Doctor's keeping patient fees lower

It great to have a shiny new practice. Cherry wood, fancy furniture, expensive furnishings. But who really pays for all that? Well, you do. That's why there's nothing wrong with having a modestly decorated practice; as long as it's well kept, clean and the staff is friendly, caring and not in a rush to get you in and out because overhead is high. We can do that as providers and contribute to the move towards better overall coverage. I certainly have room to grow with my fee schedule, but I'm in no rush.
Granted certain areas of the country are higher, but when I hear of 4 wisdom tooth extractions costing over $2,500 with or without IV sedation around here, that is high at least for our practice. Watch for a lot of "ala carte" charges too. Although we rarely bone graft an individual socket on a wisdom case (usually an older individual), routinely bone grafting every wisdom tooth socket is unethical and unnecessary surgery. It would be "padding the bill".
A health care practice should be a successful business, but people should also realize that high quality, patient education and caring staff doesn't have to cost big bucks. There are also people out there with no dental coverage and appreciate (most of the time) lower fees. Even those with coverage find certain items not covered by their plan, and if it's out-of-pocket, a lower fee is appreciated. Let's all work together on this and make it happen!
Scott Noren DDS
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Ithaca, NY