Friday whinge from the maven

[TracyTN 237]

I'm hoping he doesn't REALLY need it all - he needs another root canal, sure. But his dentist has just opened a brand new office and I think has bills to pay. I am sending him to get a second opinion!

I would!!!!

[*julez* 124]

I'm hoping he doesn't REALLY need it all - he needs another root canal, sure. But his dentist has just opened a brand new office and I think has bills to pay. I am sending him to get a second opinion!

$8,000 does seem really steep, even for a dentist! I think a second opinion is a good idea! Also, do you have any dental schools in your area? The UB Dental school here has dental students perform the work under the advisement of the "real deal" for much less money. My Mom has always had satifactory results, and they did some major work on her.

Good luck!

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I know this is going to sound crazy, but have you considered going abroad for the work? My mom was quoted $12,000 for various work she needed doing and she just about keeled over with sticker shock. However, one of my good friends has a father who is a dentist in Hungary and had always raved about the quality of dental care over there. (She had perfect teeth, and so did her Hungarian husband!) We looked into having her work done over there, and for less than half the price she had all the work she needed done, and had a holiday as well -- all flights and accommodation were incuded. She said a lot of Brits were staying at the hotel to have their work done too.

Except for missing my dad, she thought the whole experience was great. The dentists spoke perfect English, everyone was really nice, and the dentistry was perfect. She wouldn't hesitate to do it again! I hear Belgium is also good for dentistry, but not as inexpensive as Hungary. And Budapest is an amazing city -- I've been there three times and adore the place.

Edited July 16, 2007 by elmcitymaven

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

these are good suggestions, guys. I'm going to send him to another dentist here, just to be sure.

Going abroad is not crazy at all - my aunt-in-law has been to Czech Republic for cosmetic dentisty and said it was great.

[Lou Lou 1]

I'm hoping he doesn't REALLY need it all - he needs another root canal, sure. But his dentist has just opened a brand new office and I think has bills to pay. I am sending him to get a second opinion!

$8,000 does seem really steep, even for a dentist! I think a second opinion is a good idea! Also, do you have any dental schools in your area? The UB Dental school here has dental students perform the work under the advisement of the "real deal" for much less money. My Mom has always had satifactory results, and they did some major work on her.

Good luck!

I ended up getting a 2nd and 3rd opinion and reduced my bill from $6,500 to $3,100, to $1,100. I then went to the UK and got the work done privately. Way cheaper and my insurance covered it all with no questions.

On the other end of the scale, my Invisalign braces cost $6,500 compared to $15,000 in the UK. Unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover a penny of it.

[Lou Lou 1]

May I add to have a Tuesday whinge with blessings.

4am this morning we heard scuffling in the bedroom. Looked at the cat and she's on the bed so it wasn't her. I pushed Mr LL to get up and investigate, and to our horror there was a baby skunk in the bedroom.

We leave the door open overnight so the cat can come and go as she pleases. Mr LL has always assured me that a skunk would NEVER come in the house...ohhh..no. Yeah right.

So the skunk scuttles into the office and we bunker down in the bedroom with the door shut praying it won't do anything. This morning there was no sign of it of course. Phew. But I came into the office and it left a little calling card. You may all be grossed out by it, but thank F it didn't spray.

[Lou Lou 1]

And for some reason I can't upload the pic. What am I doing wrong?

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

oh good lord! imagine if the skunk and cat decided to have a show down?!?

At least it didn't spray!

[derekkj 0]

That had me cracking up Lou Lou! Only in Vermont!

My Mom has had bears, moose, fishers, what she thinks might have been a bobcat, and a cow in her yard. But never a skunk and never in her house.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

when I lived in Michigan I had a raccoon in my house - he had gone in, managed to get a box of graham crackers off the shelf and ate every last one,

[homesick_american 1]

when I lived in Michigan I had a raccoon in my house - he had gone in, managed to get a box of graham crackers off the shelf and ate every last one,

LOL; we had one stuck in our chimney once. We had to bring someone in to get the raccoon out. He grabbed it with a catchpole and flung it into a cage and took it away. I saw one just the other night sauntering through our yard.

[TracyTN 237]

Gosh - that is very scary! Particularly with rabies here in the US.

I HATE skunks. Had one spray UNDER my house a few months after I moved in. Ever since, I laugh with glee when I see one smashed on the side of the road (which is SO unlike me, I'm such a huge animal lover!).

[homesick_american 1]

Gosh - that is very scary! Particularly with rabies here in the US.

I HATE skunks. Had one spray UNDER my house a few months after I moved in. Ever since, I laugh with glee when I see one smashed on the side of the road (which is SO unlike me, I'm such a huge animal lover!).

Not all skunks have rabies; it's a concern but you're so unlikely to pick up rabies from a wild animal.

[broma25 2]

Gosh - that is very scary! Particularly with rabies here in the US.

I HATE skunks. Had one spray UNDER my house a few months after I moved in. Ever since, I laugh with glee when I see one smashed on the side of the road (which is SO unlike me, I'm such a huge animal lover!).

Awww I saw 3 skunks playing in the grass at the mall a couple of weeks ago. They are cute until they spray.

[Mags 112]

May I add to have a Tuesday whinge with blessings.

4am this morning we heard scuffling in the bedroom. Looked at the cat and she's on the bed so it wasn't her. I pushed Mr LL to get up and investigate, and to our horror there was a baby skunk in the bedroom.

We leave the door open overnight so the cat can come and go as she pleases. Mr LL has always assured me that a skunk would NEVER come in the house...ohhh..no. Yeah right.

So the skunk scuttles into the office and we bunker down in the bedroom with the door shut praying it won't do anything. This morning there was no sign of it of course. Phew. But I came into the office and it left a little calling card. You may all be grossed out by it, but thank F it didn't spray.

OMG!!!!!!1111

I would have LOVED to have seen it. I adore skunks and Raccoons. They are beautiful. Am I insane? Nahhh. I just love them and have yet to see a skunk alive; they are always dead on the road. I have seen ONE raccoon alive, it was a little baby one tottering along the road. I descended into alternative squeeling and awwwwwing noises and hubby couldn't shut me up for days. I kept saying "I've seen a raccon! I've seen a raccoon!"

I've even looked into getting a pet skunk (de glanded of course) then I was told that they smell like ferrets and went off the idea. They are still gorgeous though.

Fact time: They will only spray if they have no options to run and they feel attacked or cornered. They don't like to spray simply because it takes them 3 days to stock up on smelly stuff again.

Edited July 17, 2007 by mags