Dentistry was definitely a wake up call for me. My trust in adjacent professions has been eroded as well, based upon similar observed tactics.
It would seem fear and anxiety are actually the dentist's most profitable products.
Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)
61–70 of 349 posts
Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)
#62Well it's only anecdotical of course, but I had a similar experience a couple of years ago that made me very confused about dentistry in general. At the time a had a small tooth ache so I was planning to visit a dentist to check it. I was living in Switzerland, where dentist costs are very high, but I was about to go on holiday to Tenerife, where prices are much lower. So I checked on the Internet and chose the denti…
This is where review sites are starting to help. There's a dentist where I used to live who has dozens of reviews, all mentioning that she diagnosed them with microcavities, which couldn't be confirmed by those who got a second opinion. If you have a full blown cavity, you're going to notice but microcavities? You have to take your dentist's word for it or be sure to get a second opinion and hope at least one of them…
It does help, but these guys know what they are doing.
My dad had a benefit fund through his union and because his dentist knew how to milk the program, he ended up with a lot of unpleasant and unnecessary dental work. You see it a lot with telephone company employees, fire fighters, etc.
Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)
#63Well it's only anecdotical of course, but I had a similar experience a couple of years ago that made me very confused about dentistry in general. At the time a had a small tooth ache so I was planning to visit a dentist to check it. I was living in Switzerland, where dentist costs are very high, but I was about to go on holiday to Tenerife, where prices are much lower. So I checked on the Internet and chose the denti…
For what it's worth - a friend of mine is a dentist and he mentioned once that white fillings (the ones that are set with an UV light) start to shrink after 5 years. On the other hand, silver filling will do the same after 10-15 years and at a slower rate. Whether this shrinkage will lead to problems is a separate question.
Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)
#64Well it's only anecdotical of course, but I had a similar experience a couple of years ago that made me very confused about dentistry in general. At the time a had a small tooth ache so I was planning to visit a dentist to check it. I was living in Switzerland, where dentist costs are very high, but I was about to go on holiday to Tenerife, where prices are much lower. So I checked on the Internet and chose the denti…
Your friend was quite right. It is quite a bit like replacing aging parts in your car. You may have to eventually replace all your fillings. But you don't know for sure, or when. And it's very unlikely that all of them will fail at the same time. So, unless a filling is already on the verge of failing, replacing them is mostly a matter of personal preference and scheduling.
This sort of undermines the necessity of modern dentistry, though. Didn't it?
You can even take it further back. How many of those fillings were truly necessary at the time?
Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)
#65I had a dentist in SF that did this, first visit to him I had 12 (?!) cavities that needed filling. Got suspicious -- their office was very very nice and in a prime location -- more importantly, none of my teeth hurt. A second opinion confirmed that the fillings were not necessary at that time. I did start flossing regularly as a result, so that I don't have to rely on dentistry as much.
My dad loves to joke that he chose his dentist because he was the one who found the fewest cavities. As a kid I thought my dad made fun of his dentist, as an adult I realized he made fun of the other ones.
Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)
#66Well it's only anecdotical of course, but I had a similar experience a couple of years ago that made me very confused about dentistry in general. At the time a had a small tooth ache so I was planning to visit a dentist to check it. I was living in Switzerland, where dentist costs are very high, but I was about to go on holiday to Tenerife, where prices are much lower. So I checked on the Internet and chose the denti…
Unfortunately the economics are firmly in favor of replacing things early even if not yet necessary. This is the same for car mechanics or dentists. There is no money to be made in delaying procedures.
Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
Insurance is a similar one. The one who benefits from not paying is the one who chooses to accept or deny claims.
It looks that way to the consumer, but I don’t believe that to be true. I’ve worked in the industry for a few years and most of insurance products I’ve seen are structured in a way that the company reviewing and processing the claim isn’t actually responsible for paying out the claim.
The reviewing company is hired by the paying company. they will still do whatever it takes to please who is paying them.
Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)
#68Throwaway because I run a large dental software company.
Dentistry is practiced as a business focused on maximizing revenue. Dentists are routinely coached to deploy sales tactics to increase their treatment acceptance beyond what is needed. If you walk into a dental office, you need to protect yourself from being abused. A second opinion unfortunately puts you in the same position, but now with a new dentist who will play into the narrative of only needing to monitor your condition for a while.
The business of dentistry is unfortunately antithetical to conservative treatment, which is almost always in the interest of the patient, because it results in significantly lower patient lifetime value.
Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)
#69I had a dentist in SF that did this, first visit to him I had 12 (?!) cavities that needed filling. Got suspicious -- their office was very very nice and in a prime location -- more importantly, none of my teeth hurt. A second opinion confirmed that the fillings were not necessary at that time. I did start flossing regularly as a result, so that I don't have to rely on dentistry as much.
These days I just ignore the dentist when they say I need fillings, unless I am experiencing pain. And nearly all the dental pain I have experienced has been post-op.
I usually start flossing much more diligently a couple of weeks before my dentist visits, so that my teeth have the appearance of being better-maintained. I believe this results in more honesty from the dentist. In other words, my instinct is that they rely on their gut feeling quite a lot for making their "diagnoses." If your teeth look healthy, they are more likely to tell you they are healthy. Don't know WTF they are seeing in those blurry x-rays.
The only reason I go to the dentist at all is for general well-being reasons and polishing. When I don't have insurance, I just skip it.
Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)
#70Earlier quoted context omitted.
Can you give an example of a professional for whom this isn’t the case? Maybe a general practice doctor referring to a specialist? But often this involves trips back to the GP for checkups as well.
How about a fiduciary? Or maybe certain home inspectors?
Most home inspectors are beholden to real estate agents. While it may seem like you are the client because you are paying them, at the end of the day it's the real estate agent they want to make happy, so they keep sending them business. That may mean not being too thorough, in order to not "kill the deal," or finding some stuff to request repair/credit for to show the buyer how hard the agent is working to earn their commission, but rarely does it mean fully working in the best interests of the buyer.