Professional people simply do not understand the effects of being unemployed

[undeterred]

I recently found a contract job after being unemployed for a year. It does not offer benefits and it could last weeks or a year. I was lucky to get this, as I am in my fifties. I have been without any kind of medical or dental insurance for a year.

On the first day of work I broke a tooth, a front tooth. To be positive I guess I am glad this did not happen before the interview, since it looks bad and makes it really hard to talk. I knew this tooth needed a root canal more than a year ago, but I couldn't afford it. In fact, per the suggestions of a DUer, I ordered antibiotics from Mexico.

It took me a week to get an appt with a dentist, and when I did all she did was tell me I needed to have the tooth taken out by an oral surgeon. She asked me why I hadn't had it taken care of sooner, and I told her I was unemployed. I told her about getting the antibiotics from Mexico and she seemed disgusted. Then I asked her if she could write me a prescription for antibiotics and she said no because then I probably wouldn't get the work done.

Then she came back and handed me an estimate for the work that totalled $6000. For one tooth. I walked out stunned and amazed... I had just told her that I had been unemployed for a year, had no insurance, and asked for antibiotics... it was like she didn't hear any of it.
She didn't even look at the teeth next to my tooth. It cost me $84 to get a referral to an oral surgeon and an "estimate". Getting front end damage for a major car accident was less expensive.

[izquierdista]

1. She's a %!t@#

Drop her like a hot potato and find another dentist. And shop around. Ask for a cash discount. There's no reason to put up with crap just because they are "professionals".

[undeterred]

3. I dropped my last one because her assistant made right wing comments.

I complained to the office manager and they told me to find another dentist. Well, this was the next time I was able to see a dentist. I really don't want to go back to her. Also I suggested I might be ready for dentures and she just dismissed my suggestion out of hand. Well, if its going to be $6K a tooth, its never going to happen. I just don't know who can afford that, or even half of that.

[izquierdista]

12. Don't just get your antibiotics from Mexico

Go there and get your teeth worked on. I've had dental work done in Mexico and it was very well done at 1/3 of US prices.

[undeterred]

13. When I get a plan of what I need done and some money saved

I'd like to go to Mexico or Costa Rica and have it done... Heard CR is really beautiful and I've always wanted to go there anyway. But I would need to do the research first I guess.

[Honeycombe8]

73. I have a friend who has vacationed in CR and knows some people there.

I'll ask him if he knows anything about the medical care there.

I checked online once about the possibility of retiring there, because it's so cheap. Or used to be. There are a number of Americans living down there, so there must be decent medical care. They actually give up Medicare to move down there. Or to Mexico. Probably depends on WHERE you go.

[undeterred]

83. There are a lot of American dentists there.

I don't know if its cheap to get a house. I knew a couple who were moving there and when it came to getting a home they were shocked at how much they had to spend, but they went anyway. They were a gay couple with adopted daughters and felt like it was a better place to raise children than the US.

Some things are more expensive and some things less. I keep hearing its the lab fees that make the cost of American Dentistry so excessive. Seems like they could get that under control.

[Zalatix]

33. Uh, that is NOT safe.

Who do you turn to if they screw up a dental procedure?

[izquierdista]

35. Uh, that is SAFER.

The reason I had to have dental work done in foreign countries was because of the low quality of my US dentist. They repaired, for 1/3 the cost, the work I had done by a high priced American dentist.

[Snake Alchemist]

36. Doing the dental jobs that Americans won't do.

[Zalatix]

38. Anecdotal evidence. Doesn't even address my argument at all.

As I asked... who do you turn to if they screw up a dental procedure in Mexico?

[izquierdista]

42. The same thing you do in the US

Go find another dentist.

[Zalatix]

47. I'm talking about malpractice. In the US I can sue or even have their license revoked.

What's a Mexican court gonna do except laugh the pigment off my foreigner ass?

[izquierdista]

48. And if you lose in the US?

What are you going to do? Sue your lawyer for malpractice?

If you believe so deeply in the US legal system, why don't you have them fix your teeth in the first place?

[Zalatix]

63. What recourse do you have against bad dentists in Mexico?

Seems that it's hard to sue a dentist at all in Mexico. Which makes the issue of losing said lawsuit close to moot.

http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2007/06/20/americans-get-dental-care-in-mexico.htm

How do you even know they're licensed?

What recourse do you have against bad dentists in Mexico? What recourse do you have against bad dentists in Mexico? What recourse do you have against bad dentists in Mexico

[lunatica]

71. You've obviously never been to Mexico

It's actually a civilized country with modern stuff. Lots of modern stuff, like dentists who have dentist offices and diplomas and everything. And they use modern dental equipment too. It plugs into electrical sockets built right into the walls and everything.

I grew up in Mexico and their dentists and doctors and professionals are as good as anything you find in the US.

[0rganism]

52. a broken tooth is NOT safe

it's painful, can lead to some very nasty infections, and generally reduces the quality of life across the board.

OP needs to get that fixed ASAP.

[undeterred]

60. I have an American dentist refusing to give me antibiotics-

and seeing me as someone she can rip off to the tune of $6K per tooth.

Its going to be hard to convince me that foreign dentists are worse than American dentists, who can decide to let you suffer just because they want to punish you for getting antibiotics on your own.

[Honeycombe8]

75. You got that right. But about the antibiotics...

they only work for a certain # of days. After that, there's no point in taking them, is my understanding. So if you've already taken antibiotics, there's no reason to take more. In fact, taking antiobiotics for a long period of time causes you to build up an immunity to them, and there are side effects, as well.

[undeterred]

82. You don't know all the circumstances.

I took them for 2 weeks, over 4 months ago. I certainly don't advocate being on them long term or continuously.

The tooth broke about 10 days ago. When the dentist told me it was infected and I knew I couldn't get an appt for the extraction for more than 2 weeks I thought it was reasonable to ask for them now. She said NO to punish me for getting them on my own, which is unethical. When I called her colleague, she said yes.

[Honeycombe8]

85. Oh, I see. I DIDN'T know those things. I'm so glad you've gotten a Rx for them now.

Can the tooth not be saved and a crown put on? Or did it break too near the gum line?

I've broken a tooth before, and the dentist said it's best to save the tooth if possible. My friend whose tooth broke said that first dentist, who was so snooty & rude like the one you saw, said it couldn't be saved. But she found a dentist who said it could, and he crowned it. So maybe it would've been safer for her lifetime to pull it, but the 2nd dentist went with the crown to give it at least a chance to save the tooth. Plus it was cheaper.

[undeterred]

88. Long story as to why

but it broke at the gum line and there is no chance of saving it.

[Honeycombe8]

74. Sounds scary to me, too. BUT lots of people retire to CR and Mexico.

They actually give up Medicare to move there. So I'm thinking there must be good medical care in the areas where expatriots live.

But you are right about recourse if something goes wrong. You probably can't do anything about it.

[barbtries]

58. my sister did that

and was very pleased with the results.

[Honeycombe8]

77. What city did she go to? nt

[barbtries]

87. she stayed in yuma az

and would go into Mexico from CA near there, but can't remember the exact name of the town. she may call me back when she remembers and i will let you know. she saved thousands of dollars by going that route.

[Demonaut]

2. if the dentist has a website for comments...leave one

and I'd check around for another dentist

[elleng]

5. Right; definitely post comments!

[elleng]

4. VERY sorry to hear this.

Sounds like you found a 'rotten' one, and I don't think typical of 'professionals.' I found a new dentist recently, and while I can't speak for her, I suspect she wouldn't THINK of treating anyone in that way.
P.S., she brought INTO HER OFFICE an oral surgeon to extract a tooth of mine; don't recall what it cost, have insurance, but really no big deal, maybe a couple hundred.
She also did a complete survey of my upcoming dental needs, asked my permission to do full x-rays, and then provided me with a full road-map, including estimates for several of the necessary procedures.

GOOD LUCK with the new job!

[justabob]

6. wow... I got a broken front tooth pulled for 75

just a couple of years ago, and the dentist did it there and then. Granted, that didn't include any kind of restoration after getting it pulled. Still, 6000 dollars is obscene. I don't remember what my fake tooth/bridge thing cost exactly, but I think it was more like $500. More than I wanted to pay, but it was manageable.

On edit... I hit "post" too soon... definitely find someone else, anyone else. I hope you can find a decent dentist or a dental college or something to help you. I have been there. I had to have most of my back teeth/molars pulled a while ago too after putting off root canals et al due to insufficient funds.

[undeterred]

9. The 6K doesn't even include the oral surgery.

I figure that will be around $500. I have one of those dentalplans that gives you a discount- that's how I ended up with her. It isn't as good as insurance at all, but you don't have to wait. The cost of dentistry is obscene. The only reasonable way to get your teeth fixed is to do a dental vacation either to mexico or costa rica. The cost of American dentistry is ridiculous.

[justabob]

14. I am so sorry you have to deal with this

I know how badly it hurts (physically and emotionally), and how frustrating it is. I hope you can find some help.

[badhair77]

10. dental college - good idea

even if you have a travel a bit to get there.

[undeterred]

11. since the economy went south

the waiting lists at dental schools are YEARS long... they tell you to call back in a year

[Major Nikon]

16. That hasn't been my experience

I made an appointment and got in two weeks later. After an initial exam and x-rays I was assigned a student. I had a minor cavity fixed, a filling replaced, a cleaning, and sealants applied.

[Missy Vixen]

50. That wasn't my experience, either

If you call the dental school in question and explain your situation, they make an exception. I was able to get same-week appointments with our local dental school if I was willing to be flexible.

I had a cracked molar. Dentist's office wanted $900 to fix it. Dental school charged me $200, and cleaned my teeth as well.

[xmas74]

78. A coworker uses a dental school

and he said the trick is to complain about how painful the tooth is without telling them exactly what is wrong or that you've had a previous consult. He said that if you do it they'll put you on a standby list.

With the standby list you will be contacted between 24-48 hours in advance and you'll fill in for a cancelled appointment. He said the trick is getting in the door-once you're in you'll get the additional appointment for surgery.

[customerserviceguy]

24. Not just dental college

Any school where they train dental assistants might give you a decent deal. You get worked on by a professional dentist, it just takes longer because they have to teach the assistants. I went to a community college that offered this training, and got some pretty good deals on fillings.

[abelenkpe]

7. I am so sorry that happened to you

you should consider writing up reviews of your experience with that dentist on Yelp and any other referral sites out there online. (1-800-Dentists?)

But congratulations finding work. Unemployment sucks. I've been there too and the damage it does is horrible. But you do find out who is a true friend and who is not.

[badhair77]

8. I am so sorry this is happening to you.

Maybe another dentist would help. Also, sometimes local dental associations have members who do work at a discount, or perhaps let you pay over a period of time. I would check because the least they can say is "no." One of our local dentists does a free dental work day in honor of his late son. He's probably not the only one doing a day of caring. Please keep trying because dental problems can affect many medical issues. Good luck.

[Dragonfli]

15. After paying her for the estimate she could at least have given you antibiotics.

All she had to do was pull out her prescription pad. I can't believe she wouldn't do that, an absess is an infection and potentially life threatening (it really can kill you, I have been warned by Doctors because I have to just live with the infections.)

I have the same problem but more than one tooth in that condition (a few are just gum level stumps) and I need to find some antibiotics again, in theory it is even more dangerous for me because of a heart murmer or something.

Any link to a Mexican site I can get antibiotics from?
My whole lower law is swollen up at this point.

No medical insurance
No money
No job
No safety net besides food stamps and I still can't figure out why they won't give me medicaid as I have had literally zero income in 4 months. When I had my Unemployment they said I made $8.25 too much a month to qualify, I make $0 now, so when, if ever, does anyone qualify for it?

[Tsiyu]

34. Oh please get some antiobiotics even if it takes an ER visit

That swollen jaw is a bad sign, and could make you very very sick or worse - I know from firsthand experience.

((((((((Dragonfli)))))))))

To you and the OP I hope some help shows up for both of you...

[Honeycombe8]

84. He's been taking antibiotics for a long time.

Unless he's taken a break from them. There comes a point when they don't work. You build up a tolerance or something.

[woo me with science]

17. Harris Teeter will fill a 14-day antibiotics prescription for free.

I was pleasantly surprised by this policy the last time I had one filled there.

Of course, you have to be near one. It might be worth checking out what other nearby pharmacies offer.

I am sorry she treated you this way. It is inexcusable.

I agree with the idea of checking out dental schools.

[Warpy]

18. An extraction and partial will be considerably cheaper

Root canals are horrendously expensive.

I could afford extractions and partials. I could never afford root canals. I have been declared a nonperson in this country, unworthy of any insurance since 1987 because I had the bad taste to "choose" to get sick.

Welcome to the land of opportunity, the worker's paradise, the best country in the world.

[sarcasmo]

20. I hear yeah. Had a couple teeth pulled in the way back because I wasn't

paying the insane price for a root canal.

[undeterred]

26. This does not include the cost of a root canal or the extraction...

This merely includes the price of a temporary and a permanent partial. Its too late for me to get a root canal because the tooth broke too close to the gum line.

How they can jack it up to 6K is just beyond belief.

[Bluenorthwest]

19. Dentists like to express disgust at Mexico due to the customers they are losing to Mexico

Dentists are singularly detached from reality. The profession, as a culture, is dooming itself with greed and denial. A few years ago a new dentist told me my work would cost 'tens of thousands of dollars'. He then acted offended when I asked him how many tens. He seemed stunned anyone might care for an estimate that narrowed things down more than 'tens of thousands'. He did not get my custom.

[undeterred]

49. "Dentists are singularly detached from reality."

Well said. I've found that doctors are much more likely to perceive and care about how the economy is affecting their patients health. Dentists- even the ones I've known who were more liberal- just act like there is nothing they can do about the high price of the care they offer and the FACT that people are not able to pay for it. They just expect us to SUCK IT UP!

People are losing their teeth and getting dentures. People are leaving the country for dental tourism because its cheaper. If its a choice between having a car or a house and getting your teeth fixed- guess what, you might end up living with dentures if they give you an estimate that is 30K to get everything fixed. You just can't spend that kind of money on one aspect of your life. Its way way way out of line.

[midnight]

21. I was just thinking about my recent visit to my dentist and was overwhelmed by the bill for

just a cleaning. 6000 for one tooth is outrages... I'm wondering why dentist think this is acceptable in this economy? I'm wondering if you can call a Dental school and ask for some input about this situation...

[bathroommonkey76]

22. Have you tried a dental college in your area?

A few years ago one of my friends went to a college and they basically did the work for free. Good luck, I know what it's like to be on that side of the fence.

[undeterred]

39. I called the only one in Wisconsin last year

They said the waiting list was a year and a half and they weren't adding to it at this point. And that's too long to wait for most dental problems.

[RebelOne]

23. I buy antibiotics through a vet supply.

They are the same potency as human medications. Check out www.calvetsupply.com. And I have also ordered from thatpetplace.com. Just search for antibiotics. I have ordered tetracycline from these sites for years. I have also had tooth problems and when I felt a tooth problem coming on, I would take a tetracycline pill. I was supposed to have all my teeth pulledi in 1999, but so far, I still have them. But not for long now.

[Irishonly]

25. What a jerk

I hope you can find someone a lot more reasonalble.

[Digit]

27. I have heard of events that are held to help people such as yourself

You may have seen these tented events on the news in your area at one time or another.
Other than that, the suggestion below will usually give some avenues for where you might seek help
and even call some of them asking if they know of any events coming up.

Google for your state using words such as: donated dental services

One last thing, it almost seems to me to be a violation of ethics to not prescribe antibiotics. It was not PAIN pills
you were seeking. Infections in your mouth can KILL you.

Sorry for the caps, I am angry.

I hope things get better for you soon.

[undeterred]

30. All they do at those events is fill cavities and pull teeth.

I'm quite sure nobody walks out having gotten surgery, or a root canal, or a partial, or any other expensive procedure. And you might wait in line for a couple of days to get that.

And it is unethical do refuse to give antibiotics, but who you gonna call? I already called back once asking for antibiotics and she ignored me. I will call again and be a bitch about it to make sure all the office staff hear about it and I won't go back. Other than that, what else can anyone really do?

[Digit]

31. It depends

The last one I saw on the news said some people were being fitted for dentures.

The link I gave you had a list or places or organizations that had free to sliding scale so
you will just have to pursue it, but don't dismiss the idea without checking.

I had just picked a random state that I didn't live in and picked an affluent county and
it provided me with list of places (I picked Montgomery County, MD) to get services.

[undeterred]

44. What link?

Edit: When I googled donated dental services I actually had ads for dental tourism in Mexico and Costa Rica come up!

[stufl]

28. I'm not a dentist but 22 crowns qualifies me for something. (I had good insurance.)

If you pull the tooth, your only options are an implant or a plate (a false tooth). The implant would cost about $6,000.00; the plate would be expensive and uncomfortable on top of it. But, root canal and a crown would be 1/4 the cost. Imagine calling $1500.00 a good deal. But unless the root has died, the last thing you want to do is pull the tooth.

Americans complain about their medical system. But, dental work is just as costly and rarely covered by insurance.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

29. I had a root canal a couple of years ago, and when I told the dental practice that I had no dental

insurance, they dropped the price for me. I think I paid $800.

It pays to shop around. Also, ask your local dental association if there's anyone who takes charity cases.

[Honeycombe8]

79. That's what a friend of mine found when she broke a tooth.

One dentist said it had to be pulled and she'd need an implant. He was snooty, and of course it was mega-expensive.

She found another dentist who said there was enough tooth left to crown, so that's what she had done. It looked just fine. At a fraction of the cost.

[tavalon]

32. She doesn't understand

but I would be careful not to generalize to everyone.

[undeterred]

40. I guess I expect that everyone knows someone who has been unemployed

and that most professional people had patients who have had to go without care for a long time during the last few years. I didn't get a sense of that from this person at all.

It was even stranger when the dental assistant started to tell me that maybe I had insurance but I just didn't know about it... as if anyone could be that stupid.

[tavalon]

46. Yikes, time for a new dentist and hygienist

[Missy Vixen]

51. They're protecting their bottom line

I have a similar story re: my former dentist. His receptionist was so nasty to me that I never went back, even when we got dental insurance again.

I hope there is a wonderful dental school near you that can fix the tooth for a nominal charge. I also hope you're loving your new job.

[Snake Alchemist]

37. If she's getting 6K tp remove a tooth what is she pulling up to her office in?

A lamborghini?

[undeterred]

41. Its a practice with 3 dentists.

The question I always have to ask is why are there 9 women bustling around in that 12x15 space behind the front counter? Maybe thats why the prices are so high.

[roody]

43. I hope you find a better,

kinder dentist asap.

[Honeycombe8]

80. It sounds like she was recommending a pull, then implant. Maybe a root canal, too.

If there's some of his tooth left, tho, a crown is a possibility at much less cost.

[Vincardog]

45. Check how much is would cost in Mexico

[B Calm]

53. Over $1,307.70 last week for my blood test

that I get annually. Insurance covered only $48.31. They did get it deducted to where I only had to pay $612.07. Pretty damn high for a blood test, eh. .

Now my greedy doctor who ordered the blood tests every year, wants me to come in to his office every three months just so I can get my high blood pressure prescription. The last doctor I had would give a year prescription for the same meds. He also thinks I should get a colonoscopy every five years. I had one done six years ago and they found nothing.

Egad if a blood test cost $1,300.00, what would a colonoscopy cost me?

[undeterred]

55. That is also absurd.

Now my doctor- who is a very caring human being, wants a blood test but it costs around $500 so he told me to call him when I have a job and insurance so I don't have to pay for it ot of pocket. He would never order anything without asking if I had insurance to cover it.

Unless you are high risk or having symptoms, colonoscopy every 10 years should be adequate- I always wonder what reasons drs have for ordering tests more often.

I guess I am used to having this one really great doctor so I am spoiled and it shocks me when I see how jerky a lot of them are.

A blood test for $1300- Is the Surgeon General reading it?

[BluePatriot]

65. www.directlabs.com

This is a good place to order lab tests on your own and you can save around 80% on what your doctor charges you.

I also like that you get the tests back much more quickly and that you get a copy for yourself.

Hope it helps

[stufl]

86. I was billed for a PSA because it was the 2nd one I had this year.

The lab wanted 94.50. During a call to the insurance co. I asked the amount they pay the lab for a PSA. $18.09. Yup! You and I pay 94.50 but the insurance co. gets away with 20% of that. Go figure!

[dana_b]

54. that is ridiculous

she needs to get her nose out of the clouds or she will lose more clients. That price is also ridiculous. I had to have a molar removed and they did it for $2200. Good luck to you. Are you getting more antibiotics from Mexico?

[undeterred]

56. No, it takes 3 weeks to get them

and I have an appt to have the tooth out before then.

www.mexmeds4you.com is the place if anyone is interested.

[dana_b]

57. thanks

and I'm glad that you are being taken care of - hopefully by a more considerate surgeon and at a much lower price.

[stevenleser]

59. Am in a similar situation

Have a lower left molar with a crack in it. To get a crown put on it, I have been quoted $2000 after what dental insurance pays. I have been chewing on the right side of my mouth for over two years instead.

[undeterred]

61. Wow, what's it going to be made of?

That seems like a lot money for a crown. And next year it will go up by $400...

But if you don't fix it you'll be paying for a root canal and crown, or you will eventually lose the tooth.

Edit: A lot of what runs thing up so high are the lab costs. If you took a dental vacation to Mexico, you might be able to get that crown sooner for a lot less.

[stevenleser]

62. I live in the NYC area and I think all services are more expensive here, still, its a lot.

I never seem to have that kind of money lying around. Imagine that.

[Honeycombe8]

81. My last crown ran around $900 - $1,000, I think. That was the total cost.

I ended up having to pay a deductible, then about $600 more. I have the low-end dental insurance.

Dental insurance has driven the cost of dental care way up. The dentists raised their prices, so they'd end up getting paid what they used to get paid w/o ins. being involved.

Same thing with med. insurance. Used to be pregnany wasn't covered by med. insurance. So the medical cost for pregnancy was fairly low. People paid out of pocket. When ins. cos. were forced to start covering pregnancy, the costs skyrocketed.

[Curmudgeoness]

64. I don't know what that $6000 was for,

if it was an extraction and implant, it would not cost that much. I am finishing up an implant, and it has total cost of less than $2500, and that included extraction, adding bone, implant, and crown. I know this is too much for you to pay at this point, but I am just saying that your quote is too high. I also got a lower rate because I have no dental insurance, and another discount for paying cash.

[undeterred]

67. Actually it assumed both a temporary partial

and a permanent partial. And the lab and impression costs are phenomenally high.

[undeterred]

66. UPDATE: the tooth hurts

and its making me mad. So I called the office and paged the dentist on call. She called me back right away and was really nice. I told her my whole story and asked for antibiotics... she is calling them in right now.

So the bitchy dentist will find out that her colleague called in antibiotics for me because she wouldn't do it. I hope she is embarrassed.

[Curmudgeoness]

68. I don't know how you do it, but you will have to

have that tooth removed. I have heard that Catholic Charities (god, I hate even thinking of this right now) will help people who cannot afford medical/dental help to get treatment. I don't know how it works, I don't know if it is only for the tooth to be pulled, I don't know if there is a sliding scale for what you would pay, if anything. I am sure that there are other options, depending on where you live. First, ask at your dentist's office if there is anything. Then start to call charities to see if they can steer you in a direction that will work for you.

But please, don't leave that tooth in your mouth and continue to take antibiotics on a long term basis---followed by pain killers---which could lead to many more problems.

[undeterred]

69. If all I wanted were antibiotics I would have ordered them myself.

I'm having it out at the end of next week. I have a job now. But I still expected that a dentist who was telling me that the broken tooth was infected would do the responsible thing and prescribe an antibiotic.

When I had no money for a dentist I ordered them myself. For other DUers without jobs or incomes having an extraction may not be an option. Don't be so sure there ARE other options for people until you've walked in their shoes. I have a list of the resources available in my community, and there is precious little available in the area of dentistry.

A dentist who won't even write you a prescription is not going to give you a discount or try to help you find a charity.

There is an event every year where you can stand in line with a thousand people on a Saturday and get a couple of fillings done. That's it.

[Curmudgeoness]

70. I am glad to hear that you have a job now.

Life is hard enough even when you do have a job. With no money, it is just impossible to navigate life.

I did not mean to talk down to you. I just wanted to emphasize that having an infected tooth is a serious problem that concerned me. Sorry if I was insensitive.

[Honeycombe8]

72. I had a friend who had the same thing happen.

The first dentist she went to said that something fancy had to be done, and it would cost a lot. He made her feel like trash for having broken her tooth and not having a regular dentist. She called around or got recommendations and found a dentist who said that it could be fixed more easily and cost less. I forget what was done. But it worked out okay, since her mouth looked okay after that. So call around, if you can, w/o getting in trouble at work.

I see another poster mentioned dental schools. We have one here, where you can get work done by students at reduced cost. I imagine there's a long wait, though.

I can't imagine what needs to be done that would cost $6000, but the cost is the cost regardless of your circumstances. That's always been the way it's been for me. I always hear about people getting special deals on one thing or another, but if that's true, why is it that I never seem to get a special deal?

It's terrible this dentist was so snooty and rude. There are some good dentists, so I hope you are able to get in to see someone else. There is no reason for you to feel badly because of your circumstances, or to let someone treat you badly because of it. BUT, antibiotics and pain killers are no substitute for a root canal, I guess you know. If you don't get that taken care of, it'll get worse.

Do you not have a regular dentist? Or is there a dentist that would let you pay on time (you'd have to have a good credit rating)? I guess it'd cost too much to put it on a credit card?

Are you poor enough to qualify for Medicaid? Medicaid in some states offers SOME minimal dental care. It's hard to find a dentist who will take Medicaid patients, but that is one avenue to check out. (My sister is in a nursing home because of an early stroke; she's on Medicaid, including for dental. The coverage is lousy, and there is only one dentist locally who will see Medicaid patients. He sees them only once a week, early in the morning. But it's better than nothing.)

I hope you are able to get this taken care of in some way. Teeth are so important, and if something isn't fixed, it WILL get worse. I don't suppose you have any relatives who might help? Kids, maybe? Let us know what happens.

But congratulations on getting a job, even if only temporary. Count your blessings for that, even though other things may be weighing you down right now. Good luck.

[undeterred]

76. I have a discount plan through dentalplans.com

but their are only a limited number of dentists who take it and thats how I ended up going to this one. If I get hired on it won't be for a few months, and even then there is sometimes a waiting period before you can actually use the insurance- how weird is that?

I guess the hardest thing is finding a dentist who understands that there is no way that someone who has modest means can come up with a huge amount of money overnight. So they will have to prioritize- choose what has to be done first and do it as I can afford it.

I actually posted this question on Craigslist about a year ago- asking if anyone knew of a decent dentist who would work with someone who needed a lot of work done and was going to need to take it slow because of finances. I got one answer. So when I get insurance maybe thats the dentist I will go to. Somebody patient.