A German dentist took debt collection to a whole new level when he allegedly went to a patient’s house, forced her mouth open and took out two bridges. With no anesthesia, no sterile environment and who knows what instruments. Her insurance company refused to pay the remainder of her charges and so did she. He’s being charged with assault and theft for taking the bridges. And here’s the age-old dental collections questions: if she didn’t pay for the bridge, it’s not really hers, is it?
I know it’s insensitive but this question comes up in seminars all the time. Usually it is phrased as “if the patient doesn’t pay for the crown do we have to cement it for them?” Yes, you do – you can’t leave their mouth in a state that’s worse than when you started treatment. Maybe there’s a problem with the crown and it needs to be sent back for a remake. Or maybe the lab hasn’t delivered it yet so we’ll need to reschedule. But you can never refuse to cement it because of money issues. The German dentist’s method is NOT recommended.
You can always cement a temporary crown or bridge. In most cases it doesn’t leave a tooth in a worse state than when you started the treatment. You leave the final crown on the shelf and wait. It takes a couple of weeks for the patient to return but eventually you will get your money.