I have gone to a dentist and recieved a written estimate as to what my out of
pocket expence would be.I had a full upper bridge placed,teeth pulled ctc.the
day my teeth were pulled a temporary bridge place.My bill had jumped to two
times the cost of the original estimate.Can a dentist do this without any
prior notification of what was happening.(cost went from $3500 to $7500 )

secox wrote:

I have gone to a dentist and recieved a written estimate as to what my
out of
pocket expence would be.I had a full upper bridge placed,teeth pulled
ctc.the
day my teeth were pulled a temporary bridge place.My bill had jumped
to two
times the cost of the original estimate.Can a dentist do this without any
prior notification of what was happening.(cost went from $3500 to $7500 )



This is a legal, not a dental matter, and probably hinges on
contract law in your state. Of course, an estimate is an estimate, and
not a contract.
At the very least, this is IMO poor business practice, and I think
you have every right to be steamed. I would have a serious talk with
the dentist--you deserve an explanation. The point of an estimate is to
give the patient an idea of what is going on. Seems that a surprise
like this defeats the intent.

Steve

That would make sense if the patient remembered the out-of-pocket co-pay,
has 50% coverage, and the total fee is $7.5K. However, I don't have any
patients with $3.5K annual maximums. So......... I remain confused. {No
wise cracks, Newbie ! }

You can tell that I don't work much in the front office!

'Course I don't have that many cases way over the max pay
anyway. Though it is becoming more and more common with
inflation of everything except the dental insurance payout.

Lowballing a bid to get the business and then hitting them
with a larger bill at the end shows a lack of ethics.

D

Amatus Cremona wrote:
That would make sense if the patient remembered the out-of-pocket co-pay,
has 50% coverage, and the total fee is $7.5K. However, I don't have any
patients with $3.5K annual maximums. So......... I remain confused. {No
wise cracks, Newbie ! }

That would make sense if the patient remembered the out-of-pocket co-pay,
has 50% coverage, and the total fee is $7.5K. However, I don't have any
patients with $3.5K annual maximums. So......... I remain confused. {No
wise cracks, Newbie ! }

--
/

Amatus

You can tell that I don't work much in the front office!

[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
patients with $3.5K annual maximums. So......... I remain confused. {No
wise cracks, Newbie ! }

It is possible that during all of this there were unforeseen things
that came up which were not included in the original estimate such as
nee for root cANAls posts, etc... Or there may have been certain
upgrades that were offered to you and you did not understand this was
going to cost extra.
Ther were no unforseen problems that he mentioned.As he pulled teeth he

Alexander Vasserman DDS wrote:
You can tell that I don't work much in the front office!

[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
patients with $3.5K annual maximums. So......... I remain confused.
{No
wise cracks, Newbie ! }

It is possible that during all of this there were unforeseen things
that came up which were not included in the original estimate such as
nee for root cANAls posts, etc... Or there may have been certain
upgrades that were offered to you and you did not understand this was
going to cost extra.
Ther were no unforseen problems that he mentioned.As he pulled teeth he
decided that the original way would not work.This is how he explains
things
today.Also at this time my gums are still receding.
(originally only 6 teeth were to be pulled,he took out 12)this is where
the
extra cost comes in.Yet he never informed me,or my wife who was waiting
for
me.

--
Message posted via http://www.medkb.com

So,,,,,,,,,,,, what is the actual treatment plan--specifically.?>?>?>?

You can tell that I don't work much in the front office!

[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
for
me.
The Dentist on the 2nd visit took x-rays of my entire upper teeth.I don't

Amatus Cremona wrote:
So,,,,,,,,,,,, what is the actual treatment plan--specifically.?>?>?>?

You can tell that I don't work much in the front office!

[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
for
me.
The Dentist on the 2nd visit took x-rays of my entire upper teeth.I don't
remember at this time if he did the same for the bottom.We then took his
recomendations to the office manager,and she gave me what myout of pocket
payment would be according to the doctors recemendations.After insurance
my
payment would be $3500.00.This would be for removing 5 or 6 teeth(don't
have
papers in front of me) and the placement of a bridge using the remaining
teeth as pillers.The day HE removed teeth,as the story goes today.What HE
wanted to do would not work the way he had informed me from the start.So
without informing me HE removed 6 more teeth.(by the way my wife was
waiting
to drive me home because I wsa given medication to relax).Upon coming out
to
see the office manager,this is when I was given a bill for (out of pocket)
$7500.00.This is almost 100% more then estimate.

--
Message posted via MedKB.com
http://www.medkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/dentistry/200703/1

Sometimes we get surprised in the middle of treatment, but I would think a
treatment plan of this size would be carefully reviewed prior to beginning
treatment. Are you describing a bridge that is cemented in place, or one
which is removed for cleaning every day?

Somewhere,,,,,, communication has broken down in your case.

So,,,,,,,,,,,, what is the actual treatment plan--specifically.?>?>?>?

[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
see the office manager,this is when I was given a bill for (out of pocket)
$7500.00.This is almost 100% more then estimate.
The bridge is permanent on the upper.There was NO discussion whatsoever on

Sometimes we get surprised in the middle of treatment, but I would think a
treatment plan of this size would be carefully reviewed prior to beginning
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
see the office manager,this is when I was given a bill for (out of pocket)
$7500.00.This is almost 100% more then estimate.
The bridge is permanent on the upper.There was NO discussion whatsoever on
the extra work done.I came out and was handed a bill for $4000.00 more then
what was talked about.I am now being sued by this dentist for the balance.

Amatus Cremona wrote:
Sometimes we get surprised in the middle of treatment, but I would think a
treatment plan of this size would be carefully reviewed prior to beginning
treatment. Are you describing a bridge that is cemented in place, or one
which is removed for cleaning every day?

Somewhere,,,,,, communication has broken down in your case.

So,,,,,,,,,,,, what is the actual treatment plan--specifically.?>?>?>?

[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
see the office manager,this is when I was given a bill for (out of
pocket)
$7500.00.This is almost 100% more then estimate.
The bridge is permanent on the upper.There was NO discussion whatsoever on
the extra work done.I came out and was handed a bill for $4000.00 more
then
what was talked about.I am now being sued by this dentist for the balance.

--
Message posted via MedKB.com
http://www.medkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/dentistry/200703/1

"Sued" ?>?>?>???? I thought the work was just started?

There is definately a breakdown in communication. This is the biggest
problem in any relationship between humans. Why and how the difference
comes up, I cannot comment on since I don't know.

My normal fee for such a procedure would be roughly one thousand dollars for
every tooth being crowned or replaced with the bridge. So, the fee you have
sounds cheap to me.

Sometimes we get surprised in the middle of treatment, but I would think a
treatment plan of this size would be carefully reviewed prior to beginning
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
then
what was talked about.I am now being sued by this dentist for the balance.