Why don't people trust dentist?
610081
dude, no one has ever, ever, ever trusted a dentist!!!! they always screw people over just so they can gett more money!!!! like inyour bro's case!!!!
399026
To give 0ral Surgeons their mansions and expensive cars!!!\n\nI guess it's the same question as why do people have an appendix?\n\nSome people's wisdom teeth grow down properly and so they can use them like normal teeth. The proplem with most people is that their mouths are too small to fit the teeth so they grow at funny angles.
888283
This is one of those dodgy things that "everybody knows." And not just the uninformed public, either--dentists themselves believe it. Since the 1960s dental journals have been carrying articles with headlines like "The Suicidal Professions." Dozens of studies have looked at suicide not only among dentists but among health-care workers in general. With few exceptions, research over the past 40 years has found that dentists (and doctors) take their own lives at a higher-than-average rate. But how much higher? To hear some tell it, you'd better not leave these guys in a room alone.\n\nDentists' odds of suicide "are 6.64 times greater than the rest of the working age population," writes researcher Steven Stack. "Dentists suffer from relatively low status within the medical profession and have strained relationships with their clients--few people enjoy going to the dentist." One study of Oregon dentists found that they had the highest suicide rate of any group investigated. A California study found that dentists were surpassed only by chemists and pharmacists. Of 22 occupations examined in Washington state, dentists had a suicide rate second only to that of sheepherders and wool workers.\n\nBut the sheer diversity of results has to make you suspicious. I mean, which is it--dentists, chemists and pharmacists, or sheepherders and wool workers? (What, the bleating gets to them?) And what about psychiatrists? One school of popular belief holds that they have the highest suicide rate.\n\nRead the studies and you begin to see the problem. Suicide research is inherently a little flaky, in part because suicides are often concealed. Equally important from a statistical standpoint is the problem of small numbers: dentists represent only a small fraction of the total population, only a small fraction of them die in a given year, and only a small fraction of those that die are suicides. So you've got people drawing grand conclusions based on tiny samples. For example, I see where the Swedes think their male dentists have an elevated suicide rate. Number of male-dentist suicides on which this finding is based: 18.\n\nBut you aren't reading this column to hear me whine about the crummy data. You want the facts. Coming right up. All we need to do, for any occupation of interest, is (a) find a large, reasonably accurate source of mortality statistics, (b) compute suicides as a percentage of total deaths for said group, and (c) compare that percentage with some benchmark, like so:\n\nPERCENTAGE OF DEATHS DUE TO SUICIDE\nU.S. white male population 25 and older (1970): 1.5\nU.S. white male dentists (1968-72): 2.0 (85 of 4,190)\nU.S. white male medical doctors (1967-72): 3.0 (544 of 17,979)\nU.S. white male population 25 and older (1990): 2.0\nU.S. white male medical doctors (1984-95): 2.7 (379 of 13,790)
1161437
True story. \nWhen I was young, a dentist once told me I needed work on my teeth. The only problem was that my parents were hippy artists -- they were dirt poor and couldn't afford it even if I did "need" the work. \nWhen this guy realized that I wouldn't be able to get the work done, he pulled me aside and with half a grin, instructed me to wedge a toothpick between my teeth three times daily and push them in the direction they need to go. \nTo this day, I'm not sure if he was kidding or not. But I did what he said. I did it faithfully for months. And it worked. \nPeople frequently compliment me on my teeth and smile, saying "You must have had work done"!\nNope. I did the work myself. \nI later found out that my dentist was a shoemaker before he became a dentist. Hmmm.
276264
Actually, the students at a dental school take extremely good care of their patients.  Yes, they are learning, but they are closely watched and supervised by their instructors, who are dentists.  So definitely check with the dental school near you.
719285
You have to check your policy because every company and policy is different.  If you don't know, your dentist should get preapproval and should be able to tell you what you'll be responsible for.
622386
I am a dentist.\n\nYou didn't pay $800 for two fillings.  You paid $800 for an office visit, x-rays, maybe some other services, and fillings.\n\nWhen you go to a physicians office, do you ask for an itemized list of everything you will be charged for?  Of course not.  So why would you expect this from a dentist?  He/she, like your physician, is running a doctors office and has to do multiple things to diagnose and treat your problem, and simply cannot take the time to explain every damn thing to you.  You seem to view a visit to the dentist like a trip to your auto mechanic.\n\nIt's your responsibility to ask.  You are the derelict who has financial woes and yet failed to ask, "Doctor, how much will this cost me?"\n\nFurthermore, it is your responsibility to know your insurance benefits, not your dentist's.  If you don't know, your dentist's staff would have been happy to determine this for you.  You, of course, failed to ask.\n\nI can understand you're upset with the bill.  But try to remember that your dentist did actually cure you of two diseased teeth.
566781
A lot of universities will do it for little to no money. They take in people so their students can learn, using real patients. Not to worry the students are in advanced standing and always supervised. They usually do excellent work because they are enthusiastic and working toward a degree. Call the closest dental college and ask.
976743
There is a number called 1-800-Dentist - it can help you find a good dentist in your area and tell you if a dentist has had problems in the past w/ patients, malpractice suits, etc.  Also, I would start calling different dentists in your town or surrounding towns and tell them some of your story...  ask them if they are willing to take on a charity case.  I was a dental asst. and we did this a few times a year to lend a helping hand in our community.  HTH & GL to you!
806167
Dentists won't do it.  They will refer you to an oral surgeon.
741624
I don't, but here is a dentist's prayer I've seen a few times.\n\nA Dentist Prayer\n\nLord, be with me each day as I practice dentistry. May I treat with gentle care all who place their trust in me. May my calm assurance help to ease my patients fear and to relax a tense adult or to dry a child's tear. May I treat each person with competence and skill, whether a difficult procedure or a tooth that I must fill. As I diagnose and treat, be with me all the while. And reward me with the beauty of my patient's lovely and healthy smile. \n\nAmen.
915161
Something wrong with British dentists?
707565
Look in the yellow pages there are actual dentists that work with people that are scared of dentists. When you call tell the receptionists your fears and if they take your type of insurance. If not I think 1-800-DENTIST works all across the country talk to one of their representatives.
383815
You really can't find out anything bad.  As a dentist I'm amazed how much bad stuff I hear about other dentist from patients, which makes sense, unhappy patients migrate to other offices.  Advertisements such as 1-800 dentist, Top Docs and the like are not really good either.  I know a dentist that had four lawsuits going at the same time as he was in Top Docs .  Really the best way is to ask around.  you will eventually find someone who knows a fabulous dentist and can say enough good things.  These type of people would drive 100 miles or more to see their dentist.
525565
Actually alot of dentist rely on their assistants to do the "little" stuff however I do believe that the dentist should be present or atleast check the impressions before they are sent out for relining. I am a Dental Technician and work in a lab so I see this kind of stuff all the time. If you are paying everytime to have your dentures relined I can assure you that your dentist is not!!!! You should say something to them most definately because it is not the assistant getting paid for his job!!! I know that dentists these days let alot of their responsibilities be taken by their employees so say something.
856364
It's a combination of genetics and hygeine.  There are some people who have terrible teeth because they simply do not brush their teeth, floss, and constantly eat sugary foods.  Others may take excellent care of their teeth, yet their genetic makeup determined the strength, size, proportion, and order of their teeth.  It sucks... but no fault lies in the second person I described.  It's just the way it is.
134396
Most people do it in their sleep and have no control over it.  This is why a mouth guard made by a dentist comes in handy.