# Does your dental hygienist or dentist or anyone take your blood pressure at routine dental visits? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 29, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870 "2016-12-29T22:49:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/21 "2016-12-30T16:43:38Z")
Never had it done, not even when I got my implant. I did have it done when I had my wisdom teeth removed but that was at an oral surgery center not a regular dentist’s office. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/22 "2016-12-30T17:22:27Z")
My eye doctor took my blood pressure once. I mentioned that I had some dizzy spells, and thought my glasses might need to be updated. He concluded that it wasn’t from my glasses…checked my blood pressure and found nothing unusual. Suggested that I follow up with my general practitioner. > [@Shagnasty](#): > > They can also prescribe drugs at least in the U.S. My dentist has prescribed non-dental related medications for me, as a one-off, when I happen to need something and saw him. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2016, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/23 "2016-12-30T19:34:42Z")
I voted sometimes because. When I was in the National Guard the dentist would do it every yearly exam. It was ridiculous because it was part of a complete physical and the medical station down the hall did a more accurate reading the same day. It’s never happened at a civilian dentist. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2016, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/24 "2016-12-30T19:56:17Z")
Never heard of such a thing; but then here in Tennessee we’re barely removed from the barber being the one who pulls your teeth out. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/25 "2016-12-30T21:38:17Z")
Every time, and I get cleaned twice a year. And it always reads significantly higher there than in the regular doctor’s office. I think their machine isn’t calibrated right. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2016, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/26 "2016-12-30T22:25:51Z")
I voted Never - even when I’ve had procedures with nitrous and oral sedation. Now, when I’ve had work done at the oral surgeon (extractions / implants), IV sedation was involved and they did have a BP cuff on me (I think). ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2016, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/27 "2016-12-30T22:42:01Z")
Never. Never even heard of such a thing. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2016, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/28 "2016-12-30T23:18:21Z")
For a couple years now. Every 6 months when I go in for a cleaning, my white coat syndrome is confirmed. I started taking my own at home before I go, just so I can tell them it really is 115/68 most of the time… ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2016, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/29 "2016-12-31T00:09:00Z")
Nope. Never. Instead, I have to take antibiotics an hour before the procedure, even cleaning. Because of the knee replacement. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2016, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/30 "2016-12-31T00:13:04Z")
Not every time but every so often at the dentist’s or optometrist’s office. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2016, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/31 "2016-12-31T00:43:32Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Never heard of such a thing; but then here in Tennessee we’re barely removed from the barber being the one who pulls your teeth out. Odd. I live in the same general area as you and my last two dentists have done it each visit. Of course, my med list is long enough that they may just want to cover their butts. 😛 The retinopathist and optemetrist that I go to do it as well. Considering the parts of me that they look at that my PCP rarely has occasion to, simple things like that are not a bad idea, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/32 "2016-12-31T00:53:35Z")
No, never. Not by the dentist, ophthalmologist, optometrist, audiologist, chiropracter,…, only by my GP. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2017, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/33 "2017-01-01T13:03:16Z")
[PQRS](https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/PQRS/index.html?redirect=/pqri/) Monitoring BP is needed to satisfy some PQRS metrics (e.g. BMI screening, Controlling HBP, Preventive Care/Screening…). Failure of eligible health professionals to report results in a 2% reduction in Medicare payments 2 years later and it’s about to get more involved with increased penalties. More busy work. ---
**Author:** ![JHBoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/13edae/32.png) [@JHBoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JHBoom)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/34 "2017-01-01T20:09:58Z")
Civilian dentist - no. Civilian oral surgeon, for wisdom teeth extraction (1992) - yes. USAF dental facility - yes, almost every time since 2006. USN dental facility - yes/no (I seem to remember it being taken once or twice in the early-2000s, but not before that). ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2017, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/35 "2017-01-01T21:56:56Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Every time, and I get cleaned twice a year. > > And it always reads significantly higher there than in the regular doctor’s office. I think their machine isn’t calibrated right. During my Army medical checks the dentist always used an electronic wrist cuff that always read high. I knew for a fact because a few minutes later for my medical screening a nurse would take it and it was in the normal range. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2017, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/36 "2017-01-01T22:02:02Z")
My dentist doesn’t, but my optometrist does. Which reminds me - I need to see both of them. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/37 "2017-01-02T00:26:51Z")
Yeah, they just started doing this recently when my dentist took on a new, younger associate prior to retirement. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/38 "2017-01-02T04:31:51Z")
Never - just my GP and my gyno do. And half the time my GP doesn’t bother - my blood pressure tends to be quite to the low side of normal anyway. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/39 "2017-01-02T05:41:03Z")
No. But virtually every time I get a flu shot it’s taken then. ---
**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:** [January 2, 2017, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-dental-hygienist-or-dentist-or-anyone-take-your-blood-pressure-at-routine-dental-visits/775870/40 "2017-01-02T05:48:05Z")
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