General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Dental Care Should Be Part of Universal Healthcare [View all]SheilaT
(23,156 posts)isn't covered by most insurance plans, even in other countries, is that we haven't really gotten past the 1950's in our thinking about these things. Back then, only relatively rudimentary dental work was even being done. Fill cavities. An occasional root canal. Braces for some kids. Pull bad teeth, replace with dentures.
I am not slamming dentists. Dentists, overall, do an amazing job, especially of preventative care, for those patients who actually go to them.
The cost of sophisticated dental care, implants and so on, is another issue, and I'm not very qualified to comment on those things.
I can say that the mere presence of teeth in a person's mouth says a great deal about a lot of things, not the least of which is access to and affordability of dental care.
I currently live in Santa Fe, NM, and I have NEVER lived anywhere else where I see so many people with missing teeth. It's genuinely shocking to me, even after five years in this city.