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Medical Forum / General / Dentistry / June 2006Local Dental School Doesn't Post Rates
I'm ready to raise some hell with my local dental school because they don't post their rates. In fact, the don't even tell you what they are when you call up, telling you instead, "Our rates are 30% to 50% less than the market rate." Coming in and getting examined costs $50.00, not much, but if they then tell me the crown I need is only 30% less than the market rate, I'll probably not get it done there, which means I lose the $50. The point here is I'd like to know if anyone can think of any valid reason they might have for not quoting their rates over the phone. ric > I'm ready to raise some hell with my local dental school because they > don't post their rates. In fact, the don't even tell you what they are [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > The point here is I'd like to know if anyone can think of any valid > reason they might have for not quoting their rates over the phone. What do you mean, the rates of what? How can they give a quote until they actually determine what need to be done? This is not a product, it's a professional service. I know of many colleagues who will only give a range prior to the examination because they haven't determined how hard each individual case is. George schrieb: > > I'm ready to raise some hell with my local dental school because they > > don't post their rates. In fact, the don't even tell you what they are [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > give a range prior to the examination because they haven't determined > how hard each individual case is. They're lying to you to get your business. Call any dentist's office in Christendom, ask how much a crown is, and if the regular girl is out, the temp will tell you the per unit cost. Tell me what town you live in and I'll prove it. I'll report back with five quotes within the hour. Honestly, prove me wrong. What town do you drill heads in? ric > I'm ready to raise some hell with my local dental school because they > don't post their rates. In fact, the don't even tell you what they are [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > ric In fact, many dentists will not quote fees over the phone. Personally I sometimes do, but I make clear that a patient that comes in with a preconceived notion of what the appropriate treatment is may find that I disagree completely. Long ago when I was a young wiseass dentist next door to a pizza place, people would stick their heads in while eating a slice and ask "How much for a cleaning?" My answer was "How dirty are your teeth?" I'm no longer a wiseass, but my answer "it depends" doesn't really satisfy much better. Periodontal judgements are in my experience the biggest contention here. A patient comes in wanting "just a cleaning" and I find they have advanced periodontal disease. They ain't getting "just a cleaning" in my office. They have the right to refuse periodontal treatment--after a full diagnosis is done. Steve > > I'm ready to raise some hell with my local dental school because they > > don't post their rates. In fact, the don't even tell you what they are [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Steve Don't begrudge me, but if you're charging $1300 for a crown and the guy down the street is charging $800, I'd like to know this upfront. And I know I'm not shoping for a used car, but the customer who knows your basic rates in an informed customer, and believe it not, most patients are bright enought to grasp the notion that basic prices don't apply to compicated procedures. My sense is that dentists don't like to be reminded that they're in a service industry; they don't like the perception that they have something in common with the guy selling fruit on the corner. ric > My sense is that dentists don't like to be reminded that they're in a > service industry; they don't like the perception that they have > something in common with the guy selling fruit on the corner. The guy selling fruits is selling a PRODUCT. Dentistry is a professional service, much like a solicitor. How many lawyers do you know that will give you an estimate before examining the details of your case? >>My sense is that dentists don't like to be reminded that they're in a >>service industry; they don't like the perception that they have [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > know that will give you an estimate before examining the details of > your case? Concise, to the point. Why can't I write like that? Steve > >>My sense is that dentists don't like to be reminded that they're in a > >>service industry; they don't like the perception that they have [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Steve Yada, yada, yada. And by the way, none of you tooth jockeys have yet to answer my question about bridge work. What? you want I should pay your first? ric > And by the way, none of you tooth jockeys have yet to answer my > question about bridge work. What? you want I should pay your first? > > ric About cleaning? I thought I had. If anything's unclear, point it out, and I'll try to elaborate. Steve > And by the way, none of you tooth jockeys have yet to answer my > question about bridge work. What? you want I should pay your first? > > ric Yes...would you like to know my rates? T > Don't begrudge me, but if you're charging $1300 for a crown and the guy > down the street is charging $800, I'd like to know this upfront. And I [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > ric Maybe. I wouldn't presume to speak for (or psychoanalyze) other dentists. There is a difference though, and your allusion to "service industry" points to it. Yes, the corner grocery store is a service, but it's also retail. You CAN compare apples to apples, and a carton of milk to a carton of milk. But though dentistry tends to be "commoditized", esp. with regard to the insurance industry, you can at least see that this is an imperfect model for dentistry. While there's no reason to assume the $1300 is 13/8 times as good as the $800 crown, there's no reason to assume it isn't better. The more expensive dentist may use a better lab, use superior materials, spend more time assuring everything is done according to hoyle. IOW, the patient (customer, client, consumer) cannot compare crowns the way you can compare a box of cereal. Now, having said that, if a patient is "shopping" the lowest price for a crown, I have no objection to telling them. These patients often ask me nothing else that might help them know whether I'm a good dentist or a shoemaker. I don't presume to know why it's all they ask about. Since my fees are usually neither near the highest nor the lowest in Brooklyn, many of these patients will end up somewhere else. I wish them well. Steve |
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