~15 years ago I had a sequence of 4 scam dentists in a row before deciding never to do that again. Based on the other comments it appears that I was not the only one. The first visit felt like a scam so I got a second opinion which found a new completely different set of problems, so I got a third opinion and a fourth with absolutely no consistency and each recommending a completely different set of expensive treatments and all of them feeling like scams.
I think I was luckly that I did at one point go to a good dentist who told me things like teeth can naturally have dimples which are generally nothing to worry about - so I was suspicious when a later dentist told me I really had to worry about them. The initial good dentist did recommend a sand blasting and sealant of the groves in molars as a long term preventative procedure. As he explained it fluoride hardens teeth and changes the wear patters causing these issues where pockets of bacteria are hard to get to and can later cause cavities. He didn't sell it as some sort of necessity but as something that he thought was generally a good idea to do and his explanation did convince me. It was a simple, inexpensive and painless procedure which I believe was effective and I think should be a widespread default. I don't know who I'd trust to do the science on that though.
I think I was luckly that I did at one point go to a good dentist who told me things like teeth can naturally have dimples which are generally nothing to worry about - so I was suspicious when a later dentist told me I really had to worry about them. The initial good dentist did recommend a sand blasting and sealant of the groves in molars as a long term preventative procedure. As he explained it fluoride hardens teeth and changes the wear patters causing these issues where pockets of bacteria are hard to get to and can later cause cavities. He didn't sell it as some sort of necessity but as something that he thought was generally a good idea to do and his explanation did convince me. It was a simple, inexpensive and painless procedure which I believe was effective and I think should be a widespread default. I don't know who I'd trust to do the science on that though.