I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)
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Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)
#2[1997]
Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)
#3How to add a date to HN title? The post says "This article originally ran in the February 1997 issue of Reader’s Digest."
Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)
#4That's extreme but getting different diagnoses isn't unheard of. Always take a second opinion in case of a delayable invasive procedure. You'd be surprised how many times there is an alternative. Medicine is all about probabilities, not an exact science.
Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)
#5Just like car mechanics:)
Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)
#6CBC Marketplace in Canada has done a couple similar assessments over the years where they have someone go to different dentists after an initial diagnosis by independent experts. They saw basically the same thing as this article, huge differences in opinions where clearly some practices were trying to scam money by doing unnecessary work. This is why I drive over an hour to visit my same dentist after moving house, they guy only does work if it is actually in my best interest.
Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)
#7When I first went to Ithaca I went to a quack dentist who charged me a lot for unnecessary diagnostics. I did not see a dentist for two years, then I got a referral to my current dentist where the whole family gets a cleaning twice a year. My wife thinks the exam with the dentist after seeing the hygienist is a scam, I see the dentist only if there is evidence of a problem. In that time I got a referral to extract one of my rear teeth (could have gotten an implant but decided against it.). My dentist gave me recommendations for sensitive teeth (saltpeter toothpaste and an electric toothbrush which was cheap when I got one that uses rechargeable AA’s) and a brace for tooth grinding which focalized my TMJ symptoms (shoulder, back, neck pain and headaches) to something which is somewhat annoying occasionally. I am satisfied.
I hear though that a lot of dentists get into scams like Amway and Scientology.
Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)
#8What I don't understand is why dentist work is not better regulated and covered by health. I can get a heart operation covered but if I have to do an implant I have to pay for it. I mean, I understand if you charged me something as a punishment (lets say 100/200 dollars), but I don't get why is not covered. We can even make it an additional monthly payment or something. But it is crazy that there is no coverage for most things, as if one could go on with his life without teeth.
Side Story: in my home country, Argentina, you can get national or imported screws/implants. The difference for doing one over the other is like 3 times. So let's say 500 dollars vs 1500 dollars (those are not the actual number), but I am friendish with a dentist, and he told me that the actual difference between a national vs imported screen is no more than 50 dollars.
Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)
#9[1997]
From the bottom of the article:
> This article originally ran in the February 1997 issue of Reader’s Digest.
> [Stock photo of people shaking hands]
> Originally Published: November 18, 2020
Is the 1997 date a printed issue and the 2020 date an online posting? Weird. Either way it's very old. It would be nice to know if the situation is as bad now as what was portrayed in the article.
Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)
#10That's extreme but getting different diagnoses isn't unheard of. Always take a second opinion in case of a delayable invasive procedure. You'd be surprised how many times there is an alternative. Medicine is all about probabilities, not an exact science.
This is 50 diagnoses with extreme variance. It’s an issue of too many alternatives and having a hard time choosing the correct path.
I don’t think this is a function of medicine but a function of poor ethics in dentistry.