Dental ethics

[pecan]

I just took my child to a new pedodontist. What a visit. First the office mailed me the history form to complete before I came. They also mailed out information about the office and some of there procedures. My friend came along with me, but had not read this information. When they called my child back for the visit I did not go with him because that was one of their office procedures. My firend asked me why didn't I go with my child and I showed him the paper with the doctor's request. The request was that prarents not come into the examinig room with their child. Since he was a little confused he asked the receptionist about the procedure, who was making the payment, and who was going to speak to the doctor. The receptionist replied that the doctor will talk to the child and if we were not happy with the procedure to find another doctor. My friend then replies that the doctor must be a "crack pot" to speak with a child instead of the parent. The recepionist then states theat the doctor will speak with the parent also. My friend said ok, left window, and returned to his seat. A few seconds later the nurse brings my child out. I inquired what was going on, that I and neither my friend had asked for my child to be dismissed. The nurse invited me to the back where I told the recepionist that there had been a miscommunication. As I was speaking she was speaking and begin to get hostile. The doctor then comes out and tells me to find another dentist. He felt as if I was unhappy and would give me name of other dentist where I would be happier. How rude was that. Then he says that it is just like shopping if I am not happy at Sears I could go to Burdines. Bad analogy. I was not unhappy the office was offended because my friend wanted some clarity on one of their procedures. I left the office telling them they had a big probelm.
Is this the type of ethics they teach in dental school?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Doggie]

If anything, I think the receptionist had the problems; he/she was basically the middleman of the entire event.

The way I see it, the receptionist probably misunderstood what your friend was talking about and interpreted it to the dentist with a negative tone. After all, the dentist didnt get hostile with you, only the receptionist.

Receptionist =
Dentist =
You =
Your Friend =

 

[DrJeff]

This sounds like a two way miscommunication. First, the biggest one was with the receptionist, and all of you that enter the profession, remember this statement, when you find great staff, pay them very well. It's real difficult to find great(or even good) staff in this day and age, and if you don't think that the front desk is a tough job, try it sometime.
Secondly, it's quite a common thing to not have parents in the examination room with kids. First and foremost, most parents will overreact to a childs reaction and make a potentially easy situation alot more difficult(Alot of kids realize at a very early age, that if they act up infront of mom or dad, that they will cave in to their wishes). Secondly, gaining the trust of a child by a dentist is a very calculated procedure that alot of parents can easily place their own biases on and scare the child for no good reason. Parents commonly will use words infront of kids that the dentist would never use, such as "here comes the shot now, it WILL hurt!" This can scare a child, but when a phrase such as "now lets put the sleepy juice by your tooth with a little mosquito bite" the child is much more cooperative. The unfortunate truth is that more often than not, the parents in the treatment room will make the visit longer and tougher on the child than the parents in the waiting room.

 

[pecan]

I was not worried about my child being alone with the dentist. But he should have introduced himself first, not all professionals are sane. That would have made me feel alittle more comfortable. And I never asked for my son to leave. I think they use the "find another dentist" line anytime someone questions their procedure.