S/O Family doctor/dentist visits

[joannqn]

Does your doctor/dentist see the whole family in one appointment?

 

Our pediatrician's office only allows two kids to be seen in one visit for check ups (never tried more for sick visits), so we have to make two appointments for check ups. Two kids go one day and two kids go on a different day. The last set of check ups were about a week apart. All four kids come with me for both appointments but only two are seen. It's a pain in the rear to have to go twice, but we LOVE our pediatrician. If I have a question or concern about any kid not there officially, he'll check them unofficially. Still, it would be nice to just do them all at once.

 

One of the dentists I called this afternoon (since I'm looking for a new one) had the same policy. Four kids means two appointments on different days even though all four will be with me at both appointments.

[staceyobu]

They won't let you book two back to back appointments? Why? Don't they get paid the same either way?

[Tap]

They won't let you book two back to back appointments? Why? Don't they get paid the same either way?

 

They usually don't want to have a large block of time cancelled if one child gets sick and the parent can't make it or forgets.

[Alice]

They usually don't want to have a large block of time cancelled if one child gets sick and the parent can't make it or forgets.

 

We don't allow more than two from a family at once for this reason. Too often when we did allow it we had someone no show or cancel at the last minute and then we were left with an hour or more of empty time. From a business standpoint, that's a huge loss. From a schedule standpoint, it's frustrating if we have people who are on a wait-list for appointments or who wanted to come in but couldn't and then we have a lot of empty space.

 

The other reason is that a lot of time is spent in having nursing get patients ready. It takes a lot of time for them to get three or four kids ready to be seen by the doctor and so is not the most efficient use of the schedule.

 

I do on occasion allow it but only for families I know well and who I know will not no-show. So typically people I've seen for several years and who have a good track record. You could ask your doctor if they will make an exception for you.

[myfunnybunch]

Our pediatrician prefers we schedule well-checks on separate days. If I've got two or more ill children we can make back-to-back appointments, and sometimes even one appointment time for two children.

 

Our dentist sees all three boys at once and my 14 y.o. and I at the same time on a separate day. Because they do not have to transition from the waiting room, the dentist can see them all at the same time instead of in-and-out for each patient, schedule three separate next appointments, etc., it actually saves them a little time.

 

Our eye doctor does not want to schedule back-to-back appointments for young children, but I insisted and after our first visit she has been very open to scheduling them all at once. Typically, she also sees me with the two girls either simultaneously with the other doc in our practice or back-to-back.

 

Cat

[Melissa B]

Our dentist office allows the whole family to be seen at the same time. For us that is four appointments. It is a pediatric office only. They also allow parents in the rooms with the children. I think they are a little bit nosy, perhaps because we homeschool, but by far the best dentist office I have even seen.

 

Our doctor's office only allows two appointments at a time. But, I've never been in a position to need more than two children seen at any one time - so it's never really bothered me.

 

ETA: Our eye doctor will see all six of us at the same time for yearly check-ups.

Edited March 13, 2010 by Melissa B

[joannqn]

Our last two dental appts were all three kids at once (baby doesn't see the dentist yet). When the first kid was done, they hopped out and the next one hopped in. When the second kid was done, they hopped out and the last one hopped in. Transition time was next to nothing.

 

I don't think I've ever missed a doctor or dentist appointment, though I was late once. I called ahead to let them know I was on my way.

[LizzyBee]

Our dentist will only see 2 family members at one time. If someone gets sick or something, it's hard to fill more than 2 slots at a time with people from the wait list.

[Karen in CO]

No - we all get seen at the same time, but scheduled with consecutive appointments. I've even been to a doctor appointment for me, my ds, and both girls at the same time - we all had the same symptoms. We do the same thing for the kids for their check-ups. Dental visits are the same, but I usually schedule myself on a different day than the kids so that I can sit, but I take them with me if I have to.

[swellmomma]

Yes everyone gets seen at the same time. The ped, dentist, optomotrist, shrink, you name it they see all 4 together. I do make a point of saying we need a large block of time or back to back appts because I am only rounding up all the kids once. Most places seem to understand that it is challenging getting them all out the door on time and work with me on that.

[Lucy the Valiant]

Dentist takes all 3 olders simultaneously - pediatrician will take 2, but not 3. I asked once, but will probably ask again. :)

 

I've found that our family dentist is a LOT more willing to work with us (and LISTEN to the parents) than our children's dentist was.

[cjzimmer1]

My kids see a pediatric dentist and we schedule all 4 in the same time slot (the baby doesn't go yet). He has between 6-8 chairs going at a time and it works great because they are all in one big room and he just moves down the row and we discuss each kid in line. I would go crazy if i had to schedule them back to back or worse on multiple days. The littlest people in my crew have a hard time sitting quietly.

 

As far as the doctor goes, I've never had a reason to take more than 2 at a time and again they schedule them together. I could see where 5 would be a bit crazy though as I think mine would have a hard time being quiet that long for me to adequately discuss any questions about each one. But then I try to do well visits close to their birthdays and since those are spread through out the year, their well visits are too.

[happi duck]

Our family of four will schedule back-to-back at the dentist, doctor and salon. It works out great! I never thought about 'what if we cancelled', I'm even more appreciative now!:D

[cathmom]

Our dental office calls me when they have a large block of time and no appts.! Twice now they have called and asked me if I want to bring all 5/6 dc in at 9 AM the next morning! Um, no, not really. :)

 

Our pediatrician has seen 3 dc for well child checks I think. They have always seen the twins together, and I believe that we have had appointments that were for the twins and one other child, but I'm not sure.

[Mommyof4ks]

Our pedi will see all of our kids at once for a sick visit, and our dentist will do the same. We have 3 kids. We go in at different times of the year for well visits, because they have birthdays all over the calendar lol.

[joannqn]

I tried to get our well checks near birthday but the insurance requirement of only once a year pushes the dates back every year. We always have to get an appointment AFTER the date of last year's appointment. We started with appointments in January and are currently waiting for May to come around for this year's appointments. I'm guessing we'll be into June next year.

[lllll]

All 7 of us go to the dentist for our routine cleanings on the same day - back-to-back appointments. We usually begin between 8 and 9am, and finish by noon. We've been doing this for 12 years now.

 

If anyone has a cavity, however, that's a return visit.

Edited March 13, 2010 by ksva

[Jan in SC]

Our dentist schedules all three boys at the same time. I have taken all three in for sick visits together, but never well visits. I prefer each to go alone with one of us, both for the ability to discuss issues quietly with the doctor and for the privacy of that child. If everybody seems to have strep and just needs a throat swab, then they can go together.