Making Appointments/Calling People/Pricing....

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My new catchphrase is "Why Do I Feel Like A Jackass?"

So the last time i had a dentist visit was October 2004, I think its about time for an exam and cleaning. It would seem like a very straightfoward task to call a local dentist after having researched his practice and getting a few price quotes. As usual, I was wrong. First off, I do not have insurance. My employer offers health and dental but the rates are ridiculous and the deductibles are just plain obscene. ($65 per week/$2500 deductible at a barely over min wage company).

I try to do a little online research to find prices for exams and cleaning, nobody posts them! Why can't doctors and dentists have "menu board" pricing? How difficult is it to say "our basic cleaning costs $200, flouride costs an additional $20."? I called a few local dentists (I HATE calling people I dont know) and was more or less rebuffed. The standard response was "we come up with a price after service". Did i mention that my company pays peanuts? Don't get me wrong, I have no problem paying a fair price for goods and services, but with my income and the signs that say "payment expected when services rendered", I need to know what to expect to pay. Am I paying $100? Do I need to save up three weeks pay? Should I apply for a loan from the bank?

My mother has been so kind as to offer to make appoinments for me so i can avoid those phone calls, but doing that makes me feel incapable so i just grin and bear it and hope to God i dont make a fool of myself (which i should be used to by now).

"We come up with a price after service?! !"

That is a BS answer, plain and simple, and I would not accept it. Just be specific about what you want to know. The problem is probably that you are calling and asking, "what are your rates?" which is kind of like calling a restaurant with a huge menu with items priced anywhere from $2.00 to $60.00, and asking, "How much is dinner there?"

It's just not that simple. If you were more specifica about what you want prices for (cleaning, a filling, one extraction that presumably isn't impacted, etc.) I bet it wouldn't be so hard to get them to give you the price. It's actually simpler for them to give you a price WITHOUT insurance, because all they have to do is quote the base price, which is what you would end up paying.

If you are very specific, and they still don't give me a price, I make an pain of myself and start asking who there knows the pricing, and don't stop calling until I get an answer. If necessary, I'll be so much of a pain they'll think I'm an A-hole, but I really don't care. I'm the damned customer, I'm paying the bill, I want and DESERVE to know what it's going to cost me before I put myself in their stupid chair.

If don't get the answers I want, I'll insist on speaking to the dentist him or herself.

If they didn't want to tell me I'd say "I need to know the price so I know how much money to bring with me. I'm paying cash".

Actually I wouldn't call or say anything. I'd go to the dental clinic at my local hospital and when they send me the bill I'd never pay it because I don't have insurance or money. I did that before when getting teeth pulled. I've never had my teeth cleaned.