How do you find a dentist that is honest and won't mess you up

[Anonymous]

I have heard horror stories about dentists that would diagnose you with way too many cavities just to do extra work and pretty much ruin your teeth. I am a bit worried since the damage can be irreparable. It's not like I can get a second opinion on a badly performed cavity filling.

[Anonymous]

I've never heard of them doing it and ruining your teeth (they must be pretty bad dentists!). I've heard they do it to make money though

[Anonymous]

I wish I could help you. My DH has a overweight Syrian man who practical puts his foot on DH's chest to brace himself for pulling out teeth. Bridges pop out, crown crumble. It's a nightmare. I used to go to dentist who was CoS-she would blizzard me with emails trying to convert me to the cult. We've had bad luck with this.

[Anonymous]

Where are you? We can provide recs.

[Anonymous]

Get recs. or try Washington consumer checkbook. You want an older doctor with an established practice who doesn't sell whitening treatments and mouth guards. If the doc advertises, skip that practice.

The newer docs have school debt and the overhead of their practices to cover.

[Anonymous]

What area are you looking in? My dentist is right off Farragut Square and I like him a lot.

[Anonymous]

Word of mouth is the way to go. My brother is a dentist (with school debt and overhead) but is incredibly honest and doesn't do extra procedures - he previously left two practices because of pressure to perform unnecessary procedures! He is doing really well pretty much through word of mouth referrals.

And if law school debt creates incentives for younger dentists to overcharge, older dentists are at risk, too. The sale price of a dental practice is determined on receipts for prior years - older dentists looking to sell their practices could theoretically prescribe extra procedures to make $. You really can't generalize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Word of mouth is the way to go. My brother is a dentist (with school debt and overhead) but is incredibly honest and doesn't do extra procedures - he previously left two practices because of pressure to perform unnecessary procedures! He is doing really well pretty much through word of mouth referrals.

And if law school debt creates incentives for younger dentists to overcharge, older dentists are at risk, too. The sale price of a dental practice is determined on receipts for prior years - older dentists looking to sell their practices could theoretically prescribe extra procedures to make $. You really can't generalize.

Wow, law school debt really has far-reaching effects, huh?

[Anonymous]

Ask a dentist who he sees.

[Anonymous]

The overdiagnosing of cavities really depends on the dentist's training though. In the military, anything that could possibly become a cavity, is a cavity and treated as such. In the civilian world, those military retirees can go amok. It's not necessarily dishonesty, just different treatment parameters

[Anonymous]

This happened to me and I've been petrified of dentists since. Guy saw me in law school said I had 9 cavities. Showed them to me on a little video monitor. I freaked. I had no money. No insurance. Plus, how do I go from basically never having a cavity to 9.

I took the rec of a friend and went to the local university. Dental school students did exams/fillings under watchful eye of licensed dentists/profs for pennies. Turns out I had 1 cavity. Had it filled and filled well for cheap. I've never trusted another one since then.

Add to it the incompetent one in Arlington who has royally screwed up my DH's teeth and tried to double bill for it (we reported her to the licensing authority) and it has been a long road to trusting dentists.

We had a bit of luck and stumbled onto our latest dentist, who also is used by friends. And, they seem to be competent, reasonably priced, and honest. So, for us, finding the right one was luck, validated by others who used the practice for a long time and like them.

[Anonymous]

PS- the "cavities" showed to me were the normal teeth stains (way in the back teeth) that show over time. Mostly in the grooves of the teeth. Laypeople don't know this. I didn't and almost fell for his trick.

[Anonymous]

I have a great dentist in Falls Church. It's a husband and wife team. They are fabulous, both of them.

Dr. Lourdes Christopher and Dr. Favaghi

[Anonymous]

After lots of dental issues, I had success in finding someone I like after I "interviewed" dentists first.

I called lots of dentist offices & asked if I could get free or low cost consultation about problems in my mouth. I said I would pay for x-rays if needed but might also bring ones from another dentist. Specifically said I would not (and did not) allow them to do anything to me in that visit...just for consultation.

I went to 3 different types of practices & wasn't charged anything except for x-rays at 1st one which I carted to others. One office actually took more x-rays but didn't charge me.

Got lots of different ideas.....from low to high cost. But comparison shopping led me to a dentist who understood my fear issues -- not cheap, but they treat me well & with gentle touch.

[Anonymous]

Dr. Pamela Brady. I think she's on K St.
Wonderful lady, great staff. Was recommended to me by a coworker years ago.