How's the dental business?

This is a question asked by a patient almost every day. I answer that we are doing OK, but things are a little slower than usual. Our billings for 2011 were off by 3% when compared to the previous year. I can not complain about my billings, since I am fortunate to have a mature and busy dental practice, but I am sad that it seems that some people appear to be putting off their dental check-ups and cleanings. Also it has been more common when examining a patient coming in for a hygiene appointment, to find that they haven't scheduled appointments for previously diagnosed cavities.

I am sure that some of this procrastination is due to economic worries that patients have, but any savings that they may experience by delaying cleanings or the filling of cavities, will certainly be wiped out by a single tooth being lost or needing a root canal, post and a crown.

A simple filling is less than 10% of the cost of either of the latter alternatives(rct,post and crown or extraction and implant). Also frequent cleanings do seem to lessen the odds of a patient developing active periodontal disease.

The lesson is apparent: "A stitch in time saves nine". Avoiding or fixing dental problems early will save a patient a lot of money, especially over the course of a lifetime! I am writing this post with the hope that it will encourage people to take better care of their mouths.