Looking for a good and reasonably priced dentist

[ivannaSUV]

I'm looking for a dentist to have some MAJOR work done
(extraction of wisdom teeth, crowns/fillings, fixing receding gums)
I'd like to know your experiences (GOOD BAD AND UGLY) and recommendations
I am EXTREMELY dentist-phobic (bad experiences as a child)

[Glacier]

For wisdom teeth, I would recommend Dr. Andrew N. Hokhold in Vernon - one of most experienced in the province at pulling teeth. He pulled all 4 of my wife's wisdom teeth in about 20 minutes, and there was no swelling afterward meaning she experienced very little in the way of pain the proceeding days and weeks.

As for price, you get what you paid for.

[zzontar]

They say the rates are supposed to be roughly the same, but wouldn't a dentist who has his practice in his home for example have a much lower overhead than one with a high priced office space with TV's and leather chairs, etc, thereby having much lower rates? Do they exist?

[gardengirl]

They say the rates are supposed to be roughly the same, but wouldn't a dentist who has his practice in his home for example have a much lower overhead than one with a high priced office space with TV's and leather chairs, etc, thereby having much lower rates? Do they exist?

No. Dentists don't have practices in their homes. There are no discount dentists in Canada, they are a regulated profession.

[ivannaSUV]

They say the rates are supposed to be roughly the same, but wouldn't a dentist who has his practice in his home for example have a much lower overhead than one with a high priced office space with TV's and leather chairs, etc, thereby having much lower rates? Do they exist?

No. Dentists don't have practices in their homes. There are no discount dentists in Canada, they are a regulated profession.

It's my understanding that dentists can charge whatever rates they want "over and above" any regulated rates (if there is such a thing as regulated rates).

[gardengirl]

They say the rates are supposed to be roughly the same, but wouldn't a dentist who has his practice in his home for example have a much lower overhead than one with a high priced office space with TV's and leather chairs, etc, thereby having much lower rates? Do they exist?

No. Dentists don't have practices in their homes. There are no discount dentists in Canada, they are a regulated profession.

It's my understanding that dentists can charge whatever rates they want "over and above" any regulated rates (if there is such a thing as regulated rates).

I am not sure about charging more, but I believe they cannot charge less than the College recommends.

From your original post, it sounds like you have a variety of problems. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may need to see a Specialist to deal with some of the issues such as the wisdom teeth and gums.

For most people, you need to deal with the pressing concerns first. If you are in pain, that would be the first thing to address. Then it would be the overall health of your mouth. Restorative and aesthetics can be done later on.

Looking for a cheap dentist is probably the wrong direction to go. You want someone who will be sensitive to your fears and work with your tolerance and budgetary concerns. They should be able to give you an comprehensive treatment plan with a choice of potential treatments.

It took time for your teeth to deteriorate and it will take time to improve the situation.

[zzontar]

They say the rates are supposed to be roughly the same, but wouldn't a dentist who has his practice in his home for example have a much lower overhead than one with a high priced office space with TV's and leather chairs, etc, thereby having much lower rates? Do they exist?

No. Dentists don't have practices in their homes. There are no discount dentists in Canada, they are a regulated profession.

The dentist I had when I lived in Alberta had a huge house and the basement was all built for dentistry. He usually has 5 dentists in there at once, and I couldn't imagine a better dentist than the one I had. When comparing rates once with a girlfriend at the time, mine charged almost half on some things that hers charged... all around mine charged a good percentage less than hers. This is what I hoped to find here.

[gardengirl]

They say the rates are supposed to be roughly the same, but wouldn't a dentist who has his practice in his home for example have a much lower overhead than one with a high priced office space with TV's and leather chairs, etc, thereby having much lower rates? Do they exist?

No. Dentists don't have practices in their homes. There are no discount dentists in Canada, they are a regulated profession.

The dentist I had when I lived in Alberta had a huge house and the basement was all built for dentistry. He usually has 5 dentists in there at once, and I couldn't imagine a better dentist than the one I had. When comparing rates once with a girlfriend at the time, mine charged almost half on some things that hers charged... all around mine charged a good percentage less than hers. This is what I hoped to find here.

Unless it was basic things like a checkup and xrays, it would be difficult to compare notes on prices. Once you get into cleanings and restorative work, you can't compare unless you had exactly the same things done. By that, I mean the same size fillings, same location, same materials used, same amount of time required.

[fun2chat]

I have worked in denistry in Kelowna for over 20 years and for the most part all "general" dentists charge the current year's fees dictated by the College of Dental Surgeons of BC. I have not heard of many that charge more.
Most people don't like going to the dentist, so it is not in the best interest of "general" dentists to charge more than the fee guide because it's hard enough to get patients to come in anyway. It has become a competitive market for getting and keeping patients.
The decor of an office has no bearing on the prices charged. I have seen many offices lavishly decorated that charge excatly the same as very plain, simple-looking offices. Decor is used to make patients feel comfortable and calm.

Specialists, ie. oral surgeon, prosthodontist(crown and bridge/denture), endodontist( root canal) get to charge more because they have more schooling/experience in a certain area of dentistry. This is also regulated by the College of Dental Surgeons of BC. Most dentistry can be done by general dentists unless there is something more difficult that would require a specialist.
For example, all dentists can pull teeth, some even pull wisdom teeth if they are not "difficult" extractions. If the dentist recommends that you need to go to a specialist, there is a good reason, ie. tooth sitting at a bad angle, covered by gum tissue, may damage surrounding teeth etc. Also, the specialist would know exactly how to attempt and successfuly carry out the work with the least amount of pain and damage.

Other provinces have their own set of fees and rules pertaining to what dentists can charge or how they can set up their office. In BC, offices in your basement is not permitted.
Patients that seek out "back-yard" dentists or get their dental work done cheaply in some other countries while on holiday usually end up paying much more to get their work done over again and possibly wind up with permanent damage. I've seen this first hand many times.

I personally see a different dentist than where I work because it's more convenient for my family.
I would highly recommend Dr. Todd and Darcy Penkala at Creekside Dental for their excellence in care, high level of professionalism, precise dental work and really convenient hours. (Plus they're super friendly and my kids love them too!)

[grammafreddy]

I'd like to know why some dentists refuse patients because they smoke.

[gardengirl]

I'd like to know why some dentists refuse patients because they smoke.

I have never, ever, heard of that, not even rumours. I could see the possibility of delaying certain treatment because someone is a heavy smoker. Smokers do not heal as well as other people, some types of surgery might be better delayed until oral tissues have time to heal.

[Urbane]

The dentists at Peachland Dental are terrific. We don't live in Peachland but it's worth the drive. They're highly competent and very friendly too.

[tazmandew]

I'm looking for a dentist to have some MAJOR work done
(extraction of wisdom teeth, crowns/fillings, fixing receding gums)
I'd like to know your experiences (GOOD BAD AND UGLY) and recommendations
I am EXTREMELY dentist-phobic (bad experiences as a child)

There are two dentists that i have been to that i would highly recommend as i have been to several in my life.

Dr Bobyn in Glenmore- Glenvalley Dental Centre- (250) 762-7758
#201-437 Glenmore Rd, Kelowna

Really good dentist...does excellent work and will not try to profit from you by doing extra uneccesary work..tries to make everything affordable within your budget. Is very truthful and honest about what can be done. The pain is minimal compared to other dentists. He has state of the art equipment. Has camera to show you the work he is doing on your teeth halfway through if you wish to view on the computer screen. Awesome dentist! Makes you laugh non stop through whole procedure!

Another one that does great work is:

Burlacu Klara Dr
211-1980 Cooper Road,
Kelowna, BC V1Y 8K5

Does really good work...doesn't have the sense of humor like bobyn..but you will still get top quality dental work with minimal pain.

*removed: do not include negative reviews/Jo*

[Libelle]

The dentists at Peachland Dental are terrific. We don't live in Peachland but it's worth the drive. They're highly competent and very friendly too.

A fried of mine loves them! She drives out to Peachland just so her son can see them. She told me when my daughter gets older that it is well worth the drive. And she likes them for herself as well.