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Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)

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Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)

#251

Post by spookthesunset »

saiya-jin wrote: post #51
misja111 wrote: post #21

Well 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…

the problem with this is also that given dentist has huge motivation to replace as much as he can and make big fuss over little. I mean it pays his bills/rooftop, some mortgages and few vacations on top of other costs... did I mention costs? they are not more or less moral than rest of population, spread is the same as in all other professions, so experience vary

Don’t forget god knows how much student loan debt. The good kind too… the ones you cannot discharge in bankruptcy.

Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)

#252

Post by reedjosh »

cies wrote: post #250
WalterBright wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was 21, my dentist recommended removal of my wisdom teeth. I asked why, he said because they are difficult to clean, and so I'd lose them anyway by 30. I switched dentists. I'm old now, still have those teeth, and they are the healthiest teeth in my mouth. If you want to keep your teeth, 1. get an electric toothbrush 2. brush for the full 2 minutes, twice a day 3. floss twice a day, gently (overdoing it will e…

0. Something food something. If I eat certain things my teeth feel so much cleaner at the end of the day then other things. I do not believe that is not a very big factor.

Seriously! Grains, sugars, and alcohol are pretty much no-nos if you want to have teeth when you're older.

I've had a dentist comment on how he wished he had so few issues.

I brush like once a day just for hygiene/bad breath or whatnot, and that's pretty much it.

Without the sugars and starches, the bacteria that would cause cavities just don't cause cavities.

Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)

#253

Post by [deleted] »

formerkrogemp wrote: post #184
RyanShook wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If this is really how you feel shouldn’t you get out of dentistry saas and find something you believe isn’t hurting society?

What's that unicorn that doesn't hurt society but still allows me to support my family?

[deleted]

Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)

#254

Post by bombcar »

cardanome wrote: post #196
edouard-harris wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup. In fact, a great hack is to go to an inexperienced dentist instead of an experienced one for routine work. The reason is that dentists who are fresh out of school are competent enough to do basic cleanings and checkups. But they haven't yet had time to accrete the expensive habits, and the little business optimizations that feed them, that highly-paid professionals often develop. I generally switch dentists ever…

Here in Germany it is actually the really old dentists that can be trusted. They were not raised to think business oriented. Though most of them have have retired by now. My old childhood dentist used to do the absolutely necessary. He just cared about keeping my teeth healthy and not putting me under unnecessary stress. He did not even remove my wisdom teeth. When he retired the new doc would simply maximize the amo…

The best dentist I ever went to had a picture of his airline pilot wife on the wall - and from how he treated his patients and charged, I got the feeling he worked because he liked to, not because he needed to.

However, if you have a "flat fee" dentist/doctor you could be now encouraging the opposite - do the minimum work necessary to get done with the day. It's hard to legislate "be a caring, honest professional" but we can at least remove some of the incentives to not be.

Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)

#255

Post by WalterBright »

WalterBright wrote: post #225
corry wrote: post #136

Ah this article put the finger on why I don't trust my 'new dentist': The operation is just too slick from a business POV. As someone familiar with SaaS or in general this kind of recurring business model, you can sense all the little operational policies and procedures designed to increase your LTV. It's a well-oiled machine. Without fail, the hygienist recommends cleaning not once every 12 months or even every 6 mo…

When I was 21, my dentist recommended removal of my wisdom teeth. I asked why, he said because they are difficult to clean, and so I'd lose them anyway by 30. I switched dentists. I'm old now, still have those teeth, and they are the healthiest teeth in my mouth. If you want to keep your teeth, 1. get an electric toothbrush 2. brush for the full 2 minutes, twice a day 3. floss twice a day, gently (overdoing it will e…

BTW, mouthwashes don't do diddly squat. I tried every one of them, including prescription ones. A waterpic is only of marginal utility.

Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)

#256

Post by bombcar »

systems_glitch wrote: post #237
WalterBright wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was 21, my dentist recommended removal of my wisdom teeth. I asked why, he said because they are difficult to clean, and so I'd lose them anyway by 30. I switched dentists. I'm old now, still have those teeth, and they are the healthiest teeth in my mouth. If you want to keep your teeth, 1. get an electric toothbrush 2. brush for the full 2 minutes, twice a day 3. floss twice a day, gently (overdoing it will e…

I think this was the only heathcare thing I ever fought with my mom over, in high school. Demanded we get a second opinion. The oral surgeon agreed that my teeth were fine. Still have them 20 years later, still no cavities. It just seemed nuts to me to remove something through surgery that wasn't causing problems. My favorite "reason" for why they should come out was, "you're more likely to bite your cheeks."

One of my wisdom teeth is laying sideways and I've been told I need to get rid of it for ... twenty years now and still haven't bothered, since the cost of getting rid of it now and when it starts to do whatever horrible thing it's plotting to do is basically the same, I continue to punt.

My current dentist is ambivalent about it.

Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)

#257

Post by bombcar »

kcplate wrote: post #160
corry wrote: post #136

Ah this article put the finger on why I don't trust my 'new dentist': The operation is just too slick from a business POV. As someone familiar with SaaS or in general this kind of recurring business model, you can sense all the little operational policies and procedures designed to increase your LTV. It's a well-oiled machine. Without fail, the hygienist recommends cleaning not once every 12 months or even every 6 mo…

Here is my hack… Caveat: I have a couple of “Cadillac” dental insurance plans due to great employee benefit packages for both me and my wife. So they cover quite a bit. I just tell the hygienist before I get in the chair that if my insurance doesn’t cover it, I won’t be doing it, and don’t even suggest it. Generally that stops the upselling.

Hygienist: "Let me check your plan, we'll do everything covered" is probably what they hear.

Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)

#258

Post by WalterBright »

gnicholas wrote: post #240
WalterBright wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was 21, my dentist recommended removal of my wisdom teeth. I asked why, he said because they are difficult to clean, and so I'd lose them anyway by 30. I switched dentists. I'm old now, still have those teeth, and they are the healthiest teeth in my mouth. If you want to keep your teeth, 1. get an electric toothbrush 2. brush for the full 2 minutes, twice a day 3. floss twice a day, gently (overdoing it will e…

What's the evidence for the rubber pointy tools?

They clean between the teeth and the gums where the gum overlaps the tooth. The evidence is your gums bleed the first time you do it, which is evidence of inflammation. A few days doing it, and the bleeding stops.

Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)

#259

Post by matwood »

corry wrote: post #136

Ah this article put the finger on why I don't trust my 'new dentist': The operation is just too slick from a business POV. As someone familiar with SaaS or in general this kind of recurring business model, you can sense all the little operational policies and procedures designed to increase your LTV. It's a well-oiled machine. Without fail, the hygienist recommends cleaning not once every 12 months or even every 6 mo…

I hate going to the dentist for this reason. It used to be they cleaned your teeth fixed any issues, come back in 6 mos. Now, I feel like they make up issues, they have cleaning or super cleaning - how about just do the damn cleaning, etc…

A couple years ago I had one recommend putting on a crown on a back molar. I asked why b/c I had no pain and they couldn’t really explain. Every other dentist I’ve been to since never brought it up again.

At the moment, I go to a new dentist every 6 mos. to a year because I can’t find one that doesn’t feel like one step above a used car salesman.

Final note, get a SonicCare. Dental friend (sadly in another state) says those things changed dentistry/brushing/teeth cleanliness.

Re: Dentistry is less scientific and more gratuitous than people think (2019)

#260

Post by bombcar »

clairity wrote: post #215
corry wrote: post #136

Ah this article put the finger on why I don't trust my 'new dentist': The operation is just too slick from a business POV. As someone familiar with SaaS or in general this kind of recurring business model, you can sense all the little operational policies and procedures designed to increase your LTV. It's a well-oiled machine. Without fail, the hygienist recommends cleaning not once every 12 months or even every 6 mo…

my dental group actually calls/emails me on a regular basis to get me to come give them that sweet, sweet free insurance money. but note for instance that cavities and fillings are prone to being overdiagnosed for the sake of income, not patient outcome. glasses are regularly overprescribed for the same reason. patients really need to understand the incentives and motivations of medical professionals to make the best…

Optometry at least you can track it (if you actually do need and use glasses) because the differences should be noticeable on the prescription.

What does happen is that if you buy a new pair even with the same exact prescription, the fact that it's new and clean and not bent in anyway will make it look much clearer. So that can trick people into thinking they need yearly new glasses.

A good optometrist will tell you when your prescription has stopped changing and when they expect it to start changing again (usually in your 40s).

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