A Drilling from the Dentist

A Drilling from the Dentist

One of the more prevalent fears, that most of us have from childhood, is a visit to the Dentist. Most of the apprehension stems from practices years ago, when Novocain wasn’t always in use, during the procedure. That is, unless you had some pretty fancy Dental insurance, which most working people were without. In fairness, most of the field of medical providers were cognizant of the pain inflicted and tried their level best to accomplish their mission without undue pain.

This summer, I had occasion to visit the WNY Dental facility on Youngs Rd. in Williamsville. The Dentist was friendly, efficient and solved the problem with dispatch. All was fine until I settled up with the clerk. She said that our dental insurance was practically useless, good only for cleanings. It was a phrase one of her superiors had used the year before. It was both embarrassing, particularly since it wasn’t true. Last year this same facility had been forced to refund a goodly portion, of the amount charged us, because it was well above the agreed upon fee structure. And now, I was about to enter round two of this “waltz of the escalating fees.” Who is the dummy here? Moi, of course.! Had I never heard of Lucy holding the football for Charley Brown until the last moment and then yanking it away? Someone once defined insanity as trying the same misadventure over and over again and each time, expecting a different and more favorable result.

Here we go again, I thought. I knew, from last years’ experience, that it was better not to argue, however. I paid the bill with a charge card. We then called our insurance provider and explained the problem. The Insurance company was emphatic in their assertion that WNY Dental was out of line. They had signed on, with our insurer, to provide services at an agreed upon fee structure. Well someone must have called someone up after that. The effluvium impacted on the rotary oscillator.

I had a cleaning scheduled for the following week at the same provider's office. I was reluctant to go, because I didn’t need or want any more grief. I arrived early at the facility. I was handed a new information sheet to fill out even though we had been patients there for years, “Uh oh” I thought.” Here we go.”

The Dental Hygienist went through the info sheet and then informed me that I would need a full panoramic x-ray procedure, before she could clean my teeth? “Huh?” I thought to myself. I was just in here for a filling last week and the dentist didn’t mention anything. What’s up with this? Then, I realized that probably the insurer had called WNY Dental and told them that they would have to provide services at the fee contracted for. And now, they were going to wring the insurer out a bit in retaliation, by imposing a full set of unasked for or unneeded x-rays.

Well, I thought, “screw this.” I have had the biggest and toughest people on the planet try to intimidate me in my life’s journey. I wasn’t going to sit still for this bit of silly extortion, by a bunch of clerks. I politely advised the Hygienist that I “would pass.” I thanked her for her time and left the facility without a cleaning. There are lots of providers in the area. I didn’t need this kind of silly extortion.

The economic, or service-related retaliation, in the form of extensive and fuller provision of unwanted services, against patients who have dental insurance that doesn’t offer the most lucrative of fee structures, is not worthy of nor in the best traditions of the Medical Profession. 

It was particularly galling, in this instance, because WNY Dental had contracted for and agreed to said fee structures with our insurer. And to add insult to injury, the staff, on two occasions, referred to our insurance as useless and “good only for cleanings, “embarrassing us in public, like we were some kind of moochers. 

Having said that, their retaliatory tactics were effective. We will easily find another service provider. And as usual, I vent my displeasure on the written page. It might not change anything, but it sure is good for the soul.

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(718 words)

Joseph Xavier Martin