Jon up in Tohoku wrote:
> 
> > Hi all -
> >
> > I am hoping someone can help settle an argument my wife and I are
> > having.
> > My wife is from Japan & we were discussing dentists in Japan.  My
> > understanding was that Japanese dentists have you come back many many
> > times for a proceedure that American dentists would normally do in 1
> > visit.  My wife is going in to have her wisdom teeth pulled (here in
> > the USA) and she was very surprised that they'd do all 4 at once.  She
> > claimed that it isn't the "proper" way to do it and that Japanese
> > dentists would do it the right way - by taking out one tooth per
> > appointment - thus the proceedure would take 4 visits.
> >
> > What I would really love to hear is the facts from a Nihon-jin rather
> > than a gaijin.  My wife will most likely not listen to anything a
> > gaijin says about Japanese dentistry because "only a real Japanese
> > person truly understands how things work in Japan".  So, even though
> > I've read about the problems and have a good understanding, she will
> > not listen to anything I say - I'm biased towards the USA and our
> > system of dentistry.
> >
> > So can someone help me settle this?  Explain why they take so long in
> > Japan and if possible, I would like to know if Japanese dentists think
> > that spreading proceedures over several appointments is the "best" way
> > to do things, or do they do it because that's how the system works (or
> > something else maybe?.
> >
> > If possible, please CC answers to my email address - I rarely can
> > check Usenet because I can only use Google to access it anymore.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Paul
> 
> Hey Paul,
> 
> Sorry, Jon the foreigner here. I know I don't fit the criteria for replies
> that you set previously in your message here, but I will give you my 2 yens
> worth.
> 
> I would assume it is similar to the practice of only giving three days worth
> of medicine from a regular doctor, and telling you to come back. When using
> your national health insurance card, there is a surcharge, and a different
> rate for the first appointment within each month. Additional visits are
> charged without  the initial surcharge, and the rate is cheaper. So in
> effect going to the doctor for a few short visits, may be cheaper than
> having one longer visit. I would assume that having 4 teeth extracted, in
> one shot would cost considerably more than having it done over the course of
> 4 visits.
> 
> I would assume that your dispute with your wife is not about correct
> extraction method, so much as economics. Having said that, if teeth doomed
> for termination were in the same place, I would think that removing 4 teeth
> in a line would not be done by any dentist anywhere in the world, as having
> 4 empty holes in the maxilla would significantly weaken one area of the jaw,
> of risk infection passing into the sinus if in the upper region. I think the
> only person you may find willing to do that would be missing a little finger
> and wielding a pair of pliers. But the wisdom teeth are in the four corners.
> I would also say that wisdom teeth are extracted with different methods,
> depending on the individual situation in any country. they can be easily
> pulled, or may need surgically removed like my bro's. And in his case, they
> were removed individually, because slitting the gums in all four regions at
> once would cause great discomfort.
> 
> But that is just my 2 yen as I said.
> 
> Now, I have 4 students who are dentists, give me till the end of the week
> and I will take a consensus for you, and get it straight from the horses
> mouth, so to speak.
> 
> Oh, and by the way, you can tell your wife that my wife also a Japanese
> national, agrees with what I have written here. And that I have spent many
> late nights with my students helping them translate English dental journals.
> I don't think there is a great deviation in dental practice in the two
> countries when it comes to basic procedure, they all study the same stuff.
> I think the main differences lie in usage of anaesthesia, and with billing
> method.

My "expertise" is limited to having visited a dentist in Japan one
time.  It was yesterday, though.  Anyway, I was surprised that I did not
need an appointment to visit this guy's office.  Walk-ins welcome.  If
they take walk-ins, they probably want their schedule to be as flexible
as possible and not to be tied up in long procedures.  Maybe that's
another factor which shortens visits and increases the number thereof?

Is taking walk-ins a widespread practice among dentists in Japan?

-- 
Curt Fischer