Dentistry - a license to print money!

[imdying]

Seems someone has more money than sense if he doesn't even know how much he pays. I hardly think that a few thousand dollars for a few fillings or whatever treatment is needed is trivial.

I worked it out, it's about $3 a week, or less than a tank of gas every 6 months... trivial. It's a bit like gas... I need it, I never bother checking the price.

As for your generalization of people who complain about the rip off prices dentists charge, you'll find the ones with poor hygiene NEVER visit a dentist.

Until it's too late, and thus costs the aforementioned fortune... My dentist lets me know of potential problem areas if required, or anything in my brushing technique that he feels needs attention... at no extra charge. Bit like having my bike services, cost a little on a regular basis, but hopefully will reduce the chances of having to have the bike towed into a shop for major surgery.

He was not impressed with the way V (presumably, only diet change at the time) raped my teeth though

[Number One]

+ 1 Terbang AND Goblin

You saved me some breath with your last responses.

2 imdying...reference to saying it's only a small amount each day - bully for you if you can afford that small amount each day. My rent, power, food, phone, work travel costs, daycare, medicines, clothes and specialist health support for child and self ALL only cost a little every day too. That all adds up it ain't like Dentistry is all people have to try to take care of for themselves. I also have medical insurances, life, home, contents, car and other such necessities... Can't say I take too kindly to what I perceive as your "holier than though attitude" about going or not going but we are each entitled to our own stance on life.

Generalisation or not it's a bit arrogant to assume that those that complain about the cost are also just those that have poor oral hygiene and to say that the cost of dentistry is just trivial is a huge joke to me! Life is full of seemingly trivial expenses - and I prioritise all of them depending on the situation and available funds at the time.

I have a son who requires new glasses almost every 6 months...at over $400 a pop + he also has to wear contact lenses - which are made specialyl for him and cost over $100 each lense (NOT SET) PS: 4 year olds don't tolerate contacts too well and he is always losing them..meaning we need to regularly replace them.

SO yes you are right - the cost of my dentistry is trivial. I floss and brush and use savacol and until recently had had no troubles with my mouth what so ever...now the bad tooth is out I have one small filling to get done and all that after 12 years of not going in for my 6 monthly xray and lecture...I think that's pretty good going and frankly I think I made a much wiser financial choice by prioritising my sons vision above lining my dentists pockets for unnecessary visits.

[Goblin]

You mean something like this?

Yup! Mmmmmm. Great example of poor dental hygiene.

I worked it out, it's about $3 a week, or less than a tank of gas every 6 months... trivial. It's a bit like gas... I need it, I never bother checking the price.

If that's just for the check up then that's about average. Wonder what he charges for a filling or a root canal....or an extraction.

Until it's too late, and thus costs the aforementioned fortune... My dentist lets me know of potential problem areas if required, or anything in my brushing technique that he feels needs attention... at no extra charge.

Well he's clearly ripping himself off offering FREE brushing advice.

[Number One]

ewwwwwwww Mikkel - I just saw that pic you loaded on page 3...YUCK!!!

I think I'd just shoot myself if I got even half way to that point - clearly I will have given up on myself anyway.....

Gross - pity I just had lunch...hope I can keep it down

[Mikkel]

Well he's clearly ripping himself off offering FREE brushing advice.

Or he is a professional who takes his job seriously. If you're a good dentist you won't need to do crap jobs and extend poor advice to keep your schedule booked out.

ewwwwwwww Mikkel - I just saw that pic you loaded on page 3...YUCK!!!

Sorry about that they say that a picture says more than a thousand words though...

I've been going to the dentist about once a year - albeit not on a firm schedule or anything. My teeth are not exactly perfect and I've had quite a few fillings over the years.
Reading imdying's post I must say I had never thought about it that way - but I agree whole-heartedly though!
I'm sure I can cut back $3/week on either beer, coke, chocolate or coffee and go for a check-up every 6 months.

Considering how much dental repairs and replacements costs I would consider regular check-ups insurance. I doubt anyone would buy a $30k bike and not get insurance for it... (and unlike a bike, a replacement will NEVER be the same!)

[imdying]

rent, power, food, phone, work travel costs, daycare, medicines, clothes and specialist health support for child and self ALL only cost a little every day too

Just like the rest of us...

If that's just for the check up then that's about average. Wonder what he charges for a filling or a root canal....or an extraction.

Prevention is better than the cure... but I've had a couple of fillings, I don't remember freaking out at the bill though (too bloody late by that stage, if I'd wanted to save money on trips to the dentist, I should stop drinking all that sugary crap! )

[imdying]

I'm sure I can cut back $3/week on either beer, coke, chocolate or coffee and go for a check-up every 6 months.

Potentially less I guess, what with community services cards etc. Plus, he ain't the cheapest in town, just very good. At a guess, you could get it down to around 30c a day.

[007XX]

Prevention is better than the cure... but I've had a couple of fillings, I don't remember freaking out at the bill though (too bloody late by that stage, if I'd wanted to save money on trips to the dentist, I should stop drinking all that sugary crap! )

You are, by far, one of my very favourite stirrers, you know...

Saying this, I owe my mother the fantastic genetics which allow me the unfair advantage of having teeth that never need a dentist.

My 10 year old has never had a cavitie in his young life yet, and that is partly due to his heritage, but also because of the fact he has been taught (like I was) that brushing is to take place a minimum of twice a day with flossing included. Also, he seldom eats any lollies (maybe once every couple of months), nor does he drink soft drinks...this more to control his ADHD, but it is a good habit for his overral health anyway.

It horrifies me when I see very young chidren with bad cavities...the poor little buggers are not given a chance.

[Number One]

Just like the rest of us...

Oh so you have dependants with specialist (and expensive) needs do you? AND with all that (and normal requirements) you still happen to have money to spend on visits to professionals that you may not actually need right then and there? Bully for you...I still think your attitude is a holier than thou and you incorrectly assume we have all reached a level of wealth that allows us to do ALL those things we all know that we should be doing but can't quite stretch the budget to do it now - disposable income? Insert Tui ad here:

[Timati]

Just had a tooth removed - Feels much better now it's completely numb but crikey my bank balance is still reeling!

Normally I'd have baulked at the concept of removing a secondary tooth but $$$ doesn't grow on trees and all the other options were going to cost at least 4 times the cost of the extraction AND I would still need to spend another 2.5K no later than 6 months after.

I don't think so! So now I have a very unattractive gap where once I had a gorgeous looking but pain ridden white tooth.....

Won't be belly laughing for a good while - tooth didn't look that big when it was in my mouth the hole looks fricken HUGE

Sad day but one I have brought on myself.

Considering the amount, you might as well make a trip to Brazil where it's cheap as and the service is top notch.

[imdying]

*woe is me snipped*

Yes, like you, I too have bills that cannot be avoided, and thus require budgeting for. I do not consider 30c a day for something, that is free for the first 16 years anyway, so fundamentally important to good hygiene as being negotiable. The celebration of Christmas and birthdays are more negotiable than looking after oneself imho.

If you think you're suffering financially now, I've real bad news for you... a few years from now, when the economy follows the last drips of oil down the toilet, you'll really have something to moan about.

/edit: Oh, I believe many dentists these day will arrange payment terms too.

[Number One]

2 imdying...Woe is me? Bite my arse - I was actually making a comment about your own arrogance towards the plight of others less fortunate than yourself.

Dentistry is NOT always free when you are under 16 BTW - yes it is if you trust dental nurses...and SOME surgeries are members of that scheme..but that's besides the point anyway....Though I will add my son has every regular checkup he should be having and more - whether they are free or not.

To sit there and make sweeping statements about how others should be allocating their funds when actually you have no clue as to their circumstances, to suggest that only those with poor oral hygeine complain about the cost AND to suggest that people JUST SHOULD do it is both ignorant and arrogant so again you are just being "holier than thou" get off your high horse and go put your two cents worth elsewhere on someone elses thread.

I note too that 007 has suggested you are a stirrer...so my bothering to even dignify your comments with any response must be giving you ya jollies...hope it was good for you but I won't be bothering to reply to you again on this matter.

Again bully for you that you are so well sorted out AND PS I'm not looking for sympathy!

[nudedaytona]

I'm sorry to say, but its much harder to be a dentist than a doctor... There's only one institution in NZ that does dentistry (Otago) and I think only like 50 students a year get in from the how many hundreds applying... Maybe even thousands... Whereas don't they take about 200 or so med students a year?

It's a cartel, plain and simple. They restrict student intake, so there's less qualified dentists coming out. Not enough dentists = Huge fees because of low competition = good income for existing dentists, who are also the ones who set student numbers and qualifying standards.

The commerce commission should take a look at it.

[jrandom]

2 imdying... Bite my arse

Oh my!

[imdying]

To sit there and make sweeping statements about how others should be allocating their funds when actually you have no clue as to their circumstances

I won't apologise for suggesting that 30c a day to keep the largest open wound in the body clean is such good value that everyone should make it a priority regardless of their financial state.