What will dentistry do?
I'm deeply saddened by the story of Deamonte Driver. This poor child, suffered from an abscess, didn't get treatment, and died from it. The finger is being pointed [squarely] at the dental profession, and I have serious doubts that we can solve this on our own. The ADA has issued a response, which addresses the major problem..."We need state and federal public officials to stop shortchanging dental programs, which costs all of us heavily in the long run"... aka - insurance and access to care. The Driver family didn't have any. That is the reason they waited to get treatment. Had they been covered, it wasn't easy to get to a dentist that would accept medicaid. It was one hurdle after another for this family.
We have all seen what has happened to medicine thanks to insurance companies. Preferred Provider Plans, and HMO's have all but destroyed private medical care. I am thankful that the ADA is so strong, and I have confidence that we as dentists will have the ability to guide our state and national leaders to a solution. This tragedy is all too common, and the access to care needs to be improved in our country. If everyone makes a small effort, we can solve this big problem, together.
I am not planning on accepting insurance when I start practicing. Why? Because I don't want to be told how much my services are worth. We have spent a lot of money on our education, we have worked hard to develop our talents, and we deserve to be paid a fee reflective of that. I don't want to be regulated, and I don't want my patients care to be compromised because their insurance company won't pay.
What will my part be in the solution? I'm not sure yet. I see myself taking one day every other week, and spending it at a "free clinic". I could also see myself doing some work pro-bono, or taking "mission trips" to underserved areas. I do think it is important to do something, anything, to help those who don't have access to care. If we don't find a solution as dentists, then someone else will, and we might not like it.
db
Comments
Posted by: Teresa Duncan
Posted on: April 4, 2007 10:12 PM
Kudos for making the insurance decision early in your career - it takes years for many dentists to even approach the subject. Your blog is a good read - congrats on the domain purchase!