Dear Editor,
Although I had read with enthusiasm two articles by President-Elect Dr Jeffery W Meeks 'Dental law languishing' (The Daily Observer, Wednesday, November 14, 2012) and 'Dental registrar sorely needed' (The Daily Observer, Thursday, November 29, 2012), it was not until the matter hit home that the gravity of what he expounded on made a significant impact.
The process started when an enquiry was made of my dentist if spaces between my teeth could be reduced. He indicated that, contrary to the advice received from another dental professional, dental implants were the only remedy.
The dental implant specialist made a model of my mouth. All the while he spoke my eyes were transfixed on the model. It was as if all my teeth had been plucked out of my mouth and was on a table before me. Nothing had prepared me for the reality that this was the extent of the technological advancement in the field of dentistry. The next phase of the process involved the orthodontist who, for the first time, indicated that I grind my teeth and if the practice was not immediately stopped my teeth would be ground to oblivion. Honestly, I was at a loss to understand this as no dentist had stated this in all my years of being under their care. It was not long that it was clear that there was more to a dental vocabulary than the words filling, cleaning, root canal, extraction, floss and dentures. In fact, a small teeth-grinding prevention device was procured from the orthodontist. As if that was not enough, I was now a candidate for braces. The orthodontist also informed me that as a consequence of dental challenges, periodontal intervention — a periodontist being the specialist with advanced training in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth — was required initially. One of the specialists seen while under the care of the periodontist is the hygienist.
When the work of the orthodontist and the periodontist are completed, then my mouth will be assessed by the dental implant specialist. It is estimated that all these services will run in the region of $5,000,000 which, of course, is dependent on the conversion rate of the US$. It must be noted that the above procedures are referred to as cosmetic dentistry, which carries no insurance coverage in Jamaica.
I am extremely disappointed about the lack of communication from dentists at the primary level with their patients. Certainly, if I had known then what I know now, my particular issues would have been resolved long ago in terms of costs and resources. It is time that the primary dental care providers work alongside the specialists so that people can be told the truth about their mouths before it is too late.
Joan Francis
francisj16@yahoo.com
Dentists, tell people the truth about their mouths
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Although I had read with enthusiasm two articles by President-Elect Dr Jeffery W Meeks 'Dental law languishing' (The Daily Observer, Wednesday, November 14, 2012) and 'Dental registrar sorely needed' (The Daily Observer, Thursday, November 29, 2012), it was not until the matter hit home that the gravity of what he expounded on made a significant impact.
The process started when an enquiry was made of my dentist if spaces between my teeth could be reduced. He indicated that, contrary to the advice received from another dental professional, dental implants were the only remedy.
The dental implant specialist made a model of my mouth. All the while he spoke my eyes were transfixed on the model. It was as if all my teeth had been plucked out of my mouth and was on a table before me. Nothing had prepared me for the reality that this was the extent of the technological advancement in the field of dentistry. The next phase of the process involved the orthodontist who, for the first time, indicated that I grind my teeth and if the practice was not immediately stopped my teeth would be ground to oblivion. Honestly, I was at a loss to understand this as no dentist had stated this in all my years of being under their care. It was not long that it was clear that there was more to a dental vocabulary than the words filling, cleaning, root canal, extraction, floss and dentures. In fact, a small teeth-grinding prevention device was procured from the orthodontist. As if that was not enough, I was now a candidate for braces. The orthodontist also informed me that as a consequence of dental challenges, periodontal intervention — a periodontist being the specialist with advanced training in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth — was required initially. One of the specialists seen while under the care of the periodontist is the hygienist.
When the work of the orthodontist and the periodontist are completed, then my mouth will be assessed by the dental implant specialist. It is estimated that all these services will run in the region of $5,000,000 which, of course, is dependent on the conversion rate of the US$. It must be noted that the above procedures are referred to as cosmetic dentistry, which carries no insurance coverage in Jamaica.
I am extremely disappointed about the lack of communication from dentists at the primary level with their patients. Certainly, if I had known then what I know now, my particular issues would have been resolved long ago in terms of costs and resources. It is time that the primary dental care providers work alongside the specialists so that people can be told the truth about their mouths before it is too late.
Joan Francis
francisj16@yahoo.com
Dentists, tell people the truth about their mouths
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