WHO Channel 13 here in Des Moines recently did a segment on dental decay. The basis of the story was that a patient had gone to a dentist and was told they needed 12 fillings. This person then obtained a second opinion and was told that no fillings were necessary. The segment was fairly well done in that they pointed out the importance of asking questions and even getting a second opinion. This relates not only to dentistry, but to any medically-related procedure.

First and foremost there needs to be a high level of trust between the patient and the healthcare provider. Our goal at Douglas Dental is to establish this trust early on. In a situation such as the one in the news piece, there needs to be very open conversation. One way we are able to help patients see problems we diagnose is with an intra-oral camera. This allows patients to see the tooth or teeth on a monitor and clearly see the problem that exists. We are also to show xrays on a monitor so patients can see things more clearly than on a small film.

Again, the take-home message of this is that if you do not feel comfortable with a diagnosis, there is nothing wrong with obtaining a second opinion.