Synopsis
This guide to good dental health provides information consumers need to realistically assess their dental needs and those of their children. Not only will it help you avoid or minimize dental disease, it will save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars for unnecessary and potentially harmful treatment. Beginning with the premise that the best treatment is minimal treatment if it solves the problem, the author, a practicing dentist for more than 30 years, discusses guidelines and costs for common (and commonly expensive) dental procedures. He advises the reader on such topics as:Proper home care and prevention Frequency of X-rays and prophylaxis (professional cleaning)Diagnosing and treating tooth decay and gum diseaseComposite, silver amalgam, gold and porcelain fillingsSpecial precautions for childrenUnnecessary extractionsBleaching and veneeringIn clear, easy-to-understand language, Complete Guide to Dental Health outlines the costs, benefits, and risks of alternative treatments, suggesting ways to save time and money on such procedures as orthodontics, extractions and bridges. An extensive discussion of the misdiagnosis of impacted wisdom teeth, overuse of general anesthesia, and unnecessary caps and bleaching warns consumers of how they may be injured financially and physically by dentists.Most chapters conclude with recommendations to help you avoid being overcharged and overtreated. Charts provide information on a range of fees for common procedures. You are shown how dentists exploit patients with unnecessary treatment, upgrades and add-ons.Suggestions on how to choose and evaluate a dentist will turn the average patient into a savvy consumer. With extensive information on how dental decay and periodontal (pyorrhea) disease occur, Complete Guide to Dental Health will help protect your teeth and your pocketbook.
About the Author
Jay W. Friedman, D.D.S., M.P.H. pioneered in the development of quality standards for dental care, group practice and dental insurance. In addition to extensive clinical practice, he was a researcher at UCLA's School of Public Health, a consultant to many state and national organizations, and is presently dental director of Universal Care, a California health plan.Dr. Friedman has published over 50 papers in professional journals and a number of books on consumer health issues, including a Guide for the Evaluation of Dental Care and the first edition of Complete Guide to Dental Health: How to Avoid Being Overcharged and Overtreated, originally published by Consumer Reports Books in 1991. Dr. Friedman graduated Columbia University dental school in 1948 and received a master's degree in public health in 1962 from the University of Michigan. His career has spanned the entire transition of dentistry from the isolation of solo fee-for-service private practice to the proliferation of high volume group practices based on dental insurance.He has been the recipient of numerous honors, including the Special Merit Award from the American Association of Public Health Dentistry.
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