Competing estimates

I knew Pitt's dental school would be a cheaper option; I didn't know just how cheaper they would be. Well, it turns out about $2,000 cheaper. A 40% differential in price estimates is substantial, for sure.

Price isn't everything, though. A problem with the PDS is that I don't actually know all the specifics of the treatment yet. Whereas with Sears, where they were more than happy to lay everything out on the dental chair for you, PDS is unable to do so upon first consult, because the person you are consulting with may not actually be your orthodontist. I have a general idea of the plan of attack; what I don't yet know is if the specifics are going to match up with Sears'.

The lack of full information makes a full calculation next to impossible; competing levels of information can't really be treated as competing levels of benefit because the information isn't inherently beneficial--I could be lacking the information of a superior option. Of course, if I value certainty before committment, then this could be factored into the calculation as a variable that would support Sears.

I'm also not sure that both institutions are approaching the same goal. The PDS orthodontist was nice and obviously extremely knowledgable; she seemed to be approaching the treatment with the goal of making things better, however, as opposed to right. I don't want straighter teeth, I want straight teeth. I don't want a reduced gap between upper and lower jaw, I want no gap. She mentioned that there would always be some level of, for lack of the scientific term, offness, a fact which the Sears orthodontist may have known and simply concealed--basically, just as an E string will tend to drift slightly toward E even when tuned differently, so too will a misplaced toot drift toward its natural position. This apparently can be handled with routine little adjustments.

PDS has the geographical advantage--I enjoy the city more than the 'burbs, and I spend considerably more time in proximity to Pitt than in proximity to Sears. Moreover, a frequently running bus takes me close to PDS; there is no such option for Sears.

So, a quick run-down of the current strongpoints:
PDS: Price, Proximity
Sears: Certainty, No Interns peering awkwardly into my mouth as the orthodontist does his work

Now, time to decide. Actually, it's almost time for lunch. A decision can wait. My penchant for mango chicken curry, not so much.