The Dark Side Of Dentistry
The Dark Side Of Dentistry is the whistleblower podcast the dental industry doesn’t want you to hear. Hosted by The Drill Teller, a licensed insider still working in the system. This show exposes the shady tactics used by corporate dental chains and DSO’s to squeeze profits out of patients. From inflated treatment plans to fake diagnoses, from probing “trainings “to scare tactic screenings, each episode breaks down how the industry really works behind the front desk. No fluff. No Fear. Just facts from inside the machine.
Subscribe and Follow
On X @thedrillteller
#DarkSideOfDentistry, #DentalScams, #CorporateDentistry, #DentalTruths, #BehindTheSmile, #DentalIndustryExposed, #PatientAwareness, #UpsellingInDentistry, #PeriodontalScams, #DentalPodcast, #OralHealthSecrets, #DentistryUncovered, #ExposingDSOs, #DentalFraud, #ToothTruth #Dental
The Dark Side Of Dentistry
The Extraction Deception
Corporate dental chains routinely add expensive bone grafts and membranes to simple tooth extractions, turning a $150 procedure into a $1,200 bill. In this revealing episode, I expose how dental practices exploit patients in pain to maximize profits, and why some dentists recommend extractions when teeth could actually be saved.
• Not every extraction requires a bone graft or membrane, despite what corporate dentists claim
• Bone graft materials can fall out within days if not secured properly, wasting $500-800
• Quick extractions are more profitable than complex procedures that save teeth
• End-of-month production quotas can influence treatment recommendations
• Not all dentists are unethical, but corporate systems incentivize upselling
• Patients should always ask if procedures are truly necessary or optional
• Getting a second opinion is worth enduring pain for an extra day or two
If you've got a story, question, or experience to share, reach out to me on X at the Drill Teller or email me directly at thedrilltelleratprotonme. Remember, when it comes to your mouth, knowledge is power.
#DarkSideOfDentistry, #DentalScams, #CorporateDentistry, #DentalTruths, #BehindTheSmile, #DentalIndustryExposed, #PatientAwareness, #UpsellingInDentistry, #PeriodontalScams, #DentalPodcast, #OralHealthSecrets, #DentistryUncovered, #ExposingDSOs, #DentalFraud, #ToothTruth
Welcome back to the Dark Side of Dentistry, the podcast where we pull back the smiling facade of corporate dental chains and reveal what's really going on behind closed doors. I'm your host, the Drill Teller. Today we're diving into a part of dentistry that's often cloaked in surgical masks, sharp tools and, let's be honest, a whole lot of upselling Oral surgery. Specifically, we're talking about extractions, pulling teeth and the so-called add-ons that magically get attached to the bill. Let's set the stage. Imagine you've got a toothache so bad that you can't sleep. You've tried the painkillers, the cold compress, the desperate googling. Finally, you walk into a dental office, usually corporate, hoping for some relief. The dentist takes a look and says we're going to need to pull this tooth and you'll also need a bone graft and membrane. Wait, bone graft, membrane. You came in expecting a hundred and fifty dollar extraction, but now you're looking at almost twelve hundred dollars. Let's break it down.
Speaker 1:What is bone graft? See, in dentistry, bone grafting is a procedure where material often synthetic, animal based or cadaver is packed into the empty socket where the tooth was supposedly to preserve bone for a future implant or to prevent bone loss. And what is membrane, or guided tissue regeneration? It's essentially a barrier material placed over the graft to help the area heal. At least that's the explanation. Now here's the kicker. Not every attraction needs a bone graft, not every socket needs a membrane, but in some corporate dental chains, especially the ones that I've seen and worked in, they literally will not perform an extraction without adding these items to the treatment plan. Why? Because they know the patient is in pain. They know the patient is in pain, they know that you're vulnerable and you're sitting there mouth open, panicked, desperate for any kind of relief. And when the dentist says you need this to heal properly, most patients are not going to argue. But here's the truth. Sometimes bone grafting is appropriate, like if you're planning for an implant or if the area does have poor bone support. Other times it's completely optional and sometimes brace yourself the graft material will fall out within a day or two because it was not packed, secured and properly. And that's about five hundred to eight hundred dollars down the tubes. Right there this turns what should have been a relatively affordable extraction into a cash cow for the office.
Speaker 1:Let's talk about the darker side of this. There have been situations where the tooth could have been saved, maybe with a root canal, a crown or other treatment, but the doctor recommends pulling it anyway. Why? Well, because it's quicker, because it's easier and it's fast money. Think about it. Saving a tooth requires time, multiple appointments, complex work and often insurance pre-authorizations. Pulling a tooth, it's one visit, one procedure paid up front, one done, wham bam. Thank you, ma'am, see you later. Even worse, I've seen situations where patients wanted to save the tooth but the doctor still pushed for the extraction. Why? Because it was ending the month and they needed that extra money.
Speaker 1:Now am I saying all dentists are bad? No, and I need to tell you this every episode because it is the truth. They are not all bad. Am I saying all bone grafts are scams? No, absolutely not.
Speaker 1:But in corporate dental systems where metrics, production quotas and monthly goals drive decisions, patient care can quickly take a backseat. Patients deserve transparency. You deserve the real options and they deserve to know when something is necessary and when it's just a padded line item on a bill. So what can you do if you're facing this situation? Easy Ask questions, ask them why do I need this? What happens if I don't get it? Is it optional or is it required? If they say it's required, get a second opinion.
Speaker 1:If you're unsure, you have every right to shop around. Know your rights, people. Just because you're in pain doesn't mean you have to say yes to everything. Trust me, one or two more days of holding out with that pain will be worth it. One or two more days of holding out with that pain will be worth it. Corporate dental chains may treat patients like transactions, but you are more than a production goal. That's it for today's episode of the Dark Side of Dentistry. If you've got a story, a question or an experience that you want to share, reach out to me on X at the Drill Teller or email me directly at thedrilltelleratprotonme. That's thedrilltelleratprotonme. And remember, when it comes to your mouth, knowledge is power, power.