I’m American and in addition to our messed up healthcare system. Teeth are simultaneously so important that I have to see a specialist (dentist) for routine care, but so unimportant that it’s not included in my healthcare coverage. Is it like that elsewhere?
Sadly not in Canada, but the Federal NDP party is pushing for it. They don’t have much power here, but they recently worked with the Liberals (current government) to at least partially cover dental care for people with lower incomes, as I understand it.
So for Canada at least, the answer is No, with a tiny sliver of Yes.
I get simple things paid, but larger things are on my own. Germany here. But, I was not at a dentist since years, not since my dentist tried to push me towards a wisdom teeth removal even though my two are perfectly straight and healthy all because “I may not clean so well back there”. All I wanted was some pain medication to get through the worst days of them pushing out.
Not a good rationale not to ever again visit a dentist. Have you considered changing your dentist?
- They can give you a second opinion. Maybe it’s in fact scientific consensus that you should get them removed to omit the caries risk?
- It’s important to get everything else checked on a regular basis. Stuff gets nasty real quickly if not detected early on, e.g. pardontitis, caries, etc. Don’t take that risk. Find a dentist who respects your opinion :).
Nope, not in Sweden either, but some parties (left AND right) are pushing for it.
All tooth-related healthcare is free as long as you’re 23 or younger though, but after that it gets expensive.
I’m in the UK. We’re covered up to 18, then again if you’re pregnant or I think a year after birth. Apart from that medical care is heavily subsidised, so say a root canal is £230 or something like that, but anything cosmetic is private and pricey.
That’s true in theory, but less.so in practice. In our area there are no dentists accepting adult NHS patients so unless you’re registered already then your only option is to go private. This seems to be increasingly common and is making dentistry private by the back door.
I think dental, hearing, and vision should be covered by a government program. But I am in the US, we are still fighting to get socialized healthcare.