In my experience , and the key words here being my experience, (..mine, just mine...) it works both ways regarding the DR.s.

Some of them do work together because they realize it can be for the good of the patient to consistently work together. The have an opportunity to learn each others philosophies and techniques. I used to work in Oral surgery for a while where the Oral surgeon was doing reconstrution cases. We would go to lunch with the General Dentist, the Periodontist, and if possible the Primary Dr. or Oncologist and the prosthedontist to discuss the case and come up with a treatment plan (one of the joys of living in a smaller town).

I have also worked for specialty practices as well as General Dentists that have been extremely competetive; so much so that they have felt compelled to dig into their main competitors trash to compare fees charged, and/or compare the size of their ad in the phone book to others.

It is a shame that discussions do turn into arguments at times. I will add that I did not intend for things to take the twist that they did. I had e-mailed the now anonymous person many times, p.m.'d him, spoken with him on the phone. P.m'd him again and received excuse after excuse until I lost my patience and posted the now infamous and at the same time, nonexistent post. The bold print and "mad" faces I used were supposed to convey frustration, not to elicit the response it did. In hindsight. I see I should have known better than to post that way over there. There doesn't seem to be any room for disagreement with out it turning into an all out war. It's the same few, always has been, hopefully won't always be. I'll never know. I'm not going back.

When I came onto the B.T. forum almost 5 years ago, I began threads with questions of "Have you heard about DR. So and So. Some responses were posted. Others were P.M.'d.

I suppose that it would best to keep negative information you might have to share about your personal experience with a Dr. private, but then what's accomplished? Are we really here to protect and preserve Dr.'s reputations, or other TOS sufferers from negative outcomes ?? Isn't the purpose to educate others about our experiences?? Or is it only the good ones we share??

G~