My work mate went to the Dentist yesterday...
Discussion
Hasnt been regularly for about 20 years.
Went in to have a filling, during the work they hit his nerve, couldnt stop bleeding, and had to take the whole nerve out.
Then they told him he would have to have root canal at a further cost of approx. £500.
This on top of the £289 he paid for yesterdays visit.
He asked why he should have to pay for root canal when it was their fault.
They said "we dont know about these things until we uncover them".
Does this sound fair?
Went in to have a filling, during the work they hit his nerve, couldnt stop bleeding, and had to take the whole nerve out.
Then they told him he would have to have root canal at a further cost of approx. £500.
This on top of the £289 he paid for yesterdays visit.
He asked why he should have to pay for root canal when it was their fault.
They said "we dont know about these things until we uncover them".
Does this sound fair?
I've just had one done, (well it's actually half way done so far.), and they reckoned I shouldn't be able to feel a thing through the aneasthetic, but I was in agony until he'd pulled the root out properly.
It was the most painful thing I've ever had done to me! But he couldn't figure out why I felt anything at all.
So far as 'fair' is concerned, I would've thought using 'due diligence' they'd have been able to foresee this kind of trouble from an X-Ray.
It was the most painful thing I've ever had done to me! But he couldn't figure out why I felt anything at all.
So far as 'fair' is concerned, I would've thought using 'due diligence' they'd have been able to foresee this kind of trouble from an X-Ray.
Edited by Big Rod on Wednesday 18th February 09:05
king up your mouth though!There are many different aspects to a situation like this and it is incredibly difficult to know the full picture so I will try and be as fair as possible:
1) The dentist should have presented all of the options to your friend before starting treatment. This should include the relevant risks (ie, the chance the pulp might be exposed and what that would mean, including the possible costs). Your friend would then have been in a position to give informed consent for the treatment.
2) Can your friend be certain that the dentist did not do 1)? I am surprised how frequently I explain clearly all the options and possible treatments and then subsequently find out that the patient has no recollection of it! Equally it can be easy to over-estimate how much a patient understands with technical terms, thus meaning they dont really know what is going on.
3) regarding the cost: If a genuine mistake has been made I think that a lot of dentists will forget about the cost to try and rectify the situation. If a patient had given informed consent and was aware of the chance that a root filling might be needed and how much that would cost, then I think it is perfectly acceptible to expect the patient to pay.
sorry for the long post. I hope that makes sense. There are quite a few fully qualified dentists here who should be able to clarify things further.
1) The dentist should have presented all of the options to your friend before starting treatment. This should include the relevant risks (ie, the chance the pulp might be exposed and what that would mean, including the possible costs). Your friend would then have been in a position to give informed consent for the treatment.
2) Can your friend be certain that the dentist did not do 1)? I am surprised how frequently I explain clearly all the options and possible treatments and then subsequently find out that the patient has no recollection of it! Equally it can be easy to over-estimate how much a patient understands with technical terms, thus meaning they dont really know what is going on.
3) regarding the cost: If a genuine mistake has been made I think that a lot of dentists will forget about the cost to try and rectify the situation. If a patient had given informed consent and was aware of the chance that a root filling might be needed and how much that would cost, then I think it is perfectly acceptible to expect the patient to pay.
sorry for the long post. I hope that makes sense. There are quite a few fully qualified dentists here who should be able to clarify things further.
Your workmate went to the dentist? Incredible, mine lives folded up at the back of the garage.
I hate dentists - had an injection once and needle went through my tongue which swelled up so much it completely filled my mouth. Couldn't eat or drink for a couple of days.
Dentists = sons and daughters of satan the lot of them.
I hate dentists - had an injection once and needle went through my tongue which swelled up so much it completely filled my mouth. Couldn't eat or drink for a couple of days.
Dentists = sons and daughters of satan the lot of them.
Big Rod said:
It was the most painful thing I've ever had done to me! But he couldn't figure out why I felt anything at all.
I once had a tooth removed when my dentist clearly didn't use enough anaesthetic (I think me trying to turn the air blue probably gave the game away). Poor chap felt so guilty about the whole thing that when I next went for an extraction he gave me a massive dose and I spend the rest of my day at home, smacked off my tits, dribbling all over myself like a mental patient.I've had worse afternoons though
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