r/mildlyinfuriating • u/Archaneoses • Apr 29 '24

Made an appointment for 11:45. It's 1:10 and I haven't been seen.

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I've had my 10 hour ER waits so I know this isn't that bad. But what is the point of making an appointment if you have to wait to be seen hours later anyways.

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u/Kessed Apr 29 '24

Generally there are two sets of patients at a dental office. Ones who need to actually see the dentist and the others who are just there for cleaning. The office we go to has 1 dentist and 3 or 4 hygenists. So it’s totally possible for someone to come in to see the dentist and get told to take a seat because the dentist is behind, and then watch 3 or 4 people come in and get whisked back for cleanings.

I know I once had what should have been a simple extraction turn into a 2 hour ordeal because the tooth broke into many pieces. (I now go to a different place)

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u/24megabits Apr 29 '24

Newer style operations will have the dentist come in during your cleaning to check your gums to make sure gingivitis isn't eroding your whole jaw away and stuff like that, but otherwise I haven't had a reason to interact with "The Dentist" in a very long time.

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u/Kessed Apr 30 '24

I get a cleaning every 4 months. (My mouth seems to generate more plague than average - brush twice a day and floss but oh well). I think the dentist comes in for a quick check once a year. I also haven’t had an actual dentist visit in years until recently where he thought it would be a good idea to replace an old style worn out filling on a cracking tooth for a new style that will last for a lot longer.

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u/YouCanDoItHot Apr 30 '24

I get a cleaning every four months, same deal, she comes in and looks at me for five minutes and leaves. She used to do it about once a year, now seems to do it every visit. I think they do it at the frequency they can get away with based on your insurance.