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Post by KelleeM on May 11, 2023 13:31:42 GMT
My dentist, of about 10 years, canceled my hygienist appointment two weeks ago on the day of the appointment. Said they had no staff available and would call to reschedule. I called this past Monday and got an appointment for today as there had been a cancellation. They are using temps from an agency. Office manager (wife of dentist) told me they currently have no hygienists on staff.
I loved my hygienist. I thought of trying to find her on social media. I know her last name as it’s still listed on the dentist’s website.
I feel bad because I recently recommended this office to two coworkers. One has been and is having a crown done in a couple of weeks. They scheduled a cleaning for him for the fall.
I’m really torn but I go more for the hygienist than the dentist. I have only had him do any work twice in the years I’ve been going there.
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Post by shamrock on May 11, 2023 13:57:28 GMT
I’d try to find your hygienist. When my dentist retired his partner took over all his patients. All I cared about was if my hygienist was staying. She stayed and so did I. I always spend more time with the hygienist, that’s who I have a relationship with. The dentist comes in, takes a look, and that’s it.
The practice having no hygienists on staff seems a odd to me. I think that alone would have me looking for a new dentist.
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peaname
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,389 
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Post by peaname on May 11, 2023 14:01:28 GMT
I understand liking and disliking hygienists! I switched from one because she would complain about my coffee stains and I kept telling her coffee is not negotiable I will drink it every day.
But that was just a switch in the same practice. I spend an hour a year with a hygienist total so it’s not worth switching dentists. In fact, mine stopped taking my insurance and I tried to switch to my husband’s dentists but they are not taking new clients. If the staffing situation is widespread you may have the exact situation with another dentist and no tenure.
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Post by Bridget in MD on May 11, 2023 14:02:10 GMT
I was also in this position - I went for the hygenist, and now shes moved! The dentist is ok, but older, so if he retires, I will def look for a new dentist, but I'm too lazy now!
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Post by disneypal on May 11, 2023 14:06:19 GMT
My dentist, of about 10 years, canceled my hygienist appointment two weeks ago on the day of the appointment. Said they had no staff available and would call to reschedule. I called this past Monday and got an appointment for today as there had been a cancellation. They are using temps from an agency. Office manager (wife of dentist) told me they currently have no hygienists on staff. I loved my hygienist. I thought of trying to find her on social media. I know her last name as it’s still listed on the dentist’s website. I feel bad because I recently recommended this office to two coworkers. One has been and is having a crown done in a couple of weeks. They scheduled a cleaning for him for the fall. I’m really torn but I go more for the hygienist than the dentist. I have only had him do any work twice in the years I’ve been going there. I love both my hygienist and dentist. I've been going to them for 30+ years and they've always been working together. He merged with another dentist about 10 years ago and there are other hygienist but I have always seen the same one and she was great. Well...her husband retired so she decided to retire early. I had to see a new hygienist (hired by the other dentist not mine) and I didn't care for her. but I still love my dentist so I plan on staying there until he retires (which I suspect may be within a couple of years). I may be dentist shopping after that since I'm not especially fond of the other dentist in their shared practice (I only saw her once when my dentist had a family emergency and had to be off)
So...while you have been there 10 years and you aren't happy with the hygienist situation and (as you said) you don't see your dentist all that much, maybe check with some friends on recommendations and give a new one a try. You can always go back to your dentist later, once they get their staffing issues situated, but who knows, you may really like the change.
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Post by workingclassdog on May 11, 2023 14:47:27 GMT
For you I would find her if you can. My case is that I love my dentist as much as my hygienist.. it's a good thing they are best friends and they are tied at the hip so don't think they would ever split up unless one just stops practicing. I would hate to make that decision to pick. They are both great.
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scrapngranny
Pearl Clutcher
Only slightly senile
Posts: 4,763
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Post by scrapngranny on May 11, 2023 14:52:52 GMT
I spend way more time with my hygienist than I do my dentist. I have with both for years. I have to get my teeth cleaned every three months, so it seems like I’m always there.
What would bother me is the using temps part. I like the fact that my hygienist knows every part of my mouth, and every single tooth.
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Post by tommygirl on May 11, 2023 15:05:50 GMT
My hygienist retired. Then I went for my most recent cleaning and she was there filling in! I was so happy to see her!
My dentist was having a hard time finding hygienists so she was filling in as needed.
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Post by maryland on May 11, 2023 15:58:51 GMT
I would try to find the hygenist. My major fear of the dentist involves pain, and most of my pain comes from the cleaning (the other stuff too, but they give me novicaine for that, so it helps). So if I found a hygenist I loved, I would follow him or her wherever they move to.
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Post by ToniW on May 11, 2023 16:05:43 GMT
Same thing happened to me, but I have no idea where she went. I loved my dentist (and I hate going!) but he was great. Could be a bit behind sometimes but what I loved was that while he was taking care of something and spot something simple to fix like a slight discoloration on a crown that took all of 2 minutes, he'd do it then and there without me having to go back in. When he retired, the dentist that took over must have been new as she had a problem with my impression for my implant. Now that the hygenist is gone, I may switch to DH's dentist.
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on May 11, 2023 16:44:33 GMT
My hygienist left the practice and did not take another position during covid. I had definitely been staying at that practice for her, and it took me a while being shuffled around to find another hygienist who we like. I would have changed practices if it didn't work out that way. I get my teeth cleaned every 3 months, so a good, fast hygienist is important to me!
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Post by ntsf on May 11, 2023 16:53:34 GMT
I guess I am lucky.. my dentist does all the work..no hygienist. he is very gentle.. can be a bit flaky (like appts sometimes are late.. but he will squeeze me in if I need him and the pain in minimal.
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Post by worrywart on May 11, 2023 17:15:52 GMT
I hope you can find her and I would ask the dentist if you can't find her where she went!
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Post by mikklynn on May 12, 2023 13:58:14 GMT
I'd look for the hygenist. I'd also be wondering what the heck is going on in the practice that they have no hygenists!
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Post by crazy4scraps on May 12, 2023 15:45:10 GMT
I’d look for her too. We’d been going to the same dentist for probably 25 years or so and love both him and the hygienist, but it’s been increasingly difficult to keep going there because it’s all the way on the other side of town since we moved. I think both the dentist and the hygienist will be retiring relatively soon anyway. He brought in another younger dentist and several younger hygienists several years back and the new guy is okay but not worth driving 35-40 minutes each way for twice a year. Not to mention it’s gotten really expensive.
When one of my fillings cracked in April less than a month after having a $200 panoramic x-ray done, I went to a different dentist 10 minutes from my house that DH has been going to for the last year and a half. DD and I will go back to the previous practice for an already scheduled cleaning in August before DD goes back to school because the new place was already booking into November, but after that we’re switching to the new place. It’s just too hard to try to schedule appointments for the two of us back to back where it’s not a total inconvenience, and I hate making that trip across town multiple times for us to go separately.
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SweetieBsMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,612
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Post by SweetieBsMom on May 12, 2023 16:02:23 GMT
My dentist, of about 10 years, canceled my hygienist appointment two weeks ago on the day of the appointment. Said they had no staff available and would call to reschedule. I called this past Monday and got an appointment for today as there had been a cancellation. They are using temps from an agency. Office manager (wife of dentist) told me they currently have no hygienists on staff. I loved my hygienist. I thought of trying to find her on social media. I know her last name as it’s still listed on the dentist’s website. I feel bad because I recently recommended this office to two coworkers. One has been and is having a crown done in a couple of weeks. They scheduled a cleaning for him for the fall. I’m really torn but I go more for the hygienist than the dentist. I have only had him do any work twice in the years I’ve been going there. I had been going to the same dentist since high school, around 35 years. The dentist sold the practice because he was going to teach full time at Tufts. I knew this, he told me, but thought ok, I love my hygienist so I'll keep driving 45 min to see her. Went to my last cleaning and EVERYONE was new. My hygienist was gone. I reached out to her and she said it was such a culture change everyone left. She said she was working at a place in X town but there's no way I'm going there, it would be an absolute nightmare to get there. So, just this week, I called and made an appointment for a dentist in my down (7min drive) based on a lot of favorable reviews. Kinda makes me sad, the end of an era.  |
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Post by epeanymous on May 12, 2023 16:09:59 GMT
I left a dentist because of the hygienist, so know how important having one you trust would be!
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Post by scrapmaven on May 12, 2023 16:28:14 GMT
Since you see your hygienist more than your dentist perhaps you use some googling skills and find out if she went elsewhere. I would be uncomfortable seeing a temporary hygienist, because I wouldn't know if she was any good. A good hygienist is so important and we do become attached to them.
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Post by littlemama on May 12, 2023 17:08:54 GMT
If you can find the hygienist, I would do that. Having no hygienists is a red flag to me. When you find her and get the scoop, come back and fill us in! 😂
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keithurbanlovinpea
Pearl Clutcher
Flowing with the go...
Posts: 4,271
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Post by keithurbanlovinpea on May 12, 2023 21:15:04 GMT
I left my last dentist, whom I loved, because his hygienist left and I disliked the new one's cleaning style... too rough. Found a new dentist whose hygienist I love, love love and I will follow her if she leaves. IMO it is worth it bc you see the hygienist more often.
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Post by AussieMeg on May 12, 2023 23:09:36 GMT
I guess if you go to that clinic more for the hygienist than the dentist, you should try to find her to see if she is at another clinic now. To be honest, I don't really know what a hygienist is. I assume it's what we call a dental nurse. I couldn't give two hoots about what dental nurse I get, the dentist is far far more important to me. The only thing the dental nurse really does (IME) is suck stuff out of my mouth and hand things to the dentist.  |
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Post by chaosisapony on May 13, 2023 0:58:42 GMT
I don't really like my dentist but I LOVE my hygienist. If she ever quits I will find another practice. So while I don't think you should necessarily facebook stalk her to find out where she's working now I do think it's completely acceptable to leave a practice if the person you typically see is no longer there. I would not be happy seeing temps. I would want to know the person cleaning my teeth from time to time would be the same.
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Post by littlemama on May 13, 2023 1:04:37 GMT
I guess if you go to that clinic more for the hygienist than the dentist, you should try to find her to see if she is at another clinic now. To be honest, I don't really know what a hygienist is. I assume it's what we call a dental nurse. I couldn't give two hoots about what dental nurse I get, the dentist is far far more important to me. The only thing the dental nurse really does (IME) is suck stuff out of my mouth and hand things to the dentist. What you are describing is called a Dental Assistant here and I dont think anyone gives them a second thought as you only interact with them when you are getting work done. A Hygienist is the person who cleans your teeth, so you spend the most time with them if you get the same one each time. Sometimes I can get my favorite hygienist and sometimes I can't, but I really like her and prefer to stick with her. |
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Post by AussieMeg on May 13, 2023 3:53:08 GMT
What you are describing is called a Dental Assistant here and I dont think anyone gives them a second thought as you only interact with them when you are getting work done. A Hygienist is the person who cleans your teeth, so you spend the most time with them if you get the same one each time. Sometimes I can get my favorite hygienist and sometimes I can't, but I really like her and prefer to stick with her. Right, thanks for explaining. I googled, and apparently we have dental hygienists here too. I have never seen one. Whenever I've had my teeth cleaned, it's been by the dentist, at every clinic I've been to. |
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Post by KelleeM on May 13, 2023 13:16:29 GMT
Not much of an update, but I did go on Thursday to the temp hygienist. She wasn’t horrible but seemed rather unorganized. My teeth feel clean and she didn’t draw blood so I’ll call it a win!
I’m going to try to find the hygienist that I love!
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