How to find a dentist who does dot insist on xrays?

[summermay]

I tried to find a dentist who does not do complete xrays for new patients. I do not see any sense to x/r without a medical indication ( but I am from Europe and there it would be quite unusual and even malpractice to do so routinely).

Any suggestions appreciated. Many thanks

[WaitingForKiddos]

You're going to have a hard time with that one.

Are you opposed to ANY x-rays at all or just more than every 2-4 years as is the typical case with most dentists?

[milkybean]

Post on your local area's threads to see if there's anyone in the area? Call around.

To me those are the ways you'll find someone, if they are out there.

Dental (and chiropractic) xrays are such a no-big-deal to me (much lower radiation than other xrays)...and especially with dentists, they show the dentists more of the tooth that they can see (OK that's a big "duh" statement, LOL) and that info can be important for them. So I see no big deal in once a year if you go twice a year, or once every few years (hubby went 12 years between dental appts once, and now it's been about 3 years since that appt, for instance). So for them there IS a medical need, b/c if they were to miss something, it will impact your mouth, might impact your overall health, and might also impact their livelihood (least important to us, most important or at least of equal importance to them).

But anyway, it can't hurt to call around!

[laohaire]

I don't think such a dentist is going to be easy to find in the US. Their malpractice insurance requires it.

I could be wrong, but I think I read dental xrays have less radiation exposure than a cross country airplane flight.

Even if that's not true, I do know they've taken radiation reduction in dental xrays pretty seriously, and it's supposed to be pretty minimal.

[summermay]

Many thanks for your responses. They were very helpful to understand this matter in the U.S.

I am not absolutely against x/r, I was just surprised as it is so contradictory practise than to Western Europe (and I personally consider it, let's say equivalent/similiar to the U.S. in quality terms).

So, now I am going to research,
are digital xrays really much better, who says so, really necessary,
how lont are they in use/long-term side effects etc (basically like researching about vaxes)

I guess I could try to wait until going back to Europe just being used to it as matter of convenience. Actually I am not really crunchy and even the conservative dentists did not recommend xr for ANY routines (esp never ever with children), if cavitities, root things are so small and not be really visuable for the eye, there is often a chance that it returns naturally..

But- I have to admit the teeth in the US of the general population looks so much whiter, brighter and so many perfect smiles (braces everywhere and the veneer things and so on are quite fetching and good looking)

Anyhow, many thanks again and now I know what to expect and why : )

[TonyaW]

I avoid it for my regular dentist appointments by telling them I may be pregnant which is true because I never use birth control.

[sbgquilt]

Hi! I do actually feel very strongly against routine dental x-rays and I have just done a major search to find one in my area who will not insist on them. It was nearly impossible, but turns out not totally impossible. I posted to this list -- see this thread: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=964580 and one resource someone pointed me to was helpful.

A lot of dentists tried to tell me that digital x-rays are so much better and less radiation, but I couldn't find the data to back that up. I did post something else on this forum on that topic actually.

We have not vaccinated our daughter and to expose her to x-rays at this point unless someone has somethign specific they think is wrong and need the x-ray to help with a fix taht would be acceptable to me, it just seems wrong to do.

I support you looking for someone in your area, but be prepared to make a LOT of phone calls!

--Susan