Author	[Modern View]
Bill Radford 02-15-2013 07:06:19 199.90.157.10 Report to Moderator	As a dentist, all I've got to say is: My goal this year is to make as much as people THINK I made last year. Seriously, many years of expensive schooling (9 years after high school), about $1 million initial investment in office/equipment, insurance, utilities, salaries, go on and on... When I was in private practice, I handled a lot of $ but a whole lot of folks had to get paid before I got my share. A lot like it was when we were farming. If you have a good dentist, it's worth what they charge, a bad one is worse than none at all.(and a lot of times the bad ones are the ones charging the most) [Reply]   [No Email]
Rollie NE PA 02-15-2013 16:23:35 108.50.5.115 Report to Moderator	Re: Dentist update in reply to Bill Radford, 02-15-2013 07:06:19   Bill, What I could never understand is, if I had dental work done, and my insurance covered it and the dentist accepted the amount the insurance paid, the dentist was happy. Buttttt when I did not have insurance and had the same procedure done and had to pay out of pocket with cash, he wanted the full amount for the work, not what he would have accepted from the insurance company. I would think cash would get you a better price. Never made sense to me. [Reply]  [No Email]
Bill Radford 02-15-2013 17:05:53 71.65.204.159 Report to Moderator	Re: Dentist update in reply to Rollie NE PA, 02-15-2013 16:23:35   Rollie: Dentist is probably part of a preferred provider organization. That is a deal where the ins company promises to send patients to the dentist if he is willing to accept a reduced rate. What usually happens is that the company lowballs the dentist and he burns private pay patients a"new one" to make up the difference. Hospitals and physicians do this all the time. Not really fair, but it is done. When I was in private practice, I refused to sign up for these. I knew practically everyone I treated and tried to be fair to all of them. Never had a problem getting patients, schedule was booked months ahead. Basically, I told patients that I worked for them and not an insurance co and that was the way it would be. Practices that sign up for these plans usually wind up working long hours for not a lot of money because once they get you signed on, they monkey around with reinbursement rates and it is never in the DR's favor. Look for a lot more of this in the future now that big brother is involved... One reason why I got out of private practice. [Reply]  [No Email]
Nancy Howell 02-15-2013 07:15:31 144.162.49.5 Report to Moderator	Re: Dentist update in reply to Bill Radford, 02-15-2013 07:06:19   Yup. We sometimes forget how expensive it is to get through school and set up a practice. Costs silos (to keep it in a farming theme) full of money. [Reply]  [No Email]