How patients can manipulate dentist and dental hygienists to do what they want but may not be what they need.
With the perception of dentistry changing over the years and patients feeling like they can go in and dictate their care, I am here to tell you: The dental office is not Burger King, and you can’t always have it your way.
With the ever expansive, WORLD-WIDE WEB and the ability for patients to turn to google MD, your latest influencer, and a slew of other media EXPERTS you are bound to find someone to give you the narrative you want, for the ailment you have. Of course, you are always given options, different routes of treatment, and of course you always have the right of refusal, but so does the practice. I am a licensed practitioner of the state, which means I have guidelines of my own I must follow to maintain my license. By providing you with what you want and not what you NEED would be putting me in a position of supervised neglect. The state dental board knows that I have been educated in this field, unlike the average patient. Too often, dental hygienists are bullied by our patient into treatment that is unethical, and frankly a disservice to your overall health. Here are the different types of cleaning you may hear or have heard of at your appointment and what they mean: Adult Prophy- This is your routine “normal” cleaning. This patient will have no bone loss, and no pocketing measurements over 4mm present. There is no tarter build up below the gums, the overall gum health is good with light pink tissue and minimal bleeding.