I've heard it all now!

[Dave Drane]

My wife goes to a trendy dentist "Periodontist" at the coast with ocean views from his waiting room, lovely carpet etc etc and pays him his $230 for scale and clean which took less than ¾ hour. On the way out he tells her that if we need any engraving done he would be happy if we got him to do it?? She tells him we have our own rotary engraver and don't need to contract it out. He says "but mine is a laser engraver, and I bought it because the badges we buy are getting too expensive". He goes on to tell her that he paid $K25 for it and would like to start getting some money back and could he do our perspex engraving?? I am seriously thinking of buying some new pliers so that I can pull teeth on weekends!! When is this BS ever going to stop, like I mean when professional people think nothing of doing what racecar drivers do. I told my wife that she is not to go back there and start going to the dentist that i go to who has his little surgery in a normal shopfront in the town where we work.

 

[Gino]

Is that $230 the same as we have over here in the states ?? 2 hundred and 30 smackaroos ??

I only pay $55 and it takes about the same time..... 45 minutes. He's about 30 minutes from my house. I think you're being hosed. My wife would never need anymore dental-work if she ever went back there. 230 ??

 

[Dave Drane]

Gino at the moment the $AU is 99.5¢ against the greenback. That is the main reason I am going back to the states 2 years running. To keep an office full of trendy overpaid people with sea views would command horrendous rent.

 

[Bradster941]

Yea, $230 for a cleaning is crazy.!!!.

Wonder what he charges to to pull a tooth when you can do it yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up4K6mDmZeU

.

 

[ddarlak]

look at the bright side.... a few months from now you should be able to get a great deal on a barely used laser engraver....

 

[Dave Drane]

Good idea!! I'll keep my eyes open!

look at the bright side.... a few months from now you should be able to get a great deal on a barely used laser engraver....

 

[visual800]

What in the name of god mother was he paying for damn badges that he had to run out and buy a $25k machine? I can get engraved badges for $20.00 a peice!!! what a dumbass

 

[PromoGuyTy]

What in the name of god mother was he paying for damn badges that he had to run out and buy a $25k machine? I can get engraved badges for $20.00 a peice!!! what a dumbass

I agree.

Wow.

And he's got a degree?

 

[mortil]

The dental signmaker or hes just mental signmaker ?

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Is that $230 the same as we have over here in the states ?? 2 hundred and 30 smackaroos ??

I only pay $55 and it takes about the same time..... 45 minutes. He's about 30 minutes from my house. I think you're being hosed. My wife would never need anymore dental-work if she ever went back there. 230 ??

There is one dentist here maybe 3 miles from my house that charges $290.00 for cleaning. Now, I don't go to them mind you, but that was a shocker when I got a little flier that had a coupon for new clients and the regular price was that.

 

[SignTech]

"Periodontist" = .... I am a specialist, therefore my scaling and clean techniques are more 'special' then the standard dental hygienists that charge $75 for the same treatment. I am more aware (or am I) ... of gum issues, pockets, inflammation depths etc ... how dare you question my prices?, I'm a specialist, and then there is the ocean view.

Some people just don't appreciate all that my specialty has to offer, ughh.

And my badges? They have 'special' materials in them that last longer, hence my $25K machine...

 

[briankb]

A scale and clean isn't a normal cleaning. I used to get them a few years ago and they cost about the same thing. They didn't have a laser engraver though as far as I know...

 

[Dave Drane]

What in the name of god mother was he paying for damn badges that he had to run out and buy a $25k machine? I can get engraved badges for $20.00 a peice!!! what a dumbass

I had a guy last week tell me to go to h#ll becocoz he could get engraved badges with instructions for his excavatar for $4 each.
God only kbnows what badges he was talking about. Maybe the ones that the staff wear on their uniforms???
The irony of this whole saga is that 12 months ago they asked me to come and give them some pricing on work they needed done. The clinic is a 20 minute drive for me, and I was asked to take a seat and wait 15 minutes for the "office Manager" to meet with me. The black Arial lettering @ 25mm (1") high copy needed some new names added. I suggested white would look better on the glass considering the background of the clear substrate but was told that they were extremely happy with what they had. OK And then the directory board out the front was way out of touch and I advised them that the best way was a black perspex cut to shape and fitted to existing would be the way to go blah blah blah and over 2 hours I was back at the office. We submitted the price and after weeks we were told that we were not successful in our bid but thank you for my time and the great ideas put forward.
Can anyone see why my blood boils?

 

[Mosh]

OY, tell that Jack to go back up to Byron bay or you will kick HIM in his green teeth!!!!
Stupid hippie Dentists.

 

[washingtonsignguy]

I would normally think 230 is expensive also, But I went to a new dentist last year and got my cleaning done. I dont have dental and told him i was paying cash before the cleaning was done. Afterwards, they handed me an invoice of 650.00. My jaw dropped and said your crazy. They went on to explain xrays and junk. I made a payment of 200 (all i had on me) and said i would get the rest to him later. The next day he called me and said give me another 50 and we will call it even. What bs, trying to get every dime from me. I never went back. But yea subbing out engraved signs to a dentist. No need to say more.

 

[shakey0818]

I bought a $10 pair of Vice-Grips and never went to the dentist again.

 

[jiarby]

Tell him you need some leather cut... that will really stink up his place...

Or even better... have him do some FRP name tags or Sintra! LOL!

 

[signmeup]

And he's got a degree?

Having a degree does not mean you have common sence.

He probably thought a laser engraver sounded like a cool toy to play with and at $230 for a cleaning... well he can afford a few cool toys.

 

[Esmae]

I bet it's a Trotec laser. The Australian distributor is advertising hard and their selling point is "why get a sign or engraving shop to do your engraving when you can buy you own laser and do it yourself" my blood boils when I see them at all the trophy, engraving and sign shows. I just want to kick the guy in the grapes for taking away my income and advertising directly to my customers.

 

[threeputt]

Last I checked this is still America. You guys are all wet.

If I want to make donuts in my shop and sell them, does Winchell's down the street not more than 300 yards have any kind of legitimate beef with me?

Get real, people. If the dentist wants to be in the engraving business, so be it. It's his 25K right? And if the engraver ends up being an expensive white elephant, then he finds out what you and I already know.

That you've got to have a market for any anything you produce.

If he can accomplish that, great! It's America, where you can succeed by working hard and working smart.

Enough with the sour grapes.