Regrettably, dental overtreatment is a matter that personally hits home. But, before I delve into personal experiences, it is important to wholly understand what dental overtreatment is. For as Einstein once quoted “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Kazemian, et al. defines overtreatment as putting a patient through a procedure in which there is little or no evidence that such a procedure will improve a patient’s health outcome. In their questionnaire, they concluded that dentistry is vulnerable to overtreatment, and there is cause for concern in the dental profession. The rational behind such negligible services is usually multifactorial. Reasons connected to such behavior include: rewards through fee-for-service …show more content…
This concern stems from my own personal experience. A brief anecdote follows as such. My uncle attended regular visits to the same dentist for quite some time. During that period, he underwent an extensive amount of restorative work. My uncle frequently extoled how quickly his procedures were completed. He alluded to having his crown prepared and temporized in twenty minutes and molar endodontic therapy completed in less than an hour. Despite this apparent swiftness, he developed perpetual issues with failing restorations, necessitating subsequent emergency …show more content…
It was hard to listen to one member of our profession speak so ill of another. Regardless if it were true, the patchwork comment resonates with what Kazemian, et al. describe as overtreatment due to fee-for-service systems. As dentists, we are reimbursed based on our coding. This incentive to maximize the amount of codes per appointment creates an alluring opportunity for the provider to perform hasty, albeit slipshod treatment. Unfortunately, this too often leads to gross errors, misdiagnoses, and treatments with poor long-term outcomes. It cannot be emphasized enough that rushing does not equate to efficiency and success. We should always strive to improve the well-being of our patients and their long-term health, and this can only be attained by thorough diagnosis and sound treatment protocols. Ostensibly, speed of treatment may momentarily appeal to patients, but as providers we are held to a higher standard. Ultimately, it is the care we provide to our patients that defines us as
Sams, Lattice D.,et al. “Adoption And Implementation Of Policies To Support Preventive Dentistry Initiatives For Physicians: A National Survey Of Medicaid Programs.” American Journal Of Public Health 103.8 (2013): e83-e90. Business Source Premier. Web. 30 January 2014.
Over ten years ago, I met two patients who forever changed the way I viewed my role as a practicing dental hygienist. I greeted the first, a 34 year-old male patient, and escorted him to my operatory. He looked different from most patients, as he wore a medical mask covering his mouth. Surprisingly, I noticed he could not speak, communicating only by using a dry eraser board. On his board, he wrote that he only had six months to live and wanted a tooth pulled so he could be out of pain. As he removed the medical mask from his face, I saw a large tumor that displaced several teeth on the inside of his mouth. The tumor was very disfiguring, and he was clearly in pain. I knew I was staring at oral cancer in the face. Ultimately, the dentist came in and the patient received palliative care that day. But, I never saw him again.
The article Poor Teeth was written by Sarah Smarsh with the goal in mind being to shed light on the issue between upper and lower class society in a particularly concrete way. Teeth and dental health are an easy thing for people to imagine in their head because everyone has a set whether they’re white and shiny or black and rotted. This makes it easy to draw a comparison between people that care for their teeth and those who don’t. However, access to dental knowledge and services which the lower class often times doesn’t have is very different between the poor and the rich. While the rich stroll through life showing off their perfect glossy white rows of teeth, there are less privileged people out there with barren mouths whose weak pale gums
Imagine having to spend half your fortune on correcting your teeth.”Tooth decay was a perennial national problem that meant a mouthful of silver for patients, and for dentists a pocketful of gold.” (Wallis, 17) If patients don’t take care of their teeth, many issues can start to appear later in their life. Some patients are not knowledgeable of the correct procedures toward keeping a healthy smile. In order to keep a healthy smile patients must be better informed about the knowledge to achieve that success and also maintain.
The “do more” attitude that Moses et al (2013) writes about and the documentary agree that the crisis is caused by over treatments (Moses et al., 2013; PBS 2012). Both of the sources agree that clients are not explained the risk and benefits of procedures. Both sources also agree that we spend too much money on healthcare. However, they are different because Moses et al (2013), is not so quick to blame hospitals and physicians entirely adds writes about other issues like cultural and obesity for the crisis (Moses et al.,
In the Dental Hygiene field, many challenges come about every day and during different situations. Every day there are new challenges and unusual situations that occur in the dental field, but one challenge that continues to come about and has been a big dispute over the years is the ability to provide beneficial information about oral health care for the underprivileged. For the individuals that are not fortunate enough to pay to have services done in the dental office, lack the knowledge of how important good oral health care is. They do not receive the one on one conversations explaining the significance of taking care of your teeth and gums that the patients who can afford to make appointments and receive essential services do. That
Do you ever think that just a toothache could kill you? That was the case for the twelve year old boy named Deamonte Driver from Maryland. (Otto par.1) It was a $80 dollar extraction that could have saved this young child’s life. (Otto par.2) If his mother and him had dental insurance that procedure would have been taking care of with little to no cost. (Otto par.3) If mother had not been focused on getting a dentist for his brother who had six rotten teeth. (Otto par.6) Also she didn’t want to pay for what she thought was a needless procedure. Deamonte’s death and ultimate cost of his care, which could have totaled more than $250,000. (Otto par.8) The mother obviously did not know how important teeth are to people’s overall health. In America about 108 million people lack dental insurance as of only about 44 million people having dental insurance. (Otto par.4) When there are many dental insurance plans the are low in cost, yet effective and imperative to all. ( Klapp par.2) People need to have dental insurance due to how it effects overall health, and there are many different types of dental insurance that are low in cost.
Jajou, I questioned the maintenance of his career. What I acquired was that dental practices all vary and this question does not have one general answer. Dr. Jajou currently owns his own practice, which means he his in charge of his office and pays his employees making his salary higher than common dentists. Professional organizations and conferences are not important in the overall outlook of dentistry. On the other hand, Dr. Jajou had plenty to say about the technology used in dentists’ offices. Digital dentistry, or the use of dental technologies, involves lasers, digital scanners, and x-ray machines. However, only dental laboratory technicians use this expert machinery. Dentists use drills, mouth mirrors, probes, forceps, brushes, and scalpels on patients. Later, I asked why he is excessively passionate about oral health from seeing how captivated he is to answer my questions. In the same manner he responds describing how oral health is a huge part of overall health because plaque can affect can cause heart problems and other major health issues beyond your
Introduction: In Canada, general dental health is not part Canada’s national system of health insurance (Medicare) (1) except for some dental surgical procedures that are performed at hospitals. Since Oral health does not come under the Health Act about ninety-five percent of the oral health care services are offered on a fee-for-service basis. Oral health care is under provincial or territorial jurisdiction like other health care services and publically financed dental care programs provide the remaining five percent of oral health care services (2). Thus, majority of Canadians receive oral health via privately owned dental clinics. Privately owned dental care gives these services providers control over dental service charges, types of available treatment for the patients and number of follow-up appointment for treatments or routine care. Service users pay for the dental expenses from their own pockets or utilize insurance coverage (1).
Palmer, C. (2013, September 16). American Dental Association. Retrieved January 28, 2014, from ADA: http://www.ada.org/news/8898.aspx
AS a dentist one should be strongly determined to devote selflessly for the betterment of mankind .Patient usuall...
Of course, don’t take the title too seriously. Taking good care of your teeth and mouth today is as much important as taking care of your body as a whole. However, there are destructive dental habits that are guaranteed to damage your teeth.
Pursuing a career in the dental public health field was a decision influenced by many factors starting by my passion for research. One of the main reasons for applying for my dental public health residency at Columbia University is the fact that it has a great research program, which is ranked among the top research facilities in the world. Columbia university’s dental public health residency department possess ample opportunities for research for those motivated to take advantage enough to r...
Growing up I heard many stories from my peers of their experiences at the dentist’s office. It is upsetting to say that most of my visits were vividly terrifying. As a child, the grinding, scratching, and high-pitched twangs of the instruments digging around in my mouth would leave my ears ringing and teeth vibrating every single time. The smell of fluoride and disinfectants permanently infected the air, sending chills through my body the minute I walked in. I quickly learned that latex posses an extremely unappetizing aftertaste. Needless to say, I was not always enthusiastic about going to the dentist’s office and getting braces did not make anything better for me.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2000) Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General .Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, 2000.