From: Rajiv Patel
To: ROOTS
Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2009 8:00 PM
Subject: [roots] Fun TRIcuspid!

Tricuspid - took  tri-visits to finish ...(; Thanks to his constant .....how long more?,
half a dozen cell phones buzzing.  Overall had fun!.....# 18 is in progress - Rajiv Patel



Beautiful - Javier Pascual

Well done.....now, failing RCT being addressed  - also through the bridge.
When the bridge snaps off or whatever......who ya gonna call - Kendo

Agreed on all counts! This patient was informed of the ideal ( post pulp mortem) -
individual crowns on tooth # 18 and # 20 since the irreverisble had already been done
+ implant in position of # 19.

A bridge to nowhere....is a story of the past, but there are too many variables which
dictate treatment, some of them being - insurance coverage, operator preference / bias/training.

Till then......Endodontics is at the cross roads!! - Rajiv



excellent job, excellent for conservative endodontics BELLISSIMO - Marino

Rajiv, Great work!!! word of advice, I have a sign in each of my rooms that reads
" please turn your cell phones off", one less headache to deal with. Beautiful case - Jose

Thanks Jose and Marino!
We have a sign in the reception, but some of these patient's need a sign around their neck.
Wait till you see those teenagers who can text blindly @ 100 words a minute..(; - Rajiv

Best line to use.  Sure you can use your cell phone if it rings your fee is doubled - Bill Seddon

Rajiv, First of all, the treatment looks very nice. What was your shaping protocol ? Congrats.
"Rant more on"
Not many patients would agree to insert an implant when they already have a bridge. Israelis are
a tough bunch to treat, I have tons of problems with cellulars. They answer them in the middle of
the treatment with the rubber dam on like they are somewhere on holidays. They don't care if I ask
them to close them or to make them vibrate only. Some even tell me that they are waiting for an
emergency call and make my assistant answer their calls in the middle of the treatment. She has
to answer several calls during one session, turning her to a phone company operative…

Some text (SMS) all the time moving their heads out of the scopes field while doing it. It's
either put up with it or go home and starve. The prices of endo are very low anyway (around 300$).
In a country with 3 times more dentists then needed (ration 1:700) you have to hang on to every
patient like he was gold  even if he talks on cellular and texts 100 words a second L. You need
to say thank you to the referring dentist that he sent the patient to you instead of pulling the
tooth and make a implant instead  which is about 7 !!! times more profitable (and faster) and
80% of the dentists do just that. In the next life I will be a maxillofacial for sure - Thomas

Thomas.....I feel for you.
But everywhere it is the same. .......if its meant to be its up to ME
You are the master of your own destiny.  If you dont like it .......CHANGE IT.
I would go crazy with all those calls.  I would put a sign up that it interferes with your scope.
I would put a sign up that you charge by the minute .  I would put a sign up that if your cel phone
goes off there is a surcharge.  I wouldnt let my assistant answer it.

You are the dentist......make them play by your rules.

I shake my head at what you " have " to put up with.  Change it if it bothers you dont let the
patient control the appointment.  It is YOUR Office.

I dont have the answer but talk to your fellow dentist friends and see what worked for them.
My bet is that if you put a price per phone call added onto their appointment (even if it was a joke )
that they would get the message.....NOT LITERALLY......Glenn