Pediatric Dentist

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Permalink Reply by Alicia (Alsan) on March 22, 2011 at 10:45am

It's nice to get a doctor's perspective, thanks for responding.

 

Up in Jax my kids saw a pediatric dentist. I went back with them the first time, to tour the facility with my kids, review xrays and discuss everything. After that I waited in the reception area and my kids went back alone and I was ok with that. The back area was pretty open and I know that my being there can sometimes make things worse, lol, they're always better for someone else than mom. It was a cool office up there, TV's on the ceilings over the chairs, they got a helium balloon when they left, my kids LOVED going to the dentist!The only doctor they ever cheered when I said we were going there!

 

For years in S FL I worked for an oral surgeon. We weren't a peds practice, but sometimes treated kids. Depending on what needed to be done some kids were treated in the hosp under general anesthesia, others had work done in office with local or nitrous.  We didn't have a set in stone policy with parents, but we did usually ask them to wait in the reception area after coming back and speaking with the doctor, especially if just local was being used for whatever reason.  Parents are understandably worried about their kids and kids can feel it or see it when their parents are anxious, having mom there's not always helpful, even though it feels like it should be to us moms.Of course too it was a surgery practice and not everyone can handle the blood and stuff involved so it is a different scenario.

 

If I'm comfortable somewhere, I'm ok with letting my kids go back without me. If I'm not comfortable, I'll find somewhere else to take them. I do try and respect a doctor's office schedule and if I'm 10 min late, I'm totally OK with rescheduling. If I'm on my way and I looking at the clock I think I'll even be 5 min late I usually will grab the phone and shoot the office a courtesy call and see if it's ok to still come in or if I should just go ahead and reschedule. Of course, 6 years working front desk and scheduling for docs I'm sympathetic to their side of things when a patient's late.  I don't mind a doctor running late, sometimes, but if it's every single time I'm there I don't have patience for it and yes I've left practices where I really liked the doc but not how their office ran. But I do understand emergencies arise sometimes and throws a nice pretty schedule right out the window, or maybe the doctor spends time actually making sure the patient (or parent) understands and I like that but if that's why they consistently run late their staff needs to schedule accordingly. LOL we had 3 docs in the practice I worked in and all 3 got different time lengths slotted for them for consults - some were just more chatty than others, one would insist he only needed 20 min on the books for a consult but lol no doc, you need 30. :) whereas another one we could side book patients and he'd make it work.  I wouldn't pay more for a doctor running on time, not unless I get a discount for being on time :)  And gender makes no difference to me at all - if someone is highly recommended or I happened to find them on an insurance list and liked them I could care less if their male or female. I second Heather in that I will travel further for that great doc (and that's in any field, dental or otherwise) rather than go to someone closer just because they're close.

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Permalink Reply by Jules on March 22, 2011 at 11:00am

The recommendation is the first visit should be by age 1.  The most important thing at that age is to really become of oral health habits that could have an adverse effect on the teeth.  Plus the sooner the child comes and the more frequently they come in the quicker they get used to the whole process.  

 

I completely understand how you feel about your daughter.  There are some parents like yourself that are very helpful and really are great at predicting their child's behavior.  And there are definitely some at the opposite end of the spectrum.

 

I don't really agree with charging people for showing up late.  I know things a lot of things can happen.  At most I would envision just rescheduling.  I would charge if there was a recorded habit of being late, not showing or canceling within 24 hours.  I don't think anyone would ever charge for the actual privilege of going back with your child.  That's just wrong.  

 

There are practices that have policies to seat patients "on-time".  I just don't think there are any in Polk County.  

 

With regards to insurances.  I'm kind of a novice when it comes to that.  I wasn't really prepared to answer that question.  I need to do some more research into it and I'll get back to you.  All the points you bring up are certainly valid.  I do know that if you were to pay cash there would be some discount involved.  From what I know of medicaid and DHMO's you have to keep an extremely busy calendar to be able to stay open.    

 

 In order to spend the proper amount of time with patients and parents, ultimately you probably seeing fewer patients a day, which means your fees probably would be slightly higher to offset the lower volume of patients. (Thus my question pertaining to higher fees) It's kind of a double edge sword because an office needs to be profitable in order to stay in business.

 

Ironically I bet if you asked the dentist personally how much they charge for a specific procedure chances are they probably won't know.  Usually there is a treatment coordinator or office manager that deals with that.  Personally it's my preference to present all possible outcomes regardless of likelihood.  This way there are no surprises when treatment is finished.  I find that most parents appreciate that because when the treatment doesn't have to extend to the extreme they are happier.

 

I hate being nickeled and dimed.  In a perfect world there would be one flat fee for a filling or any procedure regardless of size or extent.  

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Permalink Reply by Selina on March 22, 2011 at 6:45pm

oh wow, my husband & I were under the impression it was around age 2, so we are very late on getting her in for the first time.  I better get busy & figure out who we would like to try! 

Is your office here in Polk County?  and if so, do you accept insurance?  or do you have the policy of patient pays & then files on their own (our last dentist did that before he retired)? - if you don't feel comfortable answering, I understand, but I would like to check out your office, you seem very open & understanding!!  And that is totally what I am looking for, who knows, my daughter may surprise me & be just fine - she's quite unpredictable (as I am sure a lot of kids are, LOL!!).

 

A flat fee would be nice, no matter where you go, however, I understand there is a lot of different things that go into running an office & it makes sense that if you spend more time with a patient or such, your rates might be a little higher.  My husband & I take everything into account & customer service is high on our list for sure - we don't miss appointments (unless there is some type of emergency that cannot be helped) & we are on time - we don't want to be the one who makes the doctor run late because we couldn't get our act together on time, ha ha!  :)  (I say that knowing that sometimes things happen on the way & you can't help being late).  I am with Alicia, if I think I am going to be late, I would call & let them know & if I need to be rescheduled, then that would be fine with me!

 

 

Jules said:

The recommendation is the first visit should be by age 1.  The most important thing at that age is to really become of oral health habits that could have an adverse effect on the teeth.  Plus the sooner the child comes and the more frequently they come in the quicker they get used to the whole process.  

 

I completely understand how you feel about your daughter.  There are some parents like yourself that are very helpful and really are great at predicting their child's behavior.  And there are definitely some at the opposite end of the spectrum.

 

I don't really agree with charging people for showing up late.  I know things a lot of things can happen.  At most I would envision just rescheduling.  I would charge if there was a recorded habit of being late, not showing or canceling within 24 hours.  I don't think anyone would ever charge for the actual privilege of going back with your child.  That's just wrong.  

 

There are practices that have policies to seat patients "on-time".  I just don't think there are any in Polk County.  

 

With regards to insurances.  I'm kind of a novice when it comes to that.  I wasn't really prepared to answer that question.  I need to do some more research into it and I'll get back to you.  All the points you bring up are certainly valid.  I do know that if you were to pay cash there would be some discount involved.  From what I know of medicaid and DHMO's you have to keep an extremely busy calendar to be able to stay open.    

 

 In order to spend the proper amount of time with patients and parents, ultimately you probably seeing fewer patients a day, which means your fees probably would be slightly higher to offset the lower volume of patients. (Thus my question pertaining to higher fees) It's kind of a double edge sword because an office needs to be profitable in order to stay in business.

 

Ironically I bet if you asked the dentist personally how much they charge for a specific procedure chances are they probably won't know.  Usually there is a treatment coordinator or office manager that deals with that.  Personally it's my preference to present all possible outcomes regardless of likelihood.  This way there are no surprises when treatment is finished.  I find that most parents appreciate that because when the treatment doesn't have to extend to the extreme they are happier.

 

I hate being nickeled and dimed.  In a perfect world there would be one flat fee for a filling or any procedure regardless of size or extent.  

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Permalink Reply by Jules on March 24, 2011 at 9:28am

Unfortunately no I don't.  If I do come I'd really like to try things that are different than what currently exists in the area. 

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