Shady ,shady dentist! What to do?

I recently went to a new dentist because I had switched healthcare. I was fairly certain I had a cavity as I had pain and the tooth had a dark anomoly. I also knew from experience I would need a good scraping since I hadn't been in well over a year. Strangely, I was the only patient and the dentist himself took me back for the cleaning. He shot x-rays and started the cleaning-himself! (I've ALWAYS had a tech do it) He basically tapped each tooth with the pointed thing and said I was finished because I kept them clean.(I hadn't been flossing AT ALL) I asked about the cavity. He said there was nothing on the film and the dark patch was an old silver filling . I think I have aways requested the white stuff. I asked about the pain and he said it might be starting to fail but I had at least a year. I am going to another dentist (paying out of pocket since that was my yearly) but I don't think this guy should be in business. ? Dentists respond? Go to BBB?Punch his teeth out?

Shady ,shady dentist! What to do?
my suggestion is to go to your state medical board and print out their medical complaint form. Then from that point get your medical records (may cost a little bit). At the point make a small detailed complaint. These things get results. My mom is having a similar situation. Hers is a little more exrtreme because it is cancer. But it is the same basic principle. Poor health care. It is too common in this country. Enough complaints might get something done.
Reply:The Better Business Bureau. Great watch Dogs!!!
Reply:Well when I go see my dentist there hardly are alot of people there and my dentist does the cleaning all the time. For me it has always either been the dentist himself with another person. Nothing strange in that. But a cavity is mostly a hole in the tooth. As for a color in the tooth it can be caused by nerves. I don't floss either and my teeth are fine. Except I too feel I have a cavity, due to an ache in my wisdom tooth. Go have someone else look at it if you think he's wrong. It's better to be safe then sorry. Because you don't want to wait to long and then having a badly decomposed tooth then they will have to pull it out.
Reply:The best thing you can do right now is stop seeing this denist completely. If your insurance allows you to switch to a different dentist, do so immediately. This guy doesn't sound like the worst dentist out there, but he doesn't sound like the greatest either.


If you really want to, you can try and file a complaint over him not providing quality service.
Reply:See the other dentitst. Tell him what the other one said and ask him what needs to be done. It may be fine. If you want it replaced anyway, tell him that.
Reply:Ok, I understand why you are upset and you have every right to be. You've never been in an office that works this way and it is unusual to find one, but they are out there. First of all, it's not uncommon for a dentist to do hygiene if he doesn't have a hygienist, or she is out sick. He may just be starting out in practice and cutting corners. Or he could be "old school" and just have always worked that way. I've worked for some that prefer to take the x rays themselves, and others who wouldn't touch it because they can't take a decent picture. As for him doing his own work, I can admire that. I've known some that wouldn't let you do a thing, and others that wanted you to do yours and theirs. Every one of them has their faults as far as how they work and run their office. Now as for the dark anomaly on your tooth. If you have any old fillings they probably are the silver in the molars. Not until recently have we been placing the composite ones in molars. I'm talking about 10 years or so, because they just didn't hold up as well as the amalgams did back then. But anyway, look at your tooth and look at the tooth on the opposite side, most of the time you'll have a matching filling on the other side. If it were a cavity or decay it would be soft, and maybe have a hole, not just dark spot. Only being a little over a year since your last prophy, I couldn't imagine you having a cavity as severe as you think this one is. But there is a possibility. If you don't feel that he cleaned, or scraped your teeth as well as your last hygienist did, just call the office and tell them you are just not sure of the cleaning you were given by the dentist and that your uncomfortable with it. You may find they have a reason as to why he did your cleaning and films, and they will probably bend over backward to fix this problem. You can also ask for a copy of your x rays to be sent to your former dentist. Just tell them you would like for him to evaluate your films and prophy with a follow up exam. He will probably check them at no charge, especially if you let them know that you’re unhappy and may come back. You'll have to fill out a release form at this office first for the films to be sent. No office is going to let a new patient leave without finding out why, trying to make things right, even offer to do the prophy over, or even refund your money. If you're still not satisfied you can at least let your former dentist evaluate your x rays, he'll be able to tell if you have a cavity forming and if your teeth are free of calculus and tartar from those. You also have a right to call your insurance company and let them know of your dissatisfaction as well. But I would hold off until your other dentist looks over the films. At any rate, too many complaints and they won't allow him to be a provider. You may be surprised when he doesn't see any decay and that there isn't any calculus or tartar either. This guy could be that good! I doubt it, but there is a chance. Hope I've been of some help. I'm sorry things didn't work out well for you there. It's always hard to change dentist especially when you like the one you're with.
Reply:I'm a dentist.





To be totally honest, it doesn't sound like he did anything wrong. I cannot comment definitively on your tooth and the appropriateness of the new doctor's diagnosis (or lack thereof). I don't have all the facts.





I can, however, comment on your attitude.





You seem to think that you are capable of determining your own dental needs, and that you simply go to the dentist because you cannot clean your own teeth and drill out your own cavities.





The doctor knows a heck of a lot more than you do about determing the extent of cleaning you need and how to properly diagnose your dental problems. You said he took x-rays and "poked" your teeth (which is checking them for cavities). That means he didn't find any. If you're having pain from a tooth, it doesn't necessarily mean you have a cavity. It means you may need a root canal. Perhaps he wanted to wait and see what happens (which I recommend for my patients with some frequency) rather than jumping into a $1000+ root canal, $200+ core buildup, and $1000+ crown.





In fact, the easiest thing in the world for him to do would be to recommend work you don't actually need. We make a lot of money for the work we do, and despite the fact that the vast majority of dentists are remarkably honest people, there is nonetheless many opportunities to cheat patients if we wanted to.





It sounds to me like the doctor you saw was an honest one. I suggest you lose the know-it-all attitude and go back to him.





And by the way, I'm more than happy to take x-rays and perform a cleaning if my hygienists and assistants are busy. You should consider yourself fortunate that you had the doctor do it. Chances are he did a better job than any hygienist or assistant would have.