I am so tired of my dentist trying to sell me something and making me feel bad about my smile. It seems every time I come in he’s either trying to upsell me or make me feel like my smile is ugly. It’s like all he cares about is getting new procedures in for the money. I had to get a dental bridge and he’d say, “Well, you can do that, but a dental implant would be better.” Yeah, for his bank account. If I don’t need any work, he will say, “You know, we can whiten those teeth of yours.” or “Some dental bonding will close those gaps you’ve got in your teeth.” It’s gotten to the point that I don’t want to go anymore. Are all dentists like this? If not, I want to switch.
Becky
Dear Becky,
All dentists have different personalities and business practices. As for the dental implant versus bridge, your dentist is under a legal obligation to give you all your options. Though, he shouldn’t pressure you either way. As for the cosmetic issues, it does come off a little heavy-handed. I don’t know him so, yeah, he might be trying to drum up more business, or he might just think he’s being helpful. He sees an issue he can solve and wants to let you know. Either way, this doesn’t sound like the best dentist for you. Someone else might think he’s the best thing since air-conditioning was invented.
Based on what you are saying, you just want a no-frills dentist who cleans and fixes your teeth and leaves you alone about everything else. I would start by looking at a dentist who advertises as an affordable dentist. While they still have to tell you all of your options and may offer cosmetic services, they are a lot less likely to pressure you into anything because they actively work to keep costs down for their patients.
This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.