Just my two cents on the subject

[Highway61]

There was thread started yesterday by a dentist..went to about 165 responses. It went on and on about how to spell the words correctly, the pros and cons of fluoride and prevention. He/she stated how secondary health problems as a result of poor dental health are now being avoided by folks getting the care they need and how great strides are being made in overcoming those secondary yet more serious complications etc.


There were approx. 4 threads touching on Medicaid and poor folks not being able to afford to go to a dentist...the response...."I stated at the outset of this thread that this was neither the time nor the place to get into discussions of the cost and the 'business' aspects of dentistry."

Well...Is NOW a good time to discuss that? Why? Because it is front and center, that's why. I have been in the medical/dental profession for 23 years. I was personally told by MANY doctors and dentists....do not make appointments for folks without insurance and who can not pay at the time of service. (It's all about the "production".)

I worked for a dentist for several years and when he retired a young dentist took over the practice. Here is one of many examples I have seen in my career, however this one is stuck in my heart.
A woman called one day and said her son had been diagnosed with an acute form of lymphoma and need to start chemo asap as time was of the essence to arrest this disease. However, he needed a cleaning and gum treatment PRIOR to chemo to avoid a possible secondary infection as his immune system would be at risk for a time and being the mouth is so vascular it was imperative this be done. I had a cancellation that day and brought them in. As soon as they arrived it was quite clear they were poor. They brought him in and did a quick exam and sent him on his way saying we would call with the next "step." When they left I was told to get him in the "clinic" across town...not here...you see they had medicaid. The wait in the clinic was a minimum of 3 months out....(are you all with me yet?)....also....the "clinic's cut off" was 18 years of age....this boy was 19 and had a rare form of lymphoma. I was outraged and went to the clinic on his behalf and begged the administrator to see this kid. With much ado, they broke the rules and treated him.
My question is, how many poor are turned away? What makes a son or daughter with cancer of someone powerful with $$$ more important than this young man?

Meanwhile, this new young doctor got his new car(s) and new home within a year of starting his practice. I pride myself on the "production" in any given office and the way I run things...(the more collected at the end of the day is called job security.)
I left that practice and never looked back after that incident, I don't know how people can sleep at night. I only hope when a lot of the doctors meet up with their karma one day they seriously get in touch with their humility.

Now I know there are a lot of compassionate doctors in the field. I have been around long enough to know that the $$$ money comes first and foremost. So I don't give a rat's ass about your view doctor on fluoride and how to spell the word. What I do care about is whether this young man is still alive and leading a somewhat productive life.

[Benhurst]

1. Disgraceful. But to be fair,

this is BushAmerica
And this be our motto: Root, hog, or die.

[Highway61]

2. It may be Bush's America

But there are MANY of us, especially here on DU who have the compassion to do the right thing. You see it on the post's here...a lot of really good people.

[Benhurst]

7. Unfortunately, there were a lot of good Germans during the Thirties and

Forties in Germany, and good Russians in the Soviet Union.

There are good, as well as bad, people in every country.

Our belief in our "exceptionalism," unfortunately has made us prone to denial. And we have allowed the nightmare Eisenhower predicted to come true.

Perhaps we will prove the exception to the rule; but freedoms lost (to say nothing of wantonly given away) are almost never restored.

[panader0]

3. Sure wish I has dental insurance (I have no insurance)

I've had a bad tooth for a few weeks now and haven't been able to eat or sleep. Tough on working too. I've gotta save up just to go to Mexico where the costs are about half of those here in Az.

[jojo54]

4. So true, so true.

This is a very touching and unfortunately, true response Highway. My daughter was on Medicaid for awhile and she also had run into the same situation as far a the wait period to see a Medicaid dentist. Fortunately when it came to my grandson, his Medicaid doctor's were as kind and curteous as with any other patient and family. It's just a damn shame that if you hadn't gone to bat for this woman and her son, the chemo probably would have come too late.

More people like you are desperately needed, as in this day & age the almighty $$$ has more meaning of life than THE meaning of life.

[flordehinojos]

5. even for people with DENTAL INSURANCE ... the costs of dental work is prohibitive.

Most Insurances cover up to $1,000. dental work per year. On a recent tooth extraction My co-pay was $100.00 plus they charged the insurance co. $200. I had only $700. worth of dental insurance left on my account. Root Canals (several) were needed they said and one root canal would be equal to anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000.

What a sham! oh, and ... the payment had to be made before they did the work.

[Highway61]

6. After a root canal comes the "crown"

As when the root is removed the tooth weakens and will eventually crack or break. Crowns are around $800 and up. If you knew how much the crowns actually cost the dentist, you would all freak out!

[soothsayer]

8. how much?

[Highway61]

9. Where I worked

Now, this is where I have been (3 different states in my entire career) anywhere from 450 - 580% percent mark-up. I was just in the emergency room this past June. They gave me a dose of the antibiotic Keflex IV. I KNOW the one dosage of that drug cost approx $2.00, yet my insurance was billed $250.00. It's across the board in ALL areas of medicine.

[gatorboy]

10. K & R! n/t

[Bandit]

11. If only they would use the money for flouridating the water for

providing dental care for the poor and semi-poor our nations dental health would be much better. Mostdentists will not take medicaid patients...