Dear Young Doctor: Patient-Centered Dentistry

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Dear Doctor, 

After 27 years of seeing Dr. Dorris, upon his retirement I had my first visit to you yesterday for a dental cleaning and exam.

During my cleanings and exams, he played my favorite music from his extensive collection of CDs, as he’d asked his patients to tell him their favorites.  He would put a pair of sunglasses on me to shield my eyes from the bright light and from any water sprayed there accidentally.  He’d spread some numbing stuff on my gums, of a flavor of my choice, to prevent any pain. He’d placed a variety of cartoons and beautiful posters on the ceiling. 

Remarkably, he did the cleanings himself.  Beginning by talking about dental hygiene, he would riff about his philosophy of a healthy life.  The visit would end by having me choose from various kinds of dental floss and toothbrushes, and he’d hand me a home-made page or two with some advice on dental self-care and life.

His new dental hygienist commented yesterday that in my 58-year-old body, I have the teeth of a 20-something.  That’s the evidence of his skill and our partnership.

You installed new technology for cleaning my teeth.  Perhaps my teeth are cleaner; I have no way to tell, though I do know the high-pitched sound as the water jet hit my gums was irksome, it felt endless, and my shirt and my face were wetter at the end.  That said, my teeth felt clean, and I don’t begrudge paying for the cleaning.  But what hurt the most was my shock at your $100 bill for the 30-second exam you gave me after the cleaning.

With those fees, you may make more money than Dr. Dorris.  But I doubt you’ll have patients who drive 40 minutes each way for 27 years for that kind of service.

As is true for most healthcare, your prices are simply way too high. 

Read another story about patient-centered dental care.