'good' dentist | Imamother

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'good' dentist

Forum -> Children's Health

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amother

Tue, Feb 23 2021, 12:35 am

I've taken my child to a really good dentist (who does not accept Medicaid) he told me that for little children they don't take x=rays unnecessarily and unless he sees a cavity on surface or child is complaining about a specific area, if teeth look healthy then they are good to go.

I've recently tried out a highly recommended dentist (that does accept Medicaid) and they took xrays and child needed lots of small fillings. They were really patient and showed me all the issues on the screen off the xrays. explained what will be done etc.

I'm just curious-what makes a dentist 'good'? is there a right or wrong in the above situations? I need to take different child to dentist now and not sure which dentist to use.

Thank you!

amother

Ecru

Tue, Feb 23 2021, 12:41 am

So interesting. I just switched to an excellent dentist ( who actually does take Medicaid) and they also don’t take x rays and ever since we switched not one kid has had a cavity. In the last my old dentist would take x rays and very often my kids would have small cavities.
I’m liking this no cavity thing but I feel like finding a cavity is so dependent on the dentist and the way they operate.

singleagain

Tue, Feb 23 2021, 7:33 am

When I was a kid I really like that my dentist explained everything to me beforehand Like he even when it used the air he did it on my skin first

But also if it's still baby teeth why are you feeling cavities unless they're huge?

ETA. I would go to the dentist who doesn't go looking for problems

watergirl

Tue, Feb 23 2021, 7:49 am

I think you will find most dentist who accept Medicaid tend to be cavity happy. That's because they do not make money on your visit unless there is some kind of procedure. There are a few types of dental offices; some that are primarily Medicaid, some that take Medicaid and also insurance or private pay, and private pay only. There have been so many expose stories regarding the shady world of Medicaid only offices and how they do unnecessary procedures on anyone just to make a dollar. Of course they showed you the x-rays and seemed patient - they wanted you to trust them and know that most of us have no idea what we are looking at when we look at a dental x-ray. My kids were on Medicaid for a few years but we went to an office that took both, and found the dentist to be conservative and typically for kids with tiny cavities, would wait it out and most often it would resolve itself by the next appointment. If you took your kids to a Medicaid dentist and he found and filled lots of small cavities as you said, he was most likely trying to make money off of the visit by putting your child through unnecessary pain.

There are also different schools of thought in dentistry, just like in any other medical field. Some dentists are more conservative and others are more aggressive.

amother

Periwinkle

Tue, Feb 23 2021, 3:21 pm

Amother op and ecru - can I ask which dentist you both used that took Medicaid?

amother

Tue, Feb 23 2021, 7:37 pm

singleagain wrote:

they are both very child friendly and my kids are really comfortable in both places.

Thanks!

amother

Tue, Feb 23 2021, 7:37 pm

amother [ Periwinkle ] wrote:

Amother op and ecru - can I ask which dentist you both used that took Medicaid?

I'm in lakewoox. Shore dental in manasquan

amother

Burlywood

Tue, Feb 23 2021, 7:58 pm

Many dentists don't fill tiny cavities on kids.

amother

Ecru

Tue, Feb 23 2021, 8:41 pm

Star Pediatric Dentistry Marlboro.
They are an amazing practice!