I thought dentists were supposed to care about people?

Question

Isn't that why they get into the health field or is it all about the money? This really makes me sick. Click article below.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17372104/

Answer 1

Wow...that's sad. I've never understood why dental coverage is not widely offered...like with Mediciad, etc. I don't think it's the dentists who do not care, but they are limited in what they can do just like doctors are. They all answer to the insurance companies. That's the tragic part. Doctors and dentists would likely do more...if they could.

Answer 2

It makes me sick, too, but why blame dentists when the article clearly states that the mother did not take the boy for treatment?

If "we" are not given the opportunity to help, how can we help?

Since you brought it, up, though, perhaps you ought to know why there are so few dentists who can work for Medicaid fees.

Unfortunately, there are so many people living at the poverty level, the backlog for Medicaid care is horrendous. Understand that Medicaid will reimburse the dentist about $35 for removing a tooth. It costs more to pay the staff than that. New Jersey has not had a major fee revision in over 20 years and the fees were horrible 20 years ago. Many would GIVE away the care, but to work for Medicaid fees usually means that the doctor is paying for part of your care out of his own pocket, as he still has to meet expenses. In my little office in a rural area, it costs about $185-200 per hour to open the office. That MUST be paid before I have a penny to put in my own pocket. I can't see a Medicaid patient and do four extractions, which would take about an hour, and lose $60 of my own money. I do not mean I'd make $60 less than usual. I mean it would cost me $60 out of my pocket to make up the difference so I could pay my staff and the electric company, etc., and I'd have nothing at all for my efforts and liability.

Answer 3

Is this dentists not caring or parents not parenting?

Dentists are doctors first, and medical/dental school is terribly expensive. They have student loans, malpractice insurance (which should come in handy here), and business costs, too. I doubt many of them take home excessive amounts of money, especially in rural or urban areas. I live in a rural area and have to drive an hour to a dentist that both takes my insurance and new patients. There are a dozen dentists in my area, but they are all full.

That mother should bear some responsibility. The fact that the sibling had six rotten teeth is amazing, and says a lot about her parenting skills.

Answer 4

I FULLY AGREE WITH DR. SAM ON THIS ONE. WHERE WAS THE MOTHER OF THE 12 YEAR OLD BEFORE THESE TEETH BECAME RAMPANT ABSCESSES?
IT COSTS MONEY TO BE A DENTIST AND TO BECOME A DENTIST. IF A DENTIST IS BY HIMSELF, HE HAS TO PAY FOR EVERY BILL TO HIS PRACTICE. IF AFTER PAYING ALL THE BILLS HE GETS TO KEEP 10% HE IS DOING WELL.
MOST PEOPLE WONDER IF DENTISTS CHARGE SO MUCH THEY MUST BE LOADED--THIS IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH.
THE REAL ANSWER IS TO BECOME EDUCATED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER DENTAL CARE FROM THE BEGINNING -- NOT TO WAIT UNTIL THE SITUATION BECOME SO BAD AND OUT OF CONTROL THAT ONLY THE MOST AGGRESSIVE TREATMENT IS UTILIZED.

Answer 5

I agree with you. I had medicaid and went into a medicaid dentist to have a filling replaced because it was falling out. it was one tiny filling on the back of one of my front teeth. The medicaid dentist was so unprofessional, so horrible at her job. She ended up doing god knows what to 5 of my front teeth, chipping the incisal edge of my front tooth and shaving off hald of an eye tooth. I had to go back several times to get it fixed. She left too much composite built up on the back of the tooth and didnt check my bite with articulating paper so my bite was messed up, so messed up that in my sleep I would grind them to get them to feel normal again. I grinded them so much i cracked the front two teeth and ended up needing root canals on both teeth, which the medicaid doesnt pay for. I was lucky enough to find a dentist who let me make payments but Im not in debt because one crazy medicaid dentist couldnt properly replace a filling.
I think more Dentists need to consider accepting medicaid patients but they dont want to do it because they lose money on it...

and if you can believe this, Im graduating a dental assisting program tomorrow, and I can tell you that most dentists in a private practice dont even offer there employees insurance. My friend has worked for a dentist for 2 years, he does not offer insurance, he offers them discounts on his work but they cant afford to make payments so they are all on medicaid....sad isnt it?

Answer 6

I think most are in it for the money . I have also heard that there is a high suicide rate amounst dentists. Guilt?