Why Are Dentist Offices Crazy Thread

[Jiggy]

In the last 5 years I've been to 3 different dentists. All 3 of their offices have been borderline harassing me. They continually call me, leave voicemails, text me, email me and send me post cards. I've been going to the dentist 1-2 times a year all my life, I don't need to make 3-4 visits a year.


Have others on this site dealt with crazy dental offices?

[Locke]

I do know that right now a ton of people are trying to use their benefits before they expire so if you're experiencing that at the moment that might factor into it.

My Dentist's office only makes appointments with me when I'm there for my prior appointment and then send me a reminder. Thats it.

[vegasbound]

My old dental office was like that. I don't have insurance, I didn't like them either so I started going to one in my old hometown in BC when I go home to visit (way cheaper, btw). They know I come when I'm in town (1-2x a year), they don't send me reminders and it's perfect.

[Wormius]

Not really. Our office only sends us appointment reminders, if we ask for it. Otherwise have no contact for the 6 months between checkups. Our kids’ dentist is the same.

[peter12]

Never experienced this.

[topfiverecords]

Mine sends me texts, emails and voicemail reminders multiple times over a few weeks leading up to my appointment. It’s good to know that if I go missing for a while they’ll hunt me down.

[Scorch]

Originally Posted by Jiggy

In the last 5 years I've been to 3 different dentists. All 3 of their offices have been borderline harassing me. They continually call me, leave voicemails, text me, email me and send me post cards. I've been going to the dentist 1-2 times a year all my life, I don't need to make 3-4 visits a year.


Have others on this site dealt with crazy dental offices?

All Dentist are like this and It’s all because of this economic downturn from the past number of years, which only gotten worse recently.

As more and more people are getting laid off, so have people’s access to their work’s benefits which includes dental coverage. So now without that coverage, dentists have been seeing fewer and fewer clients as people without work coverage are less likely to want to pay out of pocket.

So with that lack of business, dentist offices are now stepping up their sales and marketing tactics and are doing what you’ve noticed they’re doing: increased phone calls, emails, post cards

[Strange Brew]

Dentists are like mechanics. Find one you like and trust and never switch.

I love my current dentist and even though I moved 15 miles away I would never switch. He has never once tried to tell me I needed extra work (other dentists would have a long list of things) and the one time I broke a molar I was in his office within an hour of calling.

[Calgary14]

I've noticed this a lot more the past couple years; I use a dentist in BC for anything beyond a basic cleaning but use one here for basic cleanings.

For my last visit they insisted I schedule my next appointment before I even got off the chair; it wasn't even really a question, it was more like "you need to tell me which day woks best for your next appointment" and the only way out of that would've been to be straight out rude. I tried being really vague but they always end up putting a date in their calendar which they say can easily be changed (which it can). Once that date is in their calendar the calls, texts and voicemails start about 2 weeks before the appointment date.

If dentists here were half reasonable with their fees I would use them but they're not so I don't unless I have to

[TheSutterDynasty]

Originally Posted by Jiggy

In the last 5 years I've been to 3 different dentists. All 3 of their offices have been borderline harassing me. They continually call me, leave voicemails, text me, email me and send me post cards. I've been going to the dentist 1-2 times a year all my life, I don't need to make 3-4 visits a year.


Have others on this site dealt with crazy dental offices?

Welcome to healthcare in 2019.

This trend will continue to worsen.

Dentists, GPs, physios, chiros, massage, etc etc are all hiring business coaches to maximize patient bookings, google rankings, and billings.

[Mr.Coffee]

Yes ours is like this and I found it highly amusing, and then it got annoying, then back to amusing again. Hey Dentists, if people aren’t filling your chairs, maybe it’s, oh, I dunno, your pricing? Like I have no idea how these people haven’t figured this out yet.

Further there’s been a lot of people laid off and there go the benefits too. Thus, there are more pressing bills to pay.

The appointment reminders were so much of an onslaught for us and their overall tactics so pushy we basically just said screw it and went and found a different office.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by TheSutterDynasty

Welcome to healthcare in 2019.

This trend will continue to worsen.

Dentists, GPs, physios, chiros, massage, etc etc are all hiring business coaches to maximize patient bookings, google rankings, and billings.

It’s across all fields. Everything is about grinding out dollars vs providing expertise.

[Weitz]

Dentists are a business it’s not that surprising.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Dentists are a business it’s not that surprising.

Its a license to print money by how much they charge. Mine lives on a huge acreage and I suspect her patients are helping to pay for that

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Dentists are a business it’s not that surprising.

As a provider of a medical service they should have a duty to only recommend best practices. When business interests conflict with best practices best practice should win out.

Everyone has become an electronics salesmen selling warranty.

[Scornfire]

I basically only get shame letters once a year. "You still alive man? Maybe pop in sometime hmm"

[Calgary14]

When you compare the BC dental fee guide to the Alberta fee guide, Albertans are paying 2-3x what BC residents pay for some basic services

[TheSutterDynasty]

Originally Posted by GGG

As a provider of a medical service they should have a duty to only recommend best practices. When business interests conflict with best practices best practice should win out.

Everyone has become an electronics salesmen selling warranty.

You and I live in a dream world.

I think many doctors/therapists/etc are a bit lazy and just want to work. But the sad state of it is that the majority of decisions or recommendations they make are money driven. Which really cheapens legitimate advice.

When I prescribe treatment plans I feel like half the battle is convincing the patient that it's actually in their best interest. The majority of the time I don't think they realize that until they have successful outcomes. Sadly there's still a portion of people that don't reach that success because they're suspicious due to being lied to before, so don't follow through on recommendations.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Dentists are freakin crooks. Right up there with Lawyers as a parasite on society IMO.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Dentists are freakin crooks. Right up there with Lawyers as a parasite on society IMO.

Alright.