Orthodontist too busy for questions, is this common?

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ingyandbert
Posts: 440
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 6:20 pm
Location: Georgia

#16 Post by ingyandbert »

That is a very common complaint -- that the ortho rushes from patient to patient and is not very communicative.

I basically warned my ortho up front that I am the type of patient who wants to discuss the details of my treatment and will be asking a lot of questions. Once he understood that, he became a lot more informative. I suggest you have a talk with your ortho to let him know you expect better communication than you've been getting. And I don't think you should have to inconvenience yourself by scheduling a separate appointment just to ask a few short questions. Just let him know at the outset of the next appointment. And don't leave any appointment without an explanation of what's going to happen at your next visit. You're paying for his services and have every right to be involved in your treatment.
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hannah164
Posts: 728
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2005 6:02 pm
Location: Las Vegas

#17 Post by hannah164 »

I totally understand what you are going through! I am a teenager and so my ortho doesn't think I have any questions. HE is always very overbooked and just looks at my teeth and doesn't usually talk to me at all! :roll: LAst adjustment I was scheduled for a bonding appointment so I had to have it earlier in the day. He ended up only changing ligs and adding a huge powerchain on the upper arch. I finally got my courage up and went back asked him why and he explained how "BIlly" my impacted bicuspid hadn't come down enough for him to be able to bond a bracket! :roll:

I would suggest you talk to your ortho at the appointment and ask HIM if you could schedule a few minutes for him to answer some of your questions. I mean it is your treatment and smile so you deserve some answers!

~hAnnah


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Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05
Next adjustment: bonding a loose lower band
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ladygal
Posts: 34
Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:31 pm
Location: Johnson City TN

#18 Post by ladygal »

Hey painful vanity! I'm like you I want my questions answered, and I want to know exactly what is going on.

But have you thought that maybe you scared them when you asked for 5 minutes? (They probably have never been asked that before) I work in a BUSY internal medicine office and for my doc to find 5 extra minutes is almost impossible. But if he has a patient who just keeps asking questions, he'll stay more than five. It just "kind of happens" That way, he isn't forced in advance to schedule the extra time, but he'll take it when he needs to...does that make sense? Just be prepared, and if need be just say, Oh just a few more things I wanted to know.

Oh, as far as the receptionist comments, she probably was totally stressed out. Most offices do book appts. back-to-back due to high patient volume. Maybe next time she'll be having a better day.

I hope that helps!
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