Scaling and planing in 25 minutes?

[RxMTM]

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Hi. I went in today to get scaling and planing for half of my mouth(two quadrants) and it took only 25 minutes and i have no pain after the procedure. I have heard that it should take longer and hurt afterwards. My question is am i being taken advantage of?

 

[tinman831]

Hi. I went in today to get scaling and planing for half of my mouth(two quadrants) and it took only 25 minutes and i have no pain after the procedure. I have heard that it should take longer and hurt afterwards. My question is am i being taken advantage of?

Do you honestly want them to take longer and make it hurt? I don't think I've ever had a patient ask me that before.

 

[tinman831]

And to answer your question, we have no idea the severity of your case. I've had cases that ranged from 20 minutes (only scaling a couple of teeth in a quadrant) to almost 2 hours (four quadrants).

 

[ramseszerg]

When I went for a cleaning (I dont know if planing was included) I had alot of plaque (all four quadrants), and it didn't take that long but it hurt like hell.. (and everything was very clean) I have yet to enter dental school but I think it depends on the dentist's/hygienist's style of operating as well?

 

[RxMTM]

I was charged $430 for 25 minutes of work. The hygeinist did 2 quadrants. Im skeptical. Should I not be?

 

[Lidopaine82]

I was charged $430 for 25 minutes of work. The hygeinist did 2 quadrants. Im skeptical. Should I not be?

Like Tinman said, we don't know the severity of your case. This doesn't sound unheard of. Also, it doesn't seem like you trust your dentist or hygienist. You need to find an office you trust.

 

[RxMTM]

Like Tinman said, we don't know the severity of your case. This doesn't sound unheard of. Also, it doesn't seem like you trust your dentist or hygienist. You need to find an office you trust.

I'm a pharmacy student so I'm not too familiar with the technical terms. The hygienist said I have 6mm pockets during my first appointment which was 2 weeks ago. The dentist then said that I had some bone loss and periodontal disease. Today I had the scaling and planing. The hygienist used a metal pick most of the time. She used an ultrasonic device for a few seconds only on 2 teeth.

 

[Daurang]

It is possible to do it 25 minutes and it is also possible you may not need it in the first place. Call another office and schedule scaling root planing for the other side. Better yet, call a dental or dental hygiene school to have it done in five hours so you get your money's worth.

 

[AlbinoPolarBear]

Better yet, call a dental or dental hygiene school to have it done in five hours so you get your money's worth.

I like this idea. 👍

 

[RxMTM]

It is possible to do it 25 minutes and it is also possible you may not need it in the first place. Call another office and schedule scaling root planing for the other side. Better yet, call a dental or dental hygiene school to have it done in five hours so you get your money's worth.

I just hope the hygienist isn't scamming me because she thinks patients are oblivious to what they are charging for and recommending. I understand that these people need to bring in patients in order to get paid but I am paying out-of-pocket with no insurance.

 

[RxMTM]

It is possible to do it 25 minutes and it is also possible you may not need it in the first place. Call another office and schedule scaling root planing for the other side. Better yet, call a dental or dental hygiene school to have it done in five hours so you get your money's worth.

So do you recommend that I just keep quiet and pay another $430 for the other side of my mouth to get supposedly "deep cleaned"?

 

[Daurang]

I honestly suggest you go to a dental school or a dental hygiene school. They'll probably charge you $50 a quadrant. You can volunteer or even make money from dental students needing you for the board.

 

[RxMTM]

I came here with a sincere question. Some of the answers I am getting seem hostile. I'm trying to understand.

 

[Daurang]

Yes it can take 25 minutes or it can take 45 minutes. Yes it may hurt a lot afterward or if may not hurt at all. Consider yourself lucky it didn't hurt.

 

[lemoncurry]

scaling and root planing is not about the journey, it is the destination. The goal is to remove any calculus and to smooth the root surfaces to prevent plaque from attaching as firmly. Some patients have boulders of calculus on their teeth, and sometimes you can only get one quadrant done in an appt. Some patients have much less calculus, but their overall perio condition indicates SRP for maximum therapeutic value.

If it only took 25 minutes for 2 quads, you either have a very efficient hygienist or your calculus was not overly tenacious, or you just didn't have a whole lot to slow the hygienist down and she reached the destination sooner rather than later. In younger patients, calculus is usually very easy to remove.

 

[SeattleRDH]

I don't know the details of your case, nor would I comment on any specifics if you gave them, but I will say that I have done more SRPs than most people on here and I have never completed 2 quads in less than an hour. 90-120 minutes is standard for 2 full quads.

There are two codes that we use to bill SRP: 4341 and 4342. 4342 is used for SRP on 1-3 teeth in a quad. 4341 is for 4 or more teeth. I used to work at a practice where each code was billed at the same amount (which I thought was unfair but insurance paid). The practice I am at now charges half the amount for 4342s as for 4341s. If you were classified as a 4342 I could see how it might have taken half the time.

Also, don't blame the hygienist for your treatment plan. She is neither trained nor licensed to diagnose, that is the dentist's job (even though every RDH I know, including myself, is expected to do so).

 

[caffeinehigh]

scaling and root planing is not about the journey, it is the destination. The goal is to remove any calculus and to smooth the root surfaces to prevent plaque from attaching as firmly. Some patients have boulders of calculus on their teeth, and sometimes you can only get one quadrant done in an appt. Some patients have much less calculus, but their overall perio condition indicates SRP for maximum therapeutic value.

If it only took 25 minutes for 2 quads, you either have a very efficient hygienist or your calculus was not overly tenacious, or you just didn't have a whole lot to slow the hygienist down and she reached the destination sooner rather than later. In younger patients, calculus is usually very easy to remove.

In the end, would you be mad at your oral surgeon if they took out all your wisdom teeth in 15 minutes? or mad at your dentist if he/she prepared a crown in 20 minutes? or mad at your periodontist if they placed an 2 implants in 20 minutes?

In the end it comes down to the skill of the person doing it which is usually proportional to how many times they have completed a procedure....

 

[SeattleRDH]

In the end, would you be mad at your oral surgeon if they took out all your wisdom teeth in 15 minutes? or mad at your dentist if he/she prepared a crown in 20 minutes? or mad at your periodontist if they placed an 2 implants in 20 minutes?

In the end it comes down to the skill of the person doing it which is usually proportional to how many times they have completed a procedure....

Still, the OP has a valid concern. Work that is rushed can be pretty crappy. Trust me, I've worked in managed care.

 

[RxMTM]

Still, the OP has a valid concern. Work that is rushed can be pretty crappy. Trust me, I've worked in managed care.

Thanks for the response. I am going to check my bill and see exactly what teeth were worked on. I came into this with no knowledge of the procedures other than what the dentist told me I was supposed to do. The hygienist seems very odd like she is putting on a happy face when she comes in. I can she is depressed for some reason because it is obvious but I am not sure if it involves her job as a hygienist. She is not so genuine so I don't have trust in her like I do with the dentist. Then, after experiencing this lightening-fast "deep cleaning", I am skeptical of the hygienist and am going to make sure I get the details of what is going on. Being led on like a sheep is not too pleasant.

 

[RxMTM]

Regarding the responses about the me being content with the fast treatment...
If this argument is valid, then I should theoretically be content with a 1 minute scaling and root planing and should not complain. This means that the hygienist is an elite in their field and the best of the best due to how fast he/she did the procedure. There is a reasonable time frame as SeattleRDH mentioned.

 

[mike3kgt]

I came here with a sincere question. Some of the answers I am getting seem hostile. I'm trying to understand.

And you came to an anonymous internet message board filled with dental and hygiene students. This thread should have been closed as soon as you posted.

Seek the advice of a dentist's second opinion if you are unsure of dental/medical treatment and not the internet. SDN is not a place to solicit dental/medical advice.

Good luck.

 

[Doc Smile]

i hate how our profession is now being questioned about how we treatment plan and if we are scamming them, even by fellow professionals. This is just disheartening to think it actually happens and pts are untrustworthy 🙁

Maybe I should just take 2x as long and cause twice the pain to make them thing I am really doing something.

 

[Doc Smile]

And you came to an anonymous internet message board filled with dental and hygiene students. This thread should have been closed as soon as you posted.

Seek the advice of a dentist's second opinion if you are unsure of dental/medical treatment and not the internet. SDN is not a place to solicit dental/medical advice.

Good luck.

Also surprised at why this didnt happen.

 

[mike3kgt]

i hate how our profession is now being questioned about how we treatment plan and if we are scamming them, even by fellow professionals. This is just disheartening to think it actually happens and pts are untrustworthy 🙁

The sad thing is that it does actually happen... sometimes I get ill by reading "Dental Economics" because it's so focused on $$ rather than 1) techniques to better treatment, 2) education to better delivery, and 3) doing something out of the box to help others.

Now you can definitely argue that a well run practice will be able to do 1,2, and 3 better but I personally have seen too many offices run like $$ factories. I have also seen plenty of dentistry done because of the dollar and not the diagnosis. We can thank the "insurance" companies for this current thinking.

 

[Lidopaine82]

And you came to an anonymous internet message board filled with dental and hygiene students. This thread should have been closed as soon as you posted.

Seek the advice of a dentist's second opinion if you are unsure of dental/medical treatment and not the internet. SDN is not a place to solicit dental/medical advice.

Good luck.

This thread is a clear example of something that should have been locked. Strangely it hasn't, while "Austin Dental" was closed immediately.

 

[RxMTM]

This thread is a clear example of something that should have been locked. Strangely it hasn't, while "Austin Dental" was closed immediately.

I baffles me that only one person on here was able to give me a straight answer. Everyone else was hostile and scared for some reason. I'm not a dental student but I thought that dental students and dentists would be able to give a simple answer without getting offended.

 

[Lidopaine82]

I baffles me that only one person on here was able to give me a straight answer. Everyone else was hostile and scared for some reason. I'm not a dental student but I thought that dental students and dentists would be able to give a simple answer without getting offended.

I think I gave you the best answer here. You just want to hear that they are taking advantage of you.

 

[lemoncurry]

We gave you the straightest answer we could give without having seen your chart. Anything beyond what we have already said goes into the realm of medical/dental advice, which is not allowed on here.

 

[RxMTM]

I don't know the details of your case, nor would I comment on any specifics if you gave them, but I will say that I have done more SRPs than most people on here and I have never completed 2 quads in less than an hour. 90-120 minutes is standard for 2 full quads.

There are two codes that we use to bill SRP: 4341 and 4342. 4342 is used for SRP on 1-3 teeth in a quad. 4341 is for 4 or more teeth. I used to work at a practice where each code was billed at the same amount (which I thought was unfair but insurance paid). The practice I am at now charges half the amount for 4342s as for 4341s. If you were classified as a 4342 I could see how it might have taken half the time.

Also, don't blame the hygienist for your treatment plan. She is neither trained nor licensed to diagnose, that is the dentist's job (even though every RDH I know, including myself, is expected to do so).

I am looking at my bill. It has the code 04341 for LR and UR. Both are an SRP. As you said, you could understand how a 04342 could take half the time. Im not a dental student so Im not familiar with what other information you might need. Just let me know and I will dig it up.

 

[mike3kgt]

You know what would be even better? I'd love it if the OP asked for narrative to be send to the "SDN Forum" as an explanation of services and justification for treatment including x-rays and perio charting. Now that'd be one to see!!

Seriously... where are the ADMINS to close this thread?

 

[RxMTM]

Still, the OP has a valid concern. Work that is rushed can be pretty crappy. Trust me, I've worked in managed care.

.

 

[Doc Smile]

.

NO ONE KNOWS ENOUGH INFORMATION TO TELL YOU "YES YOU WERE SCREWED!!" OR "NO THATS THE WAY IT IS"

you are just grabbing at what you want. Yes, you may or may not have a valid concern.

Hey!!! I have an idea.... CALL AND ASK!!!!!!

PLEASE CLOSE THIS THREAD

'kay thanks.

 

[RxMTM]

NO ONE KNOWS ENOUGH INFORMATION TO TELL YOU "YES YOU WERE SCREWED!!" OR "NO THATS THE WAY IT IS"

you are just grabbing at what you want. Yes, you may or may not have a valid concern.

Hey!!! I have an idea.... CALL AND ASK!!!!!!

PLEASE CLOSE THIS THREAD

'kay thanks.

Are all dental students this angry?

 

[lemoncurry]

"the admins" are well aware of this thread. 3 of the staff have posted in it. however, i think it has run its course.