[insert_php]if(!wp_is_mobile()){echo ‘Have you ever gone to the dentist’s office and gotten the bad news that you need extensive –and expensive – care? And that you need it right away?
Have you ever wondered, “Did I really need to do this?”
This is an issue that Dr. Joseph Hyde encounters frequently.
Dr. Hyde is an “old school” general dentist who believes in the private practice dentist taking care of “his” patients, honoring the trust they place in their dentist. He became increasingly concerned by the complaints he would hear from patients coming from large, “corporate” dental offices.
Concerns Dr. Hyde frequently hears include:
[insert_php]if(!wp_is_mobile()){echo ‘‘;}[/insert_php]“I just went in for my regular cleaning and they wanted to do $5,000 of work.”
“I get a different dentist every time and they each want to do something different.”
“The other dentist wanted to do eight crowns. Do I really need them?”
“I’ve had good checkups for a decade and suddenly this new dentist says I need a lot of work.”
“The doctor said I need $7,000 of work including (technical names of procedures). Then they asked, ‘How do you want to pay?’”
An article in an industry publication put a name on it for Dr. Hyde: “aggressive diagnosis” – when a dentist diagnoses everything that he or she can possibly justify.
He immediately took issue with the concept. “Often those justifications are a stretch,” he said.
[insert_php]if(!wp_is_mobile()){echo ‘‘;}else{echo ‘“‘;}[/insert_php]I also felt that people were under served regarding prevention, and I saw them return with new decay on a three to five year cycle,” Dr. Hyde said. “That does not have to be the case, but generally the ‘chair time’ to provide proper instruction was not given. Restorative work was more important to the business goals. And with the elevation of corporate managers over employee-dentists, business goals have become paramount.”[insert_php]if(!wp_is_mobile()){echo ‘‘;}else{echo ‘
‘;}[/insert_php]
Dr. Hyde felt that there had to be a better way. He reasoned that when a medical patient receives a serious diagnosis, it is a standard procedure to seek a second opinion before proceeding with care.
“The solution is to empower the patient,” he said. “Make them ‘smart shoppers’ who can oversee their own care. I am an informational resource for the patient. I am not there to judge other dentists.”
With that thought in mind, Dr. Hyde provides exams and consultations, education and advice. Patients can take advantage of Dr. Hyde’s three decades of dental experience and ask questions before deciding on the direction they want to go with their dental care and program.
“We do no repair work, because that could present a conflict of interest,” he said. “We offer exams and our opinion on what a patient needs so they can make wise, economical decisions. We serve only the patient’s needs.”
Getting a second opinion can help a patient to decide whether or not a dental procedure is needed, and it also has the potential to save the patient a lot of money.[insert_php]if(!wp_is_mobile()){echo ‘
‘;}else{echo ‘‘;}else{echo ‘“‘;}[/insert_php]Consumers can often save thousands of dollars with a second opinion,” he said. “Insurers, employers and society could cut dental costs by fully half were everyone to get both impartial diagnoses and prevention instruction.”[insert_php]if(!wp_is_mobile()){echo ‘
‘;}[/insert_php] The services offered are not covered by standard dental insurance, but the fees are reasonable and affordable. In addition to a second opinion, patients also receive a valuable information session with Dr. Hyde on preventative dental care.
“Many patients aren’t receiving this in some dental offices, because it isn’t something for which a hygienist is compensated,” he said. “Just knowing how to properly brush and floss, and with the proper kind of brush, can prevent future costly dental problems.”
Ultimately, it is all about giving patients options, according to Dr. Hyde.
[insert_php]if(!wp_is_mobile()){
echo ‘
}
[/insert_php]