So do yourself a favor, if it is recommended that you need some serious dental work done - GET A SECOND OPINION, or better yet, don't come here at all.
I normally go to the NYU clinic, but decided to check into Janas Dental just to get a cleaning. They wanted some x-rays which was fine until I actually stepped back there. First of all, I sincerely hope they aren't using saran wrap to cover everything prior to patient use. I was really surprised when they took my x-rays and used this blue - reusable film that hung off the wall and covered the thing (very poorly) in saran wrap. Not only that but they seriously need to get a repair man to look at their machine because every time they aligned the cylinder against my cheek I had to hold the machine in place so that it wouldn't move around and hit me in the face.
I could have forgiven the faulty machine, but then the dentist came along.
So he introduces himself as Doctor Weiner (he's clearly fresh out of dental school or something) sits down and just when I'm about ready for my cleaning (especially after I watched the assistants put back the blue film without even cleaning it) he goes off.
First he says a root canal I have has failed so I either need it fixed or extracted. Then he says my right molar has a huge cavity and needs to undergo a root canal or extraction. He also tells me my wisdom teeth are impacting and need to be removed asap. So he's spewing all these things at me and I'm internally freaking out because I KNOW I practice relatively good dental hygiene and I know that six months ago when I went to the dentist, nothing like this showed up in my x-rays.
That wasn't even the worst of it, he looks at me as if I'm stupid and asks: "Do you want to do any of that tonight?"
I was absolutely flabbergasted, I only came to the dental office with enough money to pay for the $50 cleaning (+ x-rays) and I can't even begin to imagine how much a root canal would cost at this place (I paid $1000 for the first one done at an endodontist). So I just feebly sit there and mutter "no" and Dr. Weiner lets out a sigh of exasperation and asks if I want to do anything about the tooth that is "diseased" and needs to be fixed, again I mutter "no" and look away from him as he stares at me as if I'm making the dumbest decision in my life or something.
Reluctantly, he decides to take a look at my mouth and takes a peek at my teeth. He comments that I have two small cavities on my lateral incisor and canine tooth (left side). Now normally, with my other dentist we ignore small caries because they tend to resolve themselves on their own and I sat there wondering, "how the hell did I get cavities?". Dr. Wiener interrupts my thoughts and asks "Do you want to take care of those cavities?" I look up and prepare to shake my head and he adds, "You have to AT LEAST do something tonight."
I realize that I'm folding in and normally I don't get "hustled" or give into high pressure sales tactics, but when you have a doctor - AN AUTHORATIVE figure telling you, you have X-Y-Z wrong with you, you're more inclined to believe them. I just basically got the entire shit thrown at me and I'm freaking out in my chair wondering how am I going to pay for all this work and thinking of that ONE TIME I didn't floss before bed because I was too tired - that was definitely the cause of all this.
So I reluctantly gave in and said that I would go forward with the fillings. He says, "Oh, I guess I have to tell you the price then." - like yes... that would be nice to know. "$100 for each tooth." I bit my lip and nod and tell him to go forward that my boyfriend will help me pay. He nods and says he'll do the cleaning and then drill and fill the caries.
The one thing I came, the single thing that I wanted done at this clinic was probably the worst thing I ever experienced. Literally, the cleaning took less than five minutes and my teeth still felt filthy. He also managed to get a whole bunch of polish up my nose as he messily ran over my teeth. So a less than five minute crappy cleaning followed by some drilling and quick fillings and I'm done.
I remove myself from the chair shakily, but I'm told to go back because they need to redo the x-rays. Again with the unsanitary reusable blue film and the x-ray machine that can't hold up on its own. That took another five minutes and finally I'm out.
We pay at the front desk, 10% discount if you pay with cash, whoopdido - doesn't matter because we still paid so much. I'm ready to leave but Dr. Weiner comes back out and says, "Oh do you want a referral for your wisdom tooth extraction. I'm supposed to give you one before you leave I guess." so I nod, still traumatized by his abrasiveness, receive the referral and get on out of there.
He asks when I want to come back, I say I won't and I am going to go to my dentist. Glad I did, turns out my teeth are completely fine. read more