For price, you can locate your local dental association to find out the
average fee charge by dentist around your area.  You can find out your
local dental associate by contacting www.ada.org

You can do reseach on the web to see what's the common treatment for
the problem you have.  I always like to offer my patients different
treatment options, and let them know my recommendation.  I wll also
explain why I recommend that particular treatment.

[AdvanceAgent #367924]

Games I am currently playing:
http://uc.gamestotal.com/?in=367924

AdvanceAgent,

It's not that I don't trust this particular dentist, I don't trust any of
them.  I don't have the information to know what is a reasonable fee for each
procedure and I don't have the knowledge to know whether I really need that
procedure or not.

Don't ever trust the insurance to make your dental decision.  They are
only concern about making money, and they are not responsible for their
recommendation.  They always recommend the cheapest treatment, which
may not be your best choice.

Getting a 2nd opinion from another dentist is the only way, if you
don't trust your current dentist.  If you don't trust your current
dentist, you probably should change.  Get recommendation from your
friends or relatives.  Dentist they have seen and like.

Don't go to a dentist you don't trust.  It's not going to work out.

[AdvanceAgent #367924]

Games I am currently playing:
http://uc.gamestotal.com/?in=367924

    It is of course possible that your dentist is substandard; however,
insurance companies should NEVER be depended on to determine the
appropriateness of treatment.  In fact, many policies will explicitly
say that their decision not to provide a benefit is NOT a judgement of
the appropriateness of care; it is only a judgement as to whether a
service is eligible for benefits according to the provisions of the
particular insurance contract.

Steve

I do not live in a rural area.  I cannot just go to another dentist for a
second opinion, I must change dentists through my insurance company.  Why
should I have to go through this?  The reason I am so skeptical is that
the insurance company I am with does not require the dentist to submit for
approval x-rays,a written description of the patient's dental issues, or
her/his treatment plan.  They require NOTHING.  The dentist just just gets
paid by them to have me as a patient and she/he can do whatever she/he
pleases.  As the consumer, I find this outrageous!  To no avail, I have
searched and searched (even with my local and the national dental association)
for a list of fees charged for dental services in my area;a range would
suffice.  Am I being robbed?  Feeling skeptical.

____________________________

Is that because you are in a rural area with only one dentist?

In most urban and suburban regions, there are many dentists who would
be able to render a second opinion.

- dentaldoc

Consulting another dentist is easier said than done.

Also, how does one know if the work the dentist said they performed was
really done?

    Consult another dentist.

Steve

How does one know if the treatment recommended by their dentist is really
necessary.  Also, how would one know whether the work they said they did was
really done?