Are there many dental offices that allow end of the day walk in patients?!
Question: Are there many dental offices that allow end of the day walk in patients!?
I work in a dental office and this past Thursday we finished up about 30 minutes early, so the dentist gathered up his things and left about 4:40, 20 mintues earlier than we close for the day!. About 4:45 a man came in, walked up to the front counter, and said "My wife is a patient here!. Here's my drivers license, so you can get my insurance information from her account!." We didn't know who he was, and we hadn't seen his wife in years, so the receptionist asked him "Are you wanting to set up an appointment!?" He acted like we were stupid for even asking him that!. He said "NO I DON'T WANT TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT! I NEED TO BE SEEN NOW!" We told him that our dentist was already gone for the day but that we could see him the next morning!. He said "UGH, I HAVE TO WORK!. DOESN'T YOUR DENTIST KNOW THAT NORMAL PEOPLE WORK DURING THE DAY ALL WEEK LONG!? I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO FIND A NEW DENTIST!." Do some offices allow people to walk in right before closing time without an appointment!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
I hate those people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Www@Answer-Health@Com
yes many clinics take emergency walk in patients, 24-hr are hard to find but many operate until 9pm!. usually smaller offices will not!. Next time advise them to check the phone book!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
It depends on the patient!. If it is a "patient of record", or an established patient in the office, the dentist is usually ethically expected to treat someone who is in pain (they may or may not be legally required to, depending on the situation!.) However, a dentist has every right to ask the patient to make an appointment if it's a non-emergency situation, like a cleaning, a small filling, etc!.
If it is NOT a patient of record, dentists aren't legally required to see them at any time, though it would probably be considered ethically wrong if the person is in pain!. (At dental school we just took a law and ethics class so we were told all these tidbits :) )!.
However, dentists are also allowed to release patients at any time unless they are in the middle of treatment!. So this person sounds belligerent and probably not someone who would be a good match for this office anyway!. I wouldn't have done a favor for anyone speaking like that! There is always the emergency room for any medical concerns, so I would never stand to have someone treat my staff like that!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
If it is NOT a patient of record, dentists aren't legally required to see them at any time, though it would probably be considered ethically wrong if the person is in pain!. (At dental school we just took a law and ethics class so we were told all these tidbits :) )!.
However, dentists are also allowed to release patients at any time unless they are in the middle of treatment!. So this person sounds belligerent and probably not someone who would be a good match for this office anyway!. I wouldn't have done a favor for anyone speaking like that! There is always the emergency room for any medical concerns, so I would never stand to have someone treat my staff like that!.Www@Answer-Health@Com