Originally Posted by lpnaeder
I took my 6 year old son to the dentist last month for a checkup. The Doctor has a policy of not letting parents in the room while he is working on the children. I didn't like it, but saw all the other children going in with no problem, so reluctantly agreed. 10 mins. later my son came out and said the Dentist wants to see you, I followed my son into a room where the dentis was plus 4 other children on small child shaped upholstered tables. The Doctor started telling me that my son would need nerve treatment on two teeth and then he would put crowns on them. He showed me an xray of a childs mouth with the two front teeth mishapen and darker then the rest of the other teeth. The children were all squirming and I felt like I was being rushed because I figured I better hurry with all my questions because these kids need attending to. I asked a few questions then left. The next morning I called and asked to speak with the office manager, she pulled the file. I asked her if my son would have silver crowns put on his teeth, and she assured me no way, that the Dr. would clean out the nerve damage and put a crown on that matched his teeth. I told her as I asked the Dr. earlier, will he be given nitrous oxide, Oh absolutely. When I spoke with the Dr. earlier, and asked him about the dangers of nitrous oxide and he assured me it was safe. I said to the office manager, well okay as long as he is not going to have metal for teeth and not look like a "gangsta" than we would go ahead, but I want to be in the room when the Dr. does it. She said it was not office policy, I asked her to please ask the Dr. as we have a very sick child and I found throught the years of treatments and such he does much better with me being there. She called me back and said no, and assured me it was a minor procedure and he would be fine. I tried to call around to other pediatric dentists but there earliest appointment would be in 2 months and the Doctor stressed that this was important to get it down asap. So, I called back and said okay, but I'm not happy. My husband and I took him today and he came out of the room and said it hurt really bad. He had a big wad of cotton in his mouth and the assistant gave me instructions on how to take care of it. We got in the car and started to drive home. I took the wad of cotton out of his mouth and low and behold a silver tooth! I could NOT believe it, I phoned the Doctors office and asked to speak to the assistant that was in the room when the Doctor performed the procedure. 5 minutes later the Doctor himself called me back. I explained my concerns of how I specifically called and said NO SILVER, he said he was sorry it must of been a miscommunication and that if I wanted he could pull the tooth out and make a brace in between both of his teeth. I said okay. My husband and I drove back there and I went in with him this time. I put him up on the table and Val (my son) said I have to go to the bathroom mom, the Doctor said, "no Val this will take only 3 minutes", I looked at the Doctor in disbelief and said NO, I'm taking my son to the bathroom! I took him and then brought him back into the room and said that took less than a minute. He proceeded to put a napkin over my sons face and a metal instrument to keep his mouth open and give him a couple shots with a needle. He pulled the tooth out, my son was in ALOT of pain. When he was done, I asked him where his nitrous oxide machine was, he showed me and I asked Val if the Doctor used it on him and he said no. I asked the Doctor why he didn't use it when I specifically called to make sure they were going to and he said oh, must have been a miscommunication. I showed him the bill he gave me that clearly stated Nitrous Oxide $48.00 which I paid for, and I said no, don't tell me another miscommunication? I took the tooth with me and it looks perfectly fine just a metal top on it, now if there was nerve damage wouldn't the doctor have had to drill through the tooth to do a nerve damage treatment? And the xray he showed me originally were the two front teeth, the tooth he put the crown on 3rd one from the back. We were also set up for him to do the other side because he said the other one was damaged to. I told him, I think that is why you don't allow the parents in with the kids, because your doing procedures on them without the proper pain relief. Val told me on the way home that the first time he went in there and the Doctor was working on him that the nurse had her hands around his neck and was holding him down really hard! I told the Doctor I wanted the xrays and he said he has to get "copies" first. I signed a release form because I am taking my son to another dentist and would like him to see the xrays. Do you think it is possible that the Dr. showed me someone elses xrays so that he could make money off me? How can I be sure he did a nerve damage treatment, he also billed for 2 sealants. Do you smell something fishy here. He gave me my money back. I told him he was disgusting and barbaric, can you imagine wanting to work on my 6 year old son after he told him he had to use the bathroom? What should I do. I don't want this to happen to any other child.