You requested feedback on your front page story headed “Dental decay” (Thurs. Dec. 15)
Perhaps you may feel that my story is not directly related, but I feel obliged to and you should feel, that relating this story to the residents of Warwick, will provide them with an invaluable service and alert them to the deceptions of our “so called” dental profession.
I am an aged pensioner and suffer severely with emphysema. I have dentures, top and bottom and was in great pain from an abscess on my bottom plate. My wife convinced me to attend one of the local dentists. I did and was informed at that dental surgery that they did not do denture work and I was directed to another dentist. I made an appointment there for a couple of days later.
On my appointment date, I took along an upper denture which had a hairline crack in it. I asked that this denture be relined and any repair needed be effected.
He took my lower out and scraped it three or four times with an implement. He gave it back to me and said is that ok? I put it in and told him yes. It had stopped hurting.
He then told me that to do the re-line and repair of the upper denture, he would have to send it away, but he would make the mold. He did this. It took him about 15 minutes plus 2 minutes for the scrape of the lower denture. I then made an appointment to collect the upper denture in a week’s time.
There had been no mention of price whatsoever. My wife and I thought maybe $100 but we could have managed up to $200.
When I went to collect my upper denture, I was ushered into the chair. The denture was on the tray. The dentist said words to the effect… “There they are. Try them.” I put them in my mouth and said they felt ok. He then said “ok that’s that. You’re finished.” I said “Thank you very much”, and went to the front desk to pay.
I said to the girl.. “How much is it please?” She said $664.40. I was genuinely shocked at the amount. I queried the amount with the girl and she said again that it was the amount. I requested an account because I couldn’t pay that amount and would have to make some arrangement somehow.
I eventually had to ask my kids to help me pay his bill and it was paid.
I subsequently learned that had I gone to a dental mechanic, I would have had it done for no more than half the amount I paid. I got quotes from two different places in Warwick and they were both hundreds of dollars less than what I paid.
D. J. Fern
