Humboldt Dentist Shortage?
I was surprised to read this letter to the editor in the Sacramento Bee from a dentist in Ukiah. He claims there's a shortage of dentists in California. I'm sure that's true in some places but I was wondering if the opposite wasn't true in Eureka?
Driving around town I see so many dental offices I've often wondered how they all stay busy. I know there's a shortage of primary physicians up here, but dentists? Anybody had a problem finding a dentist? I wouldn't know because I haven't even tried to see a dentist in decades.
Addendum: Maybe I'm not too far off about how many dentists are up here? Just noticed another comment to the letter I've referred to which claims there's plenty of dentists, just not ones that accept government insurance (as is an ever growing problem with physicians).
I'll copy the entire comment here since SacBee is a pay site and many may not be able to read it:
posted by Fred Mangels @ 11:28 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Fred.. Steve here.. lived in Humboldt county since 1988.. i'm on ssi disability these days.. no top teeth. Bottom teeth have not had real dentist teeth cleaning in years. Why? Medi cal does not pay for dental. Unles, maybe if you get hit in the face with a baseball bat! If i were a dentist.. i'd look for a place were medi-something.. covered my mouth. Lets hope.
Fred is on SSI too, correct?.
Nope.
Speaking of MediCal and such, I've just posted an addendum on the subject below my original post.
I save up for the dentist because I value my teeth. I pay the full amount they asked and have no insurance. I have gone the cheap route and ended up having to do over prior work that was not good quality. Insurance or not its my body and I take care of it. I have always made minium wage or less and am now not working. I don't have much to show for all the years I worked, but I can smile and chew my food. I do the best I can with what I have.
"Henchman Of Justice" says,
Dentists are everywhere, but they could use more patients judging by how many tweekers Humboldt has whom smile so bright and shiny at the back of the mouth.
Anyhow, every 6 months, check-up. Teeth are very important for ones happiness. Yack set of teeth, no good. Ladies don't tend to kiss yack mouthers.
Maybe the government don't cover teeth because it is one's responsibility to brush and floss for a clean mouth; or, let it get yack (personal choice).
As far as "teeth damage" ancillary to some other covered insurance injury, then it seems the government insurance ponsai schemes would cover the costs. Anyhow, Obamacare may change that, maybe not. Time will tell. "Insurance is like a box of chocolates in that ya never know what your gonna get."
The worst part about public health and teeth are those sorry ass parents whom won't raise their kids properly; then, when the toofless 18 year old moves out into the world, it is "their cost now" to fix their teeth that their parents should have resolved. Parenting TODAY prior to "HAVING the financial ability to parent" is suicide and likely attempted manslaughter for the future toofless child.
All that tax money sent overseas to manifest perpetual military confrontations, but yet only a fraction of which could have resolved so many of these domestic social issues Americans are challenged with! - HOJ
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