Albany/Capital District NY area help

[PrincessDoll]

Hi,

I'm having a very hard time finding a pediatric dentist in this area. I'm starting to worry about my son's teeth which are quickly rotting the longer we wait. I don't like his current dentist. I went for a second opinion, she sent us back to a pediatric dentist but this one won't allow me to be present when she works on my son's teeth (he's only THREE!!!). I found another dentist who seems ok but she expects full payment and then I have to wait for the insurance company to reimburse me (wow, who has money like that?!).

Please recommend a good pediatric dentist to me, I'm willing to travel up to an hour for a good dentist!

Thanks if you are able to help me out.

[kristin1924]

Hi and good morning.

I have gone to Dr. Thomas Stack (exit 10 off the Northway) since I was a teen (over 20 years now). I love this man. My entire family goes to him. I do not pay until I get my reimbursement from the insurance company and although he is not a "pediatric" dentist, he does take kids and will be seeing my daughter once she is 3 years old at the end of the year. I love my dentist because when I once lived in CA, I found a dentist there and they told me I had a total of 14 cavities that needed to be filled.... I didn't believe them, and flew home for a visit and made an appt with Dr. Stack. He could only find TWO real cavities in my mouth. The guy is so honest and so warm. So, maybe give a call? Of course, it's a hard match for anyone to find the right one for you, but I just wanted to tell you that I have always had a good experience with my dentist and my kid will definitely be seeing him.

[sdm1024]

We go to

Dr. Kotlow on Fuller Rd. in Albany. All three of my kids like him - they actually ASK to go to the dentsit!, he's generally pretty nice with parents and does alot of work with lasers so that most procedures are pretty pain free.
He seems to take most insurances and there is info in his office for payment plans. They usually can get you in pretty quickly as well.

Here is his website http://www.kiddsteeth.com/index_home.htm

HTH!

[spero]

Originally Posted by PrincessDoll

Hi,

I'm having a very hard time finding a pediatric dentist in this area. I'm starting to worry about my son's teeth which are quickly rotting the longer we wait. I don't like his current dentist. I went for a second opinion, she sent us back to a pediatric dentist but this one won't allow me to be present when she works on my son's teeth (he's only THREE!!!).

Would that be Capital District Pediatric Dentistry on Century Drive, in Latham? We were referred to them when my oldest was three, and I hated them. They wanted to do a ROOT CANAL on a baby tooth!!!!!!!

My SIL swears by Jon Globerson in Saratoga Springs, but we've always just used our regular dentist, Andy Singh, in Saratoga (Adirondack Dental - his wife Laurie has the satellite office in Clifton Park) ... he's very gentle and caring and the kids are very comfortable with him.

[EFmom]

:

This is all so subjective.

I really like the practice on Century Hill. My kids love going to the dentist.

Dr. Kotlow, however, was one of the most overbearing men I've ever met, and he wouldn't let me be in the room at all with my not yet two year old. We walked out. My kids are adopted, and I was in no hurry to wean them off the bottle. He gave me a lecture on how I'd ruined dd's life because she occasionally had a bottle. And she had no cavities or problems with her teeth, btw.

[spero]

To be fair, I haven't been to that practice in over 14 years. I think DS saw a Dr. Richardson (?), who got pissy when DH questioned the need for a root canal on a baby tooth, and who made it clear that we would NOT be allowed in the room with DS for any procedures.

Afterward, I heard from my insurance company, who informed me that this practice charged nearly twice the cost of our regular dentist; and, while they would cover the consult visit even though it exceeded their set benefit, they would not be able to pay in full for any subsequent visits and that the excess would be our responsibility.

I then got a cheerful letter from CDPD "reminding me" to schedule DS's next cleaning right away (we hadn't even committed to the procedure DS supposedly "needed", much less agreed to switch dentists!), and to have his dental records transferred over to them ASAP. When I didn't respond to the letter, I got a phone call - at which point I declined the procedure as well as joining the practice permanently.

[EFmom]

Originally Posted by spero

To be fair, I haven't been to that practice in over 14 years. I think DS saw a Dr. Richardson (?), who got pissy when DH questioned the need for a root canal on a baby tooth, and who made it clear that we would NOT be allowed in the room with DS for any procedures.

Afterward, I heard from my insurance company, who informed me that this practice charged nearly twice the cost of our regular dentist; and, while they would cover the consult visit even though it exceeded their set benefit, they would not be able to pay in full for any subsequent visits and that the excess would be our responsibility.

I then got a cheerful letter from CDPD "reminding me" to schedule DS's next cleaning right away (we hadn't even committed to the procedure DS supposedly "needed", much less agreed to switch dentists!), and to have his dental records transferred over to them ASAP. When I didn't respond to the letter, I got a phone call - at which point I declined the procedure as well as joining the practice permanently.

If we're talking about the same place, there's no Dr. Richardson there now. We usually see one of two women, both of whom have been great.

They are expensive. But I've never in my 48 years had a dentist for any of us who charged anything like what the insurance companies want to claim is "reasonable and customary." I love that phrase. It seems to me that if it's reasonable, it's sure never customary.

[PrincessDoll]

Yes, it was the dentist in Latham. Thanks for the suggestions ladies. My husband and I have sat long and hard and discussed the various options we have been presented and have decided to stick with the first dentist who is going to administer Versed to work on his teeth. That appointment is coming up in a month.