ObamaCare and Dentistry

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American Thinker:

ObamaCare will change the American healthcare marketplace in unintended ways. It will have notable impact on the dental field, through mandated pedodontic coverage. Few people enjoy visiting the dentist; however, dental care may become more problematic. Within a few years, private dental care with a trusted and known practitioner may be limited.

In the practice of medicine, a notable trend has been the movement of doctors toward employee status rather than owner/partner business practices. This relationship lessens the working hours that burden younger practitioner's families and provides economic stability at a lower salary. This changes the relationship between patient and doctor while reducing marketplace competition. Established and trusted relationships provide a sense of security for those undergoing difficult treatments. Similarly, in dentistry the trend has been toward larger practices. Most recent graduates of dental schools burdened with extremely high educational debt do not have the option for individual offices.

Employee-based practice creates ethical dilemmas for younger dentists. Larger corporate practices encourage dentists to maximize dental insurance benefits, rather than treat each patient as an individual. The ACA will accelerate this disturbing trend.