My wife called me from her dentist last year

[NNN0LHI]

She said she needed some extensive dental work and that the dentist had advised here to call her husband and see what I think.

I was dumbfounded. I said to my wife that its kind of crazy for her to be calling me about this since I trust her judgment on such stuff better than mine. After all its her teeth. WTF?

I bet if that had been me in that dentists chair he would have never advised me to call and "discuss" this with my wife before I had made any decision.

Why the difference?

Don

[FormerDittoHead]

1. Sometimes, couples like to make major financial decisions together?

"extensive" could mean implants could mean many thousands of dollars

WE have insurance - but doesn't cover anything over $1,000 a year and that can come and go very, very quickly...

on edit - I honestly don't know how much implants could cost, because they don't put the same number of implants in as teeth...

[midlife_mo_Jo]

43. I'd have to know more before I decided the dentist was sexist

Did she appear to waver or was a bit surprised at the cost?

My husband might have said the same thing, because we make decisions together about larger expenditures.

[FormerDittoHead]

45. Exactly. Personally, I would expect a dentist to make the same comment to me about calling my wife.

[Bill McBlueState]

63. my dentist has no idea whether I'm married

So he might say something like, "Think it over."

Not, "You should discuss this with a specific person that I'm assuming has a lot of input in your financial decisions."

[midlife_mo_Jo]

76. My dentist treats our whole family

So he knows I'm married w/kids. :)

[JerseygirlCT]

87. Yeah, but then you say: "would you like some time to think about this?"

Not "do you want to check with your husband first?"

The decision to talk about it together is the spouse's, not her dentist's!

[OzarkDem]

2. Was the dentist concerned about the cost?

Maybe he wanted your approval to ensure he would get paid. Dental work is unbelievably expensive these days, even with dental insurance.

[NotGivingUp]

3. That's disgusting....like she's a child or something.

He was wrong in assuming she needs her husband's permission, AND he was wrong to advise an adult to make the phone call...period.

The difference is because we live in a patriarchal society where women are treated as 2nd class citizens.

[PCIntern]

4. Last year...

and this is still an issue?

I'm a dentist and take my cues from my patients...sometimes a patient will say that they aren't sure that they want to progress with the treatment plan so I tell them to go home and think about it and discuss it with their spouse/parents/ special friend/whatever. Personally, I think that I would have to see the context of the conversation which you were not a party to in the office and then decide if certain cues which you wife gave to the dentist caused him or her to think, quite appropriately, that you should be consulted.

Better than saying that she has to make the decision right now before the car/house/swampland is sold to the buyer who REALLY wanted it 10 minutes before.

[China_cat]

5. This year

and I cannot login to our JOINT bank account online banking under my own name and SS number. I have to use my husband's. Same for the mortgage account even though I'm responsible for payment if something should happen to my husband. Can't get an answer as to why, either. I've tried to get one.

Same for the last time I was in the hospital. Dr. tried to get hubby to sign release papers for a procedure I'd refused. Luckily, my husband is smart enough not to even think about doing something like that.

[flordehinojos]

7. so magnificently compassionate on your part since you will end up with their house,

car, swampland, whatever ... or dreams they give up ... to take care of a necessary part of their health out of which you dentists are helping out in the creation of this have and have nots world.

[PCIntern]

12. Nice post...

Presuming that your tone was what it appeared to be, we really enjoy treating people who feel as though they're being robbed. Let me ask you this: hypothetically, let's say you lost the sight in both of your eyes simultaneously. the surgical ophthamologist restored your vision. Are you then going to argue what he/she is paid for the efforts?

Running a dental office and working 80+ hours a week, I know what things cost, what competent staff costs, and I'll tell you that quite frankly, most dentists are not living the lives which they envisioned to say the least. Neither are the doctors...if you think that that's OK to have a society filled with frustrated health-care professionals, then you better think again.

those who have read my dental posts here on DU understand where I'm coming from on these issues. I have done more work for free for my patients who are in trouble than you have done charity I will guarantee you. I let the charges just go and write them off b/c it is what's right. And I'm not alone. No one ever walked out of here infected or in pain b/c they could not afford treatment. You indictment of me and my profession was unwarranted and erroneous.

If I read your post wrong then I apologize...but I don't think so.

[Richard Steele]

20. Many of us here realize that it isn't the health-care PROVIDERS who are the problem.

I just thought that needed to be said.

[drbtg1]

35. Thanks, but many here treat dentists like they're on Karl Rove's speed dial

A whole lot of hate here.

[flordehinojos]

41. i don't know what life dentists envision ...

but when a dentist has a house on a canal, a farm in a florida farm land, a deer hunting farm in one of the carolinas, a house in north florida, and all coming out of his D.D.S. practice ... what, pray tell, is the life a dentist dreams of and wants?

and yes, i would question the fee for the restoration of my eyesight, as i have questioned the fee of hospital stays, of which i've had many, and surgical procedures when i have seen fit to do so.

but you must defend the highway robbery that goes on ... it affords you your style of life.

[drbtg1]

46. And the name of "a dentist" who has all this is?

It's funny, y'know, because the dentists that I talk to worry about costs like college for their kids and health insurance for their employees, not the cost of a second, third, and fourth home because they don't exist outside of your stereotype, other than some dental mill operators who I'd agree should be out of business.

Yes, there are people like Bill Dorfman and Larry Rosenthal, but you're not seeing people like them because if you were, you'd be owning four homes too. But the dentists who run quality, neighborhood "meat and potatoes" practices deserve to be treated better than this, not that I'm holding my breath for this place.

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[flordehinojos]

58. it seems like you also don't know what

financial hardships, or hardships of any kind, emotionally or in any other way those of us sitting on a dentist's chair have to endure. Of course, these days, only the wealthy can afford a dentist's chair, so why would you know. and ... who is spilling hate here? i am not. but i am standing up for what i believe should be .... and that is AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING AFFORDABLE DENTAL HEALTH CARE.

Now... i will shut up.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

61. PCIntern has posted many times about the amount he

writes off every year from either a patient not paying the bill or doing gratis work. Why are you holding him responsible for all dentists?

[PCIntern]

75. No one's arguing with you...

no one said that health care shouldn't be more affordable. what kind of disruption do you think you're going to get away with here that you changed the tone from one of usefulness to the "I hate professionals' meme? Don't you tell me that I don't know about my patients' hardships...*I live and die with them, some over more than 28 years here and I'm with them every step of the way. You have no idea how many times I have seen someone who confesses to me that they're out of money and I just say - "don't worry about it, let's first take care of you. If and when yo get back on your feet, then we'll talk about this bill. until then, just let me fix you up." But you know what, why don't I just stop doing it if everyone is like you and completely ungrateful to those of us who DO try to make a difference in this world?

On second thought, no one like you has the kinetic energy sufficient to change my narrow stance(!) on this issue. I will continue to be a humanist despite the morans.

[Horse with no Name]

57. I have two dentists that are close friends

They have a nice home and nice cars...nice things, but they worry about putting their kids through college and paying bills just like we do. There are some cosmetic dentists out there I am sure that live opulent lifestyles, but I really think the norm is just living like the rest of us.

[Bake]

71. That is simply ridiculously unfair.

If you don't want professional dental care, stay home. Your "smile" can be your form of protest against all the "haves."

Bake

[Cetacea]

85. You seem enlightened. If you please...

Could you explain why the majority of dentists insist that is ok to put Mercury in people's mouths?

[mondo joe]

19. What a bunch of crap. NT

[flordehinojos]

42. are you a dentist too?

[mondo joe]

47. No, not at all.

[midlife_mo_Jo]

78. So, I suppose we should have an income CAP for democrats?

All those making more than $XXX, file to the right.

That was a REALLY UGLY thing to say to a fellow DU'er.

[JerseygirlCT]

88. So, dentists and doctors should all work for free?

Years of medical training, and ... well it's all their fault you need their services, right?

[Toucano]

9. That's perfectly reasonable. n/t

[Toots]

26. Why do dentists charge so damn much?

How much per hour do you charge? I know you will say it is by procedure and not by the hour but figure out the hourly cost of any given procedure and tell us if you think it is rational. Why in your opinion do so many americans flock to Mexico and Canada to get their dental work done?

[drbtg1]

31. By far, the biggest expense in my dental office is...

...payroll for my employees. There's also rent, malpractice insurance, general liability insurance, employee health insurance, workman's comp insurance, dental insurance company dictated write-offs, federal payroll taxes, state payroll taxes, state unemployment insurance, dental supplies, office supplies, utilities, repair bills, practice management software maintenance bills, dental lab fees, attorney fees, bank fees, payroll service fees, and on and on, more than you would normally think about. (There's also the practice acquisition cost but that's a 15 year amortization (but I can deduct the loan interest this year) as well as the hefty six-figure student loan bill I got from dental school, but that's paid with after-tax dollars, not by the practice, but still a factor.)

But the biggest is payroll. That's the bill that keeps people in your community employed. That's the bill that lets people spend money in your community, that keeps money invested in your community.

Some Americans flock to Mexico or Canada because they feel they have to.

Some people shop at Wal-Mart because they feel they have to.

The effect is the same. People should know that.

[Bandit]

49. I notice you failed to answer the question

A dentist has how many employees? Basically everything you listed as expenses apply to almost every single business, malpractice and dental supplies being the exceptions. Do all other business charge $500. to a $1000. per hour? I suspect most Dentists drive Mercedes or BMWs and suck off insurance which you seem to demean as your biggest expenses. I have been told that without insurance, unless one pays up front most dentists won't even see a person and that means those on medicaid as well. Do you accept those on medicaid?

[Big Blue Marble]

55. Oh good another beat up on dentists thread!

This thread was intended to discuss if women are treated as second class consumers and is transfered into why dentists are so greedy.
I am not a dentist, but I work for one and have consulted with many. The majority are not rich. They are only making a decent living.
Their overhead is enormous. A dental office is really a small clinic far more expensive to run than a physician's office. They charge what
they charge, because that what it takes to deliver the service. I know of no dentist that grosses anywhere near $1000 per hour! For most
practices in the country that is absolutely ridiculous. For every visit that is charged for crowns, bridges or implants, I assure there are four
or five that the charges are under $100. And the overhead that PCIntern mentioned are the same. That does not include the last minute
cancellations and no-shows where the clinic goes unused and the overhead remains the same.

Yes dentists are professionals. They have invested significant capital in their education and in their clinic. And earn the right to profit
for these investments. Again, I assure the majority are working extremely hard and do not excessively charge for what they do. If
they did not make a profit, they would not be there when you need them.

And the dentist I work with drives a 22 year old car.

[Texasgal]

62. Do you have any idea how much

malpractice insurance cost? It can put a practice under in five seconds!

There is also that sweet insurance of ours. You see the doctor may bill $100.00, but your HMO will only reimburse 40.00!

You don't know jack about a private practice obviously.

[drbtg1]

83. I notice you failed to see the truth

"Why do dentists charge so damn much?" - answered

"How much per hour do you charge?" -self-answered (poster knew it was per procedure, not per hour)

"Why in your opinion do so many americans flock to Mexico and Canada to get their dental work done?" - answered, with additional analysis

I mentioned dental lab fees, but according to you, other businesses have those. The same with practice management software maintenance, practice acquisition costs, six-figure student loans, but with your logic, again, other businesses have those also, eh?

There's also something I call the zero effect, and its exemplified by attitudes like yours, Basically it means when I need something, like a plumbing repair or insurance, the fee gets a few more zeroes added to it when they find out I'm a dentist. Well, those fees have to be paid somehow.

You said "I suspect most Dentists drive Mercedes or BMWs and suck off insurance" without any knowledge on the subject at all. Tell me, what color is the sky in your world? On second thought, don't tell me. It doesn't matter what you think.

And I'm glad you brought up Medicaid. I worked on Medicaid patients exclusively in an office for four years in a devastated city that would make your home look like Trump Plaza. Treating medicaid patients where the state paid, for any given procedure, about 20-25% what a regular dentist would charge, so it was a charity operation at best. Nobody was getting rich there (do you think you'd survive on 20-25% of your current paycheck). And the patients paid nothing, per state law. Here's the thanks I got: the office that I treated Medicaid patients (also called Title 19 patients) got held up at gunpoint. Think about that. It's a dental office, where they have payments by checks and credit cards, not often cash. It's not a pharmacy either, so no drugs to be had there. But still, got held up at gunpoint.

I tried to make a difference which is more than what you've done (see, I can make up stereotypes about you, too), but it wasn't worth giving up my life.

[JerseygirlCT]

89. "I suspect" "I have been told"

lots of guesswork there, but it doesn't seem to stop you from attacking an entire group of people.

[shimmergal]

56. It's the existence of dental insurance

which has driven the costs up so high.

Any procedure which is hardly ever covered by insurance costs only about one-tenth as much as it woud for an insured procedure that takes the same amount of expertise and time.

Two cases in point: 1. cosmetic surgery
2. veterinary surgery

Offhand, I don't know if there are any comparable dental illustrations. But in most dental insurance there's still some hefty co-pays, so the dynamic may be a little different. Still, I wonder if one way to stop the health cost spiral would be to just flat illegalize all insurance coverage. Not that that's ever going to happen.

[Cetacea]

86. Mercury is expensive! And safe too!

At least according to the ADA.

[michreject]

33. That's what struck me also.

Last year!!!! This is Oct of this year.

[King Coal]

6. I don't get it. Is the husband going to say, "No, don't get your teeth fixed."

It's like asking your boss if you can go to the bathroom. Is he going to say no?

[Toucano]

10. Possibly yes.

A few years ago, I went to the dentist after many years of not going regularly.

My treatment plan was to cost over $12,000.

I had to take the plan in stages, doing the most critical work first and spreading out the less important parts over different credit cards.

I'm still paying for it actually.

Perhaps that type of planning is what the dentist though the wife might need to consult another person about.

[King Coal]

11. Yeah, you're right.

[spoony]

81. Great point

I'm in the middle of something like that, it's a huge financial commitment. In a way it's like fixing up one's home.

[razzleberry]

8. cosmetic work, or really needed?

people have different interpretation, of 'needed'

perhaps you can do some of the work yourself, to save.

I can loan you a pliers.

[distantearlywarning]

13. My husband and I both discuss expensive things with one another before doing them

It's not about treating one another like children, it's about being two members of a team where every person needs to have a say before major decisions are made.

I would hope the dentist in question would advise my husband to talk to me first before spending thousands of dollars on anything. Better yet, I hope he'd send either one of us home to discuss it in detail with the other person, and make the appointment for the work later.

[PCIntern]

14. I'm a dentist as some of you know from other threads

and I am very angry that there is a component of self-proclaimed 'educated intellectual elite' here who think that dentistry is bullshit, is easy, is overhead-free, is not an intellectual exercise, is highly profitable, and that we dentists as a group are somehow to blame for dental ills.

I don't hear or read about the major auto companies beings slammed for price gouging of parts for repair, and their bottom lines are much higher than ours. I've been a part of quite a few dental threads here at DU and have been quite impressed with the vast number of folks here who appreciate what is done for them. There are always a few who seem to feel that dentists and the fluorodation issues (flooride, flouride, floride) are among the great ills of society. As the other poster said, here's a pair of pliers, do it yourself.

[Solon]

16. I have a cousin who is a dentist...

Uhm, more like cousin-in-law, married to my first cousin, whatever. Anyways, he's not the most personable fellow you could ever meet, in fact, I think he's said about 2 sentences worth of words to me in a decade. But anyways, that's not the point, the point is that he's generous enough to give the family(cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents), the "family discount". Considering that I've never had dental insurance since I was 21, I wouldn't say it was a godsend, but it was convenient. I will say he is a professional, though my experience is limited, so far the only things I went in for were regular checkups and the occasional cleaning. The reason why it isn't exactly a godsend for me is that my sum total of dental problems was two fillings I had filled back when I was around 11 or 12, when I still had some baby teeth. One of the fillings was on a baby tooth, the other on a permanent tooth, and so I have only one filling in my mouth as of today.

I stopped fearing the dentist years ago, even before my cousin married this guy, mostly because I knew what to expect, go in, get X-Rayed, and then get teeth cleaned/examined. I guess I just got really lucky with my teeth, I think I take after my dad, he's 52 and has had few dental problems. I will say that my Cousin in law(can't think of a better term) moved into a new office in the past year, one that he designed himself. Its kickass, with flatscreen TVs mounted on arms attached to the ceiling, so that the patients can watch whatever they want when they are tortured. ;)

I remember the last time I was in there, I watched "Men at work" with Charlie Sheen, while getting my teeth cleaned.

[JNelson6563]

18. I thank you for your good work

As one who has suffered with dental problems much of my life I am here to say that a good dentist is worth his/her weight in gold.

I have a very good dentist who has done some major work for me but also provided some really simple fixes that have guaranteed I will have my remaining teeth for the rest of my life. I will continue to get the rest of the big stuff done a bit at a time as I can afford it but I will be forever grateful for this dentist's efforts on my behalf.

Just like any group of people, there are the really good ones and the occasional asshole.

Thank you PC Intern for being one of the good ones who really cares. :toast:

Julie

[Dorian Gray]

27. That's so nice...

and I would like to say, even though the dentist is expensive (I have no dental insurance), I absolutely adore my dentist. He's great, and his staff is well trained in stress reduction techniques. They do accupressure on the wrists before they give you shots of novocaine, and they're really kind, nice people. Love them! As a matter of fact, I'm going in next week to see my hygienist, and she's really funny!

[qdemn7]

21. One of the problems with the Dental Industry as a whole

Is the vast gulf between what Dentists charge and Dental Insurance covers, as opposed to regular medical care and insurance. A $1,000 dental policy is a joke, yet that is what most cover. Hell, you could eat that up with one single visit to the dentist. The reason so many Americans have bad teeth, in spite of the fact they have Dental Insurance, is that the insurance covers next to nothing. I don't know what the solution is, outside single payer NHC but this country sure as hell needs one.

[drbtg1]

28. "One of the problems with the Dental Industry"???

Actually, that's one of the problems with the dental INSURANCE industry. That $1,000 annual maximum has been the same for 35 years, back when you could buy a nice house for $20,000. Unfortunately, insurance companies are more than happy to let (or lead) the insured to believe that dental expenses should be the same for 35 years, unlike everything else in the world.

When dental insurer MetLife would rather keep benefits low but spend money on licensing fees to place Snoopy on its omnipresent advertising....

[MindPilot]

34. "I could cut my fees by an easy 50% if I didn't have to deal with insurance."

That's what my dentist told me. But just try having a practice and cut out the insurance industry.

[drbtg1]

37. See post #31

Unfortunately, I think post #31 may explain HOW your dentist may be able to make a 50% cut.

[JeanGrey]

59. I have a great dentist. I was lucky enough to have dental

insurance for years, now I don't have it. I still go to the same dentist and I feel his charges are reasonable. He also accepts medicaid patients. By the way I grew up with flouride in my water and I am THANKFUL as I am 52 and have had two fillings my entire life.

[sandnsea]

67. $10,000 for dental work

No auto repair person has ever given me that kind of quote for a few hours of work. Any repair that costs that much is due to parts. Auto repair shops also have expensive, computerized equipment; shop space, employees, etc. I also don't know of any auto repair person who works 4 days a week, and earns enough money so that their investments end up bringing in more income than their actual work does.

Many of us do wait for our teeth to fall out or to be easily pulled out with pliers. You never see us so you don't know.

You charge too much. Cut your prices in half and live on $50,000 a year like the rest of us.

[Vinca]

15. I would have looked at the dentist as if he/she was nuts.

If "the little woman" can't decide whether to get her teeth fixed on her own, it's a sorry state of affairs. My husband would have reacted the same way you did.

[mondo joe]

17. Not enough detail. Might be perfectly reasonable, or not. Many couples discuss major

financial decisions before making them.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

23. i would certainly talk to my wife about it...

but it was a little presumptuous of the dentist to suggest it...

sP

[mondo joe]

24. Maybe - but I don't know what exactly was said by either party in the conversation.

I can imagine far less presumptuous suggestions that could have yielded similar results.

[Annces]

22. Dentists don't take an equality vow

do they.

I went to an Indian restaurant once and the waiter would not take the money from me, only my male partner. Did you ever notice that in some cultures, the women cook, except you never see them cook at restaurants, Mexican, Indian, etc.

[DemGa]

25. This "discuss financial issues" angle doesn't make sense to me

Do you need the proper care, or do you not? That's the question as I see it; and that won't change because you talk to someone else. Assuming, of course, that this dentist knows what he's talking about.

Maybe the dentist is in effect saying: do you want to fix your teeth...or not, your choice, err, uhh, funding issues...

[PCIntern]

29. Again,

maybe, maybe not...

No details of the conversation were give...the dentist might well have been out of line, maybe the pateint introduced the concept. It's like watching Nancy Grace present evidence and then we find ourselves declaring the person guilty. Well, maybe not that bad...

[mondo joe]

30. When I was given a treatment plan it wasn't a "do it or not" scenario. It covered

multiple treatments over time, some of which were advised but not required.

[Romulox]

32. "Two Americas" indeed!

Medical care (including dental care) is not free in America; some people have to go without.

[Katherine Brengle]

40. Um, the work I need done on my teeth will cost around $5,000 -- not everyone

can afford to get "the proper care" - even with insurance by the way.

Dental care is still widely considered a luxury in this country.

[CT_Progressive]

36. "I bet if that had been me in that dentists chair..." How much you wanna bet?

Just curious what you're willing to wager, as I need a new stereo.

[tabasco]

38. Ever since 9-11, my wife calls me from the dentist's chair.

No, really!

[Sugar Smack]

51. *LOLOLOLOL!!*

:rofl: :applause:

[Katherine Brengle]

39. Dental work is extremely expensive --

it makes sense to me that couples would talk it over together.

But you could be right that the same dentist might not have said the same thing to you, and in that case, that's totally fucked up.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

44. At the risk of sounding very un-PC - maybe it was a cultural thing.

Several years ago I was undergoing some extensive allergy tests due to a long history of problems. I was sitting there with all the little dots running up and down my arms sneezing and hacking my head off. The doctor comes in and asks that I call my husband and get him to the office as soon as possible.

Now, I'll admit at this point I'm thinking they have found I have some fatal reaction to oxygen or something and I was gonna die right there in his office. He was very insistent and in fact, urgent that I get him there ASAP.

Husband fianlly shows up and from that point on the doctor did not address me even once. He explain all the tests results to my husband, outline the treatment plan, ask him if HE had any questions, etc. I was just the warm body in the room sniffling and snorting. When all this was done - still with not another word to me - the doctor pats my husband arm and reassures him that he will "make her a joy to live with again." Like that was the doctor's whole purpose in being - making wives a joy to life with.

I didn't go back.

[Katherine Brengle]

48. "Cultural thing" doesn't mean "acceptable behavior" however.

[LisaL]

52. A lot of men also would not make a large purchase before

consulting with their wives. I think you are way over-reacting. It probably was going to cost a lot of money, and the dentist wanted to make sure he was going to be paid.

[PCIntern]

53. ...or in my case

I want all parties involved to be comfortable with the arrangements of all types. I woldn't suggest someone speak to a spouse unless they first brought it up. Again, we are not privy to the details fo the conversation.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

54. I'm pretty dental phobic. Luckily I hit the good teeth gene pool,

but I promise I'm calling this week for an appointment.

I promise. I promise. I promise. (every time I see a dental thread I make the same promise, but this time I mean it!)

[Gormy Cuss]

77. That is the point -- there are better ways to phrase it.

I had a young dentist suggest that I talk over a treatment plan with my husband once -- I was single. He was quite embarrassed when I pointed that out, LOL. I'm thinking he came up with a better spiel after that.

On the other hand, the one bad dentist that I've had in my life kept calling me Mrs. X no matter how many times I corrected him. Then again, failure to listen to patients was one of the reasons he's a bad dentist.

[JeanGrey]

60. If my husband had been in the chair and going to get possibly

hundreds or thousands of dollars of care I would definitely want him to call ME. That's how we do our marriage. We consult each other on expensive items no matter who it effects. I'm sure that is why the dentist made the suggestion. Don't be too quick to jump to sexist ideas.

Now years ago when I was buying a car a car salesman lost a sale for talking over my head to my husband. Apples and oranges.

[RB TexLa]

64. At the dentist office they asked me for my wife's work phone number

saying they needed an emergency contact. I wrote down "911," and said "there is your emergency contact." She said they would need to be able to contact my wife if there were an emergency. I said "I'm an adult, you wouldn't have to contact anyone except people trained to handle whatever emergency there is."

[PCIntern]

65. that's fine...

God forbid anything should happen to you. Then we'd get the heat for not calling your wife. When we would tell her or the coroner that we didn't have the number, we'd be hearing from the lawyer/medical examiner/dental board promptly demanding to know wwhy we did not obtain all pertinent information.

Believe me, I've been thru this and more amusing dialogues before.

[RB TexLa]

66. You seem to not like adult human beings having rights do you?

I guess if you had someones spouse's phone number not having a signed HIPAA release naming that person would mean nothing to you? Just above that law, huh?

[PCIntern]

79. Hey, pal...

I didn't say you weren't within your rights. I SAID, and if you would take a moment to UNDERSTAND IT,that if anything untoward were to happen to you, then we would probably get blamed for not calling your wife promptly. That's all.

Remember, your replacement is sitting on a beach right now ready to spend your life insurance proceeds. Good luck!

And I've forgotten more about HIPAA than you'll ever know...

[Blackhatjack]

68. When the price of a dental payment plan reaches the car payment level, spouses should confer...

Not saying that is the case here --but given the stories I have heard recently, it could be.

[AlCzervik]

69. i had a major dental restoration done about 6 years ago, yup it cost about the

same as a new mid sized car. My dentist did not advise me to talk to my husband, he had everything written out and then we went over it.

[Blackhatjack]

70. It may have had something to do with dental insurance carried by the spouse...

[AlCzervik]

72. probably, i had my dental insurance and i also had dental insurance from my husbands

job, i maxed out both and it still cost a fortune.

[JerseygirlCT]

90. Some spouses. That expense level surely differs from couple to couple

doesn't it?

I know couples who keep absolutely everything financial separate. I know couples who don't think twice about spending thousands without conferring. I know others who feel the need to check on more than $50.

The point is that it's a very personal thing, and the dentist should never make those sort of personal assumptions. The dentist can and probably should lay out all the costs, and then ask the patient if they need time to think about it. Send them home with all the info if they want the time.

[Swamp Rat]

73. Here in Louisiana until about a decade ago women (spouses) could not make financial decisions for

the household. Only husbands, legally defined as the "Lord and Master" could call up Sears & Roebuck to have an air-conditioner installed, for example.

[Bake]

74. What the hell is with this "beat up on the dentists" bullshit???

Dentists are trained professionals. They've earned the right by virtue of their education and practice not to have to work for minimum wage. And lumping them all in the same none-too-accurately-described pile? That's horse shit.

Next, I guess it'll be the lawyers.

Bake

[PCIntern]

80. I don't mind in the least...

I can hold my own against anyone, including these people who think they're the equivalent of Winston churchill and G.B. Shaw all wrapped up into one. People have been doing this to me for 30+ years and I haven't heard a single original thought yet on this or any other thread.

[Name removed]

82. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

84. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.