What are some difficulties facing dentistry?

[JohnDoeDDS]

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Anyone have a clue about this? I would thin managed care but that really isnt a threat at this point is it?

 

[Aawla]

Anyone have a clue about this? I would thin managed care but that really isnt a threat at this point is it?

If dentists are to get paid by capitation, it would suck. I can't imagine how much of physician's freedom is taken away by managed care. All the pressure of being innetwork and giving out discounts and withholds...too much drama after 1231234134245245245 years of medical school and 12412341431 of specialty. I sympathize with stand alone physicians but I also hope we don't get a part of the whipping. Imagine getting paid one fee for the whole month and you have to worry about ways to cut back on costs and increasing profits? with out this and the dentists have the highest suicidal rates I wonder how it would be if it was implemented.

 

[Aawla]

anyone knows how big are law suits in the field of oral surgery? any one heard of any cases ?

 

[DDSY]

For all healthcare professionals--a nationalized healthcare system, which is virtually unavoidable in the near future. With the aging population and the immense increase in healthcare expenditures as a percentage of GDP, healthcare is nearly unsustainable relative to the GDP.

 

[coolraz]

Nationalized health care? It wouldn't really be an issue becaues there is no way they could force people to practice health care on national system reimbursement levels and private care quality (those two just can't go together). So if we do have a national health care (which is prolly a good idea), it will be a two tier system, with the people going to the NHC participating dentists for the most basic level of care and going to private practice for the more complex services and/or better quality basic care. So basically, in a private practice, I think you would essentially see a lot less HMO and ****ty PPO (low reimbursement) patients as those would all go to the NHC dentists. People will always pay for good service, especially because we have a very strong oral health education hear in US (look at british people's teeth, they generally just don't care!!!). Eseentially, national health care would prolly just mean all the current HMO's would go out of business and be replaced by one giant goverment HMO (so, guess what it'll never happen cus HMO's are way too powerful lobbyists!)

 

[DDSY]

Nationalized health care? It wouldn't really be an issue becaues there is no way they could force people to practice health care on national system reimbursement levels and private care quality (those two just can't go together). So if we do have a national health care (which is prolly a good idea), it will be a two tier system, with the people going to the NHC participating dentists for the most basic level of care and going to private practice for the more complex services and/or better quality basic care. So basically, in a private practice, I think you would essentially see a lot less HMO and ****ty PPO (low reimbursement) patients as those would all go to the NHC dentists. People will always pay for good service, especially because we have a very strong oral health education hear in US (look at british people's teeth, they generally just don't care!!!). Eseentially, national health care would prolly just mean all the current HMO's would go out of business and be replaced by one giant goverment HMO (so, guess what it'll never happen cus HMO's are way too powerful lobbyists!)

Well, whatever healthcare system we have in the future, whether it's universal medical savings account, a system close to Clinton's umbrella nationalized healthcare system, or even a complicated system like we have right now plagued by third party players (a very inefficient model), one thing is clear--the rate of spending for healthcare has far exceeded the rate of inflation. This will become virtually unsustainable in the future. We have to cut corners somewhere, don't we?

 

[jim85213]

Me getting into a school

 

[xxxTheDonxxx]

anyone knows how big are law suits in the field of oral surgery? any one heard of any cases ?

it depends on where you work and the kind of patient you get. This dentist I work with spend approximately about 30K a year on law suits. Yes, I've witnessed some of the law suits...and I must say...there are times when people want to get you because they think you got "it"

 

[DDSY]

Well, whatever healthcare system we have in the future, whether it's universal medical savings account, a system close to Clinton's umbrella nationalized healthcare system, or even a complicated system like we have right now plagued by third party players (a very inefficient model), one thing is clear--the rate of spending for healthcare has far exceeded the rate of inflation. This will become virtually unsustainable in the future. We have to cut corners somewhere, don't we?

I also forgot to mention that healthcare does not follow the supply/demand curve like many other competitive market goods.

Let me give an example: If you have a doctor who charges $120 for a procedure and another one who charges $6, who would you go to? I bet most would go to the the $120 doctor if it involves your health. Why? Because there's the perception that one who charges $120 is better, although this is not necessarily true.

Many times healthcare services/goods suffers from information failure--there is no way to determine how good a service really is, which is why many people opt to go after the more expensive technology-heavy procedure. This drives healthcare costs up and up and many times the gov't and taxpayers end up paying for it.

 

[KOM]

I also forgot to mention that healthcare does not follow the supply/demand curve like many other competitive market goods.

Let me give an example: If you have a doctor who charges $120 for a procedure and another one who charges $6, who would you go to? I bet most would go to the the $120 doctor if it involves your health. Why? Because there's the perception that one who charges $120 is better, although this is not necessarily true.

Many times healthcare services/goods suffers from information failure--there is no way to determine how good a service really is, which is why many people opt to go after the more expensive technology-heavy procedure. This drives healthcare costs up and up and many times the gov't and taxpayers end up paying for it.

Nope. I disagree. References are the key here. People don't go around asking prices on a certain procedure and if they do, they're more likely to go the cheaper route. It just so happens that the doctor's that have established the better reputation because of their skills are able to charge more because of the demand for them.

 

[KOM]

it depends on where you work and the kind of patient you get. This dentist I work with spend approximately about 30K a year on law suits. Yes, I've witnessed some of the law suits...and I must say...there are times when people want to get you because they think you got "it"

Frivolous lawsuits nowadays are running rampant. Everyone wants something for nothing.

 

[DDSY]

Nope. I disagree. References are the key here. People don't go around asking prices on a certain procedure and if they do, they're more likely to go the cheaper route. It just so happens that the doctor's that have established the better reputation because of their skills are able to charge more because of the demand for them.

You disagree, but the idea is taken directly from this book, written by a renowned economist

Economics of the Public Sector: Third Edition by Joseph E. Stiglitz

 

[KOM]

You disagree, but the idea is taken directly from this book, written by a renowned economist

Economics of the Public Sector: Third Edition by Joseph E. Stiglitz

Well I guess if it's written in a book it must be right. Wait a second while I take back my obviously erroneous statement.

 

[Aawla]

Nope. I disagree. References are the key here. People don't go around asking prices on a certain procedure and if they do, they're more likely to go the cheaper route. It just so happens that the doctor's that have established the better reputation because of their skills are able to charge more because of the demand for them.

Well this is the new thing with consumerism and the whole trasperancy. This is where we are headed folks, to a land with all the risks shifted onto our behinds. this sucks, esp when my insurance from school runs out this spring and will have to pay higher premium from now on. I might consider running down to a minute clinic once in a while though; it's the new thing these days.