Has your dentist, eye doctor, or other medical provider become a pushy retailer?

Parent Cafe
81

I had an eye appointment today. I mentioned that I have vision plan this year, so I can get a “free” pair of glasses (which will actually cost money due to coatings, magnetic sunglasses, possible upgrade of frame though usually I can find some I like under the $120 limit). We talked about the best time to come in for being empyty.

On the way out, the doctor volunteered that when I went to the desk I could get printed copy of new prescription of I need it. That made me think of this thread and smile. Of course she already makes plenty of extra money on me on pre-glaucoma tests etc.

82

To be clear, my experience was with a dentist, and personally, if two other dentists confirm neither H nor I had oodles of cavities and needed all the work the first suggested (thousands of dollars) to the point of being willing to sign statements if we would turn him in, I’ll still go with two out of three and think what he did was immoral at best and likely illegal - very similar to stealing his big boat and house.

It’s nowhere near the same as earning money from legit work or a side job.

It had the positive effect of making me double check everything offered to me. We were so naïve in our youth and easily could have been taken in and put on a payment plan as some of our friends were. My mom’s offer to help through her dentist save us.

He’s been the only crook of the bunch (so far) though. I did find a lot of useless things offered to my mom with her cancer, but not by doctors - generally from well-meaning friends.

83

What would a dentist or hygienist do specially that would cost extra to check for oral cancer, as opposed to mentioning “you may want to get that checked out” if they see something that may be oral cancer while looking around in your mouth anyway?

84

There are new tests I believe DNA type that the dentist can offer. Think their own association is pushing it since theirs a rise in oral cancer and who better to catch it early then the dentist? It actually does make sense. People are being caught with mouth cancer before it happens kinda thing. Think it just a scraping inside the mouth. For the ones they catch. It can be life savings. For everyone else it’s a gimmick, I guess.

85

I am not disagreeing with you but unless he has a history of doing this and lawsuits against him it comes down to medical opinion. My wife sits on the Professional regulation board for our medical field in Illinois. They review these cases and complaints. Just because one doctor says you need something and another says you don’t doesn’t mean that their is anything wrong. I do second opinion daily and sometimes 3,4 5th opinions. I know in my area who the “hacks” are. I also know who the good people are. When someone comes to me and I am the “third” opinion I just say " you have had 2 opinion’s , what do you want me to say" I do this is a light humor attitude but in 32 years it always comes down to the person is recommended surgery and they don’t want it. So I tell them, let’s start with that. I am "elective " medicine. No bursting appendixes. If someone doesn’t want surgery or a procedure or the new cool toy in the office, Just say no thank you.

As an aside, It would probably help the doctor greatly if you wrote a letter to them and explain why you left. I have gotten a few of those letters in over 32 years of practice. They are always learning experiences. I actually fired an employee that I didn’t realize how rude she was to patients. I don’t expect the patient to come back but it does help. I actually call the patients and thank them for the information.

86

My dentist that I had for more than 20 years was on vacation and I saw a dentist that was filling in for him. The fill in dentist suggested that I get the silver filling replaced (the only one I have to this day) since it was put in when I was 15 and was very old. I made the appointment to have the filling replaced and when I came in my regular dentist was back. His comment was there is no need to replace this filling so he didn’t. I loved this dentist and was so sad when he retired and sold the practice.

87

I guess I’ve been lucky. Ive only had one experience with a Dr pushing an expensive procedure. I had a squamous cell skin cancer that needed removal on my upper arm. My dermatologist didn’t do this work so referred me to someone else. That dr wasn’t on my insurance so I went to someone else. He said I should have a Mohs with the other Dr in his practice. They were not able to schedule for 2 months, in the meantime I saw my regular dermatologist for something else and I mentioned I was going to do Mohs. She was disturbed and said I’m going to call him and ask if he saw something I didn’t. She felt that for the location just a surgical excision was warranted. He called me and tried to backpedal and say I didn’t understand that he gave me options. He did the excision which the insurance fully covered. The Mohs would have cost me several thousand.
In another case I had the dermatologist give me the option of a topical skin cancer treatment that was a more expensive prescription but that greatly reduced the number of days of treatment. She didn’t get anything from it and I appreciated having the option.

When my D moved to a new city she saw a dentist recommended by her old dentist. The guy was great and told her she had great teeth and if any dentist ever recommended a lot of work she should run. He did tell her she still needed to take care of her gums.

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@mom60 I just had to have Mohs for a basal cell skin cancer on my hand. My dermatologist also did a surgical excision on another basal cell skin cancer spot near my collarbone. I have also used the topical treatment for a couple of spots and it worked well. You sound like me with the skin cancer. I have very fair skin and have lived in Southern California my whole life thus the skin cancer even though I have been very careful for years when I am in the sun.

89

The dentist and hygienist I have been using did seem to be impressed that some very old amalgam fillings that I have are still good. “Very old” as in a lot older than the 15 years commonly listed as the expected lifetime of amalgam fillings.

90

My husband has had several skin cancers on his scalp. He did have a couple of Mohls surgeries. The last time the doctor used a chemical treatment instead (they apply some chemical that reacts with light and kills the cancer cells). Worked well and much easier healing time. It can also be used over a larger expanse of skin than the Mohls surgery.

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I’m not against Mohs surgery in the right place. I’ve had two done on my face, one for a basal cell and the other for a squamous cell. I’ve had multiple surgical excisions done on other parts of my body. Like @showmom858 I grew up and have lived my entire life in Ca within a few miles of the ocean. Even though I was not a sun worshiper I’ve got Irish skin and I’ve had a lot of sun damage.

92

I mean yeah, sure, that could be the case. And I actually don’t care if they are selling products (especially dermatologists!) because I can easily say no.

But my doctor wanted me to get a colonoscopy at 34 years old, and couldn’t articulate why. No high risk factors, etc. Anyway, it, along with a bunch of other tests that maybe I needed and maybe I didn’t, felt like a red flag. I really didn’t trust him after that. I like my new gal a lot though!

93

You’re going to have to explain to me how it’s an opinion to feel there are cavities in several teeth that need filling vs not.

94

Dentist, yes. M.D., no.

95

For me the difference between a medical opinion and an up sell does often come down to options. My DD’s dentist told us we HAD to use the cosmetic dentist he recommended for an implant because they only work together. That was a red flag to me. Her first dentist (who retired and sold his practice to the current dentist) gave me a list of orthodontists and cosmetic dentists when the treatment plan began. We chose from the list. Maybe the current dentist is simply inexperienced at the referral process but I will be consulting at least one other cosmetic dentist before we choose.

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Options AND an explanation. I like knowing that removing one type of cyst is routine but another is potentially tricky; I like knowing that a transvaginal ultrasound is the “standard of care” in a particular situation vs. “Hey, let’s do another test just in case we find something” in a different situation.

It feels like constant upselling if every question “why is this your recommendation” is met by “that’s how we do it these days”. All those years in med school and residency and that’s the best you can come up with?

97

@Knowsstuff i know you are medical professional and I am aware that you stand up for others in the medical profession.

I do not say this lightly. There are crooked doctors, dentists and people who prey on people’s vulnerability and their lack of knowledge about their options.

It happens, it’s always happened. The medical profession is not immune to these problems, just like other industries have their bad apples. And those not into it for the right reasons.

I also believe that these things are not policed very often because it is an opinion. That if it’s not outright fraud, it’s very hard for these professionals to be brought to task.

So we as consumers have to decide what is within what we think is the correct thing to do.

98

Years ago, I was dismayed by an OB/GYN who also offered laser hair removal. I figured he wasn’t a good enough doctor if he needed to sell laser hair removal.

A decade ago, I left a dentist after 12 years — because they said they were prescribing an rx for my TMD — but they never called the prescription in. It was terribly awkward as they made it like I was an addict. (30 muscle relaxants per year?)

Since then I’ve been seeing a pretty high tech guy in an expensive zip code. A cleaning and check is running $250. He communicates well and doesn’t upsell.

In the spring an ENT* recommended another dentist for my TMD as ENT thinks it is causing my tinnitus. Let’s call this dentist #2. At the time of my initial appt, my medical insurance did not cover TMD treatment. So I paid $1000 to start treatment. DH got a new job and the insurance apparently covers TMD. The treatment dates worked and #2 said he would file with United Health Care. I was required to have another appt with my internist to get the forms signed so #2 would file the medical need for the treatment.

I got the appliance and hated it. It was quickly obvious that this treatment would require me to eventually have orthodontia (again). #2 also started advocating for a sleep study and he told me my gum loss would require surgery. And, if the sleep study showed a problem, he could make me another device for night time breathing. (Piling on?)

I used the appliance for 3 weeks. (It’s different from any I’ve had before). I was fairly miserable and the tinnitus seemed to be getting louder.

I ended up back at dentist #1 to ask his opinion. He was very careful and said he knows my retail life is crazy in Oct-Nov-Dec and I should consider suspending treatment. He said a sleep study is not unreasonable but we both agree that my sleep is very disrupted at this time of year. He also does not see a need for gum surgery. (He did not charge me for the consult).

I suspended treatment.

Now my quandary seems to be that #2 never filed with UHC.

I’m just not sure how far I want to push this or if I am just happy enough to have walked away.

Footnotes:
*ENT didn’t really know #2. Another doc in the ENT’s office recommended #2 to ENT.

Also, I had lots of doubts about the number of x-rays #2 did before starting treatment. 10 would not be too low of a number. I’m a (former?) cancer patient and don’t need extra x-rays.

It turns out my brother knows #2 from college. He and his wife were patients of #2 but have left his care. They will not directly tell me if there was an incident of concern.

99

I had just the opposite experience with a dermatologist. I made the appointment for her evaluation of a weird patch on my leg (I have psoriasis but this wasn’t that and made me nervous) as well as some “old lady” things on my face. It turns out the leg thing was nothing serious that a steroid cream would clear up, and it did.

For the facial blobs and blotches I was hoping she’s sugges a face peel or higher dose, fancy retinol product, etc. Nope. She gave coupons for Aveeno cleanser and Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair that I picked up at Target on my way home.

100

I originally tried two dentists because I live part time in two states. I thought it wise to start with a second in case there were any emergencies. Plus I need more cleaning than 2x/yr. Dentist 2 decided I needed some major work around the gums. My primary dentist (Dentist 1), politely declined & said the work to do the treatment can cause more damage than leaving it alone. . He recommended I wait and watch, as I may never even need the suggested procedure. I much prefer Dentist 1 approach, but it became awkward to return to Dentist 2. If I explain my reasoning, it obviously calls into question his judgement. So I quit Dentist 2, and hope for no emergencies!