Is there a law requiring a dental exam before each cleaning?

I went in for a regular 6 month teeth cleaning and when I got there an AFTER I paid for it, they said "oh, well since it's been six months since you've last been here, we need to give you an exam". I said, I just want the cleaning. The dentist said BY LAW he cannot authorize a cleaning without giving an exam (which costs extra). He said I can not have any cleanings without an exam. Even though they only sent me a "Time for a cleaning!" postcard in the mail and that's the appointment I set up. They also said I HAVE to get new x-rays every year BY LAW. I'm 20 and have never gone through this with any dentist before.

Is there a law requiring a dental exam before each cleaning?
I understand your feeling and your reasoning. I am a dentist in Houston I have a few of these situations. Although I do not know whether there is such law, I would like to briefly comment about this matter.





Patient's key point of view: It costs more, and why exam and xray when you, the patient, don't aware of having any signs and symptoms of a dental problem.





Doctor's key point of view: I, the doctor, am responsible to diagnose dental problem and can be sued by the patient for "negligence" or "abandonment."





The American Dental Association's (this is like the "American government of the dentistry") point of view: The dentists should evaluate each patient individually and determine the "frequency" for the routine exam and for the x-ray.( http://www.ada.org/public/topics/xrays_f... ).





In my practice, when the patient has dental insurance, he or she often will INSIST on the exam and xray every 6 months. This is because the insurance will normally pay 100% for them. If the patient has no insurance, he or she will ask NOT to do those--and "JUST CLEAN MY TEETH!"





Thus, it's a still dilemma for the dental professionals at this time.





Notes: a "compromised" solution?





When my cash-paying patients just want to get the teeth clean (without exam and x-rays), I ask them to sign a "denial form," which states that they, at their own risks, request NOT to get the exam and x-ray, "against medical advice" and hold the dentist harmless for any future liability for their oral health. Once the patients sign, the dental hygienist may start the cleaning.
Reply:Switch your dentist, that's a load of crap. The last time I had an x-ray was when I was 19, I'm 21 now, go figure. If you are a new patient then by law they have to give you a full exam, but if you've been seeing them all along then they are able to do just the cleaning. They are trying to get more money out of you.
Reply:Depends on your state. I live in GA. Here it is a law that an exam is performed by a dentist either before or after the cleaning. A hygienist cannot diagnose (by law) any cavities or other problems. As for the xrays I don't know. But generally the office I work in takes preventative xrays every year or year and a half.
Reply:it isn't, but denists do so for money or may be for there name sake sometimes.
Reply:THATS BS Swich dentist


its all a scam
Reply:I honestly can not say what the state dental laws say about this, but a dentist does have the right to protect his license. I can tell you that the dentist I work for, feels by continueing to do a "cleaning" on a patient every six months, without x-rays and without an exam, can make him liable, if that patient actually has areas of bone loss or periodontal pocketing in their mouth, and he doesn't tell them. He will allow the hygientist to go ahead and do a cleaning without x-rays and an exam, but the patient has to sign a waiver saying that they fully understand that they are choosing to go against his recommendations and that he is not responsible for any undetected periodontal problems or areas of decay.





It is common practice in most dental offices, to do an exam and x-rays once a year, and some do it 2 times a year. So please do not think that what they are recommending you to do, is so strange.





It is really in your best interest to let him do the exam and x-rays once a year. Wouldn't you hate it if you had a problem and it was not found while it was still a small problem?





As far as it costing extra, well that is the same in every office.


The cleaning, the exam and each type of x-ray are all separate codes and therefore are all separate procedures, and for that reason they are all separate costs.





He is watching out for his own best interests, but he is also recommending something that is in yours too.
Reply:I am not aware that this is a law anywhere, but I agree with LittleMermaid and DrMinNguyen above me.





I had one patient who decided to save money by getting her teeth cleaned in a dental hygiene school. I got a report that she had her teeth cleaned twice a year for about 4 or 5 years. One day, the instructor said, "I think you might have a cavity here. You better go to your dentist for an examination." The patient was SHOCKED to learn that she had not been receiving examinations, but she was evenmore shocked to learn that she had NINE cavities. All along, she thought that she was receiving "superior care," because her teeth were cleaned by a student and then checked by an instructor. She thought she was getting "checked" twice when she wasn't getting checked at all.
Reply:hi,


i am a dentist and i also never treat a patient without a full check before. but this issue is also case dependent. i always take bitewing x-rays every 6 months mainly because it's doing a good service for my patients and a follow up on my work. in some cases like periodontal disease the exams and x-rays should be done more often since loosing a tooth is a matter of looking away for a while and that woul really make me sad.


if you afford he exam then why not?! i don't charge for the exmas but that's me.


good luck.



my bird