You know those Chain/Franchise Dentists like Aspen Dental and Dental Works and Sears Dental...They are cheaper than the dentist office of your local dentist but are they any good? We have NO dental insurance as most people anymore and need to go to the dentist but it's so expensive. Just wondering if anyone has any experiense with these chain "stores"? They offer free X rays and cleanings etc. and 12 months(no interest) same as cash offers.

Well around here we have a place called Western Dental which is a franchise, and all I can say is that it's sort of a hit and miss.

I'm a former dental assistant and I've met lots of other dental assitants over the years. Almost all of the ones who've worked at Western Dental have told me that alot of the dentists are fresh out of dental school. In other words they're only there since they're still too 'green' to either work at a more upscale place, or start their own practice.

You also never really know if the same doctor will be the one treating you each time, since once a dentist either gets the experience they need(usually a few months), they'll usually leave.

I do have to admit that these places are more affordable, and they even have payment plans. Personally I would ask around and try to get opinions from other patients who already go to these clinics.

Jedah, Since you are in the dental field, what about minor stuff like having a cavity filled? Would you feel safe having a nooby dentists fill a cavity? What I need is nothing major, just a filling that's cracked.

To be honest, certain kind of fillings(usually the big ones) can be pretty serious. For example when the doctor drill the area, they have to be very certain of up to what point they have to go before stopping.

For example if they accidently drill too far, they might hit the pulp chamber. Now if this happens, it means an automatic root canal. I remember this since the dentists I worked with always explained this to patients in order to keep them from making any sort of unexpected movements(like jerking their head), which could result in this. Like I said before though, is more of a concern though when it's a HUGE filling. For most other fillings, they usually don't have to go as deep :).

Now as for a cracked filling(with no new decay), the doctor won't have to go far. They usually just remove it, clean the area(with a tiny spoonlike instrument), and refill it. I've had it done myself, and I was perfectly fine :).

After all even if they dentists are newbies, they had to pass four state exams to get there. So while they may need more time to get the hang of bigger things like extractions and root canals(which may even be tricky for experienced dentists), they usually have gotten the hang of fillings.

I would still check with other patients at the clinic if possible, and I hope everything goes well :)