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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)

#451
post #416

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in the US. I am a software engineer making more than a half a million annually. I have access to tremendous resources and can advocate for myself and my family. I live in a college town because of my wife's career. It is not a big city, but is also not rural middle of nowhere. Getting a routine gynecological appointment for my wife any time in the next six months is impossible. I gave up on trying to get an ap…

Preach. I wanted to get a sleep study done to get to the bottom of my occasional insomnia. My PCP at the time put in the pulmonologist referral (because this hospital network required a referral to get a sleep study done, which is insane in its own right, but that's neither here nor there). This was in January. His next available appointment? March! For a friggin sleep study! And I have a HDHP + HSA and was going to…

FYI: I'm not a doctor and this isn't medical advice, but you can buy an APAP machine over the counter with money in your HSA, then hack around in it to figure out if you have sleep apnea and how bad it is if so

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

#452
Every dentist I went to when I was younger told me I have cavities and wanted to start drilling; my parents and after that me always said no. I am 50 now and have 0 cavities (or any other teeth or gum issues). Always wonder how many people have their teeth messed up for life without any cause.

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

#453
post #315
post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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.

Right, but why has it been normalized? This is a disorder according to DSM V, and the word “dysphoria” also suggests profound discomfort and unease. Like “body dysmorphic disorders” like anorexia (another issue for young girls). Perhaps people are trivializing the actual affliction and are “appropriating” the identity the way it has been done with blackface or wearing drag for the fun of it etc. I actually hope so si…

> For example, if a girl preferred traditionally male activities, today that is 1 of 2 criteria she needs to be considered as having gender dysphoria, while in the past she’d be called a Tomboy before.

Sorry, I don't have the energy to respond to the other stuff, but I really think you're mixing together the criteria for adults with the criteria for children.

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

#454
I found that about 10% of dentist worth anything. This is because training quality has taken nose dive and it’s now mostly a business of hiring dozen hygienists and take the cut. Similar thing is happening in optometrists. I got 3 completely different prescriptions at 3 places. Even worse is neurology and physiotherapy.

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

#455
post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same is true for healthcare generally in my experience. Very bad advice is often given. I can't really common about the US, but here in the UK the quality of healthcare is shocking bad. Although we may have the opposite problem, where instead of doing unnecessary procedures to increase costs, the NHS generally tries to avoid doing anything unless you're dying. I had some pain in my abdomen a few years back and ha…

I lived in Argentina for a few years. There are plenty of problems with their public healthcare system that pretty much mirror any country with a troubled economy, but one day a work colleague recommended I visit the Favoloro Institute. I’ve never seen such an impressive healthcare organization in my life. They time their appointments ever 2 minutes so you’re expected to arrive early. Once you start, they wiz you aro…

This sounds much like the annual health check-ups that are done here in Japan. They're paid for by your employer, and involve a battery of tests on many things: blood work, stool/urine samples, chest x-ray, abdominal ultrasound, hearing and eye checks, etc.

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

#456
Went to a dentist in Redmond. Had all sorts of fancy goody bag gifts. I knew thereon I’ll be charged a fortune just to see their face. Lo and behold he found all sorts of problems and recommended some procedures. I acknowledged but didn’t go for them. Still got a huge bill and had to pay $300 out of pocket.

Healthcare in US is robbery in daylight. It’s kind of a joke they call it a capitalist country. Can’t compare prices, get 5 different bills over 6 months, in-network / out-network voodoo. A dentist/doctor could be in-network and yet insurance pays only $10 out of $500 bill and still charges $600/month premium.

The whole industry needs a big refactor.

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

#457

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The experts are great until they have a case that is unusual. But this is true for every thing in the planet. Data modelling, computer programming, building, everything. Name something that the unusual is not more complicated and difficult to do. Why would anyone think that it would not be true for the health field?? I think the problem is people think health is magical and everything is known. Because they choose…

> I think the problem is people think health is magical and everything is known. The problem is most doctors have absolutely no humility and will never admit to not knowing something. I don't see that behavior among engineers.

"The problem is most doctors have absolutely no humility and will never admit to not knowing something. I don't see that behavior among engineers."

That is incredibly surprising.

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

#459
A couple of years ago I stayed in south Oregon, on my 2 week visit to the US.

I started having incredible tooth ache, so I found dentist clinic and went there. I had no insurance or anything.

After being quite impressed with the facility, the dentist came and started testing my teeth at the back. He was putting small swab with cold water, but he didn't find it. He told me that there should be root canal, and that I should look for a good dentist to do it for me. I was going to New York on my way back to Poland, and he mentioned that New York have best dentists and that root canal can cost around $2000 there.

It would be cheaper for me to fly back Poland, have a root canal done there and back btw.

Eventually he prescribed me antybiotic which helped. I payed $150 for the visit (down from $250 because I was foreigner I guess?).

Long story short after 2 weeks I went to the dentist in Poland. He did the same thing with cold swab, but this time he touched on the side which I immediately noticed. Dentist in the US touched only from the top, he didn't even bother to touch on the side.

It was root canal indeed and was fixed in 1 visit for $200.

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