Possible cancer informed in frustrating way

Wow. Just wow, nbnotes. I am so angry for you! The dentist was incredibly insensitive and incredibly unprofessional with her entire approach to this. To just blurt that out to someone taking notes for her? Inexcusable. And I am glad you were very assertive with that receptionist, but how erroneous for the dentist and her to insist you have additional work done before getting the referral. The dentist needs to examine her practices.

Is there any way someone else could do the root canal? If not, you are right to have it done and then never ever return to that dentist. And certainly, you are going to want to give her a good talking to and set her straight, after the root canal of course, and let her know you won't be using her services any more and why. It is simply shocking that she would approach the entire situation the way she did.

I'm glad your mo helped calm you about all of this, too. Did you mention to her how insensitive the dentist was? I hope it is something that can be dealt with in a simple and satisfactory way.

nbnotes...I'm so angry for you!!! You and I were in the dentist chair at the same time! Each time I go (every 4 months) I wait for the "no sign of cancer" statement w/a bit of anxiety. I've had a purple tongue spot for years & check it all the time myself. My hygienist has been my gal for nearly 20 years, been thru my 3 dx, & celebrated her 3 yr bc cancerversay on Wed, so she's totally thoughtful & gentle with our conversations. SOOOOO....I can feel your pain & worry. For a dentist to be so calloused, obviously knowing your cancer history, is totally unacceptable! And to hold you hostage on getting a surgeon referral sounds like a $$ thing, which is shameful! I know how you feel about just getting it done, especially with zometa coming up, & if your dentist has always done good work, get your work done, get a copy of your charts & then get references (from your onc, friends or maybe the endodontist) for a new dentist!! I had somewhat the same problem with an opthomologist. I was having weird eye stuff going on (thanks cancer drugs) and one of the dr in the practice I've always gone to said it may be a wrinkled retina...come back in 2 weeks. It became a "migraine"...and maybe a cataract. I asked about the wrinkled retina..maybe that too. I asked if there was a possibility of eye or brain mets. His response, "We don't want to talk about that!" I asked if he read my chart...yes, breast cancer. I said liver mets. He said, that's too scary to talk about. I said it would be a lot scarier if he knew I had eye or brain mets and didn't tell me! He said to come back in 6 mos & I said no...I won't be back. I went the next day to a retina specialist who said I DO have a wrinkled retina but mostly just aging eyes. The same dx, but this time with confidence. Glad you got some confidence in seeing your surgeons!!!! Will hope for smooth sailing through the root canal & crown!!!! XOXO

Yup, shocked like the rest of you, New dentist for sure!