Major problemed teeth Where to start?

[advice6]

I started out with one cavity which ended up decaying. There are many reasons for not taking care of it. Fear of "the talk" , embarrasment, and $$$. I have lived in denial for years and all teeth have gotten worse. I need to see about it. I'm looking for advice on how to find a dentist (one who will help me fix the problems, not put me down for it) I really am not up for asking people I know.Maybe referral though local business?/ I have no type of dental insurance-discounts. How might I find out whats best to possibily purchase? Thanks for any advice!

 

[mirla]

Part of it depends on where you're at...

I was too afraid to ask for recomendations also.

There are some dental referrals at this site's DentistFinder.

There are dental referral businesses that might be able to help you.

You could also start calling dentists and have a chat with them to see how comfortable you are with them. If the dentist you call doesn't deal with phobics, you could ask if they can recommend anyone.

I kind of figured that a meet-and-greet session wouldn't hurt anything. You can always get up and leave if it's not the right dentist for you. And you can still check references before any work is done, if you're not comfortable doing it now.

 

[letsconnect]

Most referral services are pretty useless, basically it's just the dentist paying for the pleasure and passing the cost onto the customer. The "screening" consists of nothing more than checking that the dentist has a valid license... and you can just as easily do that yourself by going to your state dental board's website...

Regarding dental discount plans - stay away from them if you can at all afford to. They may make sense under some circumstances, but a lot of the time they don't.
In order to make up for losses incurred by the discount plan, the dentist is forced to make up for it either by taking on a huge volume of patients (and it's difficult to get the time you'll want and need to overcome your fears), or by selling you unnecessary (optional or over-the-top) procedures. There may be some dentists around who accept these plans out of the goodness of their hearts, but this would be quite rare.
I'd say most dentists would rather not participate in these schemes, but in very competitive areas of the country, they're sometimes the only choice for someone without an established customer base.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend choosing a dentist on the basis that they accept a discount plan.

As Mirla said, asking for recommendations can be daunting - but it really is the best way to find a dentist that people like and are happy with. Do you know anyone who could ask around for you?

 

[freakout]

I agree with "lets" that I would not choose the dentist, based on the discount plan, however if the dentist you choose does participate with one, I would definately invest in it, it can save you quite a bit. I did not check into a plan until after a major portion of my work was done and found that I could have save after $1000 on my treatment. I am still undergoing treatment and it is helping quite a bit.

Try to schedule the first appointment just to chat, that way you can see if you feel comfortable with the dentist. If the dentist doesn't offer that option, chances are you do not want them treating you. You want to find a dentist that will treat you at your pace, not theirs.

 

[vicki]

Try to schedule the first appointment just to chat, that way you can see if you feel comfortable with the dentist.  If the dentist doesn't offer that option, chances are you do not want them treating you.  You want to find a dentist that will treat you at your pace, not theirs.

Couldn't have put it better myself! There is no substitute for a dentist who has your best interests at heart and who will treat you with respect and consideration.