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Thread: Orthodondist advice

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    Orthodondist advice

    Hello all

    My 15 year old daughter needs braces. We took her to a local practice after receiving referrals.

    We were quoted R42k for having lower and upper teeth aligned. The initial consult was originally R3.8k, but we had just done an xray at a dentist which reduced the cost to R3k for the consult.

    We are now told that besides the R42k there is a R6 500 payable after the 20 months.

    I am basically looking for other peoples experiences with this regard and is there more money due at the end of treatment.

    Initially we ere never told about this and when I queried it the lady said the doctor told her that because he wrote it down on the file, he discussed all charges with us.

    I find them very unprofessional but am almost now stuck with them as other orthodontist will not give us an idea of price even though I have the various xrays. They all want another consult which is damn costly.

    Please advise if you can...

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    Both my daughters had braces and we didn't have medical aid. There are many dentists and practices that help people that don't have medical aid. They are business people looking to make money like everybody else - speak to them and negotiate. Medical aids take long to pay them so they are happy to make cash deals.

    I always haggle with the dentist about treatment options vs cost!

    In Cape Town UCT has a cheap cheap service at one of the hospitals. The facility is used for in service student training and the service is really good. You may have something similar on your side of the world.

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    Better not go with them if you find their service unprofessional. Look for an alternate dentist online. Sure you will find a lot of suggestions and good reviews.

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    Thanks for the replies.

    I like the idea of the university option but in KZN that is not really viable.

    Sadly most of these practitioners are the same and they are all recommended by others who have used them.

    I am in it now so biting my tongue and paying.

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    I find that the medical profession and medical aids work together to suck the man in the street dry. Best is to negotiate and pay the medical practitioner direct.

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    Quote Originally Posted by adrianh View Post
    I find that the medical profession and medical aids work together to suck the man in the street dry. Best is to negotiate and pay the medical practitioner direct.
    I have tried this several times with medical practitioners. The standard response is its cheaper to put it through medical aid as that medical aid has a contracted discount structure in place.
    Then you get your GP who is also contracted to medical aid at the agreed rate, however, when you go to the GP you have to pay for a value added service. Nobody could tell me what is this value added service. This is just a way to make sure they still able to get paid their above tariff rate and fool medical aid into believing they are charging lower rates as agreed to by them.

    Or the surgeon who says he does not understand why medical aid does not pay them in full but will settle the hospital bill. They strongly recommend GAP cover. They think we are all idiots and don't know they are charging several times the medical aid rates and often refuse to negotiate their rates if you say but I don't have GAP cover. (Never ever tell them that you have GAP cover)

    I could mention several other instances, it seems like we get screwed whichever way we look.

    Ok I will stop now....SIGH.....

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    I find this interesting.

    My GP despises Discovery - he says they are unethical. He advised us to get only a hospital plan with gap cover. (Because my one daughter was involved in a massive car accident in which the car was written off and we had no medical cover) We always pay the GP a flat rate of R450 per consultation. He hardly ever charges us anything extra. My daughter fell off her horse the other day and tore her earring out of her ear. I took her to the GP and he sorted her out - no additional fee.

    We always go to the cheap dentist and negotiate up front - their service is good given that we always opt for the bare minimum.

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    Medical aid ... lets not even start ... these okes sure know how to rip a hole in your ass in broad day light and make you feel like they doing you a favour ... between them and the doctors they sure know how to lead the sheep to the slaughter
    Comments are based on opinion...not always facts....that's why people use an alias.

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