My dentist charges $80 for cleaning. Had a tooth filled today. $110 if I went amalgam or $180 if I wanted epoxy
Uh, I think you and Millman are making my point. My dentist (or former dentist probably) is completely inline with the others. Don't forget that I said this was for two people.
I needed 4 fillings plus the extraction. Only one filling was a deep one, but two were small ones on teeth that show, requiring the more expensive type of material so it' would look normal. My then husband also had 4 or 5 fillings.
And you seem to be forgetting that if you've missed regular cleanings, you require x-rays and then what they call a "deep cleaning" where it takes 4 visits and they do it in quadrants. Plus, I confess they had to give me the gas for the extraction...
Anyway, at almost 150 - 200 bucks a filling, plus the office visits, etc., it adds up.
It seems to me you're being somewhat cavalier about spending a minimum of $200 for a cleaning and one filling -- that's more than a lot of people can afford. That's also regular maintenance prices when you go every 3 - 6 months. Think how much that costs a year for people with kids, assuming absolutely nothing goes wrong with the kids' teeth.
When your budget is tight, you might be tempted to skip a visit or two. Then god help you when you're suddenly diagnosed with subprime teeth... Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes
you are the media you consume.
(Glad to see a diary from you though.) Ad astra per aspera
I am incredibly lucky that I have never even needed a filling in my whole life. I had teeth pulled as a child due to an overcrowded mouth, and a brace - all free on the NHS. I pay £22 or thereabouts to get my teeth cleaned and checked at my NHS dentist (which when I was a student I couldn't afford and so didn't have my teeth checked for about 6 years.)
It's appalling that the system in America expects people to pay out so much to secure their health, either through direct costs accrued or through insurance. When people can't afford it, health deteriorates - it costs the country more due to that in the long run. Ad astra per aspera
$160/year for dental health checkups ($14.50/month) is hard to sell as a budget buster except for those deep in poverty already. Not middle class people in "nice suburbs". That's about 2 trips to Starbucks. Or dropping soccer fees. Or half a cell phone.
Like any maintenance, if you let things go, the catch up is brutal. I support single payer, but it's not like people with jobs won't be paying extra taxes to cover the cost. It's still probably economic though.
