Dental Miscommunication

The Americans with Disabilities Act is toothless, and that's no pun. The Act says that doctors' offices must provide access, but they are allowed to define that access (confirmed by an ADA Help Line). What this means, bottom line, is that most private doctors and dentists office refuse to provide interpreters. Every dentist I have asked, has refused to provide me with an interpreter. This can have real consequences, as in my experience the dentists try to get away with as little communication as possible. This morning something happened due to inadequate communication that proves I need a new dentist.

You Need a Tooth Extracted

I had gone to my dentist about a month earlier for my usual six-month checkup. As she examined my teeth, she said that a Wisdom tooth had a cavity and would need to be taken out. I still have the note she wrote: "Tooth #1 need Ext, old filling with decay around it. If she start having pain take it out. If you take it out you will have to take the lower tooth also." I remember begging "Is there any way to save the tooth?" (Like with more filling or a root canal) and being told, "No, it is too big. The cavity is too big." As I was leaving, the communication was poor..even my boyfriend could not understand her well. I asked for a written referral to an oral surgeon and was told she could not provide one and I would have to call my health insurance company. She brushed us off, turning to the next patient waiting without bothering to ask us if we had any more questions. So we left believing I needed my tooth extracted.

So I called my insurance company and got the name of an oral surgeon in the HMO network. I called the surgeon's office and when they asked if I had a referral, I said no, and they said that's fine, we will put you down as a self referral. Then I waited a month for the appointment day, dreading the needles (I hate needles but prefer them to gas).

You Need a Written Referral

I got to the oral surgeon's office, dreading the needle. They were nice, and had a pad and pen ready to communicate with me (I had requested that in advance when I made the appointment). They did an Xray because the quality of the xray I had from my dentist's office was not satisfactory. Everything went fine until the doctor came in. The doctor did a quick teeth check and then said he had to have a written referral. When I protested that I had been told a self referral was fine, and that my dentist had not provided me with one despite my asking for one, he had me wait while they called my dentist's office.

Surprise! You Don't Have a Cavity!

We had to wait for the dentist to call back. I was beginning to feel angry... but they calmed me with an apology for not having communicated better at the time of making the appointment. When the doctor returned, they wrote me a new note: "My examination today was normal. There is no inflammation or decay in that tooth #1. Dr. XXXXX said she cleaned it and it looks okay today. Therefore I do not recommend extraction and Dr. XXXX agrees. There is NO CAVITY. There is a large filling which is okay."

What?!! I Was Told I Had a Cavity!

I was shocked, and upset, thinking of how I had just wasted eight precious hours of sick leave! Why?? I asked for more information, and was told verbally (no writing but I understood enough) that apparently BEFORE she had cleaned my teeth, my regular dentist had thought that I had a big, unrepairable cavity. AFTER she finished cleaning, the tooth turned out to be fine with no cavity. BUT she had failed to communicate this to me! She had not written me any follow-up note to let me know that there was no cavity after all!

Now Seeking a New, Better Dentist

I was quite upset, declaring that this was the last straw. I would find a new dentist. Not only was I out eight wasted hours of sick leave, I had to pay $31 for the un-needed X-rays. My boyfriend was upset too, as this cost him valuable time as well. If I can't have an interpreter for my next dental appointment, the dentist had better be one who does not mind writing and communicating clearly on paper and who makes sure to communicate ALL important information to me!

The only bright side to all this is that I did not have to face the dreaded needle.

Have you had any experiences like this? Talk about it on the forum.