This is unfortunately very common. I don’t think it is always necessarily malpractice but a difference in opinion and judgement on when to intervene. And of course, there is a financial incentive to shift that judgement to an earlier timeline.

IMO this is a good litmus test for choosing a dentist.

A dentist with nuanced and honest judgment will identify questionable spots, probe them, ask you about your experience (“does it hurt”), and explain the difference between something to watch and when it is actually problematic.

A lazy dentist trying to make a buck will take a quick look and tell you that you have a bunch of cavities that need to be addressed now.

Just like software engineering, there’s always the guy who will recommend kubernetes for every problem, and then there’s the guy who says “ah yeah, you can just do this with a shell script until you need more”

I had a similar experience. They'll show you the x-rays, but honestly I can't see anything. Having moved around a bit and had a few dentists, I've noticed a distinct pattern where the ones that have the nicest looking offices with the highest tech equipment will recommend the most aggressive things. Look for an office that's functional but slightly shabby.

> It's kind of interesting that nothing will happen as a result of that.

If you live in the US you can report them to your state’s board of dentistry. Not sure how responsive they are in your particular state but in mine they take that stuff seriously.

Who would you sue? The one that missed all of your serious cavities or the one who is exaggerating the tiny ones to make a buck?

Oh man, that is so true! I just left a comment about that. :D

This is horrifying.