name: Goode Shockley Wier. 🙂 He’s been our family’s dentist for over 20 years, and I think he’s very honest. He never tries to sell us stuff, and most of the time we get a clean bill of health (“Teeth look fine, no issues”). ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/53 "2019-04-19T17:05:24Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Reading about all these shady dentists makes me a tiny bit more sympathetic to anti-vaxxers. It shows that there’s often good reason to be suspicious when medical professionals/authorities tell you you need to have something done to you. > > Does the dental profession need more self-policing , or external regulation? Dentists have cosmetic part of their job. I don’t think many of these dentists are necessarily scammers they just err on the cosmetic side vs the health side. I think it’s on the patients to find a dentist who has the balance they’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2019, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/54 "2019-04-20T09:59:04Z")
Does anyone know why my current dentist is constantly trying to get me to see specialists for all sorts of new procedues when my dentist before him (who I literally saw the same year as the current one) never mentioned anything about seeing specialists? According to Google the dentists aren’t reimbursed for referrals which makes it very odd. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2019, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/55 "2019-04-20T13:31:09Z")
I totally trust my dentist. I’ve been going to her for over 15 years. She never suggests unneeded work, and what she has done (mainly crowns without root canals) has been perfect. I get check ups twice a year which include cleaning, and a yearly fluoride treatment. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2019, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/56 "2019-04-20T13:41:13Z")
I totally trust my dentist. I’ve been going to her for over 15 years. She never suggests unneeded work, and what she has done (mainly crowns without root canals) has been perfect. I get check ups twice a year which include cleaning, and a yearly fluoride treatment. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/57 "2019-04-20T14:59:00Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > I trust my current dentist. Very old school family practice, clean cut Mormons. > > However, I did have a dentist in the past that I did not trust. My spouse and I had moved to a new area and found a new dentist. The first time we went to them they claimed to find numerous cavities that needed attention. Now, we were people who had visited dentists regularly in the past, and knew our dental health histories. So, we decided he was full of shit and just trying to bill insurance for procedures we didn’t need. Bye bye. > > It seems to me that there are 2 basic types of dental practices. Traditional “family” type practices (which is what my dentist is) and dental “corporations” that advertise on billboards and such. With them it’s all about selling selling selling. I would steer clear of the corporations myself. We moved to a new town and went to a new dentist. My husband went first, and they found all sorts of things, and I wondered if they were scamming him. But he hadn’t seen a dentist for a few years, so I went to my first appointment. “Everything looks good, that old filling may need to be replaced in a few years, but if it’s not bothering you, it’s okay for now. See you in 6 months.” I liked that dentist, and went until he retired. > [@Asuka](#): > > Does anyone know why my current dentist is constantly trying to get me to see specialists for all sorts of new procedues when my dentist before him (who I literally saw the same year as the current one) never mentioned anything about seeing specialists? According to Google the dentists aren’t reimbursed for referrals which makes it very odd. Different professionals have different styles. I’d guess you have some borderline issues, and this dentist thinks they are worth checking out, and your past dentist was less aggressive in his treatment style. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/58 "2019-04-20T17:27:05Z")
I trust my dentist more than I trust any other medical practitioner I work with. He’s good. And he’s saved me a ton of money of the years. When I lost a tooth due to an infection, he took the extracted tooth, cut the root, shaped it and bonded it to the teeth on either side, making a bridge. For $250. Any other dentist would have pushed me for the $5000 implant. And he’s made elaborate fillings for me that saved me the cost of a crown a few times. He makes little partials in-house and bonds them into place. I’ve come to understand that he truly loves this part of the job, coming up with “creative engineering” solutions. I once heard him describe it as mini-construction projects inside your mouth. And he ( and all staff that work directly on patients ) wear these weird bug-eye magnifying glasses so they can really see what they are doing. I don’t know why this isn’t an industry standard - well, if been with Dr M for a while so maybe it is now. And when I do need major work, his prices are significantly lower than the national average, even though his offices are in Manhattan. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2019, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/59 "2019-04-20T17:37:47Z")
> [@glee](#): > > I live in the UK. > My dentist is covered by our Universal Health Care system - the wonderful NHS. > > I wish the USA would get a decent health system! Ok, I have to ask about this. As I understand it a UHC system works like a giant insurance agency where you as a patient, go see a dentist and then that dentist gets paid thru the UHC and ultimately thru your taxes. What keeps a dentist from performing unnecessary procedures or overbilling the UHC? Doesnt the dentist and their practice’s income depend on that billing? Are all the dentists in your country good or does having a UHC ensure good dentitry practices? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2019, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695/60 "2019-04-20T17:48:26Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Ok, I have to ask about this. > > As I understand it a UHC system works like a giant insurance agency where you as a patient, go see a dentist and then that dentist gets paid thru the UHC and ultimately thru your taxes. > > What keeps a dentist from performing unnecessary procedures or overbilling the UHC? Doesnt the dentist and their practice’s income depend on that billing? > > Are all the dentists in your country good or does having a UHC ensure good dentitry practices? I, too, was wondering about the relevance of **glee** ’s comment. How does universal health care relate to the trustworthiness of dentists? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-trust-your-dentist/832695.md?page=4)