Are You in the Right Dental Chair? What They Don’t Want You to Know About End-Of Year Treatment

At Year End, Can You Trust Your Dentist?

If you’ve ever sat in the chair wondering, “Do I really need this?” then you’re not alone. Headlines about corporate dental chains pushing unnecessary crowns or deep cleanings have left patients skeptical.

Add the year-end pressure of “use it or lose it” insurance benefits, and many people feel trapped between wasting coverage or agreeing to procedures they don’t fully understand.

The truth is, not every dentist is out to max out your benefits and there are trustworthy, compassionate professionals who will explain your options, respect your choices, and put your health first.

The challenge is knowing if you’re in the right chair before your benefits, and your trust, run out.

Before We Begin, "Who is Dr. Jacquie?"

Question: So you've been open, 2+ years and you've been ranked the 3'rd best dentist in Lakewood/Tacoma area. Tell us about how you did that?

Answer: Dr. Jacquie

Honestly, it still blows me away. A little over two years ago, I opened Fido & Fido from scratch, wanting to create a practice founded on honesty, kindness, and craftsmanship. The values I learned growing up in a hardworking family outside Chicago.

I didn’t come from privilege, my parents hadn’t finished high school. So it still feel strange when people call me Dr. Sanders. I inherited my dad’s resilience (he was a union ironworker who built skyscrapers despite a serious back injury). He would wake up, at 4am and carry two 5 gallon buckets of tools on the train two hours to work. I think that is where I get it from.

I studied engineering, then neurobiology, worked my way through as an entry level dental assistant while in school and eventually earned my Doctors from a top program in Texas. I even built this office myself painting walls, installing and fixing equipment, moving furniture, just to make this space my own.

Getting a hug at the end of a session? To me, that means something deeper than a ranking. It means patients sense my intent to build long-term trust.

Corporate Scandals = Lost Patient Trust

Question: Why open this conversation with corporate scandals?

Answer: Dr. Jacquie

I think we need to understand the root cause, why people feel like they can't trust their doctors.

Patients’ skepticism isn’t imagine, it’s rooted in real life example and headlines. For example, Kool Smiles, a chain backed by private investors, settled for nearly $24 million after billing Medicaid for unnecessary pediatric procedures, including pulpotomies and crowns.

If their willing to "rip off" kids then they might do it to anyone. This kind of thing makes it harder for good doctors to do their job.

When people read these headlines, they naturally wonder: Is my dentist protecting my health or their bottom line?

Why the Year-End Rush Feels Like a Sales Pitch

Question: Year-end seems to create a frenzy in dental offices. Why do patients feel so much mistrust at this time of year?

Answer:

Dr. Jacquie:

“It’s very real. Patients come in skeptical because they’ve heard too many stories about dentists ‘finding’ lots of new problems in November or December. "

There’s this sense of: Are they protecting me, or just maxing out my benefits?  Dentistry should never feel like a holiday sales push. When you’re in the right chair, your dentist helps you plan care, not pressure you into filling every open code before December 31.”

Questionable Practices That Undermine Trust

Question: What are some questionable practices you’ve seen or heard about that make patients lose trust?

Answer: Dr. Jacquie: A few that stand out:

• The “sensitivity test” add-on (D0460): Valid when diagnosing nerve health, but some say they were billed when a dentist simply touched a tooth with ice or a cotton swab. Checking for sensitivity should be part of regular patient care, not an "add-on"

• The year-end rush for crowns: It’s common to hear patients told they suddenly need three or four crowns before benefits expire. A cracked filling may justify a crown, but not every slightly worn tooth should be crowned on the calendar’s deadline.

• Full-mouth treatment plans “discovered” in December: Deep cleanings, antibiotics, desensitizing medicaments, multiple fillings all squeezed into a few weeks. That should raise red flags. True oral health doesn’t follow insurance timelines.

• Avoiding referrals: Some general dentists hold onto cases that belong in the hands of periodontists or endodontists. Instead of a timely specialist referral, patients are offered temporary fixes that drain annual maximums.

“When patients hear these stories, it’s no wonder they start to mistrust the whole process.”

How to Know If You’re in the Right Chair

Question: What can patients do to protect themselves?

Answer: Dr. Jacquie: 

"Start by asking questions"

Not all dentists cut corners or push unnecessary work. Many prioritize transparency and prevention. I encourage patients to use a quick gut-check list:

• Were you surprised with a long list of procedures at year-end?

• Did you leave with more questions than answers?

• Was every treatment explained simply?

• Did the office encourage second opinions or referrals?

• Did you feel respected or pressured?

• Is your practice a corporate chain or privately owned practice?

"If any of these feel off, it may be time to reconsider who’s guiding your care."

Smart Questions to Ask Before Saying Yes

I also suggest patients asking:

1. What problem is this procedure solving today?

2. What happens if I wait until January?

3. Which insurance code is being billed, and why?

4. Would a specialist give me better long-term results?

5. How will this affect my annual maximum if bigger work comes up next year?

"A trustworthy dentist won’t dodge these questions, they’ll welcome them, explain them and show you evidence"

The Right Chair Feels Different

“Your smile isn’t a sales quota it’s part of your health and your life”

Question: If patients forget those question, what is the one thing to keep an eye-on.

Answer: Dr. Jacquie: 

If your treatment plan suddenly explodes in December, or you’re told to rush into multiple crowns before your benefits vanish, pause. You're allowed to ask the hard questions.

You might really need that work and your dentist might be doing right by you and trying to save you money, but it's okay to stop for a moment and think about it.

Dentistry should feel like a partnership, not a transaction.

What's The Bottom Line

There's a real reason why people have grown more skeptical of medical professionals over the years. The balance between running a business, making a profit and caring for people is a hard thing to juggle. More doctors should be talking about this stuff, acknowledging the patients feelings of mistrust and be open to questions.

Dental insurance is a “use it or lose it” benefit, but that doesn’t mean you should waste it or that companies should abuse it.

Some clinics may push unnecessary treatments at year-end to fill quotas or boost billing. Other times, you Dentist might just be trying to get you the most out of your money but it can be hard to tell the difference.

As December 31 approaches, ask yourself: Am I in the right dental chair? If the answer isn’t a confident “yes,” it may be time to find one that puts you first.

-Dr Jacquie and Floss & Fido

Dr. Jacquie