root canal Archives - The Wealthy Dentist

Root Canal Dentist Uses Paper Clips in Surgery

December 11, 2018 By Jim Du Molin Leave a Comment

A Massachusetts dentist accused of using paper clips in root canal procedures has been indicted on 13 charges.

The dentist pinched pennies by using pieces of paper clips instead of stainless steel posts – though that didn’t stop him from billing Medicaid for the more expensive materials he didn’t bother to use.

The charges against him include assault and battery, larceny, submitting false Medicaid claims (using other doctors’ provider numbers), and illegally prescribing drugs (Hydrocodone, Combunox and Percocet).

Between 2003 and 2005, he is estimated to have submitted at least $130,000 in fraudulent Medicaid bills. But it’s his use of office supplies in root canal therapy that’s garnered the most attention. (This root canal treatment is definitely not endodontist-approved!) In fact, some of his root canal patients still have paper clips in their mouths.

Read more about how NOT to cure root canal pain: Charge: Paper clips used in root canals

Filed Under: Legal Tagged With: dentist, endodontist, paper clip, paper clips, root canal, root canals

Root Canal Fees: General Dentist Vs Endodontist

December 11, 2018 By Jim Du Molin Leave a Comment

This survey found the average root canal fee is $887 if treatment is performed by a general dentist and $1,500 if done by a specialist, with the majority of dentists surveyed saying they perform root canals.

Fees for different teeth vary only slightly regardless of whether performed by a generalist or a specialist.

At a general practice –

D3310 – anterior tooth: $745.00
D3320 – bicuspid tooth: $850.00
D3330 – molar: $1,013.00

At a specialist practice –

D3310 – anterior tooth: $1,300.00
D3320 – bicuspid tooth: $1,195.00
D3330 – molar: $1,268.00

Root canal therapy costs somewhat more from endodontists than from general dentists, especially on posterior teeth. Of course, an endodontist will perform a difficult root canal, while a general dentist might refer out that endodontic procedure.

Here are some dentist comments about root canals:

“I don’t do endo in my office any more. With microscopes and all the other technology available in endo offices, I feel my patients are getting a better quality service with the specialist than I can provide.” (General dentist)
“How about when the root canal needs to be extracted 4 months later and the patient demands a refund and/or free extraction?” (General dentist)
“Root canals performed by endodontists are a better alternative to tooth extraction.” (Tenessee endodontist)
“What used to take several long appointments can now be performed in one appointment, but some require more, so it’s better to refer to an endo.” (General dentist)
“I need to raise my fees.” (Texas dentist)
“About twenty years ago, the Federal Government prosecuted a small group of dentists who discussed their fees over coffee. The government considered this to be “price fixing” which is against the law. Since then, dentists have been publicly warned not to discuss their fees among themselves or face prosecution.” (California dentist)

Filed Under: Dental Surveys, The Wealthy Dentist Tagged With: Dental Costs, dental surveys, dentist, endodontic, endodontics, endodontist, general dentist, root canal, root canal fees, root canal therapy, root canal treatment

Cosmetic Dentistry Still Tops the List of Services Dentists Offer

December 11, 2018 By Jim Du Molin Leave a Comment

When asked what services their dental practice offers, the dentists who responded with cosmetic dentistry were the clear majority in this survey.

More aging baby boomers are turning to cosmetic dentistry to improve the appearance of their teeth, which may explain the increase in demand for cosmetic dentistry services.

Dental implants are the most popular dental treatment among this demographic for the replacement of damaged or missing teeth.

A California dentist shared, “More than half of our practice is dental implants now!”

Here at The Wealthy Dentist, we were curious what services dentists are currently offering. The top services offered by dentists who responded to this survey are cosmetic, tooth whitening, dental implants, dentures, and children’s dentistry.

Here’s a breakdown of the services dentists are offering —

Dentists were disappointed that other services were not included in this survey, like Botox, oral cancer screenings, or offering custom mouthguards for patient athletes.

One prosthodontist noted, “Oral cancer screening and testing was not on the survey list. Also, it would be interesting to know how many offices provide Botox.”

A general dentist responded that he now offers same day service for CEREC restorations as part of his dental practice services.

Another dentist answered tongue-in-cheek, “I don’t offer gum disease, I treat it.”

What dental services does your dental practice offer? Has the demand for cosmetic dentistry increased?

Where is your dental marketing focused?

Filed Under: Dental Marketing, Dental Surveys, The Wealthy Dentist Tagged With: Cosmetic Dentistry, dental implants, Dental Marketing, dental survey, dental surveys, dental treatment marketing, dental treatments, dentist, dentistry, dentists, dentures, gum disease, Invisalign, pediatric dentistry, root canal, sedation dentistry, survey, TMJ, tooth whitening, Wisdom Teeth

Dental Implants Superior to Multiple Root Canals?

December 11, 2018 By Jim Du Molin Leave a Comment

The American Association of Implant Dentistry (AAID) says that dentists should avoid prolonged “dental heroics” on diseased teeth and simply opt for dental implants instead of performing multiple root canals.

Studies indicate a higher success rate with implants than repeated root canal procedures.

Read more

Filed Under: Dental Care Tagged With: dental implants, root canal

IDA Dental Marketing Hits The Streets With Smart Mobile Marketing For New Patient Leads

March 24, 2012 By Jim Du Molin

Internet Dental Alliance, Inc. (IDA) dental marketing Portals are designed for “Smart Mobile Marketing”. They’re coded to automatically adjust to display well on laptops, tablets, smart phones and desktop systems. This means they continue to be effective lead generation tools to attract new patient prospects who use mobile devices to search for a local dentist.

According to a recent Google study released to AdAge.com, mobile devices outnumber personal computers in the U.S. – and that gap is only going to widen in the future. More and more people will be using iPhones, smart phones, Blackberries, iPads and tablet PCs to find local businesses – including information about dental practices. Mobile marketing strategy is now a crucial component for effective dental marketing plans.

Dental marketing websites from the Internet Dental Alliance are designed to be easily viewed on all mobile devices, whether they are based on Windows OS, Macintosh OS or Android OS. In addition, each IDA dental website includes more than 100 pages of keyword optimized content designed to attract prospective patients by dental market and local geographic area.

“Dentists often ask, ‘What’s the difference between a traditional website and a mobile-ready website?’” says dental marketing expert Jim Du Molin, founder of Internet Dental Alliance, Inc. “IDA’s “Smart Mobile Marketing” pages connect with new dental patients, no matter what devices they use.”

IDA’s dental website pages adapt to both larger and smaller mobile device viewing areas. Web visitors who use iPads or Sony Tablets will see full web pages and access the entire website. Visitors using iPhones or smart phones will see a simplified version of the dental websites designed for viewing on mobile phones.

” Now that mobile devices outnumber laptop and desktop computers, “Smart Mobile Marketing” for dental practices is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity!” says Du Molin. “It’s crucial to stay on top of fast changing internet marketing trends in order to maintain an effective web presence. But practicing dentists don’t have time to do that alone.”

IDA New Patient Portals are designed to be mobile friendly in order to capture geo-targeted leads who search for dentists using local keyword terms such as neighborhood, address, state and ZIP code. In addition, the Portals will also attract local prospects searching by market keywords, such as restorative dentistry, general dentistry, root canal, teeth implants, impacted wisdom teeth, etc.

About Internet Dental Alliance, Inc.

IDA provides dentists and dental practices with internet dental marketing services including websites, dental newsletters, and various dental management advice and resources. IDA is the largest provider of websites for dentists, email patient newsletters and dental directories in North America.