The Extraction Deception

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Corporate dental chains routinely add expensive bone grafts and membranes to simple tooth extractions, turning a $150 procedure into a $1,200 bill. In this revealing episode, I expose how dental practices exploit patients in pain to maximize profits, and why some dentists recommend extractions when teeth could actually be saved.

• Not every extraction requires a bone graft or membrane, despite what corporate dentists claim
• Bone graft materials can fall out within days if not secured properly, wasting $500-800
• Quick extractions are more profitable than complex procedures that save teeth
• End-of-month production quotas can influence treatment recommendations
• Not all dentists are unethical, but corporate systems incentivize upselling
• Patients should always ask if procedures are truly necessary or optional
• Getting a second opinion is worth enduring pain for an extra day or two

If you've got a story, question, or experience to share, reach out to me on X at the Drill Teller or email me directly at thedrilltelleratprotonme. Remember, when it comes to your mouth, knowledge is power.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:21):
Welcome back to the Dark Side of Dentistry, the
podcast where we pull back thesmiling facade of corporate
dental chains and reveal what'sreally going on behind closed
doors.
I'm your host, the Drill Teller.
Today we're diving into a partof dentistry that's often
cloaked in surgical masks, sharptools and, let's be honest, a

(00:43):
whole lot of upselling Oralsurgery.
Specifically, we're talkingabout extractions, pulling teeth
and the so-called add-ons thatmagically get attached to the
bill.
Let's set the stage.
Imagine you've got a toothacheso bad that you can't sleep.

(01:05):
You've tried the painkillers,the cold compress, the desperate
googling.
Finally, you walk into a dentaloffice, usually corporate,
hoping for some relief.
The dentist takes a look andsays we're going to need to pull
this tooth and you'll also needa bone graft and membrane.

(01:28):
Wait, bone graft, membrane.
You came in expecting a hundredand fifty dollar extraction,
but now you're looking at almosttwelve hundred dollars.
Let's break it down.
What is bone graft?
See, in dentistry, bonegrafting is a procedure where

(01:52):
material often synthetic, animalbased or cadaver is packed into
the empty socket where thetooth was supposedly to preserve
bone for a future implant or toprevent bone loss.
And what is membrane, or guidedtissue regeneration?
It's essentially a barriermaterial placed over the graft

(02:16):
to help the area heal.
At least that's the explanation.
Now here's the kicker.
Not every attraction needs abone graft, not every socket
needs a membrane, but in somecorporate dental chains,
especially the ones that I'veseen and worked in, they

(02:38):
literally will not perform anextraction without adding these
items to the treatment plan.
Why?
Because they know the patientis in pain.
They know the patient is inpain, they know that you're
vulnerable and you're sittingthere mouth open, panicked,
desperate for any kind of relief.
And when the dentist says youneed this to heal properly, most

(03:02):
patients are not going to argue.
But here's the truth.
Sometimes bone grafting isappropriate, like if you're
planning for an implant or ifthe area does have poor bone
support.
Other times it's completelyoptional and sometimes brace

(03:25):
yourself the graft material willfall out within a day or two
because it was not packed,secured and properly.
And that's about five hundredto eight hundred dollars down
the tubes.
Right there this turns whatshould have been a relatively
affordable extraction into acash cow for the office.

(03:50):
Let's talk about the darker sideof this.
There have been situationswhere the tooth could have been
saved, maybe with a root canal,a crown or other treatment, but
the doctor recommends pulling itanyway.
Why?
Well, because it's quicker,because it's easier and it's

(04:12):
fast money.
Think about it.
Saving a tooth requires time,multiple appointments, complex
work and often insurancepre-authorizations.
Pulling a tooth, it's one visit, one procedure paid up front,
one done, wham bam.
Thank you, ma'am, see you later.

(04:33):
Even worse, I've seensituations where patients wanted
to save the tooth but thedoctor still pushed for the
extraction.
Why?
Because it was ending the monthand they needed that extra
money.
Now am I saying all dentists arebad?
No, and I need to tell you thisevery episode because it is the

(04:59):
truth.
They are not all bad.
Am I saying all bone grafts arescams?
No, absolutely not.
But in corporate dental systemswhere metrics, production quotas
and monthly goals drivedecisions, patient care can
quickly take a backseat.

(05:20):
Patients deserve transparency.
You deserve the real optionsand they deserve to know when
something is necessary and whenit's just a padded line item on
a bill.

(05:40):
So what can you do if you'refacing this situation?
Easy Ask questions, ask themwhy do I need this?
What happens if I don't get it?
Is it optional or is itrequired?
If they say it's required, geta second opinion.

(06:02):
If you're unsure, you have everyright to shop around.
Know your rights, people.
Just because you're in paindoesn't mean you have to say yes
to everything.
Trust me, one or two more daysof holding out with that pain
will be worth it.
One or two more days of holdingout with that pain will be
worth it.
Corporate dental chains maytreat patients like transactions

(06:26):
, but you are more than aproduction goal.
That's it for today's episodeof the Dark Side of Dentistry.
If you've got a story, aquestion or an experience that
you want to share, reach out tome on X at the Drill Teller or
email me directly atthedrilltelleratprotonme.
That's thedrilltelleratprotonme.

(06:51):
And remember, when it comes toyour mouth, knowledge is power,
power.