Let's settle the dust! Dentist here; what's up ?
Why Dentistry Is Separate from Medicine
121–130 of 153 posts
Re: Why Dentistry Is Separate from Medicine
#122Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Roughly a third of the citizens of the US would have to go into debt to secure $3K on the spot, they don't just have that laying around in the bank. That doesn't change the nature of the problem. With catastrophic events, one person in 250 will incur a million dollar expense in a given year, so everyone pays four thousand dollars a year for insurance and that person gets covered. With dentistry, one person in five…
I really doubt that multi-thousand-dollar dental events are as common as once every five years. Insurance doesn't have to be for things where most people will never incur the expense. The average time between car accidents in the US, for example, is a bit over a decade, yet car insurance is very much a thing (and not just the legally mandated liability insurance, either).
> I really doubt that multi-thousand-dollar dental events are as common as once every five years.
I don't have the actual numbers, but even if they were once in ten or twenty years, nothing really changes.
> Insurance doesn't have to be for things where most people will never incur the expense. The average time between car accidents in the US, for example, is a bit over a decade, yet car insurance is very much a thing (and not just the legally mandated liability insurance, either).
That isn't the average time between major car accidents. Most accidents are little fender benders that often don't even reach the deductible. What comprehensive insurance is really for is when some drunk totals your car while there is still a five figure car note on it -- and having that insurance is required by the lender. Or for liability if you maim someone and owe a million dollars. But neither of those ever happen to most people.
Re: Why Dentistry Is Separate from Medicine
#123Earlier quoted context omitted.
I really doubt that multi-thousand-dollar dental events are as common as once every five years. Insurance doesn't have to be for things where most people will never incur the expense. The average time between car accidents in the US, for example, is a bit over a decade, yet car insurance is very much a thing (and not just the legally mandated liability insurance, either).
> I really doubt that multi-thousand-dollar dental events are as common as once every five years. I don't have the actual numbers, but even if they were once in ten or twenty years, nothing really changes. > Insurance doesn't have to be for things where most people will never incur the expense. The average time between car accidents in the US, for example, is a bit over a decade, yet car insurance is very much a thin…
Typical deductibles are $500-1000. It's nearly impossible to cause more than zero but less than $500 in damage to a modern car. Those little fender benders generally have price tags similar to what you'd pay for oral surgery.
Re: Why Dentistry Is Separate from Medicine
#124Earlier quoted context omitted.
>> So insuring against completely predictable events is never worth it unless someone else pays for it, and even then it's less efficient than if they gave you the extra money directly. It's worth it if the government guarantees it. Dental insurance might not be a good business to be in, but nevertheless people need it. It's a market failure, and it needs government intervention.
I don't understand why you think dental EDIT: care is a market failure. There are dentists people can go to and get care. Pricing is mostly not affected by if you have insurance or not. (Most dentists will just charge you if their rates exceed what insurance pays.) If you're arguing that "someone" ought to pay for dental care that's a different matter that doesn't really have anything to do with insurance per se. ADD…
> Pricing is mostly not affected by if you have insurance or not.
Based on the bill breakdown I get from my dentist, it appears negotiated rates are a thing here too. I regularly see a total price, an insurance discount, and paid-by-insurance amount. The 'discount' ranges from 10-50% depending on the service.
Re: Why Dentistry Is Separate from Medicine
#125The real question is not why is dentistry kept separate from medicine. The real question is why dental insurance is treated like a luxury, compared to regular health insurance. The problem is that so many people are unable to afford dentistry, because of poor or no coverage.
This is what you should do:
Fire-up Excel and develop a financial model for providing dental insurance to a million people.
On another tab, develop a financial model for providing mid-range health insurance to a million people.
Finally, develop a financial model for providing automobile insurance to a million people.
This will answer all your questions.
Re: Why Dentistry Is Separate from Medicine
#126Make sure to poke a very thin wooden stick regularly (daily, before bed, after brushing) between your teeth and marvel (or be disgusted) at the amount of plaque that comes out which you missed by just brushing -- honestly it's an insane amount.
better than wooden sticks and flossing are the interdental brushes. Those clean a lot better in my experience and my oral health improved a lot after i started using them.
These brushes helped me a lot too. The brush is a lot easier for my large hands to manipulate than floss is, so regular use of the brushes has given me better results. Alas, I had to learn the hard way not to neglect my gum health.
Re: Why Dentistry Is Separate from Medicine
#127Dentists in the UK receive a bachelor degree, as do doctors. However it was a sanctionable offence in the eyes of the General Dental Council for a dentist to title themselves Dr. This was purely a Dental Council regulation, anyone at the time could call themselves doctor, it wasn't a criminal offence. With the arrival of dentists from EU countries who were allowed to do so, UK dentists felt they were being put at a d…
In the US they have the title of DDS (doctor of dental surgery).
The title "doctor" has been abused by different trades.
Optometrist is Doctors of Optometry (O.D.s). Pharmacist is Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D). Nurse has the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Veterinarian is Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). Physical therapist is Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). Chiropractor is Doctor of Chiropractic (DC). Of course dentist is Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS).
Medical doctors have to use another term Physician to avoid the confusion.
Re: Why Dentistry Is Separate from Medicine
#128The real question is not why is dentistry kept separate from medicine. The real question is why dental insurance is treated like a luxury, compared to regular health insurance. The problem is that so many people are unable to afford dentistry, because of poor or no coverage.
Dentist here , I agree that many people can't afford desired treatment. It's common occurrence in a Dental office. Having the insurance still makes one liable for deductible ( entry money to seek any treatment ) , co payments and other hidden costs . That's how the system is designed.
Re: Why Dentistry Is Separate from Medicine
#129The real question is not why is dentistry kept separate from medicine. The real question is why dental insurance is treated like a luxury, compared to regular health insurance. The problem is that so many people are unable to afford dentistry, because of poor or no coverage.
This is what you should do: Fire-up Excel and develop a financial model for providing dental insurance to a million people. On another tab, develop a financial model for providing mid-range health insurance to a million people. Finally, develop a financial model for providing automobile insurance to a million people. This will answer all your questions.
Perhaps you'd like to enlighten those of us who are not experts in developing financial models for insurance scenarios?
Re: Why Dentistry Is Separate from Medicine
#130Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I really doubt that multi-thousand-dollar dental events are as common as once every five years. I don't have the actual numbers, but even if they were once in ten or twenty years, nothing really changes. > Insurance doesn't have to be for things where most people will never incur the expense. The average time between car accidents in the US, for example, is a bit over a decade, yet car insurance is very much a thin…
Typical deductibles are $500-1000. It's nearly impossible to cause more than zero but less than $500 in damage to a modern car. Those little fender benders generally have price tags similar to what you'd pay for oral surgery.
Sure, but the little fender benders aren't what the insurance is for.
You can save a bit of money on car insurance by having a $5000 deductible, because the average claim amount is <$3500 but you'll save more than the difference in insurance premiums over the years with the higher deductible.