Dental drama, aka America sucks

[Fate]

Meh. Dentists make like ~170k a year after going ~200k into debt for dental school plus another ~40k for college. Good on them for making some money after spending all of their 20s in higher ed going into mountains of debt.

Good for them, not so good for those of us with teeth though.

It is good for you with teeth, because you actually can get your dental problems taken care of in a reasonable amount of time. If dentists didn't make any money then no one would go deep into debt and waste time in dental school.

[fromtia]

Cavities don't mean shit as you get older.  It's all about the gums.

Yes, i devote my energy to flossing and picks and a super mouthwash called peridontex or something. I also get my teeth cleaned 4 times a year by a real vixen. Love my dentist, prevention is essential for avoiding those big bills.

[DGuller]

Meh. Dentists make like ~170k a year after going ~200k into debt for dental school plus another ~40k for college. Good on them for making some money after spending all of their 20s in higher ed going into mountains of debt.

I don't know anything about the dental insurance market. Are there no plans in Iowa with higher annual maximums?

Dental procedure prices never struck me as excessive, considering what's involved, and considering how much seemingly less involved medical procedures outside of dentistry cost.  It takes some skill to dig inside tiny tooth canals effectively.  The problem is that while those costs are relatively reasonable, they're far too inadequately covered by insurance.  Though I guess there may be a connection there. 

As for annual maximums, to the best of my knowledge, no dental insurance provides more than $2000 or so, which hasn't changed since forever.  Adverse selection will probably kill dental insurers if they offer more, especially as a choice.

[CountDeMoney]

Love my dentist, prevention is essential for avoiding those big bills.

Yup, considering there's more and more evidence that oral hygiene impacts other health issues.

[Monoriu]

There are three sacred dental rules that everybody must follow, unless you have no teeth -

a) brush your teeth twice a day, after breakfast and dinner respectively.  No food or drinks are allowed (except water) after the last brush;

b) brush the teeth with an interdental brush daily; and

c) visit a dentist every 6 months.

I have followed these rules and I do not have a single cavity in my whole life.  My only dental problems relate to wisdom teeth. 

[Capetan Mihali]

Meh. Dentists make like ~170k a year after going ~200k into debt for dental school plus another ~40k for college. Good on them for making some money after spending all of their 20s in higher ed going into mountains of debt.

Good for them, not so good for those of us with teeth though.

It is good for you with teeth, because you actually can get your dental problems taken care of in a reasonable amount of time. If dentists didn't make any money then no one would go deep into debt and waste time in dental school.

Wow, never thought of it that way.  I hope my dentist raises his prices, maybe it'll encourage more to do the same and we'll end up with the really effective system of dental care we deserve.

[CountDeMoney]

Wow, never thought of it that way.  I hope my dentist raises his prices, maybe it'll encourage more to do the same and we'll end up with the really effective system of dental care we deserve.

I respect any doctor with enough smarts to get into a field of medicine that lets him go home at 5 and not work weekends.  But, dental coverage--like vision--will always be seen as "optional" when it comes to healthcare coverage.

[Grey Fox]

I've had so many cavities (50+) that only 5 teeth are left without any work.

But since I catch them early in their development, no root canals for me.

[LaCroix]

in my experience, dental insurance is pretty cheap, too.

@mono - teeth genes can come into play re cavities (and other problems I assume). some people are just less prone at having problems than others.

[sbr]

Wow, never thought of it that way.  I hope my dentist raises his prices, maybe it'll encourage more to do the same and we'll end up with the really effective system of dental care we deserve.

I respect any doctor with enough smarts to get into a field of medicine that lets him go home at 5 and not work weekends.  But, dental coverage--like vision--will always be seen as "optional" when it comes to healthcare coverage.

Work weekends?  Most Dentists I have come across aren't even open on Fridays.

[merithyn]

I just looked it up. Implants cost 500€ apiece under my insurance.

Spain is another hot spot for Americans to go for dental work.

[merithyn]

Meh. Dentists make like ~170k a year after going ~200k into debt for dental school plus another ~40k for college. Good on them for making some money after spending all of their 20s in higher ed going into mountains of debt.

Okay? I don't want to be the one to pay three times more than a trip to Costa Rica for the work.

I don't know anything about the dental insurance market. Are there no plans in Iowa with higher annual maximums?

I have no idea. I live in Illinois, and my insurance is through my company.

[merithyn]

in my experience, dental insurance is pretty cheap, too.

@mono - teeth genes can come into play re cavities (and other problems I assume). some people are just less prone at having problems than others.

Dental insurance is cheap... if through your company. Then you're tied to their plans. For the last eight years, my dental insurance has been pretty awful. Now it's pretty good. Before, any dental work was only paid out at 60% with the exception of preventative care, which was paid out 100%. That's not really helpful when I get a cavity and can't afford to pay the $75 to get it filled. I had a tooth pulled instead of getting a root canal and crown because it was a difference in cost of $125 for the pulled tooth or $450 for the root canal and crown, and that $125 was tough to find in the budget.

So yeah, dental stuff isn't a priority sans serious pain. As it is, I've had this toothache for three weeks while I work out when I can afford to have everything paid for, and I've got damn good insurance now.

[Archy]

Over here in socialist Belgium. I pay 25€ for a regular dentist visit of which I get a refund of about 20€ from our social insurance, but only if I let my teeth be checked every year. Pulling a tooth costed me 50€. My dentist works weekends and evenings. I had my wisdom removed at daycare hospital for around 800€, which was completely payed by my private insurer. Off course I pay 400€ a year for private insurance. Bigger problems off course cost a lot more. In the nineties my mom had to pay about now 1000€ for a bridge. Off course I pay the Highest tax rates in Western Europe. On my wages. So I feel your pain Americans, having to be afraid for the costs if something goes wrong health wise. Even here it's a worry but not as bankrupting as at your side.

[Berkut]

Just went for my twice a year cleaning this morning. Had some pain in a molar, and my dentist is ending me to a specialist, thinks the molar might be cracked, potentially through, which would mean a root canal and crown.

Never had either before. It sounds....unpleasant.