I missed this on the 4th but I would like to share that I love my dental office. It's kind of a long story but I'll try to keep it concise. (Added at the end: Ha ha hahaha ha!)
My family had been patients of this dental office I'm currently loving for years when, at the end of 2014, my husband said he had to switch insurances. Kaiser customer service and their website, and their partner dental insurance, has been so incredibly confusing that it has taken over two years for us to get to see a dentist. I'd been having regular twice yearly checkups and cleanings since I was a little kid so missing two years was worrisome! Especially with regard to my kids who don't brush as diligently as me. Oops, I'm rambling.
So I finally got to see a new dentist 3 weeks ago. It was weird. The office was small and dark and only one other patient was there, leaving as I was called back. The quiet hygienist gave me x-rays and then, instead of getting a cleaning next, as I've always had at the many other dentists I've visited in my 45 years of life, the dentist came in and started doing that measuring, poking thing where 1's and 2's are fine, 3's and 4's possibly concerns, and immediately she declared I have gum disease and need a special $300 treatment that insurance won't cover. Then she ushered me out to pay and meet with someone else to talk about the treatment plan and costs. I questioned her, "What about my cleaning?" and the dentist told me that a cleaning would be "malpractice." I wish I'd asked her to explain because that still doesn't make sense to me. Then, I expected to pay an insurance copayment of $10, but was surprised to be told I also had to pay $70 right then for a special x-ray they'd just given me.
I was skeptical about the diagnosis because of the way the dentist spoke to me and how quickly the exam went. But also because even though I'd missed 4 dental checkups and cleanings, I still brushed and flossed my teeth mostly regularly. My husband, on the other hand, never flosses, and he had just gone to a different dentist who said his teeth were fine! And my instincts too, told me that it wasn't right.
Fortunately, my husband discovered that his employer had continued paying for our old insurance we had used with our previous dentist (I'm mad that we didn't know sooner, but so glad we found out just in time!) so yesterday I was able to return to my former dentist. First off, the atmosphere of this dental office is warm, friendly, and fun: posters and signs everywhere, a guessing contest posted, a separate children's playroom, funny dental themed comics interspersed with the dental info flashing on the screens, and friendly, talkative hygienists. I noted as I waited to be called how the place was so busy with people waiting, coming, and going. Such a contrast to my bad experience already. Then, I got the full exam, x-rays, and cleaning routine. I paid attention to the numbers when the hygienist did that poking, measuring thing and had mostly 1's and 2's, a few 3's, and two 4's. But during that time, the hygienist made no warning comments, but said, "Your flossing is paying off." When the dentist came in to check my teeth, half way through my cleaning LOL, he said nothing about those numbers or my gums or anything negative. The closest thing to a warning was that he noticed some slight staining or something about some of my fillings, but he joked that none of them were fillings he'd made, his were perfect.
Sorry that was long anyway. I'm considering deleting it, after copying and pasting it into Notepad for use on a scrapbook page, but maybe it will be interesting. And I'm trying to keep connected here. I feel like I've been busier recently and have only gotten to pop in to read one or two threads most days. I'm still scrapping every Sunday though! And I should be able to make it to speed scrap this evening. Hmm! Maybe this will be my speed scrap page topic. I wish I'd taken a quick iPhone shot inside my dentist's office. I love that one wall is all window. It's just a view of the parking lot, Walmart, and other nearby stores, but sometimes there are beautiful clouds or birds or interesting people going by. Oh, well, maybe this will be a journal heavy, photo-light scrapbook page. Thanks if you read this whole thing!
) I have NEVER worked for a doctor that does his own probing (measuring the gums) Hygienist ALWAYS do that. Maybe in your state the laws are different, but I'm 99% sure all states the hygienists do the probings. I'm glad that you trusted your gut & good job keeping up your homecare routine- like you hygienist said- it makes all the difference! 
