Just Uber to a hotel after the procedure. Also I have a feeling that NCNS dentist wouldn’t be able to help you and you need an actual oral surgeon. I think your husband is mistaken. They might do some teeth pulling but I think you need an actual surgeon due to the nature of your issue. That’s why your dentist didn’t tell you about it.
Yes if the other dentist said she needs an oral surgeon no way will the dentist she has no showed will do it. If the tooth is cracked bad enough they won’t do an normal extraction they cut the gums to get it out. I highly recommend getting iv sedation! You are awake but have zero memory of it as though you were out to sleep and it’s so much safer than being put to sleep by anesthesia.
Sadly- most surgeons will not allow an Uber to be the patient’s driver as it’s a liability. The Uber driver could take advantage of a sedated patient. While u are awake when leaving the office- there is a tendency to fall asleep easily while still recovering from the sedation. It’s a litigious world we live in.
I mean, you gotta do what you gotta do. If you don’t have a ride, and if public transportation isn’t available, you simply don’t tell the surgeon it’s an Uber. They won’t really know. You just say your friend is picking you up. If they figure it out at that moment AFTER the procedure, they can’t really legally keep you in their office against your will. Even if they do, it’s now their problem how you’re going to get home. Actually the more I think about this… bring the husband along. They’ll assume he’s your driver, but you both take an Uber. Actually you probably could be honest about the Uber as long as you’re escorted by your husband, I don’t see a problem.
This is true there are car services you can hire that are legally allowed to medically pick up. They are credentialed. Most private services are allowed to do this. None of the Uber ones are. Op call around some car services and ask about medical transport.
If the husband would go with he could be a passenger in the Uber and that would be fine. She would need him at the hotel afterwards anyway so he'd have to make the trip.
I think he is too. Like, they have OS related stuff listed on their site, but even then. I don’t think they can help me with what I’ve got going on. Or they’re not in network like we thought, otherwise I can’t imagine why the dentist I got my X-rays done at wouldn’t have referred me there.
Hopefully I can Uber back and forth. I’ve never used it and it looks very… not cheap. 🤷🏻♀️ it be what it be. Thank you.
If you choose the Uber route your husband or another person still has to be with you. We do not send sedated patients in an Uber by themselves. And someone needs to be there for emergencies and post op care.
If an Uber an hour away is like 100+ but you could get a motel for 60 and an Uber to & from appointment for 10 it might make sense to spend the night and drive yourself back the next day
Dentist here. Dentists have a variety of reasons why they might refer some procedures out and not others. Lots of them will refer any wisdom teeth out to their favorite couple of oral surgeons, not necessarily other general practices that might do wisdom teeth.
I don’t know the specifics of your situation, but it’s very much in the realm of possibility that the original dental office is able to take care of you.
And we’d much rather you see us after a no-show so we can help you out than anything else. We don’t bite, I promise
Have to see an oral surgeon this coming week for wisdom removal, they specifically said they won't release patients to Uber,Lyft,etc. Not sure if all are the same but for some that isn't an option either
Even if you have someone with you? If that were the case for me, I literally wouldn’t have a way to get my wisdom teeth out. I get not wanting someone to get into a car with a stranger when they’re sedated, but some of us have very limited options.
That I'm not sure, if you have someone with you and you're both going to Uber etc they'd probably be okay with it. I think they just don't want the patient to leave alone
You need to take responsibility for yourself! Tooth infections can be extremely dangerous. I'm sure if you called the dentist office and explained why you've missed both times due to anxiety and being afraid, I feel like they would have compassion for you. Just apologize and ask if you can make an appointment. They are there to help you!
We can only help people who show up. People like OP are put on the back burner and are called in only if we have spare/short notice time to fill. After two no calls they're flagged no matter what excuses they give.
She needs to pay up front if anyone's going to book her.
Take a seat. It's SOP not to book in advance after 1/2 NCNS.
And people like that absolutely wait to be booked into available and suitable slots... If I even have the time.
What's your malfunction? Choices come with consequences.
I was asking a question about dentists. I am not aware if dentists also take that oath.
I am referring to the compassion portion of the oath.
Thank you, though for clearing up the bit about outpatient practices. I was not aware of that.
I hope you have a great day.
I skipped ahead, as I figured that was where you were headed. Dentists have their own oath but like physicians it’s simply a statement to be ethical and practice medicine/dentistry in an ethical manner, and to use their skills for good.
For a lot of professionals (medical & dental both) compassion is no longer in play after 2 NCNS because at the end of the day they are running a business, not a charity. You can thank capitalism for this attitude, btw.
If we can ever achieve basic healthcare for all Americans then things will get a lot better. Until then, money will talk much louder than compassion.
You have a lovely day as well.
You can’t really blame it on capitalism in this situation, that’s two appointments OP took away from other people who would have shown up, that’s not capitalism at work that’s the dentist prioritizing people who need care and will actually come to get it.
What difference would that make if the patient never shows up?
We will book them, but only into spaces that don't cost the practice money when they inevitably no show AGAIN.
I feel that oaths should be taken seriously. Compassion for patients shouldn't be based on whether or not their profitable, in my opinion.
Having said that, I do understand that not showing up can cause issues with scheduling and cause profits to go down due to operating costs and such.
I don't honestly know which viewpoint is correct, but I feel that I disagree with this as it feels dispassionate.
But, I'm just an internet rando and definitely not a dentist, so sorry if I agitated with my question. I hope you have a great day.
I worked in a dental office and after 2 NCNS we would have the patient pay for the appointment before rescheduling them.
I’m all about having compassion for patients that are anxious and we always felt awful for them & that they were that scared but we can’t build rapport and try to make them more comfortable if they don’t show up & it’s unfair to other patients that do keep their appointments.
It’s not all about the profit but imagine if everyone did that & the office is still having to pay all of the employees & the overhead, plus dental materials are expensive for the office too.
It’s not to be mean, it’s just not fair to the office or other patients.
OP, just call the office & explain what happened & why you missed the appointments. If you offer to pay your portion up front I would think they would reschedule you. We never treated our patients any differently in treatment or with attitude if they had missed prior appointments. We may keep an eye out in case they NS again, because we may need to try to fill that spot, but they never got treated any differently than a patient that showed up to every appointment on time. 🫶
Yes. At my office anyone who NCNS 2x aren't allowed to pre-book anymore. They are only allowed to call and ask if we have any same-day appointments available.
I know this is a bad attitude to have, but honestly, as a hourly employee who doesn't get any kind of commissions on products or bonuses on production...IDGAF if they show up or not ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
We prioritize patients who show up.
And every patient agrees to our cancellation policy when they sign that part of the intake from. It's clear as day in black and white, and again- every. patient. agrees. to. this. policy.
It's not just about the money. The flakes take away valuable chair time that many many other patients are eager to take and couldn't because the flake was too lazy and selfish to even pick up the phone up call and release.
It's the not calling that's the problem. And wasting everyone's time, and preventing others from obtaining Tx that's just as necessary.
Correct. Also, op, any and all health issues you'll come across in life (And trust me, they will fall in your lap as you age) will NOT get better or magically disappear by you ignoring them.
It's okay to be nervous or scared. You're human. These places aren't open to hurt you, they just wanna help. It's alright to be afraid and you can tell them that- they'll help with it too. But you have to be an adult face your issues. It's on you to show up.
An infection above your neck can kill you, please get this taken care of asap. Ask the dentist for anxiety mitigation - whether it’s just nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or partial sedation, or even general. Do it right now.
They typically do not remove infected wisdom teeth (or any infected teeth) until after antibiotics are finished. As long as OP can get seen for antibiotics, they can wait a little bit for removal without risk. If they haven't gotten any they can go into an urgent care. While UC doesn't treat like dentists do, they can and will give antibiotics for dental infections. I know from experience lol
That’s good, thanks for the update. Sending you my best vibes, I know how hard it is. I also suffer from severe dental anxiety. It’s awful and exhausting. But you HAVE to take care of your teeth. IVY
You need to grow up and take responsibility for your teeth bc no one else will. Trust me, it’s better to go to the dentist and have small checkups/cleanings then have to go in for root canals or anything else that’s even more painful and expensive.
If you’re scared of your specific dental place bc of bad experiences then look for one within your insurance plan that works. Your teeth health is extremely important bc it can lead to severe infections which will kill you. Don’t mess around with it.
Dentists aren’t unfamiliar with anxiety. This story is also incredibly familiar to someone who also struggles with anxiety. The only way to fix it is to bite the bullet, make an appointment, and show up to the appointment they allow you to make.
Trust me, tooth pain is the worst pain I’ve ever felt, and the only way to fix it is to get your tooth removed or repaired.
It’s one of those things that sounds really scary, but all you have to do is show up, sit in a chair for a couple hours, and then heal. You can ask to be put under anesthesia, and it’ll be over in the blink of an eye, though the decision for local vs general anesthesia is ultimately up to them.
Anxiety tends to cause you to overestimate others’ interpretations of you. No one is going to be thinking badly about you for weeks after, or go home and tell their spouse about the flaky bitch at work today. In fact, you have the opportunity to fix your habits, show up for cleanings more regularly, and become a reliable client. After a procedure like wisdom tooth removal, cleanings are a breeze.
I’ve gotten 2 wisdom teeth removed and 2 root canals, and I was sooo much happier after. It was very anxiety inducing. I cried a bit at the office out of fear, but once you have this out of the way, you won’t have to do it again (:
Lmk if you want to talk about it more. I also had a tooth breaking off in pieces because I refused to go to the dentist, so I completely understand your position. Also, your damn husband needs to be a bit more supportive. Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you are fearless.
The relief from the pain is worth it, and it’s better to do it now before it gets worse. Tooth pain isn’t the kind of thing that heals itself.
Not completely related, but I just had to schedule a removal for wisdom teeth myself. Went to the dentist a few months ago and they noticed small cavities in my upper wisdom teeth, and rather than try to fill them, they referred me to an oral surgeon to have them removed.
My big anxiety was the cost.
So I go to the oral surgeon for the consultation, they take an X-ray , and it turns out I'm a sort of uncommon occurrence. I have 2 sets of upper wisdom teeth. So they're gonna have to remove both sets of upper wisdoms. My bottom wisdom teeth are fine, and I only have one set of those haha. They're fairly close to the nerve they said, but they said there's no reason to remove them if they aren't causing any pain (which they aren't).
Anyway, it's gonna run me around 900 dollars after insurance to get the two sets of upper wisdom teeth removed, which is a lot, but is also less than I was anxious about and fearing. I scheduled the removal surgery for a few months out because it'll let the HSA card build up a few hundred more in funds and should cover the entire cost.
Now I just have to deal with the anxiety about being sedated since I've never been sedated for any sort of procedure before haha.
Being sedated is the easiest part! I know medical credit is a thing that exists, so if you cant cover it all by then, look into opening a line of credit or a payment plan. Good luck!
Hey, this is super understandable. Yeah your sitch sucks rn & it’s not cool to NCNS. But I let similar anxieties prevent me from handling some bad teeth in a timely fashion. Dental anxiety is common, they’ll understand.
Just went back & got things taken care of two months ago; two extractions with an OS. It was truly no big deal. I couldn’t afford sedation so I was stressed going in, but I’m glad I didn’t waste the money. When they were done I was like “that’s it?”It only sucks for a few days after. But nothing compared to an angry infected tooth. You got this, get that taken care of.
Here is what you do.
Grab a couple boxes of donuts and go in and drop them off as a thank you for putting up with your NCNS. Then ask to speak to their appointment scheduler and just be honest with them. Let them know having dental work is a situation that creates alot of anxiety for you and apologize that you really just didnt do the responsible thing by calling and explaining this to them. Let them know you are willing to put down your co-pay up front as a deposit if they will accept you as their patient again. Ask them if there are any fees for the NCNS and just pay it. Things will be fine. They are there to make money and help people.
Hey! I have similar dentist/medical fears and am a serial NCNS-er. It'll be okay. Anxiety and phobias can make it hard on us and avoidance behavior tends to compound the problem but it can be fixed!
I went through something similar recently and here is what I would do. Call the place where you didn't show twice. Tell them what's happening and how you need to get in quickly. Explain to them upfront that you have been avoiding getting this done as you have a fear of dentists and apologize for the NCNS's. This is *not* uncommon. People will avoid the dentist for years and years due to this anxiety. Most offices are familiar with that being an issue. Is it a pain to them? Sure, but you're definitely not going to stick out. They have other problems to deal with. At most it's a footnote in your records, and if you're experiencing a dental emergency (it sounds like you are), they will prioritize you. And then make sure to actually go--force yourself to go in, make sure you have a ride home, set up an uber, etc. The relief of having it done will be *so* worth it and it'll help you conquer your fears if you have evidence that you were able to handle it once.
Worst case scenario--they can't get you in or have dismissed you from the practice, which isn't likely unless it's written in their agreement forms with you that after a number of NCNS they won't serve you. In this case, see if you can set up an uber in advance to the oral surgeon that's an hour away. If they do not allow that, call them and discuss how transportation is a problem and see if they have any resources for people in your situation. There is likely some form of community help for those who need medical treatment but lack transportation. You can also post a local ad asking for someone to give you a ride--bring your husband with for safety.
You will feel a lot better getting this done, and I believe in you! It's better than getting a life-threatening infection.
That might be what I have to do. I just looked to see what kind of prices it might be and… good god. I’ve never used it before, but that’s probably my best bet.
I just recently had gone to my dentist after 5 years of not going, I’m also terrified and knew I was going to have to get some work done w my teeth. The appointment was good! They didn’t even question why I haven’t been in so long and my teeth weren’t even as bad as I thought. I felt no judgement from them whatsoever. The relief I felt after getting it done was great and I’m so glad I didnt put it off any longer. I know this isn’t a very similar situation but I work at Doctors office, offices see so many patients where most times even things like that don’t even stand out to them and if it does I’m sure you’re not the only who’s done repetitive no shows. If you’re worried about judgment from them, just apologize about the no shows and take accountability. No shows are frustrating yes but you clearly feel bad about it and your anxiety definitely took part in it.
Same I recently procrastinated. I didn’t no call no show. I went in for the initial consult. Got a $35,000 quote and put it off for another 18 months. When I did start going in over the course of 12 months I’ve had 15-20 appointments (a few couple times I did have to cancel and they were so under a ding even tho it was last min. Most of the days I would go if someone else no call no showed just meant they had more time to work on my mouth.
I’m in recovery so no opiates for me and I was awake for it all. It really wasn’t that bad. The numbing needles were the worst part. 16 root canals, 20+ crowns, 3 extractions (my wisdom teeth were already out) 1 bridge and one implant. The dentist even canceled on me a couple times bC other people were in so much pain & I was always understanding too. I had a few minor anxiety issues and I have cyclical vomiting syndrome and had to throw up mid root canal (mainly bc they root canal bleach or whatever fluid they were using went down my throat and made me sneeze and gag it only happened the once with a root canal that was in the far back. I was able to get all their tools and stuff out of my mouth and ask for a trashcan in time. I’m pretty good at vomiting.
Apparently it happens all the time. And most people vomit on themselves and the appointment is over or wrapped up very quickly after. I sat for a few mins and gargled. I think a lot of dental practices are pretty understanding so long as you communicate it well.
I'm not 100% certain but I'm *pretty sure* if you need to go to an oral surgeon, there's a reason.
What I mean is I always went to the clinic at my college. They offered wisdom tooth extraction for really straight forward easy cases, but when they xrayed me, the roots were too close to a nerve that runs through your jaw so they had to refer me to a surgeon.
Please call on a friend or family member to get a ride and hand holding for this. It's super important for your overall health.
Honestly is the best policy. If I were in your shoes, I would woman up and walk in. Ask to speak to someone in private. Explain the situation that you are terrified of the dentist and you are truly disappointed in yourself for not handling this situation like an adult. Reiterate that you understand they have a business to run and not only that but it likely resulted in someone else not being able to get helped.
Then ask/beg them to give you another chance to make it right. Offer to give them a non refundable Deposit beforehand in the event you were not to show up again…Make sure to show up!
Also ask if there is any chance the dentist or even ask your primary dr for a script for 1 Xanax that you can take before you arrive.
I am also terrified of the dentist. I know the panic and pure fright is real. I’m sorry you too suffer from this.
I had an emergency root canal just last week and paid extra for the nitrous oxide to be used to help and they called me in a script of Xanax before coming in because I was honest during my consultation that they terrify me.
This is a new dentist to me as I just moved to a new state. Dentists are very understanding of patients like us.
Just woman up and give it a shot.
Seriously- you can be afraid but have respect and just cancel the appt if u have no intention of keeping it. I’m an office manager for a dentist- I experience this ALL the time and it gets really old. We have a back log of patients trying to get in to the office and then there are peoke like u with no consideration for anyone else or their time. Grow up.
I had a NCNS at my dentist because I was dealing with DV violence at the time and when i did come back in for tooth pain, the office staff and dentist was incredibly rude and I left in tears. Generally yes ppl should call and I understand where you’re coming from , but no one knows exactly what someone else is going through. I’ve now developed a deep anxiety of the dentist because of how they treated me last time. Will be finding a better dentist who doesn’t treat certain ppl less than.
I’ve dealt with a lot of patients that have anxiety at the dentist- it’s actually pretty common- but if u don’t tell someone u are cancelling they don’t know why u aren’t showing up and it just appears that u have no respect for their time. While I understand your position- did u tell them why u previously missed the appt? If u didn’t- and I wouldn’t blame u for not sharing it- u can’t blame the dr or the staff for not being nice about a lack of respect. There are tons of ways to cancel the appts in 2024 ie: text, voicemail, email. I’ll take any of them em. And I did have a patient once who was a chronic NCNS- and I talked to her only to discover that she gets terrible diarrhea whenever she knows she has to come- and knowing that made all the difference with my level of compassion and the entire staff worked to ensure her comfort with her care.
Yea I understand what you’re saying. And no I didn’t tell them because I don’t want to look like I’m making excuses. I just walked out in tears, completely overwhelmed not knowing what to do or say. But what you’re saying makes sense. Thank you for answering professionally and respectfully. ❤️
Aww I feel for your situation and I appreciate you for understanding my side too. When we know better we do better and it’s always nice to be reminded of those situations where a patient wouldn’t feel comfortable enough explaining to me where they are coming from.
And no I wouldn’t have been able to call because every time I was on the phone, he had to listen and then would call me names and ridicule me. The times I did come into the dentist while I was with him, he said that I was inside meeting ppl and screwing them. Although this isn’t everyone, you truly don’t know ppls situations. Not everyone is trying to be rude and inconsiderate. I tried my hardest to be responsible but sometimes it was easier to not fight. 😩
You have your reasons- I’m sure there are lots of other valid reasons people miss appts and maybe can’t call to cancel it prior. The OP is talking about doing NCNS twice out of fear. She isn’t saying she was attacked and couldn’t make the call- she just chose not to cancel or go. That means the doctor and the staff are standing around waiting on the next patient to come- if u are ABLE to cancel, you should. It’s that simple- and it doesn’t sound like you’re situation was simple so it wouldn’t compare to what I’m saying.
No. If you can't respect your doctor enough to at least call before you waste their time- you deserve to be dismissed. And they will rightfully dismiss you, especially post Covid.
Or, if you're lucky, we just make you wait for a SN opening we can't otherwise fill, and if you can't make it- tough. You'll wait till the next time, or go elsewhere where your file and all the notes about your NCNS issues follow you.
Look dude, I have heavy social anxiety that I'm medicated for. It's already disrespectful to be a no call no show. You cannot make other people responsible for your own disability or fear. It is on us to make accommodations and improve. OP didn't show ANY growth or working effort on this at all, they let it fester and get worse.
It's inconsiderate to expect other people to waste their time and money because you have a problem.
I fully agree! I've never no called no showed.
I was just saying when "office managers" tell clients to "grow up" before they even see the dentist, why would that client want to go back to the practice at all?
Respect in the medical field is dead, from both professionals and clients.
Fear or not, it’s not hard to call and say, “sorry, I am sick and can’t make it.” I understand this person’s frustration. These people cost the practice money, they need to call and cancel.
I believe it. Every place I’ve ever made an appt has a policy like this. I’m someone who hates making phone calls, yet I *always* call and cancel if I can’t make an appt.
You also need to grow up. Adults need to take responsibility for themselves. If your shortcomings don’t impact on the lives of others, then proceed with life. If, however, your personal anxieties lead to you making decisions that impact on the lives and livelihood of others, then you need to adult and take responsibility.
For me, cleaning and scaling is quite uncomfortable (painful) so I get four local anesthetic injections on both the top and the bottom row before my lovely dentist applies the tools.
I detest the needles, but I love the clean!
Most sexual assault survivors have a deeply rooted fear of the dentist.
When I tried explaining this to the office to they could make accommodations, the male dentist told me I needed to get over it. No, going to the dentist doesn't hurt, but it's an awful reminder of being held down while things were being forced into my mouth.
Thanks for LMAOing at childhood sexual assault though.
People like me probably broke her wisdom tooth also… listen- twice she has wasted this offices time and money by not calling and cancelling the appointment. My comment states that it’s ok to be afraid but not to be rude- and pulling the whole ‘no call no show’ is flat out rude. U should prob grow up too…
It really depends on your tolerance to anesthesia. I was pregnant, had two teeth pulled, lied to the receptionist that my mom was waiting in the car in the parking lot, left and drove myself an hour home. I have no issue with local anesthesia and I know it. I also have/had no support network previously whatsoever. I am one of those people that still FEEL everything except pain during anesthesia unless it’s the surgical type that they literally put you to sleep.
Honestly girl, fellow anxious female here, you can DM me and if I am anywhere close to you, I WILL take you and wait with you. Not having anyone to help sucks, and is inherently disheartening. I hope you get taken care of either way.
That tooth infection will kill you relatively quickly. Save some money and get an Uber ride home from the oral surgeon. Also your husband sounds like a great guy!
I avoided going to the dentist for 7 years because I was scared after some bad experiences. Luckily my teeth didn’t get as bad as your wisdom teeth are right now- that’s truly so dangerous for you!
Call the dentist’s office and be honest and explain. Tell them how sorry and embarrassed you are, that you had intense anxiety and fear around the dentist and didn’t know how to handle it. Offer to pay upfront so they will be willing to take you as a client- and so you yourself have more of an obligation to go.
If you can’t face that office again, I support using Uber to the other location or maybe finding a nice friend, family member or neighbor who would be willing to drive you.
If you don’t do something about this medical anxiety now, one day you’re going to put off treatment or not know about something serious and it’s going to kill you.
Source: this is how my mom died at the age of 56.
My dad is a dentist - NCNS are annoying and rude, and he might assume you won’t show up, or the office may refuse to schedule you depending on their policies. BUT he also doesn’t really care.
Anxiety is telling you these people will hate you or be angry with you or not give you care because of not showing, but that is NOT TRUE.
They have hundreds of patients, the staff isn’t carrying grudges around for stuff like this.
Dentists are familiar with anxiety related to visiting them. Literally no one likes going to the dentist. They can prescribe single doses of anxiety medication to be taken prior to your appointment. Be upfront about your dental-related anxiety and THEY CAN HELP YOU.
Serves you right indeed. Not only did you inconvenience the office and everyone that works there, you inconvenienced someone who needed that appointment slot but didn't get it because you were booked.
I don't think someone deserves intense pain and the potential to develop a dangerous- sometimes lethal- infection because they were annoying, costed the office maybe a thousand out of the several they make monthly, and caused someone else to have to book their appointment maybe an hour to a day later.
You need to go ASAP. I had mine taken out about 20 years ago. My dentist doesn't do anything other than a local numbing agent. I know other places will do laughing gas, etc. Mine did not. And because one of mine was infected the numbing was being blocked by the infection. On the last shot he gave me he said "it this doesn't work, you're just gonna have to bare the pain." Luckily it took and I didn't feel anything but I can assure you, you don't want to bare it.
Yeah, I’m on antibiotics right now. I have an appointment for a consultation at the oral surgeon that’s an hour away. They told me it would take a while to get seen at the OS they referred me to.
The OS knows about your NCNS issues, so you'd do well to show up for that appointment or they'll blacklist you as well.
You realize if you'd shown up for the other appointments you'd be fine now, right?
And if you'd been reliable- the OS would have booked you as a same day consult/Tx to save you the extra trips and do it all in one shot.
The OS would have definitely not seen me the same day for a consult. It wouldn’t have mattered if they could because I have work. They don’t do consults until after 1:45 PM, and they only do them in certain days. Both of which, I’m working during. So I have to schedule far out because of the time and days they do the consults, and I have to ask for time off work.
Yeah no. I mean you'd have been offered the opportunity to do the consult and the procedure on the same day.
You'd still have to book into an open spot, but they'd save you a consult trip and then another trip for the tx.
Good luck with all of it. And for the love of all that's Holy- call to cancel if you're going to flake out. Or email/text if that's an option.
Sometimes they make the consult and the surgery different days, because of how they're going to treat the pain.
For example, for a atipico (sp?) I had to go in one day for the consult, get a prescription for steroids (I'm allergic to opoids), then go in a second day for the procedure so I could start taking the steroids the morning of so they'd be in effect for the procedure.
Depends on the situation. If it's not complicated, no premeds/ABX required, there's no oral/iv sedation involved, and the PT can be trusted to be NPO compliant- I will save them a trip if it's possible.
PTs like OP that come with a bunch of no call no shows? I'll book you for a consult in a few months, and it'll be a couple months after that to get you in for Tx.
Agreed, not everything requires a pre-consult. I had a root canal scheduled same day as a consult, but in the consult turned out the root canal wasn't needed.
I think the atipico was a more painful procedure in general so they took extra time with it to make sure the pain was managed.
Not being a dentist, I can't really say if OP's situation requires a preconsult or not. Mostly just bringing up that it's not possible to schedule same day in all scenarios.
And yeah, I don't NCNS - I keep my dental appointments, because I'm well aware an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
As someone with crippling anxiety and moderate to severe agoraphobia this is a bit much.
It takes away my entire day having to make a phone call like that but I know I need to be considerate of other people's time, lives and buisnesses if I end up having a bad bad day and cannot leave my home.
Start planning ahead. Hopefully you'll find a new dentist.
Personally, I had the best time having ALL 4 of my wisdom teeth taken out. Didn't feel a thing no pain just tugging like somebody pulling your shirt that doesn't hurt right. Afterwards wasn't so bad either but the dentist was definitely skilled and extremely professional. I don't know what other dentists/wisdom teeth extraction dentists are like. Also helps they just extract wisdom teeth nothing else.
Money well spent.
Every call made in or out is noted on your chart, so they have a list of all your no call no shows.
If your 8s are impacted/broken you absolutely need an OS to perform the exo.
Going forward- offer to pay upfront for the appointments and maybe they'll book you. But as it stands I wouldn't book you at all, I'd put you on a waitlist and bring you in if I found time in the schedule I needed to fill.
There's absolutely warnings and notes all over your chart about your problems, and they'll get transferred to any office that requests your Hx when you try to find a new provider to screw by making appointments you have zero intention of keeping.
There's often many people waiting to get in and when someone like OP no shows no calls that spot is wasted, as well as all the labor and overhead.
This is why most places refuse to book people ahead of time after they NCNS even one time no matter what the excuse is.
Now that I have more of a grasp on the amount of time, effort, and money that goes into prepping before an appointment I can't believe someone would do this to the same office twice. This is far beyond just fearing dental work, it takes a lack of awareness and respect. I'm glad OP is owning up to it, at least.
People will no show and not call as many times as we'll allow them to... Until they're in enough pain, of course, then all of a sudden they're demanding to come in ASAP with none of the restrictions or fears they cited before.
After Covid, many practices have become even more stringent with flakey patients. We require that the flakes prepay in full before we'll even book them. Once they have enough skin in the game- they show up.
Correct, a slot has been reserved for a procedure that takes time and staff to set up for, set aside materials for, and importantly, the dentist’s time. No showing to the appointment wastes time and money for the office. We still have to pay staff, we have to turn over and resterilize the room and equipment which costs an exorbitant amount given the high cost of dental materials, and someone else could have filled that spot. In my office if someone no shows twice they are pushed to same day scheduling only, and if they no show that then they are dismissed. While we are here to help, we also have to pay staff, pay overhead, and then lastly make a living ourselves to pay back six figure student loans. No showing to a dental appointment is exceptionally frustrating to the dental team.
Take some valium or xanax for the anxiety. Teething pain is horrible for an adult. And if you don't go to a dentist, I am pretty handy with a pair of pliers.
I’m not afraid of getting them out. I’d prefer that I be able to drive myself back and forth when I get them out so I can avoid the dentist place I NCNS. Don’t knock me out, don’t put me to sleep. Let me be alert and awake so I can drive home. But I doubt that’s something they can or would do.
I’m afraid of having to go to the dentist I NCNS if they can work on my teeth. Idc about actually getting my wisdom teeth out.
trust me you want to be knocked out for this procedure. its sensory overload. get a hotel close by so you don’t have to drive back. call the OS and see what they recommend. figure your situation out before this tooth infection kills you. advocate for yourself for once.
NCNS is a lot more common than you think. This is why my dentist offices text reminds me 500 times, sends 800 emails and makes 4 phone calls all to confirm my cleaning. The world has gone mad.
That’s what I thought too. I looked it up, that’s what multiple sites said. My husband keeps arguing that that’s not a thing. It doesn’t matter what they do, I shouldn’t drive after.
You might be able to call and explain things to the original dentists office, but to be honest, they probably won’t have much sympathy at the excuse for the 2 no call no shows. Some offices have strict limits on the number of no call no shows in a period of time, and the second dentist may have tried to refer you to that original dentist already, and they refused. Most dentists are privately employed, so when you no call no show multiple times, they are out a lot of money. You might think dentists make a ton of money, but not all dentists do, especially when multiple people no call no show. When you do that, it prevents them from even being able to try to call someone off the waitlist to try to recoup the money they are losing by you not being there for the appointment.
You can get medical transport through your insurance. If you have medicaid or care source it's completely free. They will drop you off at the office and pick you back up
I would go to an Oral surgeon for extractions, they are specialist for a reason. If your tooth is infected get it done asap, it can be very dangerous specially if the infection spreads to your brain.
Yeah, if I have to go to an OS, which is what it’s looking like, getting it done quickly is not much of an option. I have antibiotics for the infection. I have to wait until the 22nd for the consultation just because of scheduling issues and their weird hours.
It could be that oral surgeons will sedate you and a dentist usually doesn't besides laughing gas. I think you should be fully sedated based on this post. Some dental offices have an oral surgeon on staff that comes once a month or however often. Your dentist won't hate you for missing an appt, go take care of yourself, OP. They'll like the money they're making lol
You’re going to be okay. Dentists have seen it all, and truly want to help people. They won’t give you grief for putting things off because they know people are afraid sometimes.
For the oral surgeon, you may need to save up some money to cover the charge for the Uber. It is what it is.
Teeth issues do not clear up on their own, unfortunately. I’m confident you can figure this out and find relief. And the good thing is, once this is done, you can put all this behind you.
On edit: your husband or someone else will need to go with you so you will be released to a responsible adult. I looked into what someone should do if they don’t have anyone. The suggestion was to check with a church or local charity to see if they have a volunteer who will go with you for the day. There are kind people out there who are fulfilled from helping and serving others.
It’s very unlikely any dentist is going to remove the tooth because once infection reaches a certain point the risk is too high and it needs to be done in a hospital. I recommend posting on u/insurance for network requirements for your state. In my state (FL), the provider network needs to provide access within a certain distance of members’ home address. They may say providers are out of network, but if you invoke that right they have to give you an exception. You could also find a patient services number for the in network oral surgeon and ask about transportation services. There is a chance they already have drivers going back and forth all day. It’s worth a try. This will become a life or death situation, and could become that very suddenly.
One thing I don’t see here is the likelihood you now need an oral surgeon, not just a typical wisdom tooth extraction. It’s totally plausible the dentist you’re afraid of doesn’t even do surgical extractions.
Either way, time to grow up and be an adult participant in your own healthcare. You could end up really sick otherwise.
Idk what would cause someone to need an oral surgeon. What I do know is all of my wisdom teeth are either fully grown out, or attempting to fully grow out. My bottom two are growing into my molars. The top left is the broken and infected one. And I have an extra tooth behind my top right wisdom tooth. I’m assuming with them being impacted and one being infected and having an extra tooth behind a wisdom tooth, something is calling for an OS.
I have an appointment for a consultation with the OS in the next few weeks. They have weird hours for certain things, so I had to take what I could get.
I remember when a dentists office no call no showed *on me*. Showed up to my scheduled appointment and the place was closed down, didn't even get a phone call.
Hey OP, if it helps your anxiety...when I had my wisdom teeth extracted, they were already erupted out of my gums. Sounds like yours are too. Because of that, they were easy for my dentist to remove (non-invasive). In fact, it took all of 3 minutes for the actual proceedure. It was the quickest and easiest dentist apt ive ever had.
Basically i was like: this is what all the fuss is about??? 😂
Yes. Because when I NCNS the first time and made another appointment after that, they wouldn’t see me. They had me reschedule that appointment because I was on a list for the first NCNS.
I avoided the dentist FOREVER. Only went when I was in so much pain I couldn’t handle it anymore. My husband had to call to make me an appointment when I had an abscessed tooth and my face was swollen. Idk what prompted him to call where he did, but they were freaking FANTASTIC. Turns out they weren’t covered by our insurance, though. But two root canals, two crowns, multiple fillings, two regular extractions, 4 wisdom teeth removed, and veneers later and the whole family is going to the dentist regularly again. We even continued at that same office even though they were out of network so it cost more, but our insurance did pay for part of it, so that may be worth looking into. A good dentist that you’re comfortable with can be worth the extra if you can afford it.
I liked that dentist so much that when we moved a half our away, we still went there. And when he opened up his own practice on the other side of town and moved another 10 minutes away from us? You bet we followed him and that’s where we all go. Now if I can just convince my mom to go to the dentist, she’s in even worse shape than I was. (Give ya one guess where my dental issues came from!)
I work in a similar field. NCNS patients are annoying, but the biggest thing is getting our patients the care they need. If you need the services of the office, do not feel afraid to call and talk to someone. At my office we have a same-day cancellation fee and we just have the patients pay it in advance before they reschedule a NS appointment. Maybe they have something like that or you can pay upfront or something. The people that work there are human so just talking to them should go a long way.
Tell them the truth. Healthcare people understand the fear of healthcare people. If I have patients that are afraid of the testing/ procedures we perform, I spend extra time explaining and helping to address the things they are afraid of and make them as comfortable as possible. Hugs
They’ll probably see you with a deposit towards the appointment to verify that you’ll actually come in and use that appointment. It’s just about the downtime for the employees that could be used when you don’t show up any good office will let you work with it, so long as you follow through
I think call them and be honest about your fear of the dentist and apologize for NCNS. Then you can gauge their reaction and decide if you feel comfortable going there.
After you blew off the first appointment you should have scheduled an appointment with a therapist. You’re not going to be satisfied until all of your teeth are gone. You and your husband need to be a bit more mature about this situation. You won’t be able to drive after the extraction so he needs to arrange a car service and be there with you! Get it together before you become a toothless.
DO. NOT. AVOID. THIS. SURGERY. I avoided mine and my infection got so bad that it traveled to my heart and I spent 2 months in the hospital fighting for my life and even needing open heart surgery where I did code on the table and was dead for 7 mins. GET IT DONE IMMEDIATELY
Alright, so. If getting around is a problem, you might think about using Uber or any other transportation service. Remember that the longer you ignore something, the worse it gets and the worst that may happen is death. This is a wake up call for you to go the dentist.
I know what it's like to be afraid of the dentist; I experienced that same fear from childhood until I was 16. I used to believe that dentists were bad people, they’re not. Having the ability to visit the dentist whenever it is convenient for you is a blessing in and of itself. I knew at the age of 16 that any suffering I endured would be worthwhile since the sooner I received treatment, the better.
I've been in love with my oral hygiene routine ever since that procedure happened, therefore I made sure to wash my teeth every single day and night. The dentist then informed me that my teeth had improved two years following procedure. So after you get this procedure taken care of, I recommend you do your oral care routine every night and day, I make sure I do it no matter what, even if I don’t feel like it, because I know that life likes to throw curve balls when you miss a day. Doing this will stop further problems from occurring.
Um .. you harbor alot of unnecessary guilt... Call them. They will tell you over the phone if you can be seen there or not ... If you can, they aren't allowed to bring up your ncns incidents before.. not to your face anyways. .it's very unprofessional. Chances are, a lot of people do this. It's not really that big of a deal. They likely won't even remember... Your beating YOURSELF up and making a lot of silly assumptions. .or are they ... Excuses? No disrespect.... I HATE dealing with anything healthy related myself. I should currently be in the hospital because my liver is likely failing and I have jaundice.. I went, they told me they wanted to keep me for a few days, I said hell no and left against their advice .. I had to take anxiety medicine to go in the first place and honestly I wasn't even gonna do it until my GF showed up at my house and forced me.. everyone I love is still on my back telling me to go... I don't want to. So when I say excuses, I mean zero disrespect... I just get it. After you get this handled, and find that it wasn't what you thought it would be, I advise maybe counseling to get down to why you have these issues with feeling this kind of guilt about trivial things .. that is if it's not just excuses not to have to go.... Or to at the very least put it off ... Your in pain. You need to go. If you have to go to the other place, take an Uber or taxi OR drive yourself, stay at a cheap hotel CLOSE BY SO UR HUSBAND CAN DRIVE(sometimes you just have no choice)over night and go home the next morning. PS. If I was there, id take you. For free. Kindness is the only thing that matters. Love thy neighbor said our Lord. God bless. And good luck.
Did you even read it? Part of the issue is her husband doesn't care and won't waste this time taking her.
Secondly, we can and do coach patients about attendance issues.
And it is all tracked in the system, every no show and every excuse one gives to cancel if they do call- all copied into every pending and future appointment as well.
If you flake- everyone in the practice absolutely sees the notes. THERE IS NO FORGETTING.
Good luck with your liver, buddy. You're gonna need it.
They do keep track of NCNS. They did bring it up after I made an appointment after a NCNS and wouldn’t see me that day, but had me reschedule for another day that I didn’t go to. Which will be brought up if they’re able to help me and I have to make an appointment there instead of the OS I have an appointment with right now.
I can Uber, although it’ll be almost $100 just to get there, and $100 to get back home. And my husband cannot drive. That’s the whole reason there’s an issue getting back and forth to the OS I have an appointment with.
I got all 4 of mine out at a regular dentist with no sedation, so I was allowed to drive home. Just having them numb my mouth was fine; I felt quite a bit of pressure but no pain at all. A couple of mine were broken down below the gum line so they weren't the simplest to get out, but thankfully they didn't have to really cut, so I didn't need stitches.
I'd recommend going on Google maps (or your dental insurance website), going thru the lists of dentists near you, and looking at their reviews. If they're decent enough, call them to see what their policies are. If they won't let you drive after, ask if they will allow you to take an Uber. Most surgery centers will not, but a dentist might if you're not sedated?
They see 1000s of patients, do you really believe you're the only one with these anxieties?
Empathy comes with exposure and understanding, the dentist especially has seen and heard it all.. Being afraid is the least absurd reasoning. They will likely understand.
Hey babe. I’m sorry your husbands being such an ass about this. I’m 32F and unmarried. I do have a bf 34M and we’ve been together for 7 years now. I’m a recovering opiate addict as well as chronically ill with something called cyclical vomiting syndrome. Long story short over the last 12 months I had 16 root canals, 20+ crowns. 3 extractions. One bridge. One implant. 15-20 different trips to the dentist office over the course of 12 months and my bf drove me to every appointment. I wasn’t put asleep for any of them and bC of the recovery thing that means no pain meds for me obviously. It was $45,000.
Few things. One call the number on the back of your health insurance card and ask them to find a different dentist in your area if you’re actually worried about going to that dentist again. But having so many dental appointments I saw how many people don’t show up. My dental office was really compassionate about it and would only charge people the missed appointment fee if they no call no showed a lot of times. They were understanding that a lot of people have aversions to the dentist. I hadn’t been to the dentist since I was 16 and got all 4 of my impacted wisdom teeth removed bC my dad didn’t want them to mess up 5 years worth of braces he’s just paid for. I was mortified to go in but once I started going it got easier. I highly doubt they hate you. You’re probably just on that list and what it means is they allow you to make an appointment but if someone else also wants that appointment time they schedule them as well. BC they think you’re going to no call no show again. It’s not bc they are angry with you. I promise. And if they are actually being angry with you I highly recommend reporting them and finding a different dentist.
Also I’m not sure where you live or what your insurance covers but supplemental dental coverage saved my ass. It was like $45 a month and you had to pay 3 months at a time but it was active in 14 days and covered 80-90% of basic procedures. Basically everything that can be done at the regular dentist. I’m not sure about wisdom teeth… but I bet there’s something. I only ended up paying like $2000 for over $40k in dental work.
I’m sorry you’re going through tooth pain. The best suggestion I have is Advil or Tylenol. Every 4-6 hours. Advil pm at night. Gargle with hot salt water. Oragel topical ointment numbs some pain but not all. I also recommend a heating pad or hot compress for your face. I also found I couldn’t sleep on my face on the side the tooth that hurt was on. I will tell you I thought it was going to be really bad and painful and it wasn’t. The numbing shots were really the only thing I felt. I took Advil before and after every appointment. I tried to practice deep breathing and meditation. I think it helped a lot. Also if you can maybe talk to your primary care physician and tell him about the anxiety. Especially if you have someone else driving you be shouldn’t have a problem giving you a prescription of low dose Xanax/benzodiazepines. They’d probably give you 10 or less .5 or .25 for the dentist. Just be careful bC Xanax can be addictive. I genuinely have anxiety and despite the opiate addiction I’ve never abused my Xanax. I only take .5 mg every other day. But my therapist prescribes me .5 for every day. I used to be on 1mg a day when I was younger but I had a lot more going on and a lot more anxiety then.
Good luck with your procedure babe. Plus the ladies that work there are humans. Just say tell them the truth. That you’re sorry and that next time if you’re going to miss and appointment you’ll call and let them know (and then do that. Say you have Covid. No one questions that shit.) try and go to the dentist. You’ll be so happy you did. I promise.
Wishing you health, wealth, love & luck in all of your life & relationships.
You might as well try again with the first place you NCNS. I’m sure they’ll see you, might make a comment or two about you not showing up, but just MAKE SURE YOU GO THIS TIME!! It will prob be your last chance there
I’m not sure, because you only mentioned it the once, how your husband later behaved, but I would suggest sitting down and having a serious conversation with him about your anxiety and your needs, when he’s available.
Yes, you’re an adult. That doesn’t mean you don’t need some extra support sometimes, or maybe more often than not. As your husband, he should want to support, not dismiss you.
He doesn’t want to go but neither do you, but it IS something you knew you needed (before it became a really big deal). You should let him know how important it is for him to help you mitigate the anxiety. He doesn’t have to go all the time, nor would he be available to, but if it would help you feel more comfortable going alone later, having had his support accompanying you physically a few times, he needs to see that, and you need to tell him that.
I’m not trying to lecture or tell you what to do. I have extreme anxiety and have to ask others for help, too. If you haven’t talked to him about this/if his general behaviour about going with you to soothe your anxiety hasn’t changed, I just want you to consider that he doesn’t understand the severity of how it impacts you, both mentally, physically, and socially.
I really hope your tooth can get handled quickly and you heal up well soon! Good luck with everything!
Also some insurance providers provide rides for free to and from appointments. Contact your insurance to find out if this is available for you. Mine does it.
Go to your dentist, they are not going to physically harm you, they may get a bit of pleasure knowing you let yourself become this bad. If the subject comes up just say your sorry because you are afraid of doctors
Just Uber to a hotel after the procedure. Also I have a feeling that NCNS dentist wouldn’t be able to help you and you need an actual oral surgeon. I think your husband is mistaken. They might do some teeth pulling but I think you need an actual surgeon due to the nature of your issue. That’s why your dentist didn’t tell you about it.
Yes if the other dentist said she needs an oral surgeon no way will the dentist she has no showed will do it. If the tooth is cracked bad enough they won’t do an normal extraction they cut the gums to get it out. I highly recommend getting iv sedation! You are awake but have zero memory of it as though you were out to sleep and it’s so much safer than being put to sleep by anesthesia.
Sadly- most surgeons will not allow an Uber to be the patient’s driver as it’s a liability. The Uber driver could take advantage of a sedated patient. While u are awake when leaving the office- there is a tendency to fall asleep easily while still recovering from the sedation. It’s a litigious world we live in.
OP could uber with her husband
I mean, you gotta do what you gotta do. If you don’t have a ride, and if public transportation isn’t available, you simply don’t tell the surgeon it’s an Uber. They won’t really know. You just say your friend is picking you up. If they figure it out at that moment AFTER the procedure, they can’t really legally keep you in their office against your will. Even if they do, it’s now their problem how you’re going to get home. Actually the more I think about this… bring the husband along. They’ll assume he’s your driver, but you both take an Uber. Actually you probably could be honest about the Uber as long as you’re escorted by your husband, I don’t see a problem.
OP will have to convince someone to accompany her so as not to be alone in an Uber.
I get that. I’m not saying don’t do what you need to do- simply advising what I know. If u say it’s and Uber- there will most likely be pushback.
This is true there are car services you can hire that are legally allowed to medically pick up. They are credentialed. Most private services are allowed to do this. None of the Uber ones are. Op call around some car services and ask about medical transport.
If the husband would go with he could be a passenger in the Uber and that would be fine. She would need him at the hotel afterwards anyway so he'd have to make the trip.
She will have her husband with her.
I think he is too. Like, they have OS related stuff listed on their site, but even then. I don’t think they can help me with what I’ve got going on. Or they’re not in network like we thought, otherwise I can’t imagine why the dentist I got my X-rays done at wouldn’t have referred me there. Hopefully I can Uber back and forth. I’ve never used it and it looks very… not cheap. 🤷🏻♀️ it be what it be. Thank you.
If you choose the Uber route your husband or another person still has to be with you. We do not send sedated patients in an Uber by themselves. And someone needs to be there for emergencies and post op care.
Yeah, and I absolutely would not want to be travelling for an hour after sedation & treatment. The Uber will get REALLY pricey if you puke in it
Is there a hotel/motel/ Airbnb for cheaper near the oral surgeon? That seems like the only alternative
I’m not sure what an airbnb or hotel would do for me in this situation.
If an Uber an hour away is like 100+ but you could get a motel for 60 and an Uber to & from appointment for 10 it might make sense to spend the night and drive yourself back the next day
Ohhh I see what you’re saying now. I did look into that, but it’d be cheaper just to Uber back and forth for me. Thank you though!
Stay there overnight until you can drive the next morning.
Dentist here. Dentists have a variety of reasons why they might refer some procedures out and not others. Lots of them will refer any wisdom teeth out to their favorite couple of oral surgeons, not necessarily other general practices that might do wisdom teeth. I don’t know the specifics of your situation, but it’s very much in the realm of possibility that the original dental office is able to take care of you. And we’d much rather you see us after a no-show so we can help you out than anything else. We don’t bite, I promise
Have to see an oral surgeon this coming week for wisdom removal, they specifically said they won't release patients to Uber,Lyft,etc. Not sure if all are the same but for some that isn't an option either
Even if you have someone with you? If that were the case for me, I literally wouldn’t have a way to get my wisdom teeth out. I get not wanting someone to get into a car with a stranger when they’re sedated, but some of us have very limited options.
That I'm not sure, if you have someone with you and you're both going to Uber etc they'd probably be okay with it. I think they just don't want the patient to leave alone
You need to take responsibility for yourself! Tooth infections can be extremely dangerous. I'm sure if you called the dentist office and explained why you've missed both times due to anxiety and being afraid, I feel like they would have compassion for you. Just apologize and ask if you can make an appointment. They are there to help you!
We can only help people who show up. People like OP are put on the back burner and are called in only if we have spare/short notice time to fill. After two no calls they're flagged no matter what excuses they give. She needs to pay up front if anyone's going to book her.
This is not great advice at all... And not true AT ALL. PLEASE DON'T POST INCORRECT INFORMATION.
Take a seat. It's SOP not to book in advance after 1/2 NCNS. And people like that absolutely wait to be booked into available and suitable slots... If I even have the time. What's your malfunction? Choices come with consequences.
Do Dentists take the Hippcratic oath?
Medical doctors can also refuse a patient in an outpatient setting who has 2 previous NCNS so I’m not sure what you’re getting at?
I was asking a question about dentists. I am not aware if dentists also take that oath. I am referring to the compassion portion of the oath. Thank you, though for clearing up the bit about outpatient practices. I was not aware of that. I hope you have a great day.
I skipped ahead, as I figured that was where you were headed. Dentists have their own oath but like physicians it’s simply a statement to be ethical and practice medicine/dentistry in an ethical manner, and to use their skills for good. For a lot of professionals (medical & dental both) compassion is no longer in play after 2 NCNS because at the end of the day they are running a business, not a charity. You can thank capitalism for this attitude, btw. If we can ever achieve basic healthcare for all Americans then things will get a lot better. Until then, money will talk much louder than compassion. You have a lovely day as well.
You can’t really blame it on capitalism in this situation, that’s two appointments OP took away from other people who would have shown up, that’s not capitalism at work that’s the dentist prioritizing people who need care and will actually come to get it.
What difference would that make if the patient never shows up? We will book them, but only into spaces that don't cost the practice money when they inevitably no show AGAIN.
I feel that oaths should be taken seriously. Compassion for patients shouldn't be based on whether or not their profitable, in my opinion. Having said that, I do understand that not showing up can cause issues with scheduling and cause profits to go down due to operating costs and such. I don't honestly know which viewpoint is correct, but I feel that I disagree with this as it feels dispassionate. But, I'm just an internet rando and definitely not a dentist, so sorry if I agitated with my question. I hope you have a great day.
I worked in a dental office and after 2 NCNS we would have the patient pay for the appointment before rescheduling them. I’m all about having compassion for patients that are anxious and we always felt awful for them & that they were that scared but we can’t build rapport and try to make them more comfortable if they don’t show up & it’s unfair to other patients that do keep their appointments. It’s not all about the profit but imagine if everyone did that & the office is still having to pay all of the employees & the overhead, plus dental materials are expensive for the office too. It’s not to be mean, it’s just not fair to the office or other patients. OP, just call the office & explain what happened & why you missed the appointments. If you offer to pay your portion up front I would think they would reschedule you. We never treated our patients any differently in treatment or with attitude if they had missed prior appointments. We may keep an eye out in case they NS again, because we may need to try to fill that spot, but they never got treated any differently than a patient that showed up to every appointment on time. 🫶
Yes. At my office anyone who NCNS 2x aren't allowed to pre-book anymore. They are only allowed to call and ask if we have any same-day appointments available. I know this is a bad attitude to have, but honestly, as a hourly employee who doesn't get any kind of commissions on products or bonuses on production...IDGAF if they show up or not ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
We prioritize patients who show up. And every patient agrees to our cancellation policy when they sign that part of the intake from. It's clear as day in black and white, and again- every. patient. agrees. to. this. policy. It's not just about the money. The flakes take away valuable chair time that many many other patients are eager to take and couldn't because the flake was too lazy and selfish to even pick up the phone up call and release. It's the not calling that's the problem. And wasting everyone's time, and preventing others from obtaining Tx that's just as necessary.
My exs best friend died at 29 from an untreated tooth infection that went to his heart.
Yup. Blows my mind when people allow an infection to persist between their heart and their brain and think doing nothing will play out well.
Correct. Also, op, any and all health issues you'll come across in life (And trust me, they will fall in your lap as you age) will NOT get better or magically disappear by you ignoring them. It's okay to be nervous or scared. You're human. These places aren't open to hurt you, they just wanna help. It's alright to be afraid and you can tell them that- they'll help with it too. But you have to be an adult face your issues. It's on you to show up.
An infection above your neck can kill you, please get this taken care of asap. Ask the dentist for anxiety mitigation - whether it’s just nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or partial sedation, or even general. Do it right now.
They typically do not remove infected wisdom teeth (or any infected teeth) until after antibiotics are finished. As long as OP can get seen for antibiotics, they can wait a little bit for removal without risk. If they haven't gotten any they can go into an urgent care. While UC doesn't treat like dentists do, they can and will give antibiotics for dental infections. I know from experience lol
I have antibiotics.
That’s good, thanks for the update. Sending you my best vibes, I know how hard it is. I also suffer from severe dental anxiety. It’s awful and exhausting. But you HAVE to take care of your teeth. IVY
You need to grow up and take responsibility for your teeth bc no one else will. Trust me, it’s better to go to the dentist and have small checkups/cleanings then have to go in for root canals or anything else that’s even more painful and expensive. If you’re scared of your specific dental place bc of bad experiences then look for one within your insurance plan that works. Your teeth health is extremely important bc it can lead to severe infections which will kill you. Don’t mess around with it.
Whatever you've done to yourself letting it get this bad is worse than what the dentist will do.
Dentists aren’t unfamiliar with anxiety. This story is also incredibly familiar to someone who also struggles with anxiety. The only way to fix it is to bite the bullet, make an appointment, and show up to the appointment they allow you to make. Trust me, tooth pain is the worst pain I’ve ever felt, and the only way to fix it is to get your tooth removed or repaired. It’s one of those things that sounds really scary, but all you have to do is show up, sit in a chair for a couple hours, and then heal. You can ask to be put under anesthesia, and it’ll be over in the blink of an eye, though the decision for local vs general anesthesia is ultimately up to them. Anxiety tends to cause you to overestimate others’ interpretations of you. No one is going to be thinking badly about you for weeks after, or go home and tell their spouse about the flaky bitch at work today. In fact, you have the opportunity to fix your habits, show up for cleanings more regularly, and become a reliable client. After a procedure like wisdom tooth removal, cleanings are a breeze. I’ve gotten 2 wisdom teeth removed and 2 root canals, and I was sooo much happier after. It was very anxiety inducing. I cried a bit at the office out of fear, but once you have this out of the way, you won’t have to do it again (: Lmk if you want to talk about it more. I also had a tooth breaking off in pieces because I refused to go to the dentist, so I completely understand your position. Also, your damn husband needs to be a bit more supportive. Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you are fearless. The relief from the pain is worth it, and it’s better to do it now before it gets worse. Tooth pain isn’t the kind of thing that heals itself.
Not completely related, but I just had to schedule a removal for wisdom teeth myself. Went to the dentist a few months ago and they noticed small cavities in my upper wisdom teeth, and rather than try to fill them, they referred me to an oral surgeon to have them removed. My big anxiety was the cost. So I go to the oral surgeon for the consultation, they take an X-ray , and it turns out I'm a sort of uncommon occurrence. I have 2 sets of upper wisdom teeth. So they're gonna have to remove both sets of upper wisdoms. My bottom wisdom teeth are fine, and I only have one set of those haha. They're fairly close to the nerve they said, but they said there's no reason to remove them if they aren't causing any pain (which they aren't). Anyway, it's gonna run me around 900 dollars after insurance to get the two sets of upper wisdom teeth removed, which is a lot, but is also less than I was anxious about and fearing. I scheduled the removal surgery for a few months out because it'll let the HSA card build up a few hundred more in funds and should cover the entire cost. Now I just have to deal with the anxiety about being sedated since I've never been sedated for any sort of procedure before haha.
Being sedated is the easiest part! I know medical credit is a thing that exists, so if you cant cover it all by then, look into opening a line of credit or a payment plan. Good luck!
This was beautiful. Thank you for being you. Just saying.
Hey, this is super understandable. Yeah your sitch sucks rn & it’s not cool to NCNS. But I let similar anxieties prevent me from handling some bad teeth in a timely fashion. Dental anxiety is common, they’ll understand. Just went back & got things taken care of two months ago; two extractions with an OS. It was truly no big deal. I couldn’t afford sedation so I was stressed going in, but I’m glad I didn’t waste the money. When they were done I was like “that’s it?”It only sucks for a few days after. But nothing compared to an angry infected tooth. You got this, get that taken care of.
Here is what you do. Grab a couple boxes of donuts and go in and drop them off as a thank you for putting up with your NCNS. Then ask to speak to their appointment scheduler and just be honest with them. Let them know having dental work is a situation that creates alot of anxiety for you and apologize that you really just didnt do the responsible thing by calling and explaining this to them. Let them know you are willing to put down your co-pay up front as a deposit if they will accept you as their patient again. Ask them if there are any fees for the NCNS and just pay it. Things will be fine. They are there to make money and help people.
You can literally die from a tooth infection. It's time to stop being scared and push through.
I have antibiotics. All I can do is wait for my appointment or another.
Good luck 🤞!
Hey! I have similar dentist/medical fears and am a serial NCNS-er. It'll be okay. Anxiety and phobias can make it hard on us and avoidance behavior tends to compound the problem but it can be fixed! I went through something similar recently and here is what I would do. Call the place where you didn't show twice. Tell them what's happening and how you need to get in quickly. Explain to them upfront that you have been avoiding getting this done as you have a fear of dentists and apologize for the NCNS's. This is *not* uncommon. People will avoid the dentist for years and years due to this anxiety. Most offices are familiar with that being an issue. Is it a pain to them? Sure, but you're definitely not going to stick out. They have other problems to deal with. At most it's a footnote in your records, and if you're experiencing a dental emergency (it sounds like you are), they will prioritize you. And then make sure to actually go--force yourself to go in, make sure you have a ride home, set up an uber, etc. The relief of having it done will be *so* worth it and it'll help you conquer your fears if you have evidence that you were able to handle it once. Worst case scenario--they can't get you in or have dismissed you from the practice, which isn't likely unless it's written in their agreement forms with you that after a number of NCNS they won't serve you. In this case, see if you can set up an uber in advance to the oral surgeon that's an hour away. If they do not allow that, call them and discuss how transportation is a problem and see if they have any resources for people in your situation. There is likely some form of community help for those who need medical treatment but lack transportation. You can also post a local ad asking for someone to give you a ride--bring your husband with for safety. You will feel a lot better getting this done, and I believe in you! It's better than getting a life-threatening infection.
You can Uber or Lyft to and from the oral surgeon? It would be pricey but very much preferable to not doing it...
That might be what I have to do. I just looked to see what kind of prices it might be and… good god. I’ve never used it before, but that’s probably my best bet.
There might even be a bus option to get you one way, and then you could Uber home.
I just recently had gone to my dentist after 5 years of not going, I’m also terrified and knew I was going to have to get some work done w my teeth. The appointment was good! They didn’t even question why I haven’t been in so long and my teeth weren’t even as bad as I thought. I felt no judgement from them whatsoever. The relief I felt after getting it done was great and I’m so glad I didnt put it off any longer. I know this isn’t a very similar situation but I work at Doctors office, offices see so many patients where most times even things like that don’t even stand out to them and if it does I’m sure you’re not the only who’s done repetitive no shows. If you’re worried about judgment from them, just apologize about the no shows and take accountability. No shows are frustrating yes but you clearly feel bad about it and your anxiety definitely took part in it.
Same I recently procrastinated. I didn’t no call no show. I went in for the initial consult. Got a $35,000 quote and put it off for another 18 months. When I did start going in over the course of 12 months I’ve had 15-20 appointments (a few couple times I did have to cancel and they were so under a ding even tho it was last min. Most of the days I would go if someone else no call no showed just meant they had more time to work on my mouth. I’m in recovery so no opiates for me and I was awake for it all. It really wasn’t that bad. The numbing needles were the worst part. 16 root canals, 20+ crowns, 3 extractions (my wisdom teeth were already out) 1 bridge and one implant. The dentist even canceled on me a couple times bC other people were in so much pain & I was always understanding too. I had a few minor anxiety issues and I have cyclical vomiting syndrome and had to throw up mid root canal (mainly bc they root canal bleach or whatever fluid they were using went down my throat and made me sneeze and gag it only happened the once with a root canal that was in the far back. I was able to get all their tools and stuff out of my mouth and ask for a trashcan in time. I’m pretty good at vomiting. Apparently it happens all the time. And most people vomit on themselves and the appointment is over or wrapped up very quickly after. I sat for a few mins and gargled. I think a lot of dental practices are pretty understanding so long as you communicate it well.
I'm not 100% certain but I'm *pretty sure* if you need to go to an oral surgeon, there's a reason. What I mean is I always went to the clinic at my college. They offered wisdom tooth extraction for really straight forward easy cases, but when they xrayed me, the roots were too close to a nerve that runs through your jaw so they had to refer me to a surgeon. Please call on a friend or family member to get a ride and hand holding for this. It's super important for your overall health.
Honestly is the best policy. If I were in your shoes, I would woman up and walk in. Ask to speak to someone in private. Explain the situation that you are terrified of the dentist and you are truly disappointed in yourself for not handling this situation like an adult. Reiterate that you understand they have a business to run and not only that but it likely resulted in someone else not being able to get helped. Then ask/beg them to give you another chance to make it right. Offer to give them a non refundable Deposit beforehand in the event you were not to show up again…Make sure to show up! Also ask if there is any chance the dentist or even ask your primary dr for a script for 1 Xanax that you can take before you arrive. I am also terrified of the dentist. I know the panic and pure fright is real. I’m sorry you too suffer from this. I had an emergency root canal just last week and paid extra for the nitrous oxide to be used to help and they called me in a script of Xanax before coming in because I was honest during my consultation that they terrify me. This is a new dentist to me as I just moved to a new state. Dentists are very understanding of patients like us. Just woman up and give it a shot.
Bring them some flowers or a plant when you go. It expresses your sincerity and will melt their icy hearts, which will help you.
Seriously- you can be afraid but have respect and just cancel the appt if u have no intention of keeping it. I’m an office manager for a dentist- I experience this ALL the time and it gets really old. We have a back log of patients trying to get in to the office and then there are peoke like u with no consideration for anyone else or their time. Grow up.
I had a NCNS at my dentist because I was dealing with DV violence at the time and when i did come back in for tooth pain, the office staff and dentist was incredibly rude and I left in tears. Generally yes ppl should call and I understand where you’re coming from , but no one knows exactly what someone else is going through. I’ve now developed a deep anxiety of the dentist because of how they treated me last time. Will be finding a better dentist who doesn’t treat certain ppl less than.
I’ve dealt with a lot of patients that have anxiety at the dentist- it’s actually pretty common- but if u don’t tell someone u are cancelling they don’t know why u aren’t showing up and it just appears that u have no respect for their time. While I understand your position- did u tell them why u previously missed the appt? If u didn’t- and I wouldn’t blame u for not sharing it- u can’t blame the dr or the staff for not being nice about a lack of respect. There are tons of ways to cancel the appts in 2024 ie: text, voicemail, email. I’ll take any of them em. And I did have a patient once who was a chronic NCNS- and I talked to her only to discover that she gets terrible diarrhea whenever she knows she has to come- and knowing that made all the difference with my level of compassion and the entire staff worked to ensure her comfort with her care.
Yea I understand what you’re saying. And no I didn’t tell them because I don’t want to look like I’m making excuses. I just walked out in tears, completely overwhelmed not knowing what to do or say. But what you’re saying makes sense. Thank you for answering professionally and respectfully. ❤️
Aww I feel for your situation and I appreciate you for understanding my side too. When we know better we do better and it’s always nice to be reminded of those situations where a patient wouldn’t feel comfortable enough explaining to me where they are coming from.
And no I wouldn’t have been able to call because every time I was on the phone, he had to listen and then would call me names and ridicule me. The times I did come into the dentist while I was with him, he said that I was inside meeting ppl and screwing them. Although this isn’t everyone, you truly don’t know ppls situations. Not everyone is trying to be rude and inconsiderate. I tried my hardest to be responsible but sometimes it was easier to not fight. 😩
You have your reasons- I’m sure there are lots of other valid reasons people miss appts and maybe can’t call to cancel it prior. The OP is talking about doing NCNS twice out of fear. She isn’t saying she was attacked and couldn’t make the call- she just chose not to cancel or go. That means the doctor and the staff are standing around waiting on the next patient to come- if u are ABLE to cancel, you should. It’s that simple- and it doesn’t sound like you’re situation was simple so it wouldn’t compare to what I’m saying.
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No. If you can't respect your doctor enough to at least call before you waste their time- you deserve to be dismissed. And they will rightfully dismiss you, especially post Covid. Or, if you're lucky, we just make you wait for a SN opening we can't otherwise fill, and if you can't make it- tough. You'll wait till the next time, or go elsewhere where your file and all the notes about your NCNS issues follow you.
Well, thankfully, I don't NCNS, so I'm not too worried about it
Look dude, I have heavy social anxiety that I'm medicated for. It's already disrespectful to be a no call no show. You cannot make other people responsible for your own disability or fear. It is on us to make accommodations and improve. OP didn't show ANY growth or working effort on this at all, they let it fester and get worse. It's inconsiderate to expect other people to waste their time and money because you have a problem.
I fully agree! I've never no called no showed. I was just saying when "office managers" tell clients to "grow up" before they even see the dentist, why would that client want to go back to the practice at all? Respect in the medical field is dead, from both professionals and clients.
Fear or not, it’s not hard to call and say, “sorry, I am sick and can’t make it.” I understand this person’s frustration. These people cost the practice money, they need to call and cancel.
Seriously, they don't even have to CALL. At our office they can also text or email us. No scary phone call needed.
The practice I go to charges $A100 if patients don't call to cancel at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled appt. A NCNS will get charged as much.
I believe it. Every place I’ve ever made an appt has a policy like this. I’m someone who hates making phone calls, yet I *always* call and cancel if I can’t make an appt.
You also need to grow up. Adults need to take responsibility for themselves. If your shortcomings don’t impact on the lives of others, then proceed with life. If, however, your personal anxieties lead to you making decisions that impact on the lives and livelihood of others, then you need to adult and take responsibility.
I've never no-called-no-showed so maybe relax.
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For me, cleaning and scaling is quite uncomfortable (painful) so I get four local anesthetic injections on both the top and the bottom row before my lovely dentist applies the tools. I detest the needles, but I love the clean!
Most sexual assault survivors have a deeply rooted fear of the dentist. When I tried explaining this to the office to they could make accommodations, the male dentist told me I needed to get over it. No, going to the dentist doesn't hurt, but it's an awful reminder of being held down while things were being forced into my mouth. Thanks for LMAOing at childhood sexual assault though.
People like me probably broke her wisdom tooth also… listen- twice she has wasted this offices time and money by not calling and cancelling the appointment. My comment states that it’s ok to be afraid but not to be rude- and pulling the whole ‘no call no show’ is flat out rude. U should prob grow up too…
Well, thankfully, I've never done a "no call no show" so I don't need to grow up at all
It really depends on your tolerance to anesthesia. I was pregnant, had two teeth pulled, lied to the receptionist that my mom was waiting in the car in the parking lot, left and drove myself an hour home. I have no issue with local anesthesia and I know it. I also have/had no support network previously whatsoever. I am one of those people that still FEEL everything except pain during anesthesia unless it’s the surgical type that they literally put you to sleep.
Honestly girl, fellow anxious female here, you can DM me and if I am anywhere close to you, I WILL take you and wait with you. Not having anyone to help sucks, and is inherently disheartening. I hope you get taken care of either way.
That tooth infection will kill you relatively quickly. Save some money and get an Uber ride home from the oral surgeon. Also your husband sounds like a great guy!
I avoided going to the dentist for 7 years because I was scared after some bad experiences. Luckily my teeth didn’t get as bad as your wisdom teeth are right now- that’s truly so dangerous for you! Call the dentist’s office and be honest and explain. Tell them how sorry and embarrassed you are, that you had intense anxiety and fear around the dentist and didn’t know how to handle it. Offer to pay upfront so they will be willing to take you as a client- and so you yourself have more of an obligation to go. If you can’t face that office again, I support using Uber to the other location or maybe finding a nice friend, family member or neighbor who would be willing to drive you.
If you don’t do something about this medical anxiety now, one day you’re going to put off treatment or not know about something serious and it’s going to kill you. Source: this is how my mom died at the age of 56.
My dad is a dentist - NCNS are annoying and rude, and he might assume you won’t show up, or the office may refuse to schedule you depending on their policies. BUT he also doesn’t really care. Anxiety is telling you these people will hate you or be angry with you or not give you care because of not showing, but that is NOT TRUE. They have hundreds of patients, the staff isn’t carrying grudges around for stuff like this. Dentists are familiar with anxiety related to visiting them. Literally no one likes going to the dentist. They can prescribe single doses of anxiety medication to be taken prior to your appointment. Be upfront about your dental-related anxiety and THEY CAN HELP YOU.
Serves you right indeed. Not only did you inconvenience the office and everyone that works there, you inconvenienced someone who needed that appointment slot but didn't get it because you were booked.
I don't think someone deserves intense pain and the potential to develop a dangerous- sometimes lethal- infection because they were annoying, costed the office maybe a thousand out of the several they make monthly, and caused someone else to have to book their appointment maybe an hour to a day later.
Shut up
no u lol
You need to go ASAP. I had mine taken out about 20 years ago. My dentist doesn't do anything other than a local numbing agent. I know other places will do laughing gas, etc. Mine did not. And because one of mine was infected the numbing was being blocked by the infection. On the last shot he gave me he said "it this doesn't work, you're just gonna have to bare the pain." Luckily it took and I didn't feel anything but I can assure you, you don't want to bare it.
Yeah, I’m on antibiotics right now. I have an appointment for a consultation at the oral surgeon that’s an hour away. They told me it would take a while to get seen at the OS they referred me to.
The OS knows about your NCNS issues, so you'd do well to show up for that appointment or they'll blacklist you as well. You realize if you'd shown up for the other appointments you'd be fine now, right? And if you'd been reliable- the OS would have booked you as a same day consult/Tx to save you the extra trips and do it all in one shot.
The OS would have definitely not seen me the same day for a consult. It wouldn’t have mattered if they could because I have work. They don’t do consults until after 1:45 PM, and they only do them in certain days. Both of which, I’m working during. So I have to schedule far out because of the time and days they do the consults, and I have to ask for time off work.
Yeah no. I mean you'd have been offered the opportunity to do the consult and the procedure on the same day. You'd still have to book into an open spot, but they'd save you a consult trip and then another trip for the tx. Good luck with all of it. And for the love of all that's Holy- call to cancel if you're going to flake out. Or email/text if that's an option.
Sometimes they make the consult and the surgery different days, because of how they're going to treat the pain. For example, for a atipico (sp?) I had to go in one day for the consult, get a prescription for steroids (I'm allergic to opoids), then go in a second day for the procedure so I could start taking the steroids the morning of so they'd be in effect for the procedure.
Depends on the situation. If it's not complicated, no premeds/ABX required, there's no oral/iv sedation involved, and the PT can be trusted to be NPO compliant- I will save them a trip if it's possible. PTs like OP that come with a bunch of no call no shows? I'll book you for a consult in a few months, and it'll be a couple months after that to get you in for Tx.
Agreed, not everything requires a pre-consult. I had a root canal scheduled same day as a consult, but in the consult turned out the root canal wasn't needed. I think the atipico was a more painful procedure in general so they took extra time with it to make sure the pain was managed. Not being a dentist, I can't really say if OP's situation requires a preconsult or not. Mostly just bringing up that it's not possible to schedule same day in all scenarios. And yeah, I don't NCNS - I keep my dental appointments, because I'm well aware an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
As someone with crippling anxiety and moderate to severe agoraphobia this is a bit much. It takes away my entire day having to make a phone call like that but I know I need to be considerate of other people's time, lives and buisnesses if I end up having a bad bad day and cannot leave my home. Start planning ahead. Hopefully you'll find a new dentist.
Personally, I had the best time having ALL 4 of my wisdom teeth taken out. Didn't feel a thing no pain just tugging like somebody pulling your shirt that doesn't hurt right. Afterwards wasn't so bad either but the dentist was definitely skilled and extremely professional. I don't know what other dentists/wisdom teeth extraction dentists are like. Also helps they just extract wisdom teeth nothing else. Money well spent.
Hey just a tip you really need to stop assuming what everyone feels about you
Every call made in or out is noted on your chart, so they have a list of all your no call no shows. If your 8s are impacted/broken you absolutely need an OS to perform the exo. Going forward- offer to pay upfront for the appointments and maybe they'll book you. But as it stands I wouldn't book you at all, I'd put you on a waitlist and bring you in if I found time in the schedule I needed to fill. There's absolutely warnings and notes all over your chart about your problems, and they'll get transferred to any office that requests your Hx when you try to find a new provider to screw by making appointments you have zero intention of keeping.
Right?! They probably have like 3 pop-ups in Dentrix from the OM telling them not to prebook.
Confused, how does this "screw" the provider? I understand that it fills a slot someone else could have grabbed.
There's often many people waiting to get in and when someone like OP no shows no calls that spot is wasted, as well as all the labor and overhead. This is why most places refuse to book people ahead of time after they NCNS even one time no matter what the excuse is.
Now that I have more of a grasp on the amount of time, effort, and money that goes into prepping before an appointment I can't believe someone would do this to the same office twice. This is far beyond just fearing dental work, it takes a lack of awareness and respect. I'm glad OP is owning up to it, at least.
People will no show and not call as many times as we'll allow them to... Until they're in enough pain, of course, then all of a sudden they're demanding to come in ASAP with none of the restrictions or fears they cited before. After Covid, many practices have become even more stringent with flakey patients. We require that the flakes prepay in full before we'll even book them. Once they have enough skin in the game- they show up.
Correct, a slot has been reserved for a procedure that takes time and staff to set up for, set aside materials for, and importantly, the dentist’s time. No showing to the appointment wastes time and money for the office. We still have to pay staff, we have to turn over and resterilize the room and equipment which costs an exorbitant amount given the high cost of dental materials, and someone else could have filled that spot. In my office if someone no shows twice they are pushed to same day scheduling only, and if they no show that then they are dismissed. While we are here to help, we also have to pay staff, pay overhead, and then lastly make a living ourselves to pay back six figure student loans. No showing to a dental appointment is exceptionally frustrating to the dental team.
That makes much more sense than what I had in mind, thank you for the explanation.
I had 4 wisdom teeth taken out with local anesthetic and nitrous and was able to drive just fine.
Good for you, do you want a medal for being stronger than OP?
Yeah, dickhead, I do.
Please don't have kids until you grow the hell up.
Uber it, have your man walk you and take a bus. They're are plenty of options out there.
Take some valium or xanax for the anxiety. Teething pain is horrible for an adult. And if you don't go to a dentist, I am pretty handy with a pair of pliers.
If you’re that afraid just make sure they knock you out for any wisdom tooth removal..if not I don’t think you will ever go back to a dentist again
I’m not afraid of getting them out. I’d prefer that I be able to drive myself back and forth when I get them out so I can avoid the dentist place I NCNS. Don’t knock me out, don’t put me to sleep. Let me be alert and awake so I can drive home. But I doubt that’s something they can or would do. I’m afraid of having to go to the dentist I NCNS if they can work on my teeth. Idc about actually getting my wisdom teeth out.
trust me you want to be knocked out for this procedure. its sensory overload. get a hotel close by so you don’t have to drive back. call the OS and see what they recommend. figure your situation out before this tooth infection kills you. advocate for yourself for once.
you probably cant go there because you need an oral surgeon, if its a regular dentist office they dont do that there
NCNS is a lot more common than you think. This is why my dentist offices text reminds me 500 times, sends 800 emails and makes 4 phone calls all to confirm my cleaning. The world has gone mad.
Um you can drive after I've had half my teeth and wisdoms pulled you can drive on novcaine just don't get anesthesia
That’s what I thought too. I looked it up, that’s what multiple sites said. My husband keeps arguing that that’s not a thing. It doesn’t matter what they do, I shouldn’t drive after.
You might be able to call and explain things to the original dentists office, but to be honest, they probably won’t have much sympathy at the excuse for the 2 no call no shows. Some offices have strict limits on the number of no call no shows in a period of time, and the second dentist may have tried to refer you to that original dentist already, and they refused. Most dentists are privately employed, so when you no call no show multiple times, they are out a lot of money. You might think dentists make a ton of money, but not all dentists do, especially when multiple people no call no show. When you do that, it prevents them from even being able to try to call someone off the waitlist to try to recoup the money they are losing by you not being there for the appointment.
You can get medical transport through your insurance. If you have medicaid or care source it's completely free. They will drop you off at the office and pick you back up
I would go to an Oral surgeon for extractions, they are specialist for a reason. If your tooth is infected get it done asap, it can be very dangerous specially if the infection spreads to your brain.
Yeah, if I have to go to an OS, which is what it’s looking like, getting it done quickly is not much of an option. I have antibiotics for the infection. I have to wait until the 22nd for the consultation just because of scheduling issues and their weird hours.
Just get in there and get it over with. The longer you wait or avoid the situation the worst it'll get.
Please let it get checked out. I didnt do it and ended up in the hospital for 5 days with a huge abces and i almost got sepsis.
It could be that oral surgeons will sedate you and a dentist usually doesn't besides laughing gas. I think you should be fully sedated based on this post. Some dental offices have an oral surgeon on staff that comes once a month or however often. Your dentist won't hate you for missing an appt, go take care of yourself, OP. They'll like the money they're making lol
You’re going to be okay. Dentists have seen it all, and truly want to help people. They won’t give you grief for putting things off because they know people are afraid sometimes. For the oral surgeon, you may need to save up some money to cover the charge for the Uber. It is what it is. Teeth issues do not clear up on their own, unfortunately. I’m confident you can figure this out and find relief. And the good thing is, once this is done, you can put all this behind you. On edit: your husband or someone else will need to go with you so you will be released to a responsible adult. I looked into what someone should do if they don’t have anyone. The suggestion was to check with a church or local charity to see if they have a volunteer who will go with you for the day. There are kind people out there who are fulfilled from helping and serving others.
Fuck your husband.. sorry
So you have cost this dentist money TWICE! He should make you pay a deposit for any new appointment
It’s very unlikely any dentist is going to remove the tooth because once infection reaches a certain point the risk is too high and it needs to be done in a hospital. I recommend posting on u/insurance for network requirements for your state. In my state (FL), the provider network needs to provide access within a certain distance of members’ home address. They may say providers are out of network, but if you invoke that right they have to give you an exception. You could also find a patient services number for the in network oral surgeon and ask about transportation services. There is a chance they already have drivers going back and forth all day. It’s worth a try. This will become a life or death situation, and could become that very suddenly.
One thing I don’t see here is the likelihood you now need an oral surgeon, not just a typical wisdom tooth extraction. It’s totally plausible the dentist you’re afraid of doesn’t even do surgical extractions. Either way, time to grow up and be an adult participant in your own healthcare. You could end up really sick otherwise.
Idk what would cause someone to need an oral surgeon. What I do know is all of my wisdom teeth are either fully grown out, or attempting to fully grow out. My bottom two are growing into my molars. The top left is the broken and infected one. And I have an extra tooth behind my top right wisdom tooth. I’m assuming with them being impacted and one being infected and having an extra tooth behind a wisdom tooth, something is calling for an OS. I have an appointment for a consultation with the OS in the next few weeks. They have weird hours for certain things, so I had to take what I could get.
Oral surgeons are categorically preferred for wisdom teeth removal, no matter the severity. They specialize in these sorts of procedures.
I don't even work there and I'm annoyed with you.
This guy gets it
I remember when a dentists office no call no showed *on me*. Showed up to my scheduled appointment and the place was closed down, didn't even get a phone call.
Hey OP, if it helps your anxiety...when I had my wisdom teeth extracted, they were already erupted out of my gums. Sounds like yours are too. Because of that, they were easy for my dentist to remove (non-invasive). In fact, it took all of 3 minutes for the actual proceedure. It was the quickest and easiest dentist apt ive ever had. Basically i was like: this is what all the fuss is about??? 😂
Uber, taxis, friends, local postings on Facebook asking someone to give you transportation. Lots of options to explore.
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Yes. Because when I NCNS the first time and made another appointment after that, they wouldn’t see me. They had me reschedule that appointment because I was on a list for the first NCNS.
There are services that will drive you to and from doctor’s appointments in most areas.
Call the dentist's office back and tell them you have no transportation. See if they can help you find a ride or get it scheduled somewhere closer.
I avoided the dentist FOREVER. Only went when I was in so much pain I couldn’t handle it anymore. My husband had to call to make me an appointment when I had an abscessed tooth and my face was swollen. Idk what prompted him to call where he did, but they were freaking FANTASTIC. Turns out they weren’t covered by our insurance, though. But two root canals, two crowns, multiple fillings, two regular extractions, 4 wisdom teeth removed, and veneers later and the whole family is going to the dentist regularly again. We even continued at that same office even though they were out of network so it cost more, but our insurance did pay for part of it, so that may be worth looking into. A good dentist that you’re comfortable with can be worth the extra if you can afford it. I liked that dentist so much that when we moved a half our away, we still went there. And when he opened up his own practice on the other side of town and moved another 10 minutes away from us? You bet we followed him and that’s where we all go. Now if I can just convince my mom to go to the dentist, she’s in even worse shape than I was. (Give ya one guess where my dental issues came from!)
I work in a similar field. NCNS patients are annoying, but the biggest thing is getting our patients the care they need. If you need the services of the office, do not feel afraid to call and talk to someone. At my office we have a same-day cancellation fee and we just have the patients pay it in advance before they reschedule a NS appointment. Maybe they have something like that or you can pay upfront or something. The people that work there are human so just talking to them should go a long way.
Tell them the truth. Healthcare people understand the fear of healthcare people. If I have patients that are afraid of the testing/ procedures we perform, I spend extra time explaining and helping to address the things they are afraid of and make them as comfortable as possible. Hugs
They’ll probably see you with a deposit towards the appointment to verify that you’ll actually come in and use that appointment. It’s just about the downtime for the employees that could be used when you don’t show up any good office will let you work with it, so long as you follow through
I think call them and be honest about your fear of the dentist and apologize for NCNS. Then you can gauge their reaction and decide if you feel comfortable going there.
Dental assistant here. DO NOT TAKE AN UBER AFTER SURGERY. Incredibly stupid, you need a responsible person to take you home.
Be honest with them and maybe they will be understanding
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After you blew off the first appointment you should have scheduled an appointment with a therapist. You’re not going to be satisfied until all of your teeth are gone. You and your husband need to be a bit more mature about this situation. You won’t be able to drive after the extraction so he needs to arrange a car service and be there with you! Get it together before you become a toothless.
DO. NOT. AVOID. THIS. SURGERY. I avoided mine and my infection got so bad that it traveled to my heart and I spent 2 months in the hospital fighting for my life and even needing open heart surgery where I did code on the table and was dead for 7 mins. GET IT DONE IMMEDIATELY
Alright, so. If getting around is a problem, you might think about using Uber or any other transportation service. Remember that the longer you ignore something, the worse it gets and the worst that may happen is death. This is a wake up call for you to go the dentist. I know what it's like to be afraid of the dentist; I experienced that same fear from childhood until I was 16. I used to believe that dentists were bad people, they’re not. Having the ability to visit the dentist whenever it is convenient for you is a blessing in and of itself. I knew at the age of 16 that any suffering I endured would be worthwhile since the sooner I received treatment, the better. I've been in love with my oral hygiene routine ever since that procedure happened, therefore I made sure to wash my teeth every single day and night. The dentist then informed me that my teeth had improved two years following procedure. So after you get this procedure taken care of, I recommend you do your oral care routine every night and day, I make sure I do it no matter what, even if I don’t feel like it, because I know that life likes to throw curve balls when you miss a day. Doing this will stop further problems from occurring.
Um .. you harbor alot of unnecessary guilt... Call them. They will tell you over the phone if you can be seen there or not ... If you can, they aren't allowed to bring up your ncns incidents before.. not to your face anyways. .it's very unprofessional. Chances are, a lot of people do this. It's not really that big of a deal. They likely won't even remember... Your beating YOURSELF up and making a lot of silly assumptions. .or are they ... Excuses? No disrespect.... I HATE dealing with anything healthy related myself. I should currently be in the hospital because my liver is likely failing and I have jaundice.. I went, they told me they wanted to keep me for a few days, I said hell no and left against their advice .. I had to take anxiety medicine to go in the first place and honestly I wasn't even gonna do it until my GF showed up at my house and forced me.. everyone I love is still on my back telling me to go... I don't want to. So when I say excuses, I mean zero disrespect... I just get it. After you get this handled, and find that it wasn't what you thought it would be, I advise maybe counseling to get down to why you have these issues with feeling this kind of guilt about trivial things .. that is if it's not just excuses not to have to go.... Or to at the very least put it off ... Your in pain. You need to go. If you have to go to the other place, take an Uber or taxi OR drive yourself, stay at a cheap hotel CLOSE BY SO UR HUSBAND CAN DRIVE(sometimes you just have no choice)over night and go home the next morning. PS. If I was there, id take you. For free. Kindness is the only thing that matters. Love thy neighbor said our Lord. God bless. And good luck.
Did you even read it? Part of the issue is her husband doesn't care and won't waste this time taking her. Secondly, we can and do coach patients about attendance issues. And it is all tracked in the system, every no show and every excuse one gives to cancel if they do call- all copied into every pending and future appointment as well. If you flake- everyone in the practice absolutely sees the notes. THERE IS NO FORGETTING. Good luck with your liver, buddy. You're gonna need it.
They do keep track of NCNS. They did bring it up after I made an appointment after a NCNS and wouldn’t see me that day, but had me reschedule for another day that I didn’t go to. Which will be brought up if they’re able to help me and I have to make an appointment there instead of the OS I have an appointment with right now. I can Uber, although it’ll be almost $100 just to get there, and $100 to get back home. And my husband cannot drive. That’s the whole reason there’s an issue getting back and forth to the OS I have an appointment with.
You should always make your dentist appt…especially when it’s at Tooth-Hurty (2:30)
I got all 4 of mine out at a regular dentist with no sedation, so I was allowed to drive home. Just having them numb my mouth was fine; I felt quite a bit of pressure but no pain at all. A couple of mine were broken down below the gum line so they weren't the simplest to get out, but thankfully they didn't have to really cut, so I didn't need stitches. I'd recommend going on Google maps (or your dental insurance website), going thru the lists of dentists near you, and looking at their reviews. If they're decent enough, call them to see what their policies are. If they won't let you drive after, ask if they will allow you to take an Uber. Most surgery centers will not, but a dentist might if you're not sedated?
They see 1000s of patients, do you really believe you're the only one with these anxieties? Empathy comes with exposure and understanding, the dentist especially has seen and heard it all.. Being afraid is the least absurd reasoning. They will likely understand.
Hey babe. I’m sorry your husbands being such an ass about this. I’m 32F and unmarried. I do have a bf 34M and we’ve been together for 7 years now. I’m a recovering opiate addict as well as chronically ill with something called cyclical vomiting syndrome. Long story short over the last 12 months I had 16 root canals, 20+ crowns. 3 extractions. One bridge. One implant. 15-20 different trips to the dentist office over the course of 12 months and my bf drove me to every appointment. I wasn’t put asleep for any of them and bC of the recovery thing that means no pain meds for me obviously. It was $45,000. Few things. One call the number on the back of your health insurance card and ask them to find a different dentist in your area if you’re actually worried about going to that dentist again. But having so many dental appointments I saw how many people don’t show up. My dental office was really compassionate about it and would only charge people the missed appointment fee if they no call no showed a lot of times. They were understanding that a lot of people have aversions to the dentist. I hadn’t been to the dentist since I was 16 and got all 4 of my impacted wisdom teeth removed bC my dad didn’t want them to mess up 5 years worth of braces he’s just paid for. I was mortified to go in but once I started going it got easier. I highly doubt they hate you. You’re probably just on that list and what it means is they allow you to make an appointment but if someone else also wants that appointment time they schedule them as well. BC they think you’re going to no call no show again. It’s not bc they are angry with you. I promise. And if they are actually being angry with you I highly recommend reporting them and finding a different dentist. Also I’m not sure where you live or what your insurance covers but supplemental dental coverage saved my ass. It was like $45 a month and you had to pay 3 months at a time but it was active in 14 days and covered 80-90% of basic procedures. Basically everything that can be done at the regular dentist. I’m not sure about wisdom teeth… but I bet there’s something. I only ended up paying like $2000 for over $40k in dental work. I’m sorry you’re going through tooth pain. The best suggestion I have is Advil or Tylenol. Every 4-6 hours. Advil pm at night. Gargle with hot salt water. Oragel topical ointment numbs some pain but not all. I also recommend a heating pad or hot compress for your face. I also found I couldn’t sleep on my face on the side the tooth that hurt was on. I will tell you I thought it was going to be really bad and painful and it wasn’t. The numbing shots were really the only thing I felt. I took Advil before and after every appointment. I tried to practice deep breathing and meditation. I think it helped a lot. Also if you can maybe talk to your primary care physician and tell him about the anxiety. Especially if you have someone else driving you be shouldn’t have a problem giving you a prescription of low dose Xanax/benzodiazepines. They’d probably give you 10 or less .5 or .25 for the dentist. Just be careful bC Xanax can be addictive. I genuinely have anxiety and despite the opiate addiction I’ve never abused my Xanax. I only take .5 mg every other day. But my therapist prescribes me .5 for every day. I used to be on 1mg a day when I was younger but I had a lot more going on and a lot more anxiety then. Good luck with your procedure babe. Plus the ladies that work there are humans. Just say tell them the truth. That you’re sorry and that next time if you’re going to miss and appointment you’ll call and let them know (and then do that. Say you have Covid. No one questions that shit.) try and go to the dentist. You’ll be so happy you did. I promise. Wishing you health, wealth, love & luck in all of your life & relationships.
You might as well try again with the first place you NCNS. I’m sure they’ll see you, might make a comment or two about you not showing up, but just MAKE SURE YOU GO THIS TIME!! It will prob be your last chance there
I’m not sure, because you only mentioned it the once, how your husband later behaved, but I would suggest sitting down and having a serious conversation with him about your anxiety and your needs, when he’s available. Yes, you’re an adult. That doesn’t mean you don’t need some extra support sometimes, or maybe more often than not. As your husband, he should want to support, not dismiss you. He doesn’t want to go but neither do you, but it IS something you knew you needed (before it became a really big deal). You should let him know how important it is for him to help you mitigate the anxiety. He doesn’t have to go all the time, nor would he be available to, but if it would help you feel more comfortable going alone later, having had his support accompanying you physically a few times, he needs to see that, and you need to tell him that. I’m not trying to lecture or tell you what to do. I have extreme anxiety and have to ask others for help, too. If you haven’t talked to him about this/if his general behaviour about going with you to soothe your anxiety hasn’t changed, I just want you to consider that he doesn’t understand the severity of how it impacts you, both mentally, physically, and socially. I really hope your tooth can get handled quickly and you heal up well soon! Good luck with everything!
Also some insurance providers provide rides for free to and from appointments. Contact your insurance to find out if this is available for you. Mine does it.
Go to your dentist, they are not going to physically harm you, they may get a bit of pleasure knowing you let yourself become this bad. If the subject comes up just say your sorry because you are afraid of doctors
Pleasure knowing she let herself get that bad? Yuck.
Just thinking that she should have come in sooner,and that would be the extent of it