Stradbroke Dental

How do I know if the treatment I'm getting is really needed, or if I am being overcharged?

Going to the dentist is hard enough. The anxiety, the stress, the very real childhood trauma from the old dentist you saw as a child- the one who maybe didn't use enough numbing and didn't listen when you told them so.

Now on top of that, add the financial stress that starts creeping in when you hear that you need work done.

The truth is that a lot of people quietly wonder whether their dentist is recommending work they don't really need. If that thought has crossed your mind, you're not paranoid, and you're not being unfair. You're being a sensible consumer about something you can't easily see for yourself.

Let's walk through why that concern is valid and how we try to tackle it here are Stradbroke Dental with complete transparency.

Where the scepticism stems from

Some of it is structural. The rise of large corporate dental chains, paired with monthly targets and "production" goals for clinicians, has created real cases of patients being sold more than they needed. And in early 2026 there was fuel added to the fire when journalist Joanna Stern wrote about her own experience in her book, "I Am Not a Robot"

Her dentist used an AI imaging tool that flagged gum disease and recommended several thousand dollars of treatment. Understandably surprised, since Joanna was a regular dental visitor, she got a second opinion. And then another, and another.

None of the other dentists agreed that she needed the treatment.

Now yes, we are in an age where AI impacts our everyday lives and we should be more diligent with questioning its use. But incorrect diagnosis and treatment has existed long before AI.

The problem lies in getting told what is wrong, without being shown or even explained

When a second opinion makes sense

Always, if you want one. Seeking a second opinion is normal, it's common, and no reasonable dentist will be offended by it. It's especially worth doing when your gut says "I'd like another set of eyes on this"

The truth is that you need to get treatment completed with someone you trust.

How we like to address this at Stradbroke Dental

We've looked after families in Kew for more than twenty years, and that only works one way: by recommending what we'd recommend for our own families and walking through every diagnosis and reason for treatment step by step.

During your visit, we will collate the information gathered from your examination and present your x-rays, clinical photos and explain if and why any treatment is required.

We then create a tailored treatment plan that addresses your concerns (or your reasons for coming in to begin with) and any underlying disease that you couldn't see before. The plan is itemised and has costs for each appointment, so you know exactly how much treatment will be for that day. If you have private health, you'll be able to find out how much your fund covers prior to coming in, to see if you'll have a gap payment.

In certain instances, some costs cannot be definitely given until treatment has commenced- for example in the instance of a cracked tooth- and in these cases we will thoroughly go over the possible outcomes and possible costs in each scenario.

If you've got a treatment plan in hand, ours or anyone else's, and you'd like it explained in plain English, you're welcome to book in. Sometimes the most valuable appointment is just a conversation.

Questions worth asking your dentist

These are the questions a good dentist actively wants you to ask:

  • What exactly is the problem with this tooth, and can you show me on the X-ray or photo?
  • What happens if I wait? Is this urgent, or something we can monitor?
  • Is there a more conservative option, even if it doesn't last as long?
  • Can I have an itemised quote with the item numbers to take home?

Sources & further reading

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