to ask the dentist to remove my tooth instead of doing a root canal treatment?

[Bellagio]

That's it really..... is it something I can insist on? It's a very back molar so I don't think I'll miss it. Just can't face the hassle, pain and expense of a root canal (not NHS so can't imagine how much it's gonna cost!)
Is it up to me as a patient or can he refuse?

Not necessarily easier to have a tooth out...DH had a large molar out a few years ago, but it shattered in the bone and it took 2 hours to dig all the bits out. Then it wouldn't stop bleeding and I had to call out dentist to come to our house to try and stem the bleeding. It took a couple of months to settle down.
helenwombat I feel your pain...all dental treatment is private here (NZ)

oops...damn the lack of an edit button... didn't mean for it to sound as if the dentist was trying to stop the bleeding for a couple of months!!

I just had a tooth removed this last Monday, instead of a root canal. Back molar...it's caused me absolutely no pain, since I had it done, and when the tooth was there I'd been in constant pain for a year now. It feels a bit bizarr,e, but I'll get used to it.

There is no reason for your dentist to refuse.