Your Have a Specific Dental Problem or Concern
You may only be interested in having an acceptable smile, white teeth, one front tooth missing, unable to chew properly, suffer from TMJ, headaches, or facial pains, etc...
I can offer some guidance as to what dental procedures would be necessary so that you may accomplish your particular dental or oro-facial goal at a reasonable cost.
You Have Dental Work Done That is Not Fixing Your Problem
While treatment plans will undoubtedly vary from one clinician to another for a given diagnosis based on the training, skill set and expertise of a particular clinician, my duty as an independent clinician rendering a second opinion should simply be to answer two questions:
- Is the diagnosis reasonable?
- Is the treatment proposed/performed reasonable and appropriate for the conditions diagnosed?
Treatment options rendered for given diagnoses should be in line with those that another reasonable clinician with adequate expertise regarding the diagnosis in question would do. In fact, this is the definition of "standard of care."
You Cannot Afford The Treatment Plan Offered By Your Dentist
Consideration must be given to how the costs of various dental treatments and procedures will affect you, your retirement, your priorities, and the priorities of your whole family.
You Are Unsure That The Recommended Treatment Is Necessary
There is no hard-and-fast rule about which dental procedures shouldn't be done without a second opinion, but it isn't necessary to have multiple dentists look at every little cavity or other minor dental health problem. It depends on the dental work that is being proposed. Changing a filling is not as involved as having implants or periodontal (gum) surgery done.
You Don't Have A Good Rapport With Your Dentist
You don't feel comfortable talking to your dentist. Your dentist tells you what you need and is not considering what you want or can afford. You feel that you are swiftly "passed on" to the office financial expert who will tell you how you can afford the procedures. You feel you are being "pushed" into signing up for recommended treatment.
Are There Less Expensive Options To Treat My Dental Condition(s)?
As mentioned in other sections of this site:
- There may be several treatment options available for a variety of dental conditions. Rendering too many options will only serve to make decisions harder. It has been my experience that presenting three treatment options always allows for the best informed decision.
- We are in an era of competitive revenue-driven dentistry where clinicians are under constant - and often extreme - pressure from corporate and third-party payer influences to sell dentistry. Comprehensive-minded dentists, with all good intentions, sometimes tend to see some patients as opportunities to demonstrate how the wonders of modern dentistry might help our patients achieve optimal oral health with excellent aesthetic outcomes.
- Consideration must be given to how the costs of a variety of dental treatments will affect you, your future, and the financial priorities of your whole family.