Are Elderly Patients Being Scheduled for Dental Visits too Frequently?

Many people worry that the elderly, your parents or loved ones, could be taken advantage of by unscrupulous scam artists or even service providers. It’s extremely rare that health care professionals, though, stray from their professional association’s code of ethics. Further, it’s just not the right thing to do so finding the best dentist and doctor is essential.

However, there are people in every profession that wish to take shortcuts or act unethically in search of quick financial gain. In the case of dentistry, there are a minority of dental offices looking to profit by overbooking patients, especially vulnerable seniors, for too many procedures or visits.

The typical scenario goes something like this: an elderly person who enjoys great oral and overall health switches dentists and suddenly finds themselves being told to come for visits every three months instead of every six to nine months as they did with their previous one.  Other times, the cause for concern is that a new dentist seems to recommend a new, expensive treatment at every visit, or pushes seemingly unnecessary cosmetic or non-covered procedures.  If you see these kinds of things going on, it’s imperative that you find a trustworthy dentist. Here are some tips for how to handle it.

Be cautious when switching dentists

When switching to a new provider for any other service, you’d never blindly give them 100% of your trust until they’ve earned it.  Similarly, when a vulnerable person switches dentists, it’s only natural for their loved ones or caregivers to be watchful and cautious when changes to their dental care plan are suggested. It’s a good idea to check out credible online reviews from Google or Facebook, among other sources – especially if you’re not getting a great word of mouth referral.

Be involved

You may want to tag along with your parent on their first few visits to a new dentist to get to know them and familiarize yourself with their dental care plan.  Many elderly patients have grown children who are very involved with their care, and a good dentist will understand your need to do likewise.  They should not get defensive as you ask questions and advocate for your parent’s care.

Make sure the reasoning given for recommendations makes sense

There are three main possibilities when a new dentist recommends procedures or care plans that are very different from the previous care provider.

The new dentist may have knowledge that the other one lacked, and therefore be making these recommendations in keeping with your mother’s best interest.  Or, they may be trying to increase their profits by advising that your mother undergo unnecessary procedures or make overly frequent visits.  Finally, the new dentist may need more training to do a better job of suggesting appropriate treatments or care routines.

In order to figure out what’s going on, ask the new dentist to explain their reasoning for any procedures or care schedules that they suggest.  If, after hearing them out, you’re still uncertain as to whether or not their reasoning is sound, don’t be afraid to get a second opinion from another dentist you trust.

If it turns out that the new dental practitioner is doing the right thing after all, great!  At least now you know for sure and don’t have to worry about it anymore.

And if it turns out that the new practitioner isn’t making the best possible recommendations, it’s better to find out now than much later on.  Switch to a new and better dentist asap.

Trust is important when it comes to senior’s dental care

You’re doing the right thing to look out for yourself or your parents and be cautious when switching to a new dentist who is recommending drastic changes in their care plan or new procedures. If it seems they don’t fit with what you know of their oral health situation, then ask questions.  Get the information you need to be confident that your mom is getting the best care possible, even if that means getting a second opinion.  Any dental care plan should be established based on individual needs and professionally recommended services.

If you are a senior in the Oakville, Burlington or Milton area and would like a consult with one of our dentists, we’d be glad to book a visit and discuss all your dental care needs!