The average cost for dental school has doubled in the past 20 years, to over $240,000.  And that's why up-selling has become more common.  Meaning they're more likely to suggest treatments you don't really need.

Here are five signs your dentist might be ripping you off.

They constantly want you to get a deep cleaning.  Which is where they clean under your gums.  If you don't have insurance, it can cost about 800 bucks.  But if you floss, you shouldn't need it.

They say you need four cleanings a year instead of two.  Most dental insurance only pays for two, and even that might be overkill.  So unless there's a good reason, you probably don't need a cleaning every three months.

Unnecessary fillings.  Like if they tell you to replace all your old metal fillings with white ones.  They're probably just trying to make extra money off you.

They want to treat your "microcavities."  Meaning little white spots that can show up before a cavity.  But a recent study found treating them doesn't actually do any good.

They order a ton of X-rays.  You only need a full set every two years.  And if they want to do something called a "cone-beam X-ray," you probably don't need it.  It's expensive and exposes you to about 18 times more radiation.

Oh, and this is my own personal favorite.............IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT !

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