Yesterday, I wrote a bit about how some dentists push for procedures that are unnecessary and will only add to their bottom line. In my experience, I have seen that to be true once. Thankfully, I have had good dentists over the years. However, when my preschooler was just ready to begin seeing the dentist, the dentist my family went to would not fill her cavity because of her age. I was then put on the hunt for a pediatric dentist. I was unaware that some dental facilities were out to make money and not necessarily care for patients. That is until I entered one such facility. I could not get my daughter and I out of there fast enough.
I visited a popular chain that dealt specifically with children because my insurance covered it and finding a pediatric dentist was not as easy as it sounded. The waiting room was nice and we were quickly escorted to a room. As I walked down the hall, I thought it was odd to see rows and rows of dental chairs just waiting for a child. It looked almost like a factory line. We arrived at our room and waited to talk to the dentist. The dentist was very friendly and all too excited to tell me of all the procedures and “smile plan” that would be set up for my daughter. This was all before she looked in her mouth. The used car salesman mentality of the place was all too transparent. Once she looked in her mouth, she told me of more things they could do from X-rays to filling cavities hiding in between the teeth. They would do nothing that day, not even a cleaning, I had to come back in a month or two for a full work up. I never went back.
Thankfully, I found a dentist that was perfectly wonderful and did not try to sell me a lemon. So, be forewarned, when you take your child to a dentist make sure they are not trying to convince you of procedures and “smile plans”. That may be in indication the dentist needs to make her mortgage payment and not a reflection of your child’s dental health.