Question:
I was wondering if anyone could recommend a CIGNA dentist in the central San Diego (CA) area. With my current
dentist, it seems to take _forever_ (6-8 weeks) to get non-emergency appointments...I called in early-to-mid
January to make my initial appointment...got in for x-rays/checkup in late Feb, had a mid-April appointment
that I had to postpone [just once, to get Kaiser to check out a potential heart murmur--at the dentist's
request], and didn't get in until mid-to-late June for my cleaning! About a week ago I did (surprisingly) get
a same-day appointment to check out a filling that came out, that I speculate (but admittedly, I do not know)
was loosened by the most vigorous cleaning I've ever had! I still have to wait until mid-August to get the
filling replaced...is this normal? I was lucky (!?) since one of their new dentists is going to do
it...otherwise, it was going to be mid-September!
I'm aware that CIGNA may set a schedule of how often that my dentist can see me...but this seems a little
ridiculous. Anyway, we've also had a problem with a misdiagnosis (for me), and two quite conflicting plans of
treatment from two dentists at their office (for my husband, who's been waiting a few weeks for approval of a
referral to an oral surgeon). so even if we have to suffer from the same slow service elsewhere, we'd like to
try someone else.
Here's a list of San Diego dentists belonging to the plan, I was wondering if anyone would recommend (or not)
any of these:
Chancellor Park Dental
William Carlo DMD
Howard Katz DDS
Ana Simerlein DDS
Mitra Javidan DMD
Barbara Young DDS
Tierrasanta Dentral Group
Robert E Chin DDS
Uptown Dental Office
Personal Dental Services
Mission Valley Dental
Joseph Hippensteel DDS
Downtown Dental Group
Martin Abelar DDS
David Sintek DDS
Nadere Abhari DDS
Del Mar Professional Dental
New Smile Dental Center
Chester Banaag DDS
Answer:
Finding a quality dentist who is willing to take a discount of his/her
fees according to an insurance company's whims is not easy. There
are some young ones out there trying to establish a patient base, but
who knows which ones are the good ones?
Such is the life in capitation dentistry. I agree with Steve; there are
offices that can balance a high-volume, discount fee practice and still
provide adequate dentistry. A patient with such a plan who values high
quality dentistry faces a dilemma. He or she can accept a capitation
practice in return for the monetary savings, or choose a non-capitation,
higher fee, lower volume, more personalized care practice and pay out of
pocket. This is a discretionary choice, and though dentistry is not
cheap, it's a great value, and people who value it find a way to pay, just
as they do with other discretionary spending choices such as cars,
vacations, boats, etc.
I know that I wouldn't mind being interviewed by a prospective patient.
Mind you, I've never had anyone ask yet. But if they did, I'd be happy to
show them my office and tell them about me and my practice.
I refer as many patients as I can to Ali. Some don't like to cross the
ocean to another continent for their dental care, but once they hear that
Ali is the best around, and is the REAL reason Di left Charles, they're
happy to go.
Call 1-800-Ali-Stud
