Finding an endodontist in Moscow has been my toughest quest this year. Thousands of clinics, hundreds of excellent dentists, and prices ranging from “wow!” to “you could buy a car for that”. These days, many dentists are also public figures, with big social media followings and courses of their own. Which, understandably, affects their fees too.
We had to figure out which dentist and clinic would give us the best chance of sorting out my Bear’s extra-complicated teeth without leaving us completely broke. Even with a PhD in biology and a great-grandmother who was a dentist, I’ve found it hard to get my head around it all.
We used to go to the best dental clinic in our neighborhood. Later, we had dental work done in Georgia. But as the problems piled up, it became clear that we needed a more specialized approach. You have to find the right dentist for the specific problem, because every dentist has their own strengths.
It almost makes me want to go to medical school myself, just so every new health issue doesn’t turn into such an ordeal. This year, I’ve already learned a bit about ENT issues and sinuses, and now I’m getting to grips with teeth. Even though I don’t have a single filling myself. But what else can you do?
It’s great if you have friends who are doctors or work in medicine yourself. I don’t have that, so I watched lots of medical bloggers, read dental forums and reviews, and asked around among people I know. I knew that a solid education and plenty of experience with cases like ours were really important.
We decided to consider only dentists who use a microscope and have a track record of handling complex cases, redoing root canal treatments, and saving teeth like my husband’s. What really helped was putting together a spreadsheet: dentist, clinic, distance from home, price range, and treatment approaches.
Getting there mattered too: ideally, somewhere within 30-40 minutes by public transport, rather than a trek across Moscow with multiple transfers. In the end, I did the research, and Igroglaz made the choice. Because it’s important to make your own decisions about your health and choose someone you personally trust.
We’ve finally started getting our teeth sorted out, and I’m so happy about it! I had a thorough professional cleaning for 9,000 rubles (about $100). As for Bear, they found plenty of interesting things going on, but that’s a whole other story 🔬
