I had an appointment for a cleaning this morning. When I showed up they made me fill out a two page medical form because I hadn't been in for a while. No problem. They take me back where we stop at the x-ray room. They tell me because it's been over a year I need to get 20 or so x-rays done to "make sure there are no viruses in the teeth and roots". I tell them my teeth feel fine, that I'm only there for a cleaning and that I'll begrudgingly do the minimum amount of x-rays but 20 or so isn't going to happen. I broke my elbow in April and have had a ton of x-rays this year already. The assistant goes out and talks to the dentist. She comes back and says the x-rays are a necessity. I ask if I can just have my scheduled cleaning done without getting x-rays today. She leaves again, comes back and says no. I shake my head, say thanks a lot and walk out.
Did I do anything wrong here? I made an appointment specifically for a cleaning, not a check-up, no x-rays. I've read that the effect of x-rays are cumulative over time and that the recommended amount of x-rays are "as few as possible". Shouldn't I have just been able to get my teeth cleaned without being forced to submit to 20 x-rays? I took time out of my day to go to the appointment, now I have to do it all over again at a new place. Can I use the steam coming out of my ears to clean my teeth?
They are really cracking down in the world of medical litigation on the issue of "standard of care" and it does not hold up in the court of law to allow a patient to select service that is below the standard of care.
Let's say for instance that you had an infection that you didn't know about. And let's say the really low odds type of thing happened that the infection got so bad you were sent to the hospital and spent several days in for an oral infection.
Now let's say you decided someone should be responsible for it. Well your attorney asks... have you been to the dentist recently? You say "yes" Well did they take the necessary x-rays? You say.. nope, I denied them. They say.. "hey, no problem.. it's ok as a patient you should not be allowed to choose something below the standard of care" And so you sue... and guess what... you'll win.
It doesn't even work if someone signs the paperwork saying they denied the x-rays. for my defense.
Regardless if your teeth "feel" fine there is still the chance out there for oral pathology in your bone, for dental decay to be lurking in between your teeth (that's what we look for in the bitewings), and infection.
We also look to "get rid of" patients who deny x-rays because the medic-legal risk is too high to treat them.
There's also no "cleaning only" package offered... I'd lose money on that. Without the built in price of at a minimum an exam... and some x-rays... there's no profit.. no one is going to do that.
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