any comments on dentist vs hyginist cleaning teeth?

[Laurielee]

DH is unhappy with his dentist because he cleans his teeth. He thinks a hygenist should be doing it, that they do a better job, (because thats what they are trained for). My moms dentist also cleans hers. Is this because they dont want to pay the expense of the hygenist? And can they clean teeth just as well?

I kind of agree with DH, but then I think if the dentist is doing a good job then why not? I just changed dentists because I was unhappy that the hygenist wasnt doing a thorough job like I have had with others.

Laurie

[MikeC]

Laurie,
I guess it depends on whether or not you believe that the dentist is doing a good job. If the dentist is doing a good job, why not?

For many years, I've been going to a dental group for my care. I have my long-time dentist and I never see another dentist (unless there is an emergency and then there is always one dentist on call, 24 hours a day). There are also four or five hygienists. After each visit, when I schedule my next appt, the office staff asks if I'd like the same hygienist so that, if for some reason I wasn't happy, I could be assigned someone else with no repercussions for anybody. (Well, I guess unless it became a trend that no one wanted to re-up with one particular hygienist!)

I like it that way. I drive all the way across the city to go to my dentist, but I'll never change unless he gives up his practice in the group!

[blazedog]

I would assume that a dentist that you trust to do complicated work can clean teeth. If I didn't trust a dentist to do a tooth cleaning, I don't think I would trust him/her to do anything else. :eek:

My current dentist does his own cleaning -- I just think it depends on the size of the operation and what makes economic sense.

My dentist is not a "dental practice" -- he and his wife are in practice together but I think she works part time. They have an "assistant" who he uses to help with complicated procedures but she isn't a hygienist so I would assume it wouldn't make economic sense for him to hire a separate person just to clean teeth.

[MikeC]

I would assume that a dentist that you trust to do complicated work can clean teeth. If I didn't trust a dentist to do a tooth cleaning, I don't think I would trust him/her to do anything else. :eek:


Yeah, that's a good point too, blazedog. My dentist doesn't clean teeth himself, but, if he did, why not?

[greysangel]

I would assume that a dentist that you trust to do complicated work can clean teeth. If I didn't trust a dentist to do a tooth cleaning, I don't think I would trust him/her to do anything else. :eek:



Well I dont think it's from the perspective of not trusting him to clean teeth. I immediately thought about having blood drawn. I will have a lab technician draw blood hands down over any PHC physician. I wouldn't trust the lab technician to do much more than testing, but they draw blood so much faster, easier etc. than a doc because it's what they do all day :D

[Wendy w]

For years, I went to a large dental group around the block from my house and it was like cattle being herded. You had to schedule months ahead of time and the 2 hygienists that I liked were always booked. After having some young snot nosed thing fresh out of hygienist school lecture me, I switched to a "mom and pop" dentist and am much happier. It is worth the distance. I usually schedule an afternoon appt. then go visit my Mom afterwards.

They are wonderful and I feel that they are much more personable than the large operation. He will do the cleaning and his assistant will do the polishing part. They do a great job!

[Laurielee]

thanks for your replies. DH freaked out when he went to make his 6 month appt and the receptionist is flipping thru her schedule book for the date and its empty :eek: :eek: So in his eyes his dentist cant afford a hygenist.

My concern would be a dentist that starts to clean teeth to save $$ vs a dentist who has always cleaned teeth as part of the practice. (I just never knew they did until recently with DH new dentist and my moms).


Laurie

[Canice]

Wow, I have neard of a dentist doing the cleaning him/herself.

Heh, the exception being that I actually used to INSIST that my dentist do it himself. I know he didn't want to (too busy) but he did it anyway. My teeth are so sensitive the staff have to scrape me off the ceiling, and I had had one too many masochistic (or at least inattentive) hygenist so I wouldn't let them near me. When my dentist sold his practice to his partner, the new one cleaned my teeth a couple of times and then asked me to trust his hygenist; she's great and no longer have any problem letting her do it.

[cangoss]

My dentist used to clean teeth when he was starting out and building his practice. He was working with an older dentist who was on the retirement track, so as that guy did less work, he got more work, and he eventually stopped doing cleanings. I think it's OK for a younger dentist to be doing the cleanings, but I would be concerned if this is someone who has been in practice for a while and has an empty appointment book.

[Aubergine]

this is fascinating, in part because i have been going through 5 mos. (so far) of a lot of dental work with a new "practice" and also because i'm in the midst of developing a 'new patient info' brochure for local dentists.

gone (only recently--10 years?) are the days when the dentist did it all. they've become 'shops,' and frankly, i don't have a problem with dental hygienists, because they are specifically trained for that work, and a good dental team will respect the needs of an individual patient. as an example, i have very sensitive gums, and it is the dentist that always administers the anesthesia and checks to see that i'm numb enough even for a cleaning. moreover, since the techs are mostly young-ish females (in my experience), they have a gentle touch.

it's similar across the whole medical spectrum. radiology techs do the x-rays; the MDs read them and get the big bucks. nurses, and nurse practitioners, are doing the screening at routine visits before the doc drops in for his 5-minute, $300+ time with you.

if your DH has concerns, he should speak to the dentist, and/or find another practice. they're popping up like mushrooms around here, and we're nowhere, a really small town.

my prior dentist remarried and moved, so i had to find a new place. i got out the yellow pages and called 15 places with a list of questions. that led to one place that promised all, but delivered nothing. then i found a good, old-fashioned dentist (he's late 60's), in practice with his son, who's 40. they both have excellent credentials (NYU; doesn't get much better than that), and they have the friendliest staff. i feel completely at ease in their care, and i am highly dental phobic.

eta: the dentists do the fillings, extractions, veneers, implants, and bridge/denture work. one reason we're seeing this shift is because more people are getting dental work done, for both routine, as well as cosmetic, reasons.

bottom line: if you're not happy, ask around, shop around. insurances can make a difference, but i have none and am using a no-interest plan.

[Grace]

Odd how things are so different everywhere. I have been going to the same dental office my entire life. When I was young, an old guy, in practice all by himself was who I saw. Sometime when I was in high school (I think?) he retired and sold his practice to a local guy who had just graduated dental school. That guy took over the whole practice and still does everything by himself. I have been going to him now for over 25 years. He does all my cleanings, xrays, fillings, crowns and such. He is amazing. Very, very, VERY meticulous. The only thing he doesn't do is root canals - he sends me to a specialist (endodontist) for that. Oh, and extractions. He sends me to a different oral surgeon for that too.

Since he does all those things to all his patients, he is well practiced in everything, and I trust him implicitly.

And I agree with Blazedog (THUD! <me falling off my chair, hitting the floor!!> That's twice in one day!! :D ), if I trust him to do everything else, I definitely think he can handle a cleaning!

[luv2cook]

Funny topic. When said kid first came to live w/us, we didn't have insurance on her and used a dentist that our housekeeper recommended. She said he was reasonable and didn't take insurance anyway.

I was shocked to find out that he actually cleaned her teeth himself. I had never heard of that until last year. He's been in practice for 21 years, has a small nondescript office and seems to be very thorough in what he does.

Said kid is to have a tooth extracted next month and he wasn't comfortable pulling it w/out an x-ray and exam even tho he had done an x-ray last Sept. and the orthodontist had sent over his!

OUr dentist takes insurance, but I'll tell you it was really nice having the dentist all to ourselves. I could ask all the questions I needed to about her situation and didn't feel rushed. It was nice. I might switch myself.

[schuh]

My dad is a dentist and I worked for him for a number of years. I also went to a college that had a good dental hygiene program and knew lots of people in that program.

Dental hygienists have college degrees and are trained specifically to clean teeth, take x-rays, etc. There's a lot more involved in it than it seems! They aren't the same as dental assistants, which learn on the job or through vo-tech programs.

I would always pick a dental hygienist to clean my teeth because they have more training and day-to-day experience in that particular area. In a somewhat analagous way, I'd prefer that a phlebotomist draw my blood rather than my doctor. Phlebotomists are generally better at it (the hole in the analogy is that phlebotomosts don't have anywhere near the schooling that hygienists do).

Most (not all) dentists that clean teeth do so because their practices are not large enough to justify hiring a hygienist. This often is younger dentists right out of school.

[misskitty100]

This must be a regional thing -- in the Seattle area I have never heard of dentists cleaning teeth themselves. Every dentist I have ever been to has had at least one hygenist if not 3 or 4.

[Gumbeaux]

This must be a regional thing -- in the Seattle area I have never heard of dentists cleaning teeth themselves. Every dentist I have ever been to has had at least one hygenist if not 3 or 4.

This is what I am familiar with.

Dentist make a ton of money off of hygienists. They charge several times what it costs a hygienist to do the job.

Hygienists would love to open "teeth cleaning centers", make more money, and save patients money at the same time. Unfortunately, most states have laws that keep this from happening. Something needs to be done to help the medically under-served in our country. I think there is a greater risk in people not having their teeth cleaned and looked at in over 20 years than there is in any risk that a hygienist might cause.

[Laurielee]

Sounds like it goes either way then, with whoever you feel comfortable with and does a good job is the most important thing

Laurie

[schuh]

They charge several times what it costs a hygienist to do the job.

Hygienists would love to open "teeth cleaning centers", make more money, and save patients money at the same time. Unfortunately, most states have laws that keep this from happening.

Every medical professional charges several times what it costs anyone to do any job. Some of it is to cover enormous overhead. Some of it is that they make a lot of money. Hygienists do pretty well, though.

As for why they can't open "teeth cleaning centers," it's because dentists are needed to diagnose tooth decay, gum disease, oral cancers, etc. It's the same reasons you don't find nurses set up shop even though they, too, have degrees.