$ of Going to the dentist "these days"

[Suzy Wong]

Anyone notice prices seem to have gone up disproportionatley over time? Or maybe it is just me?

I had 2 visits one to check a tooth that part of a filling came out, and to have it fixed and total was around 426.00.

(I'm not looking for a new dentist, just wondering if anyone else noticed this?)

[Mrs. Fury]

I just had a $700 root canal but that's what I was expecting to pay. My dentist sent me to another for a second opinion and that guy was going to charge $1000.

[Gourmondo]

I had to take out a home equity line to cover little Goumondette's orthodontia bill! And she doesn't even smile that much!

My dentist is pretty pricey. I inherited her after she was the only one left in the group after the others retired/left the state after the storm. But she's really cute and flirts with me so I don't mind too much.

[Mac da Knife]

If I had to approach work every day probing into people's mouths, I'd charge a fortune too.
Yuck.
Not a dentist myself, but they earn their pay.

[justagirl]

My dentist growing up is in Falmouth Maine, so it goes without saying that he's expensive. Now my dentist is uptown near Audobon Park, so it goes with out saying that she's expensive.

I haven't really noticed it going up, but just that it's always been expensive. I'm a freak about my teeth. I don't fear falling down stairs because it'll hurt, I fear loosing or even chipping a tooth. A little overboard I realize but hey, that's me.

Before Katrina I ran the Biomaterials Research Lab at the dental school, it was nice having a talented Dentist as a boss. For the three years I was there I didn't have to pay for dental work or x-rays. It was a good perk but not good enough for me to take that job back. LOL

[Suzy Wong]

Thanks for the replies.

Mack,
There are far worse places some Dr's have to go:eek:
That said, I NEVER go to the dentist w/o brushing, flossing and a listerine rinse right before, I assumed everyone did that.


The Son of Suzy Wong is still losing baby teeth. 3? years ago one was ultra loose hanging by a thread, and I wasn't going to pull it, and he didn't want too, so the dentist did, but it was maybe $85/90, thought that was high for 5 seconds or less. When I was a little kid, I pulled my own teeth, I thought it was fun, it makes me WEAK now thinking about it:o

jag,
I AM THE SAME WAY about teeth! But you knew that;)

I had an extremely small chip in a VERY odd place of course, it wouldn't be anything else:shootself:. One option besides a repair, was a veneer sp? and it was 1,000 per tooth

I have gone to the same dentist my entire life, now my son goes to him. My son also goes to my Pediatrician sp? wonder if that is a New Orleans thing?

[Mac da Knife]

Thanks for the replies.

Mack,
There are far worse places some Dr's have to go:eek:
That said, I NEVER go to the dentist w/o brushing, flossing and a listerine rinse right before, I assumed everyone did that.

Indeed. Far, far worse.
And those brave souls have every right to earn $$$.

[justagirl]

You would assume that everyone went to the dentist with a clean mouth and teeth...but you'd be wrong! Pay the people, it's a gross job that if you are good at it, you deserve to be paid.

Now, as for the doctor's who go to 'worse' places...I bet it holds true that some people don't go with their 'clean' too....how gross is that!

[LauraMc]

Mine has gone up in the past few years. And then my darn dental plan changed what they pay in the middle of me getting a tooth implant from 50% covered to non-covered. I wish I'd just gotten a bridge, I've had more trouble from that darn implant.

[Jeeves]

The company I work for offers a good dental plan and I go to a great dentist, Dr. Mark Schott, in Lakeview. He doesn't try to push unnecessary dental work on his patients as I have experienced from other dentists in the past.

[kcdixiecat]

I'm 45 years old and I've gone to the same dentist my entire life! What is even worse....I now live in New Orleans and my dentist is in Kentucky..I always schedule my cleanings around my visits back home. I went in last week to see him and he told me that he's retiring! OH NO...:eek: Sooooooo I'm in the market for a good dentist around the Jefferson/Harahan/River Ridge area....any one know of a good one?

[cstoehr]

I love my dentist and have a decent dental plan. I go for "free" every six months for cleaning and also x-rays and never have had to have any major work done. (knock on wood) I guess, actually I love my hygienist. The dentist just looks over her work after she is done. I also get tons of freebies, floss and toothbrushes etc. I have actually called the office before thinking I had missed my appointment and they will laugh and say you are not due for another couple weeks.