- Joined
- Apr 19, 2018
- Messages
- 8
Our local dentist retired a few years ago and sold the business. Never once did he administer or even talk about Arestin. Neither did the guy that bought the business, but he resold it within a year. The new owners are pushing Arestin.
My wife is 78 and has a couple minor issues, but as far as we can tell, no bleeding gums, etc.
Her second visit with them (without warning), they applied one dose of Arestin and I was presented a bill for $165. I asked the receptionist if there was a cheaper drug they could use that would be 90% as effective, joking to her that we aren't made of money.
She took me back to discuss that with the hygienist, who said no, we use this because it works.
She was back in the chair today for cleaning of another quadrant and repair of a broken molar. I dropped her off, then went to the post office. When I returned, I was presented a $330 bill for two applications of Arestin, code D4381. Procedure D4921 and the office visit were covered by insurance.
But, they didn't have time to repair the broken tooth, so we had to reschedule. She also has a chipped front tooth that she wants repaired, so they warned us there will be another application of Arestin in THAT area next time. The appointment card notes we will be charged $165 next visit, for another D4381.
A young guy came in while I was paying my bill. The receptionist greeted him and said it's been a while. I returned to my chair, and I could hear her working up a quote for him. I am pretty sure she was giving him the hard sell on Arestin, asking him if he wanted to go forward, and was he prepared to pay this today, etc. I'm not in sales, but I thought, this sounds like a sales pitch, complete with closing lingo.
In the car, I told my wife I don't have a good feeling about this, so I went on line when we got home and found a lot of complaints about Arestin at dentalbuzz (dot com)/2014/09/05/arestinredflag/
You know what to do to fix the above link. I don't know if it's ok to post links, so I did that.
She wants to go back and talk to them about using this, but of course they are going to say you need it, etc. Other than that, they are very caring and seem to do good work, so it's hard to chuck them over a suspicion.
Before speaking to them, I want to discuss this with our insurance, DeltaDental.
One more thing, about my bill. The appointment card for today's visit shows procedure D4342. When we made the appointment last month, the hygienist said she wouldn't be doing D4381, so we wouldn't have to worry about that. Today, the receptionist said no, I told you. Well, she didn't, and it's not noted on the appointment card. The only procedure listed is D4342.
Is today's bill disputable?
Off topic a bit, maybe not, though. We have both been on the ketogenic diet for eleven months. She has lost over 50 pounds, I'm down over 40. Shazam! I noticed my gums no longer bleed when I brush or floss or use toothpicks! I have a descending front tooth that the previous owner of the clinic said would have to come out. It's a bit unsightly, but is no longer loose. Apparently, my previous high sugar diet was feeding all the bacteria.
My wife is 78 and has a couple minor issues, but as far as we can tell, no bleeding gums, etc.
Her second visit with them (without warning), they applied one dose of Arestin and I was presented a bill for $165. I asked the receptionist if there was a cheaper drug they could use that would be 90% as effective, joking to her that we aren't made of money.
She took me back to discuss that with the hygienist, who said no, we use this because it works.
She was back in the chair today for cleaning of another quadrant and repair of a broken molar. I dropped her off, then went to the post office. When I returned, I was presented a $330 bill for two applications of Arestin, code D4381. Procedure D4921 and the office visit were covered by insurance.
But, they didn't have time to repair the broken tooth, so we had to reschedule. She also has a chipped front tooth that she wants repaired, so they warned us there will be another application of Arestin in THAT area next time. The appointment card notes we will be charged $165 next visit, for another D4381.
A young guy came in while I was paying my bill. The receptionist greeted him and said it's been a while. I returned to my chair, and I could hear her working up a quote for him. I am pretty sure she was giving him the hard sell on Arestin, asking him if he wanted to go forward, and was he prepared to pay this today, etc. I'm not in sales, but I thought, this sounds like a sales pitch, complete with closing lingo.
In the car, I told my wife I don't have a good feeling about this, so I went on line when we got home and found a lot of complaints about Arestin at dentalbuzz (dot com)/2014/09/05/arestinredflag/
You know what to do to fix the above link. I don't know if it's ok to post links, so I did that.
She wants to go back and talk to them about using this, but of course they are going to say you need it, etc. Other than that, they are very caring and seem to do good work, so it's hard to chuck them over a suspicion.
Before speaking to them, I want to discuss this with our insurance, DeltaDental.
One more thing, about my bill. The appointment card for today's visit shows procedure D4342. When we made the appointment last month, the hygienist said she wouldn't be doing D4381, so we wouldn't have to worry about that. Today, the receptionist said no, I told you. Well, she didn't, and it's not noted on the appointment card. The only procedure listed is D4342.
Is today's bill disputable?
Off topic a bit, maybe not, though. We have both been on the ketogenic diet for eleven months. She has lost over 50 pounds, I'm down over 40. Shazam! I noticed my gums no longer bleed when I brush or floss or use toothpicks! I have a descending front tooth that the previous owner of the clinic said would have to come out. It's a bit unsightly, but is no longer loose. Apparently, my previous high sugar diet was feeding all the bacteria.
