Can there be anything that can be done about unecessary dental work?

Unnecessary work ?: If i'm interpreting your question correctly, you are accusing your current dentist of performing treatment which was not needed. It may be difficult to prove that work was not needed, since treatment was already rendered. And to do so you would have to hire another dentist to testify, which will be expensive. But you can go for a second opinion with copies of your pretreatment radiographs, too.

Several issues here: First, how can you be sure the treatment was unnecessary? What leads to you that conclusion? One of the problems is that different dentists may have different viewpoints as to what is proper and justified. There are usually peer review committees at local dental societies that resolve disputes between dentists and patients. Step one should always be to discuss any issues you have with your dentist.

"Unnecessary" work?: Ethics, a concern in every industry from car repair to medicine. However, as a patient you are free to get a second or third opinion before undertaking any dental treatment. The possibility of 2 or 3 appropriate treatment options for a certain situation is very high, it does not mean 1 is more, or less necessary than the other one. Be informed, the choice is yours! not the dentist's.