Am I being unreasonable

[cvjw]

to not want dental X-rays once a year? The threat of all the unneeded radiation scares me

Back story:

My whole family has used the same dental practice for years. The older dentist that we loved recently retired and turned the practice over to a younger dentist.

In years past, with the older dentist, it was totally fine for me to have X-rays every 18 months to 24 months. My teeth have zero issues - I can't remember the last time I had anything done but a regular cleaning.

This morning, I went in for my regular cleaning and the first thing the tech said was we have to do X-rays - it had been 12 months since the last set. I told her that I would feel more comfortable waiting to the next cleaning in 6 months because of the extra radiation.

She went to talk to the dentist about it. When she came back, she told me that I was required to have X-rays every 12 months if I wanted to continue as a patient. Something about liability - the dentist is terrified of being sued.

I left without my cleaning. Am I being unreasonable about this? Do other dentists also have this rule? I can understand needing X-rays if you have a history of problems, but I don't. Money isn't a factor because insurance will pay for the X-rays.

Thoughts? Should I just suck it up and have the X-rays because I love the dental tech and trust the dentist?

 

[dotfurio]

If I remember from my x-ray days, dental X-rays are pretty low radiation. Something like equivalent to a couple days background radiation or an airline flight.

Ultimately it's your decision, but if you otherwise trust the doctor and like the hygienist I'd just go ahead and do it. I don't know how hard it will be to find to dentist who doesn't want yearly x-rays.

 

[gwynne]

The new dentist has never seen you before. He/she might have wanted to see current xrays as you are new to them.
You left without your cleaning, that's a pretty big step.
Are you planning to make a change and now look for a new dentist?

 

[Belle_Ann]

I don't think you are unreasonable and surprised they responded that way to you! My dental insurance only pays for X-rays every 2 years unless there's a specific issue to address. My teeth are fine and nothing has shown up on X-rays in years. So I'm ok with this. I went to the dentist last week and it was 1 year since the last X-rays and they brought this up with no pressure attached to do the X-rays. I did have to sign a paper saying I was advised to get the X-rays but had declined. I guess that's how they are addressing the potential liability. The dentist wouldn't get much business if he forced this because I think many insurance plans are doing this now with X-rays only every 2 years.

 

[powellrj]

The dentist is within his rights to refuse to see you as a patient. If I liked the dentist I would just get the x-rays.

 

[diesel]

I don't think you are unreasonable and surprised they responded that way to you! My dental insurance only pays for X-rays every 2 years unless there's a specific issue to address. My teeth are fine and nothing has shown up on X-rays in years. So I'm ok with this. I went to the dentist last week and it was 1 year since the last X-rays and they brought this up with no pressure attached to do the X-rays. I did have to sign a paper saying I was advised to get the X-rays but had declined. I guess that's how they are addressing the potential liability. The dentist wouldn't get much business if he forced this because I think many insurance plans are doing this now with X-rays only every 2 years.

This. My insurance doesn't cover X-rays every year so I would not have them done. My dentist does it every two years which is what my insurance covers. I would probably have left also if I were you.

 

[3Gsandme]

So, here's the thing. You don't have a problem until you do. If your new dentist skips your x-rays and in six months you present with a problem, will you sue him? Maybe. Maybe not. He's right to be concerned about your care. That's his job. AND, if you are going to be non-compliant (which you now are) he is within his rights to discharge you from his care.

 

[Bilberry]

In my opinion I believe you are being reasonable, with x-rays and cleaning. It might be best to find a dentist that works with you.

If it could help, in the Uk I saw one of the senior dentists in the country comment on this topic. She felt it was unnecessary for most patients to have annual dental exams. She believed 2 year check ups would work well for many patients. The article can be viewed here ~

Going to the dentist every six months is unnecessary, says UK's top dentist

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...-every-six-months-is-unnecessary-says-uks-to/

excerpt:

Patients must challenge dentists who insist they return for a check-up every six months, the country's most senior dentist has urged - amid warnings that dental treatment is becoming a "rich man's hobby".


Dr Sara Hurley compared dentists to mechanics and said patients should not "blindly adhere" to instructions to come back frequently.

Current guidelines say that time between check-ups should depend on the state of a patient’s teeth, with intervals of up to two years for those in good oral health.

But the chief dental officer for England said too many dentists are failing to stick to this and seeing patients more regularly.

Private check-ups can cost up to £120, while NHS visits are £19.70.

"It’s down to patients to say 'why do I need to come back in six months?'" she said, suggesting patients should be less trusting if they were told to keep coming back.

“If you go to have your car MOT, and he says, come back in six months, do you blindly adhere to that advice?” she asked.

Last year an investigation found that Britain’s five highest earning dentists have average earnings of almost £700,000 a year each.

Around half of adults visit a dentist every six months, with almost 40 per cent paying for a private dentist.

Speaking at the NHS Expo conference in Manchester, Dr Hurley was challenged about the costs of dental visits and the money being made by dentists....

 

[gwynne]

In my opinion I believe you are being reasonable, with x-rays and cleaning. It might be best to find a dentist that works with you.

If it could help, in the Uk I saw one of the senior dentists in the country comment on this topic. She felt it was unnecessary for most patients to have annual dental exams. She felt 2 year check ups would work well for many patients. The article can be viewed here ~

Going to the dentist every six months is unnecessary, says UK's top dentist

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...-every-six-months-is-unnecessary-says-uks-to/

excerpt:

Patients must challenge dentists who insist they return for a check-up every six months, the country's most senior dentist has urged - amid warnings that dental treatment is becoming a "rich man's hobby".


Dr Sara Hurley compared dentists to mechanics and said patients should not "blindly adhere" to instructions to come back frequently.

Current guidelines say that time between check-ups should depend on the state of a patient’s teeth, with intervals of up to two years for those in good oral health.

But the chief dental officer for England said too many dentists are failing to stick to this and seeing patients more regularly.

Private check-ups can cost up to £120, while NHS visits are £19.70.

"It’s down to patients to say 'why do I need to come back in six months?'" she said, suggesting patients should be less trusting if they were told to keep coming back.

“If you go to have your car MOT, and he says, come back in six months, do you blindly adhere to that advice?” she asked.

Last year an investigation found that Britain’s five highest earning dentists have average earnings of almost £700,000 a year each.

Around half of adults visit a dentist every six months, with almost 40 per cent paying for a private dentist.

Speaking at the NHS Expo conference in Manchester, Dr Hurley was challenged about the costs of dental visits and the money being made by dentists....

I'm not sure everyone in the US would want UK dental standards to prevail in the states.
I still think it's reasonable that a dentist that has take over a practice, has never seen someone before would want to start off fresh with new xrays, cleaning and exam.

 

[cabanafrau]

No, you're not being unreasonable. Nor is the dentist if they're following what they believe to be the standard of care.

 

[pryncess527]

I thought this seemed odd, to take such a hardline approach. I wondered how common it was, so I googled, and found this. I don't know anything about this site, but it did have some interesting information about why a dentist might refuse to see a patient who doesn't get yearly x-rays.

http://www.rdhmag.com/articles/print/volume-24/issue-12/columns/staff-rx/patient-refuses-x-ray.html

 

[tvguy]

No, you're not being unreasonable. Nor is the dentist if they're following what they believe to be the standard of care.

Very well put.

 

[PlutoPony]

Pretty common around here to do dental X-rays every 12 months.
Also required at first visit with a new dentist - they want to see what they're working with and X-rays obviously give different info than a visual exam. You were a "new" patient to this dentist essentially so they wanted to do things using their protocols. It's possible that after the initial x-rays you might have been able to get them to do do subsequent X-rays at a longer interval if they didn't see anything concerning. But the wouldn't tell you up front until the dentist saw things with his own exam.

If you switch dentists I think you're going to have to do X-rays as a new patient as they have no knowledge of your mouth and potential problems. So not sure you gained anything by refusing X-rays with this dentist...

 

[ImDMous]

You are free to accept/decline any treatment they suggest but they are also free to not accept you as a patient as a result of your decision. How much do you like and trust this practice? Enough to stop going because of it? Our dentist does just bite-wing x-rays once a year and a full set every 2 years. I believe that's what our insurance covers also. I do what she recommends because I trust her.

 

[cvjw]

The new dentist has never seen you before. He/she might have wanted to see current xrays as you are new to them.
You left without your cleaning, that's a pretty big step.
Are you planning to make a change and now look for a new dentist?

I have seen this new dentist before - she has been at the practice for years, just not the decision maker. They have years and years of my X-rays on file I am not a new patient at the practice!

 

[gwynne]

I have seen this new dentist before - she has been at the practice for years, just not the decision maker. They have years and years of my X-rays on file I am not a new patient at the practice!

It's nice you've seen this dentist before. I thought you had never see this "new" dentist which might explain the communication issues.
And I get that you are not a new patient at the practice.

 

[PlutoPony]

If the dentist told you they wanted X-rays because they wanted better info about a specific area of your mouth, would you have been OK with it?

 

[cvjw]

If the dentist told you they wanted X-rays because they wanted better info about a specific area of your mouth, would you have been OK with it?

Yes, most definitely. I take going to dentist very seriously - I go every six months like clockwork. I just don't like an X-ray every 12 months. The older dentist was fine with stretching the X-rays out. The new one isn't

If the dental tech had looked at my teeth and seen something, I would have readily agreed to an X-ray. That was not the case. I had to agree to the X-ray before they would even look at my teeth.

 

[Mokat76]

Guess you'd better start dentist shopping. I think you'll find it challenging to find a new practice that doesn't follow the same X-ray protocol unless you find another old dentist.

 

[DLgal]

My dentist requires them every 12 months, and if she feels more often is needed for some reason, she writes off the cost because she knows insurance won't cover it.

The radiation amount is negligible.

Just because your "teeth" are in good shape doesn't mean x-rays are useless. I have excellent teeth...I've had only 3 tiny surface cavities in my whole life. I'm 37. My last set of x rays showed a pocket of tartar buildup way down below the gum line and an associated inflammatory response in the gums. I had no discomfort and had no idea this was a problem. It required a deep cleaning and a follow up visit 3 months later and I am now on an adjusted schedule of 3 visits per year for "peridontal maintenance" that my insurance WILL cover. After the deep cleaning, the dentist wanted to take another x ray to make sure she got it all cleaned out, so she did and since my insurance wouldn't pay for more x rays, she just wrote it off. Showed me that she is a very caring dentist that is honestly concerned about my health and well being, and it's not all about money.

She let me know that if we had not discovered this issue, I would have likely been facing rapidly advancing gum disease and possible loss of that tooth in the future. So, yeah, when a dentist wants to do x rays, I'm all for it.