...my experience with khoo dental...
Having another 4 days of leave, I intended to pluck my wisdom tooth. I couldn’t weigh the benefits with disadvantage. On one side I want to keep my wisdom tooth since it’s upright and not giving me any pain (yet), the surgery is costly (avgly $400-$600) and requires a some time (5-7days) to recover; On the other hand it did squeeze my front tooth slightly out of position and I worry about the long term effect will cause further misalignment, and it’ll cost much more time and money to realign back the front tooth. It might get ugly!!! For that, I looked into the mirror while shining torch light into my mouth to take a look at my wisdom tooth. I did this action about ten times in the day and before I sleep. Still, I tell myself, ‘Maybe the doctor will advise something else…’, ‘Maybe I’m still able to take care of y wisdom tooth if I brush everyday’ etc…Frankly speaking, one week ago I actually visited this doctor to consult his opinion. After examining my teeth and doing some x-ray, he was able to highlight all my problems. Instead of answering my queries about my wisdom tooth and prices, he talks about fillings and crowning things etc. Soon I stepped out of his clinic clueless as to whether is it necessary to remove the wisdom tooth a not. So I booked another appointment intending to extract my wisdom tooth once and for all. My impression of him was – a mercenary doctor.
Today I went down again to see the doctor. Was hoping if he can give me the confident to pluck my tooth. The moment I stepped into his operation room, I told him I wasn’t confident enough and I need more advise. So he said, ‘Ok, we’ll go over it again. blah blah blah…’
Everytime I asked about the charges he’ll said ‘Wait…’. And finally when he finish beating about the bush, he said, ‘Your company subsidies… $250/ surgical tooth…’
‘Ok… so after that how much do I still need to pay?’
‘Slowly… We’ll come to that later… Are u paying by cash / medisave?’
‘Of course medisave if I can claim.’
‘Ok, then according to medisave… (flipping his memo here and there for 2 minute or so…) ahh… You’re under category 3C, you can claim $1850 for both wisdom tooth.’
‘But I thought of doing one side first…’
He sighed and frowned, ‘then that’s a different category again… in that case you’re under category 2C… can claim $950.’
‘So doctor, how much are YOU charging?’ This question came in the 3rd time, as I wonder why he didn’t want to answer me straight to the point.
‘Ok I’ll give you a discount. I’ll give you only 800 for the surgical tooth and 50 for the normal extraction. Since your company subsidies 250 plus medicine 28 etc… You’ll only need to top up with medisave for about 572…’
I gave a thought and said, ‘I think I’m still not ready for the operation’
‘What do you mean? Do you mean you’re afraid of the pain? Or you don’t want to do the operation?’
I finally took the courage to reject him, ‘I don’t want to do the operation’.
‘Then you shouldn’t have occupy my time. You actually book for a surgery slot!! And I actually block the morning.. .. .. .. .’
I was embarrassed for a moment. What was actually running through my mind was, my godsis JL who just did the wisdom tooth surgical extraction one week ago spent only $450 + $120 (day surgery). And even with my company subsidization, I still end up paying same or even more than her?? Doesn’t that sound ridiculous??
But the more I think the more I got angry –
1) With what he said that I occupied his time. He was the one who did not give me full information required for the operation and expect me to do the operation without knowing the price. In the end I had to book a slot again and revisit him.
2) For charging according to what he can claim from my medisave. He didn’t had a pricelist and that’s why he couldn’t give me a figure even after probing many times. It’s only after he read his memo to see how much I can claim then he derived with that ridiculous figure!! And even when I asked his assistant about the range, they keep saying that doctor has to see your case first. My suspicion is they didn’t dare to quote any price because there isn’t a standard price list.
3) Because it’s too late to change a doctor. To book for another appointment with another doctor usually takes days/weeks and I’m left with only 4 days of leave (and I can’t afford MCs).
He’s a cheat! A Dogtor so unprofessional!!! Can I do anything???
Guys... I know you really wan to know this: He's in AMK 316B. BE INFORMED!!
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