Refusing to break the rules even though it's completely normal.

Oh, does your country not have a national health care system?

It's a bit confusing to explain without writing a small book, some is private to be paid for, some is free with a card. Our local clinic is completely free and excellent as usually seen immediately, but it's trainee doctors so anything more than the run of the mill they send you up to emergency at the hospital one and a half hours away where the emergency is also free, but after that it all gets a bit complicated, but there are ways round it when one smiles a lot.

jb, this is an irrelevant and pointless response and I expected better of you on the subject of uncorruptable dentists. Just thought, maybe he was waiting for a bribe?

I haven't had a previous life, I didn't use to be anyone else, I think all that kind of thing is total twaddle. So who were you?

no it's not. you asked why you ended up with the only honest dentist in greece and i gave you a possible answer.

some of the local docs around here are like that.some offices are actually hiring in the paper for scanning servies-otherwise they'd never have it all computerized.

Hi scarlet_woman, so the doctors there would do it just because they don't want to deal with the paperwork, but not as normal expected practice like here. The paperwork system here is horrendous and for claims back on the general state medical insurance, you won't believe this, they are not even computerised. They literally thumb through stacks of files which aren't even in alphabetical order, can you imagine the queue in that place. At every separate desk on the three floors needed to get the refund stamped. Total nightmare.

Now that you have colored in the picture, and connected the dotted lines, I understand. Sorry, for being such a dummy...and sorry your Dentist won't play the game! Cheers!

Hello Shirley, it's really a case of my card covers doctors and things, but not the dentist, but some friends have cover which would cover them at the dentist and offered their services so I would be able to get a 75% refund. My dentist made the lame excuse that an inspector may check his reciepts and then follow up to ensure the crown I had was in the mouth of the person on the reciept, which really didn't wash with me, as no inspector is going to come along and demand I let him investigate my teeth.

Hi Sunny, several points here to address: Firstly, and I sob loudly over this one, what was your very first request to myself, I remember making two to your good self, one of which you eventually obliged with with your new avatar. I am now intrigued. Re the first time I tried it was indeed the first time with the dentist, but I've employed this method with the medics when they asked me to. And not for any personal gain for themselves I might add. I'm now wondering if my failure to offer a bribe was my downfall but they don't usually approach foreign people regarding this issue. And if I go back and offer a bribe to get a new receipt to give to my friend I may unwittingly insult the dentist if he does not partake in the bribe system and then the only one who will suffer will be me next time I'm in the chair. Tooth all sorted by the way, thanks for asking, free from the dentist for one year.

as for my first request, its best forgotten,,. second dealing with such issues need not necessarily mean bribing. there is also a way of talking your way through it. let me guess...you talked about it bluntly on his face..that might have caught him off-guard and must have taken a split-second decision (it may be a common practice but everyone wants to play safe). ideally you should have started with saying how expensive everything has become and it is becoming difficult to manage expenses..then you ask him if there are any possible alternatives to save some money. and then only you can suggest any of your own option. that too indirectly. like 'i have heard that people use friends names on bills to save money...do you think that is possible?' (include as many 'please' as you can). you have to judge his response to determine whether he is willing or not. if he gives a positive response then only you can suggest to leave the space blank as you are not sure whose name you can include. most doctors are sympathetic in nature and would generally help you with options available. but then they need to be sure that they will not get into any legal issues. btw - glad to hear about your tooth....now...where's your smile.....

Smiling. You could be right indeed Sunny and I may well have a word with my friend the deputy mayor as he lives in the same village as the dentist and is known to get things done. Maybe it was the reluctance as I'm not Greek, but the dentist knows me well as I'm the only person in the history of his practice who asked him for an innoculation before he started (my Greek wasn't as good then.)

Hi Akuler, well it's good the hear that everyone gets seen one way or the other. Locally we have an excellent free clinic where there are never any queues but it is the cost of the prescriptions which is so expensive and why we need the cards. Sometimes antiobiotics here can cost around $80 US but with the card we only need pay $20 which is still expensive.