Dentistry: Fees quoted don't seem realistic

First, thank you to the staff dentists at Light Dental Studios for donating their Saturday providing no-cost care (TNT, 1-31).

Did the reporter vet any of the comments made by some of the patients seen that day? An immediate denture is a small fraction of the $20,000 quoted. The $58,000 fee is only possible for the highest level of full, dual arch reconstruction.

I suspect she was quoting a fee for complete dual jaw and sinus surgery with multiple implant-supported full arch permanent bridges. This is not a disease-control treatment plan but rather the absolute highest level of dental reconstruction.

Though she might be able to find that level of complex treatment in Mexico, that care is far above the standard. It is not easy to do well. Complications and failures happen. Proceed at your own risk.

The News Tribune’s intent recently seems to be to portray dentists as evildoers preventing access to cheap or free care. Rather than printing opinion pieces pretending to be unbiased reporting, give someone with a working knowledge of the dental profession an opportunity to describe in detail facts needed to come to a more educated conclusion regarding the stories you cover.

(Flatley is a Gig Harbor dentist.)

This story was originally published February 5, 2016 at 12:54 PM with the headline "Dentistry: Fees quoted don't seem realistic."