I find it completely strange that dental care isn't just considered part of standard healthcare. Like, so my employer's health care plan covers every part of my body except my mouth? Why does my mouth specifically need its own plan?
Dentistry evolved relatively late compared to regular medicine, and early oral procedures were mostly tooth extractions, which ended up being predominantly done by barbers, who would also do surgery (!). These procedures were often considered crude and beneath that of a trained doctor, and they were generally performed by self-trained practitioners. There were several attempts in the 1800s to integrate dentistry into mainstream medicine, but they failed, both because the doctors of the time didn't think of dentistry as being a real science, but also because, as dentistry started to legitimize itself, the dentists themselves preferred being separate.
For some reason the same separation also evolved in the U.K., but it's more integrated in other countries. For example, basic dental coverage is part of national healthcare in Germany and Japan. In the U.S., dentists have their own schools and licensing boards and so on, which isn't the case in the rest of the world, where dentistry is usually accepted as a regular branch of medicine and taught at the same universities.
As of today, we have moved to a different situation where dental care in that same country is ample, but the price lists are rarely transparent, making many not-so-well-off people avoid going to dentists altogether.
The health insurance system gives something like 60€ yearly to an adult for fixing teeth. Dental care for children up to 19yo is for free, though, which is great.
Some form of this type of tooth pulling was common for baby teeth in the 90s. I’m sure it still is today. I don’t know about recommending it for adult teeth.
Seems like the status quo is just fine for a whole bunch of folks that make enough to buy regulatory capture.
There's an incentive for pharma to want people not to take care of their teeth, I don't know if they ever act on this incentive but I wouldn't be surprised.
This has been true with multiple providers on the east and west coast.
They don't generally cover normal vision needs. Your regular glasses and/or contacts aren't covered.
Eye injury or cancer, though? Usually covered. I honestly can't recall anyone getting denied for a possible scratch on the eye, either here in Norway or the US (Am from the US). Expenses for eye issues with MS or Diabetes? Usually covered. In these cases, you often go to a specialist MD instead of the normal eye doctor (if you see an MD at all). More is generally covered for eyes than teeth - if teeth were covered like eyes, it would be an improvement. A lot of acute care and infections and stuff would be covered.
I guess I see glasses at least partially as a fashion accessory--a necessary one for sure, but then so are shoes, and I don't expect those to be covered by insurance.
Proper civilized countries do provide free to the consumer dental services, at least for children and poor people.
https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/reason-your-dental-wor...