6 months?!

[buttrfli]

Took the kids to the dentist this morning and he said that my 11 y/o will more than likely need braces. So he gives me a card for an orthodontist and I called this afternoon to make an appointment and the soonest she had was August 27! :eek:

I don't think that I have ever had to wait that long for an appointment LOL

I am going to call some other places tomorrow and see if I can get one sooner, I don't mind waiting until summer, but I don't want to do all of this at the beginning of school.

[Shann]

that's quite a long wait, it's amazing how long it takes to get into some apts.

[freeby4me]

I agree that its a long time to wait. Better to do it earlier in the summer so she can be all used to it by school-time.

[irishchick]

that doesnt surprise me, the waiting lists for those kind of appts is ridiculous!
i hope he can get in earlier !
i too think the earlier he gets them before school , the better...!

[PrincessArky]

that doesnt surprise me, the waiting lists for those kind of appts is ridiculous!
i hope he can get in earlier !
i too think the earlier he gets them before school , the better...!

me either......takes me about 3 months to get into my general dentist :(

[buttrfli]

me either......takes me about 3 months to get into my general dentist :(

Geeze! Really? I have never waited that long for an appointment in my life. Maybe 2 weeks, but never a month (unless I am purposely making it that far away)

I can get same day dr appts for the kids and a dental appt within a week. This time I made the appt, they made it for the next day, but I pushed it back so they would go during spring break.

I called another orthodontist this morning and they can see her at the end of April. Its not the waiting I mind (shes not sick or anything) its just the timing is bad. I know we all can't pick when things happen, but if she going to have braces, it will be easier on her to get them over the summer so she can get used to them.

[freeby4me]

Ya know, now that I think about it I just last week Monday went to an eye dr. place to see if they took my insurance and get an app. set up (I hadnt seen an eye dr. in about 10 years) and I got an app. set up for that THURSDAY. That seemed super quick to me cause I was expecting a month or two. I understand what ya mean though, its not the waiting its just the timing. If she can get them sooner in the summer she'll be used to them for school time and not self-conscious (sp?)

[bcjjhh]

I had a similar thing happen. My daughter needs braces and there is only 1 ortho in the entire state of RI that accepts our insurance. She went in Jan, he said oh YES definately needs them, set up an appt and we will have the "molds?" done....

Ok not a problem, until I get an appt for October. I did quesiton that and she just said with your insurance that is the next available. Makes me wonder what will happen when she does get the braces...

[killbarney]

Certain specialities are harder to get in to see. Sometimes certain doctors are in demand lol. I always seem to get them ;) I have to have what's termed an "urgent" MRI of my head and upper neck area to rule out a tumor and a couple of other things but where I have to go with the insurance I have, urgent(keeping in mind the appointment was made in Feb. from my emergency neuro appt that took 3 months) is in MAY :( Urgent my hiney. However, if I have any other emergent symptoms I get to go to the emergency room and get it done there. And I have a feeling it's coming, but there's just too much to do ;)

Children's orthodontists/dentists are harder depending on what "clientele" they accept. If they accept lower-income(which I am one so I'm not "knocking" it) then they have to try to squeeze in a lot more. At least that's what my kid's dr. said. Thankfully he's only about a 2-3 month wait for new patients and generally about a one month for a general checkup.

O

[mommyof1]

Braces are a long and involved process. I know because I had them put on my daughter when she was nine. She had snaggley, crooked teeth and one was growing out the roof of her mouth. Orthodontist told me it would cost twenty five percent more because she had them on for two years, then taken off and then put back on. She had a palatal expander and the whole thing. She had to have them because she looked so bad I was worried about her self confidence. She is now sixteen and should have them taken off this Summer for her senior year. Trust me the appointments drag out and are scheduled right in the middle of the day. It is never convenient and the younger they are when they have them put on, the better and faster they adjust. We will have paid 10K on her mouth when it it all said and done. Four bicuspids taken out two years ago. I wanted her third molars taken out then too but "no...." they would not do it. DD put up a fight too. So now another general and more costs for her wisdom teeth. I don't want her third molars crowding her nice straight teeth!
For anyone getting braces, invest in a Sonicare toothbrush. DD always got great brushing grades because I bought one when she had them put on. This is the only thing that can really dlean teeth with braces. They have the battery operated ones for $40 on Amazon now. DD would always want to take her Sonicare when she traveled and I would not let her. Too involved wi/cord. Now she has the travel one too and it works great. I would highly recommend this!

[mirage7000]

I still can't believe what I went through with my daughter's braces. I get a phone call that the orthodontist passed away. I went through hell trying to find another one that would take over. Most of them wanted to redo the work cause they didn't want to be held responsible. Finally found one that would remove them because they were due to be taken off.

[buglebe]

I had a similar thing happen. My daughter needs braces and there is only 1 ortho in the entire state of RI that accepts our insurance. She went in Jan, he said oh YES definately needs them, set up an appt and we will have the "molds?" done....

Ok not a problem, until I get an appt for October. I did quesiton that and she just said with your insurance that is the next available. Makes me wonder what will happen when she does get the braces...

As we all know now, insurance rules the kind of health care we get, the prescriptions we can take, etc. but why would insurance determine when you can get the work done?

[irishchick]

Certain specialities are harder to get in to see. Sometimes certain doctors are in demand lol. I always seem to get them ;) I have to have what's termed an "urgent" MRI of my head and upper neck area to rule out a tumor and a couple of other things but where I have to go with the insurance I have, urgent(keeping in mind the appointment was made in Feb. from my emergency neuro appt that took 3 months) is in MAY :( Urgent my hiney. However, if I have any other emergent symptoms I get to go to the emergency room and get it done there. And I have a feeling it's coming, but there's just too much to do ;)

Children's orthodontists/dentists are harder depending on what "clientele" they accept. If they accept lower-income(which I am one so I'm not "knocking" it) then they have to try to squeeze in a lot more. At least that's what my kid's dr. said. Thankfully he's only about a 2-3 month wait for new patients and generally about a one month for a general checkup.

O


:eek: :eek: 3 months to find out IF you have a tumor ??????? i smell liability and all kinds o f things..thats ridiculous..how much more serious is that? you shouldve gotten in like yesterday !!! our healthcare system SUCKS:eek:

[buttrfli]

Where do you people live?? LOL

I can walk in to my eye doctor and be seen in 30 minutes (no apt)

I do understand about certain doctors being in demand depending on their clientele. Mine wasn't necessarily an insurance problem, but rather a problem finding someone who works with disabled children. It didn't have to be their specialty, but they definately had to have experience with disabled kids.

Buglebe... this is just from MY experience, not from the poster you made the comment on... when we had state insurance, a lot of doctors/dentists only took so many state patients a month, so if they had 6 months worth of state patients booked already, then you get in when you get in. I have had the receptionists tell me that they have met their 'quota' of state patients this month, but to call back on the 1st of next month.

I personally have never had to wait that long, but I do know thats how some offices run. I was very fortunate to find the pediatrician that we have now. He doesn't take our insurance anymore, but hes WELL worth the out of pocket we have to spend. If the kids are really sick, I can call at 8am and be in to see him at nine and i have never sat in the waiting room more than 10 minutes. He also does not have an answering service... he gives out his home # ... who does that? (besides him lol)

[evrita]

There is a 2-3 month waiting list for dentist ENT and other Drs in my area too. When I was having sinus trouble I got in on an emergency visit and it was 8 weeks to get in to an ENT dr.

[bcjjhh]

As we all know now, insurance rules the kind of health care we get, the prescriptions we can take, etc. but why would insurance determine when you can get the work done?

I was told that they can only see so many patients with my insurance and that is why I have such a wait