Denver-area dentists are upselling invasive cleanings, PDS Health patients allege

When a dentist at Lakewood Modern Dentistry reported Hailey Hernandez she needed a deep cleaning a root canal and a crown to treat extensive gum condition and other problems alarm bells went off in her head I knew that I was taking care of my teeth and there s no way I have gum illness she commented Her old dentist in Arizona noted she was right when she went back for a second opinion the Golden resident explained Her suspicions rose further when two friends notified her they also received gum syndrome diagnoses from Lakewood Modern Dentistry and were advised they d need deep cleanings root canals and crowns There s no way she declared It just does not sound right at all One of those friends Avery Huffer noted she too had been surprised to hear she needed such extensive healing but went forward with it When she returned about a year later the Englewood resident learned she d need deep cleanings every three months plus more root canals and crowns on teeth that weren t the ones giving her pain Huffer explained she decided not to undergo the additional rehabilitation after speaking with coworkers who were recounted they needed the same procedure Is that just their baseline finding Huffer declared she wondered Lakewood Modern Dentistry is one of more than offices in the Denver area affiliated with PDS Fitness a Nevada-based practice-management company working with dentists in states While each practice has independent ownership they have nearly identical websites with the same broad-smiling woman on the home page and the same pitch for financing up to in dental work subject to credit approval The majority of the practices also share a perception among specific former patients that dentists and staff exaggerated their oral fitness problems and recommended unnecessarily invasive treatments Of the affiliated practices in the Denver area had online reviews in the last three years alleging their dentists had recounted patients they needed extensive work such as deep cleanings or root canals when they considered a less-invasive alternative would suffice The Denver Post spoke to six patients including Hernandez and Huffer who explained PDS-affiliated practices pushed them to pay out-of-pocket for deep cleanings and other invasive work they believe they didn t need The five who sought second opinions explained they were recounted their mouths were largely healthy While the patients who spoke to The Post deduced their dentists were upselling them to make more money the lack of standardization in dentistry creates challenges in trying to parse why two providers might have dramatically different recommendations experts declared With no clear professional standards and limited pushback from insurers on unnecessary procedures patients are largely on their own to sort out if a practice is upselling them revealed Beth Mertz a professor at the University of California San Francisco s School of Dentistry They should get a second opinion if a assessment and therapy plan seem off she commented Dentistry is still the Wild West she explained The whole system is not set up to serve the population particularly well PDS Medical spokeswoman Ellen Driscoll explained the company provides non-clinical promotion services to independent dental offices whose owners make medication decisions based on their patients requirements Dentists have a long-standing debate about how best to treat gum infection which is common and underdiagnosed she declared Lakewood Modern Dentistry announced it uses advanced hardware to detect gum sickness early catching problems other dentists might miss Periodontal condition is both widespread and often missed in its early stages the practice mentioned in a report Our squad follows national clinical standards and is committed to preventive care Dentists can have good-faith differences of opinion about how aggressively they should manage common conditions such as gum complaint which can cause inflammation that leads to other healthcare problems reported Dr Brett Kessler former president of the American Dental Association Patients need to find a provider whose views are a match for theirs he explained How the individual is treated depends on the sufferer s goals and the provider s philosophy and how they weigh together he mentioned Differences in philosophy and training explain specific of the gap in what dentists recommend but the profit motive is a factor too Mertz explained Secret shopper studies have shown dentists give radically different recommendations if a person s dress and demeanor signal they can afford expensive care she announced Because dental insurance pays more based on what you do providers are incentivized to do more she disclosed Pricey deep-gum cleaning Preponderance dental insurance covers two routine cleanings each year though plans vary in how much they contribute toward deep cleaning and other medication Michael Gitomer of Denver stated the finance person at Edgewater Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics communicated him he would have to pay to out-of-pocket for deep cleaning and a crown Deep-gum cleaning also known as scaling and root planing involves removing plaque beneath the gum line in the same way that dental hygienists scrape it off the visible part of the tooth during a routine cleaning In various cases dentists also give antibiotics to help root out bacteria that cause gum infection Gitomer had expected only a co-pay that day so he petitioned for a routine cleaning while he considered his options They were refusing to give me a regular cleaning unless I paid for all these other things he revealed though they relented after he gave them a pretty hard time about it His previous dentist didn t see any need for invasive work but recommended flossing more often Edgewater Modern Dentistry revealed it strives to earn patients trust through clear communication and honest assessments Periodontal malady often advances without pain which is why we focus on early identification and informed care Our clinicians are here to listen explain and help patients make confident decisions about their oral strength the practice declared in a declaration Duke Harten of Denver commented he had a similar experience at City Park Dental Group and Orthodontics The dentist explained him he had serious gum disorder and needed deep cleanings every three months which his insurance wouldn t cover He was suspicious because his previous dentist never identified any problems and he looked up the office s reviews which seemed to suggest a pattern A dentist he saw for a second opinion reported his gums were healthy Harten commented and even his records at City Park Dental seemed to contradict the idea that he needed extensive care saying he had good oral hygiene and no problems noted City Park Dental reported in a report that it is committed to clear communication with patients and adheres to best practices for therapy When it comes to conditions like periodontal affection timing and innovation can affect what a provider sees and how they choose to respond While care approaches may vary between dentists our goal is inevitably the same to help patients stay ahead of ailment and maintain their long-term robustness the practice s announcement stated They reported I needed all this work Samantha Nuyen of Denver mentioned Highlands Dentists didn t identify any problems with her mouth on her first two visits but communicated her she had multiple cracked teeth on the third The dentist she saw for a second opinion didn t find any cracks or other major concerns she disclosed When she recounted her provider at Highlands Dentists about the second opinion they didn t offer any explanation for the discrepancy or defend their recommendation Nuyen disclosed They mentioned I needed all this work that I didn t need she reported Highlands Dentists disclosed oral fitness is deeply connected to the rest of the body s well-being and it is treated early to prevent bigger problems Related Articles Organization of dentists making oral care a priority for the homeless Kids in Need of Dentistry provides dental care tuition to thousands of Denver children Scrutiny Gum illness lone wellness peril from marijuana Starting up a dental practice Heck Yeah Edelweiss platform is from Denver We believe in having honest conversations answering questions and making decisions together with our patients to sponsorship both their oral healthcare and overall robustness the practice s report declared Carlos Paradelo of Denver announced he had a similar experience The dentist at Cherry Creek Modern Dentistry reported him he needed deep scaling because of gum sickness but a provider at another practice explained increased attention to flossing would head off any future problems Cherry Creek Modern Dentistry mentioned it has hundreds of satisfied patients and is committed to detecting oral wellbeing problems early While we cannot comment on individual cases our therapy recommendations follow national standards and are supported by advanced hardware and interdisciplinary collaboration We re committed to helping patients understand their care and welcome thoughtful second opinions as part of that process the practice reported in a declaration Paradelo disclosed he picked Cherry Creek Modern Dentistry because it was nearby and in his insurance grid after he moved to Denver In the future he mentioned he plans to check a dentist s online reviews or ask friends before scheduling an appointment I figured just by virtue of them being in my insurance arrangement it would be a good practice he explained Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get robustness news sent straight to your inbox