"It's poor people like you that..."

[Mrs_Beastman]

The continuing saga of the shady dentist. Got a bill from the dentist who told me I had four cavities and told Mr B he needed $5000 worth of work done. Went and got a second opinion (since I haven't had a cavity since I was 14 and Mr.B is not toothless)and, alas, no cavities and Mr B needs $1000 of work done.

So, called the dentist, told him my cavities healed and would like to negotiate the bill or I could go to the dental board. In his words, it's poor people like me that are his problem. He told me I'm one of those people who go to lawyers and raise his insurance. I told him he was scamming us for a boat payment and I've never consulted a lawyer in my life, never had a reason.

Basically, the man is a scamming a-hole and my personal mission in life is to see that this never happens to another of his patients.

[radwriter0555]

1. I went to 4 different dentists before I found one that didn't make up crap

I didn't need to finance at his 23% rates.

The last dentist is now my dentist, and they've been GREAT. No trying to sell me GUM scraping or braces....

[Mrs_Beastman]

5. did some reading this evening

(after I cried and vowed justice)that there have been several undercover stories about dentists just making diagnoses up

[Mrs_Beastman]

13. The dentist suggested dentures to my 30 year old husband

honestly. All he needed was a root canal and two fillings.

[democracyindanger]

2. It's greedy bloodsuckers like him

that create poor people.

[Mrs_Beastman]

7. Exactly, my point exactly

I'm angry and usually I just pay the bill and complain under my breath. But, I'm angry and I'm determined that this weasel will not do any more scamming.

[democracyindanger]

8. Definitely report him to the Dental Board and the BBB

[Eloriel]

22. Got any consumer alert type of reporters on local TV stations?

I might go there instead. Dental board won't do much, in all probability, tho I would NOT discourage you from doing that also.

[sasquatch]

3. Punch out his fucking teeth, gawd damned Republican assholes

Make him into one of the hair club presidents; you know "Not only am I president(Shows before and after pic) I'm also a client".

[lonestarnot]

4. I like this one... LOL

[Maat]

6. I had a similar experience with an ob-gyn.

He told me that there was a significant chance I had cancer (ovarian). My brother-in-law in OK (also an ob-gyn) told me, 'Bullcrap. Go get on hormones!" I did. I completely healed. I went to New Ob-gyn; he told me my cyst was harmless and shrinking, and kept me on meds.


He refused to bill my insurance company for over 10 months; sued me and dropped it. Then he sued again. Twice the Court ordered him to bill my insurance company, because he was screwing up payment to the hospital and the imaging place. He kept telling us to just give him $5,000, or we'd be in court. Small claims court. Funny thing he didn't seem to be aware of - I had a Juris Doctor, and so did my husband (law degrees). We weren't exactly scared of court.

Bottom line: he got less than $1,000 after he was compelled to code the procedures, of which we only had to pay a few hundred.

It was quite a shock to me that a professional would act that way.

Guess I'm going to have to get real.

[Mrs_Beastman]

11. I was shocked, too

how he assumed I'm some poor person who runs to a lawyer...Ugh! That made me the most upset. Like I said before, after I got done crying I vowed justice. Never been to a lawyer in my life. I don't care how much it costs, I have my list of people to call and write to starting at 8am.

[Maat]

27. Go. Believe or not, I won my battle.

You'll be in my prayers. Now, go win yours!

[Maat]

30. Also, I tried to report to the Medical Board.

They viewed it as a billing problem, and said that it wasn't their area.

Oh, well. Karma will take care of it.

[mcar]

36. Wow!

I've had some experiences with doctors, but to tell you you had ovarian cancer is just unbelievable.

My ob/gyn wanted me to have a hysterectomy for a uterine fibroid, because "you don't need your uterus anymore, you said you're done having kids." I said, no thanks, and got on the internet. Found out about a non-invasive procedure and then found out about natural progesterone cream.

Six months after the procedure, no fibroids. Now the Nurse practitioner in that ob/gyn's office is recommending the procedure to her other fibroid patients.

[Coyote_Bandit]

9. Complain to the Dental Board

You are likely not the only patient he has tried to take advantage of. Your complaint as an uninjured person who did not sucumb to his devices may serve to confirm allegations made by someone less fortunate who did become his victim. He has all but confirmed that other cases exist in his response to you.

[Lindacooks]

10. Absolutely!!

These pigs need to be exposed for the cheating crooks they are. Also mention that he insulted you as well as cheated you.

[Mrs_Beastman]

12. Exactly what I told my husband

What would happen if we hadn't gotten a second opinion? We would have to put off having kids until we are in our 40s and have the fillings to prove it!

[NinetySix]

14. Aren't dentists subject to the Hippocratic Oath?

"Above all else, do no harm." Removing your husband's otherwise healthy teeth and replacing them with dentures seems to me a contravention of this principle. I guess the love of money really is the root of all evil.

[Mrs_Beastman]

15. good point

Did't find any info about that on the Dental Board website.

[Cleita]

21. The Hippocratic Oath isn't binding according to a doctor I know.

Many doctors don't even take it anymore. Also, dentists are a different kind of "doctor".

[Cobalt Violet]

16. I got done by a dentist like this as a kid.

He made a mint off my parent insurance and left me with fillings in every tooth. Fillings don't last forever and I can't afford the maintenance on them.

[Mrs_Beastman]

17. I'm so sorry

Where are the people that are regulating? I think I have found my new crusade

[BiggJawn]

18. About like my old dentist...

Guy has EIGHT chairs going at once!
He comes in, puts on gloves, pokes around, makes a cut or two with the drill, tells his ASSISTANT to finish up, and snap! Off go the gloves and on to the next room.

2 fillings he put in lasted less than a year. A $600 partial fits like a cheap pair of shoes and he wouldn't do anything about it.
I always paid full price, since i don't have insurance, either. and for that, I get HMO-quality work.

I went to the Dental School this week. One Implant, a cemented-in triple crown bridge, an endo, post, core and crown on another tooth, Replace 2 fillings that Dr. Assembly-line did that are "kinda sloppy", and about 15 fillings on new caries that evidently weren't there 2 years ago..."Your dentist didn't say anything about these when you were last in? some of them have been there a while..."

Oh, I forgot...After all THAT, then we take a trip to Prosthetics and see what we can do about that damn partial I can't wear...

They offer a zero-interest "contract" plan...

[Mrs_Beastman]

19. Again, who is regulating them?

I can't even remember what my dentist looked like he was in and out so fast.

[BiggJawn]

23. They regulate THEMSELVES.

State Medical board. Populated by DOCTORS.

And if you think the Cop's "Code of Silence" was something....

[PaulaFarrell]

37. be careful about what the dental school tells you

I went to one when I was 18, had never been to a dentist in my life, and the guy wanted to give me a dozen fillings. Luckily I never did the treatment, and when I went to a different dentist he only filled 4 teeth. I think some of the young ones are a little over-enthusiastic/.

[BiggJawn]

40. They do good pretty good work there.

I don't think they teach them how to cut corners until the 4th year. I've had work done there before. Fillings put in 15 years ago are still tight.

Honestly, I look like somebody hit me in the mouth with a pipe. Chipped teeth, broken teeth, missing teeth. I have weak teeth. If I don't get them drilled and filled soon, they'll be crumbling in another year or 2.

[ultraist]

39. "Dr. Assembly Line" LMAO!!!

:rofl:

[Cleita]

20. What a thief. Don't pay the bill. Go to the Dental Board, the BBB

and a lawyer if you need to. If he takes you to court get the evidence you need and tell it to the judge.

[GiovanniC]

24. How Dare You Not Fall For His Scam!

You're making dental rates higher for the rest of us!



:sarcasm:

[Pied Piper]

25. I'm sorry you've had such a bad time

My company provides good dental benefits. I hadn't been to a dentist in about 5 years until I went to this guy. Now I will admit that the "Dentist" only makes a brief appearance at the end of each visit, but I've come to love the hygenist who does the 6-month scrubbing. Every six months, I feel like I'm seeing a friend after a long absence. We chat and share stories about what has gone on in our lives since the last visit. Actually, I think we spend more time catching up than "scrubbing". Luv it!

With so many complaints out there about bad experiences with medical professionals, I just wanted to say that there are some really great professionals out there, and I hope you can find them!

[Mrs_Beastman]

29. We love our new dentist

He explains what he is doing and why and I can tell he really likes being a dentist.

[seabeyond]

26. i went a month ago, 2000 with peri something or another

1000 dollar cleaning. admittedly i had slid off the regular cleaning. babies does that. one little cavity adn have to put in a crown on a filling.

floored me for a couple weeks. thought i would be the toothless for all the uninsured. maybe we would be a world of toothless. husband went in a couple days ago for cleaning. 150 for xrays. didnt even get to the cleaning. his too is peri whatever, and gonna cost 2500

now i have already done a thousand. but you have me wondering

[Mrs_Beastman]

28. see if a local dental school can give you an economical 2nd opinion

[Debi]

31. It;s poor people like you

that are smart enough to get second opinions! Good for you and good that you didn't have extra work that was unnecessary! :hi:

[Emit]

32. Same thing happened in my family

When my daughter was 3, I took her to a pediatric Dentist at the suggestion of her speech therapist (she had a lateralization and can not pronounce "s" very well). The specialist Dentist had nothing to say about her mouth/teeth in regard to her speech, and then proceeded to tell me she had a cavity and wanted to fill it and then bond her teeth.

Being suspicious as to how my 3 year old could have a cavity, I took my daughter to my own dentist, one I've been with for 20 years. He examined her and guess what--no cavities at all-none--nada! I called the specialist and gave them a piece of my mind similar to yours. Good for you! I also told the speech therapist (who referred me there) and several of the parents that I met at the speech therapy office my story. Eventually, my dentist and speech therapist stopped referring to this "specialist" Dentist because of my complaints and the numerous complaints of others.

Oh, what else really pissed me off about this Dentist is that about 6 months later, I found out her office had run a credit check on me---can you believe that, a credit check--and the date of the check coincided with the initial exam my daughter had. Checking my credit before work was done! I called them back and gave them some more grief.

[TeeYiYi]

33. I thought the same thing . . .

. . . and didn't go back. Then I found a new dentist and guess what . . . I had to have five fillings and a root canal. It was for real. Because I didn't have the work done when the first dentist pointed out the problem, the once minor problem areas in my teeth turned into major problems. Like you, I was cavity free for most of my adult life. I didn't believe the first dentist and challenged him on his assessment. He was PISSED. He made a comment about how many years he had gone to dental school as opposed to my years of dental schooling. After my experience with the second dentist, I now believe the first dentist and wish I had addressed the issue then and not later.

I don't know how old you are but there's a chance that your dentist is telling the truth. Something changed in me after I turned 40. Hormone change? More sweets? I don't know what changed but dentists don't wait for a cavity to advance before filling it any more. They try to do preventative dentistry and catch the problem early. The stuff they fix these days sometimes can't even be seen on an x-ray but it can be seen by the dentist. It's usually no more than a soft spot on one of your teeth. They remove the soft area and replace any indentation with a white filling.

Anywayzzz . . . you might want to get a second opinion. I wish I hadn't waited.

TYY

[LibDemAlways]

34. I wish my dentist cared a little more about

preventative care. I was in a year ago for a cleaning and he popped in for his two second evaluation. I pointed out a cavity to him I could feel with my tongue and he asked if the tooth hurt. I said no, and he said, well we'll let it go for now and check it next year.

OK, you're the dentist, whatever.

I was back this week, and as soon as he takes a look, he says, "That tooth looks bad. We need to crown it immediately. $1000.00 - ca-ching."

I suspect the damn thing should have been filled a year ago for a couple hundred. Now, the bill will be bigger.

I think it's in this guy's financial interest to let problems go until they become more costly.

I'd go elsewhere except that the quality of his work (when he gets around to doing it) is outstanding.

[trekbiker]

35. a good dentist is priceless...

i shopped around every 6 month checkup till I found a good one. There are good dentists out there. But even my dentist scams me on the x-rays since my insurance pays it. I dont need X'ray's every year. I told him once every two years. We compromised at 18 month intervals.

[tjwash]

38. I went to several dentists before I found a good one.

The only thing more difficult than finding a good dentist is finding an honest auto mechanic.