New survey reveals cost is a barrier for Americans who need dental treatment
A new survey has revealed that Americans are more likely to forgo a visit to the dentist that any other type of medical appointment.
Research revealed that working-age adults are particularly susceptible to missing out on dental care; 13 percent of American adults in this category are likely to put off going to the dentist as a result of cost, compared to around 6 percent of seniors and 3 percent of children. Even those with private insurance suggested that cost was the main issue they faced when accessing dental care.
Author of the study, Marco Vujicic, explained that the findings demonstrated that medical insurance was “doing a better job” than dental insurance when it came to enabling patients to access services without financial hardship. Vujicic, vice president of the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute in Chicago, said that most insurance policies only cover partial payment of treatments that are more complex than fillings and routine dental checks. This means that many people up end of out of pocket, and it becomes increasingly tempting to swerve the dentist for fear of unexpected costs.
Research suggests that consumers can expect to encounter payments of between 20 and 50 percent on services like root canals. Bearing in mind that the cost of such treatments can range from $511 to $1,270, this is a significant sum, which is simply not affordable for many people.
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