For many years, the dental industry has been pilloried for often “over-diagnosing” — overly aggressive approach to projecting potential dental health issues — and therefore over-treating patients. Patients felt intimidated and powerless when sitting in the dentist’s chair and being told they were about to face a host of oral health problems. Sure, everyone would like a thorough oral diagnosis, but when proposed treatments result in thousands of dollars in extra costs, patients are left with critical questions and nowhere to turn for help to get a clear answer of what to do next.
No doubt most dentists place the care and well-being of their patients above simple personal economic gain. Still, there are enough of those who operate in the “gray area” and base diagnosis on very subjective criteria. Consequently, proposed treatments can vary from relatively simple to more complex and costly.
As a stark example of this approach, did you know that 63% of more than 500 practicing dentists said they would operate on a tooth with decay that had not progressed beyond the enamel? This condition is referred to as “incipient caries” and, while not always requiring extensive treatment, can often result in placing a filling and can cost up to $200 each and certainly much more for multiple findings.
According to the American Dental Association, about 175 million filling operations are performed in the United States every year.
So what can one say when you go from a ‘perfect oral health’ to suddenly a diagnosis of multiple cavities that required costly filings? Same can be said for other oral conditions like periodontitis where treatment can range from as little as $500 to as much as $10,000 depending on severity of the disease.
There is little doubt patients are badly in need of a second opinion! The challenge of course is finding a source you can trust and not simply slip into more uncertainty. Fortunately, a technology is now available to help detect and evaluate oral disease more quickly and accurately while also earning the trust of their patient. By leveraging Artificial Intelligence, clinicians can help deliver to patients a standard of care that works to reduce subjective review.
KELLS is such a technology which offers a second opinion for your dental diagnosis and treatment plan. Anyone with a set of personal x-rays who may not be confident about their oral health or just having some doubts about a recent diagnosis, can quickly get an online review.
When having doubts about a proposed treatment for a surprise dental diagnosis, there is a convenient, accessible, and affordable way to be confident what to do next.
For more details on the service, visit https://www.getkells.com/services-treatment-verification.
