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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)

#281

Post by arolihas »

palata wrote: post #250
newaccount74 wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was with you until the last sentence: > There's an absurd amount of potential for LLMs here. The problem is not that doctors are stupid, the problem is that a lot of ailments are just not easily diagnosed. Even if the doctor has one (or more) suspicions what the red rash on your skin is, there just aren't any tests for many conditions. Many diseases are only diagnosed by symptoms and the underlying cause is unknown…

Is LLM the new web3, where people just keep throwing it as a solution for every problem they encounter? Seems like it... Maybe soon they will throw LK-99 at every problem?

LK-99 is already on the blockchain

https://coinbrain.com/coins/bnb-0xb131f5e8ec273af4652eecdd87...

This will change everything

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#282

Post by Retric »

palata wrote: post #250
newaccount74 wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was with you until the last sentence: > There's an absurd amount of potential for LLMs here. The problem is not that doctors are stupid, the problem is that a lot of ailments are just not easily diagnosed. Even if the doctor has one (or more) suspicions what the red rash on your skin is, there just aren't any tests for many conditions. Many diseases are only diagnosed by symptoms and the underlying cause is unknown…

Is LLM the new web3, where people just keep throwing it as a solution for every problem they encounter? Seems like it... Maybe soon they will throw LK-99 at every problem?

People always default to whatever the new thing is being somewhat magical. Radiation as a medical cure all didn’t age particularly well, but it’s not like the same people are falling into the trap. It’s been common across many generations and cultures, I doubt it’s going to change any time soon.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#283

Post by solardev »

prakhar897 wrote: post #223

I really lucked out that Indians families push for Doctor/Engineer career so hard. My family has dentists, surgeons, general practice doctors etc. This gives me immense leverage as trusted second opinion is just a call away. Also, Can anyone tell why don't more people fly to other countries for these procedures? Paying something like 6k$ for a crown is pure extortion. In India, a decent one (with quality equivalent t…

Medical tourism is totally a thing, but it's harder when you don't know the other country's culture and/or language and can't tell a good doctor apart from a bad one.

It's a lot easier when you have family and referrals in the other country who can point you at a trusted source.

Just like most outsourcing, I suppose.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#284

Post by PopAlongKid »

solardev wrote: post #274
PopAlongKid wrote: post #253

>What, then, can Americans do to protect themselves from overtreatment and overcharging? Says the ADA’s Dr. Seldin, “We encourage patients to seek out—certainly if there’s a lot of work to be done—second or third opinions so they can have comfort with the practitioner’s recommendations.” Actually, the article already identified the prime protection mechanism -- insurance. The data in the article is nearly meaningless…

Isn't dental insurance kinda a scam itself? They pay for a couple cleanings and give you maybe a slight discount on major work, but the payout limit is so low that you might as well pay out of pocket for all of it (and just save your premiums for operations) or use the clinic's own subscription program. When would dental insurance actually be cost effective for any major operations?

I wouldn't say it's a scam, but yes it is in many cases just pre-paid expenses. If all you need is cleanings and periodic x-rays, it might end up a wash against the cost of premiums.

I recently went through a transition from employer-provided group dental insurance, to the basic Medicare Advantage dental offered through Kaiser, and had to pay out of pocket for some major work that couldn't wait (root canal). Since then I have found an affiliation-based group plan that costs a little more but results in much lower amounts charged by the dentist for non-routine work. The quality of the dentists in the network is much higher, in my limited experience.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#285

Post by [deleted] »

prakhar897 wrote: post #223

I really lucked out that Indians families push for Doctor/Engineer career so hard. My family has dentists, surgeons, general practice doctors etc. This gives me immense leverage as trusted second opinion is just a call away. Also, Can anyone tell why don't more people fly to other countries for these procedures? Paying something like 6k$ for a crown is pure extortion. In India, a decent one (with quality equivalent t…

[deleted]

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#286

Post by mildavw »

I have a good friend who is a hygienist for two dentists. One is completely inept and the other an outright scammer.

The inept guy generates business by doing such a poor job with fillings that crowns and root canals are always eventually needed. And he does such a poor job with those that bridges and implants are then needed. He's a master bullshitter and most patients trust him (a few catch on, and a few have sued). My friend keeps records for the lawsuits, covers her own butt, and discreetly encourages some patients to go elsewhere.

The fraudster puts everyone on "perio" schedules (cleanings every 3 months instead of 6) whether they need it or not. And also bills insurance for treatment he didn't do. His actual dental skills are decent, however.

We laypeople assume we can trust these "experts" with degrees and white coats when we really have no clue if what they're doing is legit.

Next time you get your teeth cleaned, ask the hygienist if they themselves (or their family -- kids, parents) use the dentist you're about to see. My friends says that this is the question with the most valuable answer. She wouldn't let either guy within 100 miles of her teeth or her kids' and will happily tell people where she goes if they ask.

This is assuming the hygienist isn't crooked too. In the US, hygienists are typically paid hourly but with "production" bonuses, meaning they get a cut of the dentists fees for treatment beyond cleaning. So beware that they're incentivized to do more treatment than necessary too. In my friend's case, the bonuses are a small %, so it's not a huge incentive.

She stays because they pay well, give her the hours she needs as a single mom, and likes her co-workers. But the patient care and outcomes do take moral toll on her.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#287

Post by creata »

EGreg wrote: post #72
Waterluvian wrote: post #47

My son when 3 had a fall and a few teeth were bent. Went to our local dentist who mostly had a wait and see opinion. But then calls a day later and says they’ve decided they should just come out. Two top front teeth. Would have no top front teeth for years. I went into engineer mode and while I acknowledged I didn’t have domain expertise, I asked questions and probed the whole situation. Very unsatisfactory, meanderi…

[flagged]

> gender dysphoria (5% of young adults now)

In no country is it true that 5% of young adults have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The Pew Research article that you linked only looks at how people identify themselves.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#288

Post by dclowd9901 »

i_like_apis wrote: post #261

I have always agreed with Vinod Khosla about doctors. Much of what they do today should be replaced by AI. My own opinion: their arrogance is the most offensive part of the situation. There are plenty of great doctors and surgeons out there, don’t get me wrong. But the majority seem to think they are a superior species.

No doubt an artifact of their cult like educational experience. The whole system should be uprooted.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#290

Post by felipeerias »

ryandrake wrote: post #268
colordrops wrote: post #245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This whole fear of being labeled a "conspiracy nut" for exploring less trodden paths needs to end. Calling people conspiracy nuts for looking behind curtains they shouldn't was a good tactic by various entities to cover up secrets and misdeeds, but it has spilled over into the non political arena and poisoned everything. Humans don't have a full understanding of everything, and in fact it's quite the opposite, in tha…

I’m torn about this now. I used to cautiously support the practice of double checking your doc, but not wholeheartedly because of all the various quacks: essential oil moms, natural/spiritual healers, psychics, supplement sellers, crystal therapists, “old school” (pre-COVID) antivaxers and so on, muddying the water. Until COVID came around and unearthed the absolute hoards of dO yOuR oWn ReSeArCh imbeciles. Now the s…

The pandemic revealed the degree to which any respectable field can harbour extremely dangerous kookery without realising it.

For example, Western health authorities used to be absolutely certain that viruses could not be airborne (outside of very specific medical procedures), even though they did not have any good reason or evidence to back that up: it was just an old idea that happened to fit in with their priors, so generations of experts kept parroting it until horror unfolded.

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