Black and White

I had a dentist appointment today, because I have a tooth that has been a little sensitive and I wanted to make sure to have it looked at before it got really bad. I did some research online and found a place that seemed like a good place to go. Of coarse they had to take x-rays, so that took awhile and then the Dr. came in to look at them and at my teeth. He said the x-rays looked good and then asked me how long it had been since I had my teeth cleaned. I thought, "Oh great, here we go again." I told him that it had been awhile. Definitely not the whole truth. It's been over 10 years at least. Anyway, to my surprise he just said I needed a general cleaning and to keep brushing my teeth. I told him that I did not have a lot of money to have my teeth cleaned every 6 months and to have the tooth that was bothering me fixed. He said that they have a discount program that they work with and it would only cost about $20 a month to get the discount. That was very good news. I will be saving a lot of money. So when I set up my cleaning appointment with the lady's at the front desk, I asked about the program and they gave me the information about it. The Dr. came up to the front and told the lady that I it would be okay if she went ahead and gave me the discount before I signed up. I walked out of there not paying a single penny. The visit would have cost $64. WOW! I could not believe what I was hearing. This is a complete opposite of the last time I went to a dentist. They told me I had gingivitis and about 10 cavities and that I would have to have a special cleaning called a debridement. They also charged me $200 to fix the tooth that was giving me problems. Altogether they wanted to do about $2500 of work on my teeth, and they didn't care that I didn't have insurance or that I told them I could not afford the work they wanted to do. They made it sound like if I did not get the work done my teeth would fall out. Very very pressuring. I just cannot believe the black and white difference between these two dental offices. I am so glad I went to this place. They just seem a little more down to earth than the other place did. The lesson I learned is this: if you don't feel like your being treated with honesty and there are unanswered questions in the back of your mind, get a second opinion. I was extremely relieved after the visit. For once I didn't feel like I was a terrible person for not taking care of my teeth. I found out I obviously do take care of them otherwise the Dr. would not have been so impressed with the condition of my teeth. All I can say is, "Thank you God!" I had been dreading that appointment since the day I made it, I walked out of there feeling like a 100 lb. weight had been lifted off my shoulders.