The Reason Why People Avoid Dentists
When we were children we had a fear of going to the dentist, but decades later we still avoid visiting dentists. The biggest reason behind this is not the constant fear we had as children, the reason is – it costs a lot of money.
A study published in the Health Affairs found that people avoid visiting the dentist because of cost, but they will rather visit any other specialist to take care of their health. Still, dental health is crucial for other health repercussions, and therefore, visiting a dentist is important for your overall health.
The Reason Why People Avoid Dentists
The study found that 13% of adults don’t go to a dentist because of the cost. Additionally, 25% of low-income adults are discouraged to go to a dentist because they can’t afford the visit.
Overall, the cost is more than three times likely to be the reason why people skip regular checkups rather than fear, even among those who have private dental insurance. Making matters worse, dental insurance often comes with large deductabiles, coverage limits and important restrictions. For instance, many plans don’t cover orthodontics, even where braces or aligners could improve a patient’s bite alignment or their oral health.
The author of the study, Marko Vujicic said:
“Anything beyond checkups, like getting a cavity filled or a root canal and a crown, you’re looking right away at 20% to 50% coinsurance.”
The study suggests that it may be time for dental insurance to move away from the standard “pay per procedure” model.
