Metal Mouth Message Board

I've been seeing this orthodontist for 4 months (since late October). I started off with an expander and just got braces a month ago. I came in for a tightening and I am seriously fed up with the incompetence of the assistants. I am getting treatment at a dental clinic that has an orthodontist come in once a month. The assistants are dental hygienists and don't have experience doing ortho. They are learning as we go and have made many mistakes during my short time there. I want to switch but I know that its a difficult thing to do.

Has anyone had experience switching orthos? I've already paid $850 towards the braces, i didnt use insurance. I don't mind losing that money if I know I can get better treatment for my moneys worth. How should I go about doing this? I asked for a copy of my treatment plan and I'm wondering does signing the plan obligate me to finish treatment there and pay the full cost of treatment? Theres nothing on there that explicitly says im obligated to pay, but is it assumed?

Would other orthodontists refuse to see me if I already have my braces on? I only have my top ones.

That must be incredibly frustrating. You are paying for qualified help, not a bunch of rookies. I'd recommend that you first document all the mistakes that you have experienced -- try to prioritize them from threats to your safety and treatment plan, discomfort, and so on down to the merely annoying. Try to be as specific as possible. Also, you don't specifically mention it, but you need to check the contract that you signed at the beginning of treatment -- it should detail termination of care, risks, payments, and so forth. If you didn't sign any sort of contract, then there is no legal obligation as far as I know (note -- I am not a lawyer). I think thought that it would be very unlikely that the ortho would start treatment without a contract. Perhaps that's the document you are referring to as a treatment plan. I'd recommend that you speak with the ortho and discuss your concerns, and that due to these issues you are considering changing practices. Give the ortho the opportunity to make it right -- perhaps by bringing his own assistant. Since most of the hands-on will be done by the assistants from here on out, it is important that they are properly trained before they touch you, and not as part of OJT. Best of luck to you!

It sounds like the frustration is mostly with the assistants' mistakes and expertise - or lack of - at your dentist's office. Presumably, your ortho has a practice somewhere else if he/she only comes to your clinic once a month. Is it possible to just continue your treatment at his main office where, I assume, the assistants are doing ortho all day, every day? That might be the simplest solution.

Thank you for your responses. I dont recall signing anything aside from the treatment plan that i mentioned. It mentions nothing about termination. Just the total payment, months, deposit and monthly payments.

I got a new job with dental coverage after starting my treatment and i just learned that if i go to an orthodontist in network my maximun out of pocket cost will be $2,000 so i am even more motivated to switch now.

The hard part will now be getting my current orthodontist to remove the braces. Im sure they will try to upcharge me for removal. And to clarify my frustration is not just with the assistant. The orthodontist does not bother to greet me or check the assistants work when they are done. Only during the initial consultation did he take the time to answer my questions. And when he realizes that the assistants messed up he doesnt apologize to me, i only find out a month after the fact bc like i said he doesnt check their work before i leave.

Anyone who has switched before how much did it cost to remove the braces?

It's my understanding that braces don't get removed, you just continue treatment with a new provider with your current hardware. I could be wrong. I would leave removal decisions to the new provider.

I think the decision to remove braces is case by case. One orthodontic office told me that the braces would need to be removed by my current orthodontist before starting treatment there. Another office i called said that it wouldnt be necessary to remove them. Since ive only had them in for a month i think id rather have them removed and start treatment fresh. I dont think i mentioned this but my brackets werent placed by the orthodontist. It was the assistants that did all the work. The orthodontist came in only once when a bracket came off, he removed the glue and the assistant placed it again. He didnt check after they were done.

Another reason id rather remove them is my insurance wont cover ongoing treatment. Only new treatment.

I spoke with an assistant at my current office and she told me id be breaking the contract and that it would be $300 charge. The "contract"/treatment plan says nothing regarding this. Can i negotiate? Even so i'd still be cheaper to transfer. The place im considering is its own orthodontic office with one resident orthodontist which makes me feel more confortable.

Absolutely negotiate! Ask the office person to show you the agreement that stipulates a $300 payment (that you agreed to, of course).