6 ms·

In the US dental implants, bridges, and root canals are not cheap, and hardly affordable for anyone who is not well off (enough). I.e., me. For example, a ce

by downut 4y ago

In the US dental implants, bridges, and root canals are not cheap, and hardly affordable for anyone who is not well off (enough). I.e., me. For example, a central incisor bridge I can't stand cost me $2300 a couple of months ago.

slaw 4y ago
Dentistry is highly regulated market so it must be expensive.
- vkou 4y ago
  The exact same dental work in Canada is a third of the price. But my dentist there operated out of his suburban basement, while my dentist here operates out of a swanky Main Street office that I get to pay for. Both countries use the same, non-socialized, out-of-pocket-or-private-insurance model of dental care.
pclmulqdq 4y ago
I hear that dentistry in Mexico is often better for complex procedures at 1/4th the cost. Dentists in the US want to be paid like doctors.
- FireBeyond 4y ago
  > Dentists in the US want to be paid like doctors. There are not many poor US dentists. Just a month or two ago here was someone talking about how, fresh out of dental school, they were able to secure a $4M loan to set up their practice. I am in the midst of having some complex dental work done. In the US, I got three competing quotes. The lowest was $49K, the highest $57K. I am getting it done in Mexico for $23K. With arguably better equipment used (all 'top shelf' implants, materials, etc.)
  - stoppingin 4y ago
    I'm an Australian with family in eastern-Europe. I get my dental work done there at a fraction of the cost of doing it here in Sydney. The quality is at least on par with Australia. I was unable to travel for a few years on account of work, and then COVID, and was seeing the local dentist recommended by my health insurer. They advised me that I needed my wisdom teeth removed. I was skeptical: My wisdom teeth came through in my teens with zero pain. I'm an adult with no tooth pain. When I asked why, the dentist was very vague, and told me it was for the best on account of the long-term likelihood of decay. I wasn't convinced. When I recently saw my extended family's local dentist, they showed me that my local Australian dentist had just left decay to flourish in my wisdom teeth, and not even let me know there were cavities there that were fixable. A quick filling would have saved me lots of hassle. Instead it seems they wanted to encourage me to take a much more costly course of action. In case anyone is wondering, this was an expensive clinic in Sydney's CBD. I'll never return!

by downut 4y ago

slaw 4y ago

Dentistry is highly regulated market so it must be expensive.

vkou 4y ago
The exact same dental work in Canada is a third of the price. But my dentist there operated out of his suburban basement, while my dentist here operates out of a swanky Main Street office that I get to pay for. Both countries use the same, non-socialized, out-of-pocket-or-private-insurance model of dental care.

pclmulqdq 4y ago

I hear that dentistry in Mexico is often better for complex procedures at 1/4th the cost. Dentists in the US want to be paid like doctors.

FireBeyond 4y ago
> Dentists in the US want to be paid like doctors. There are not many poor US dentists. Just a month or two ago here was someone talking about how, fresh out of dental school, they were able to secure a $4M loan to set up their practice. I am in the midst of having some complex dental work done. In the US, I got three competing quotes. The lowest was $49K, the highest $57K. I am getting it done in Mexico for $23K. With arguably better equipment used (all 'top shelf' implants, materials, etc.)
- stoppingin 4y ago
  I'm an Australian with family in eastern-Europe. I get my dental work done there at a fraction of the cost of doing it here in Sydney. The quality is at least on par with Australia. I was unable to travel for a few years on account of work, and then COVID, and was seeing the local dentist recommended by my health insurer. They advised me that I needed my wisdom teeth removed. I was skeptical: My wisdom teeth came through in my teens with zero pain. I'm an adult with no tooth pain. When I asked why, the dentist was very vague, and told me it was for the best on account of the long-term likelihood of decay. I wasn't convinced. When I recently saw my extended family's local dentist, they showed me that my local Australian dentist had just left decay to flourish in my wisdom teeth, and not even let me know there were cavities there that were fixable. A quick filling would have saved me lots of hassle. Instead it seems they wanted to encourage me to take a much more costly course of action. In case anyone is wondering, this was an expensive clinic in Sydney's CBD. I'll never return!