31–40 of 202 posts
In a few years I think we will look back on how today's dentists look after teeth with shock, similar to how we do now knowing that they used to treat depression with a frontal lobotomy. "They used to DRILL your teeth? And if that didn't work they yanked them out of your jaw?" It all seems so low tech.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Because capitalism. Dentists are not a cabal but a loosely affiliated set of individuals. As soon as one local dentist start filling teeth pain-free with great long-lasting results, all the other dentists had better adapt or they will go out of business.
It'd be impossible for a dentist to go rogue if the main lobbying group for the dentists wasn't allowing any new treatments to get government approval. Also, I'd argue that capitalism is what causes the entrenchment of industries that get addicted to their profits and don't care about the customers.
In a few years I think we will look back on how today's dentists look after teeth with shock, similar to how we do now knowing that they used to treat depression with a frontal lobotomy. "They used to DRILL your teeth? And if that didn't work they yanked them out of your jaw?" It all seems so low tech.
No need to wait. A few decades ago in Russia, anesthesia wasn't used during dentistry. That was a fun time period to grow up in.
I've often heard conspiracy theorists say that if dentists ever learned of a way to cure cavities more cheaply and without drilling, they'd suppress the information as it would endanger their business. I think this is insane, but can anyone offer a sound economic argument for why dentists would embrace the new technique instead of cartelling up to suppress it?
In a few years I think we will look back on how today's dentists look after teeth with shock, similar to how we do now knowing that they used to treat depression with a frontal lobotomy. "They used to DRILL your teeth? And if that didn't work they yanked them out of your jaw?" It all seems so low tech.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Because capitalism. Dentists are not a cabal but a loosely affiliated set of individuals. As soon as one local dentist start filling teeth pain-free with great long-lasting results, all the other dentists had better adapt or they will go out of business.
That's not capitalism, that's market economics. Often (arguably universally at this point in history, but watch this space) found together but not at all the same. Your point stands, nevertheless.
First section.....Capitalism. Capitalism is certainly a type of market economy.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Because capitalism. Dentists are not a cabal but a loosely affiliated set of individuals. As soon as one local dentist start filling teeth pain-free with great long-lasting results, all the other dentists had better adapt or they will go out of business.
It'd be impossible for a dentist to go rogue if the main lobbying group for the dentists wasn't allowing any new treatments to get government approval. Also, I'd argue that capitalism is what causes the entrenchment of industries that get addicted to their profits and don't care about the customers.
No, this is human nature. People with power and wealth act to protect it. This is true whether they get their power and wealth because they are high-ranking politicans, party officials or bureaucrats, or whether they earned it in the private sector.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
No need to wait. A few decades ago in Russia, anesthesia wasn't used during dentistry. That was a fun time period to grow up in.
No need to even go that far, in 2006 I had a root canal in Germany with no anesthesia or pain killers given. Made worse by the fact I didn't understand what it was being done. My German was terrible and the dentist's English was worse.
I've often heard conspiracy theorists say that if dentists ever learned of a way to cure cavities more cheaply and without drilling, they'd suppress the information as it would endanger their business. I think this is insane, but can anyone offer a sound economic argument for why dentists would embrace the new technique instead of cartelling up to suppress it?
In a few years I think we will look back on how today's dentists look after teeth with shock, similar to how we do now knowing that they used to treat depression with a frontal lobotomy. "They used to DRILL your teeth? And if that didn't work they yanked them out of your jaw?" It all seems so low tech.
People still get their wisdom teeth taken out without being put under. I heard one person describe the process inside your mouth sounding like a tree trunk being snapped in half.