Comments on: When the Bill is Worse Than the Drill: Dental Care Out of Reach For Many Californians http://californiaonecare.org/when-the-bill-is-worse-than-the-drill-dental-care-out-of-reach-for-many-californians/ Campaign For SB 810 – Single Payer Universal Health Care Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:36:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Gary Hundertmark http://californiaonecare.org/when-the-bill-is-worse-than-the-drill-dental-care-out-of-reach-for-many-californians/comment-page-1/#comment-2815 Gary Hundertmark Mon, 26 Jul 2010 03:01:00 +0000 http://californiaonecare.org/?p=3715#comment-2815 I lot of people are now working for the dentist. There is a medical care credit card from GE Money called "Credit Care" many dentists are very welling to sign up patients for it and they have the application forms already in their offices to present to the patient. On average I think it now costs about $1,000 a tooth for any dental work on a tooth or a set of teeth. So my guess is, even with insurance and deductibles most people are probably devoting a portion of their wages to paying off dental bills. There was recently an NPR program on this, mostly the program was a promo about the great advances in dental care, but the subject of prices. Typically, the question was given the brush off. I sometimes ask, "Why does it cost $3,000 for a 3 point (3 teeth) bridge and it only cost me $2,000 for a new engine for my care, including new pistons, rings, attachments, etc.? I think an engine is far more costly and larger and installation is more time consuming than installing a crown. Something is seriously wrong with this picture! So, if you are on the lower end of the wage scale, if not already, you will soon be working off your dental debt. Gary I lot of people are now working for the dentist. There is a medical care credit card from GE Money called “Credit Care” many dentists are very welling to sign up patients for it and they have the application forms already in their offices to present to the patient. On average I think it now costs about $1,000 a tooth for any dental work on a tooth or a set of teeth. So my guess is, even with insurance and deductibles most people are probably devoting a portion of their wages to paying off dental bills. There was recently an NPR program on this, mostly the program was a promo about the great advances in dental care, but the subject of prices. Typically, the question was given the brush off. I sometimes ask, “Why does it cost $3,000 for a 3 point (3 teeth) bridge and it only cost me $2,000 for a new engine for my care, including new pistons, rings, attachments, etc.? I think an engine is far more costly and larger and installation is more time consuming than installing a crown.
Something is seriously wrong with this picture!

So, if you are on the lower end of the wage scale, if not already, you will soon be working off your dental debt.

Gary

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