Many dental patients often have the wrong ideas about cost, visits and insurance coverage, according to one dentist.
Noel Liu, DDS, of Secure Dental in Chicago, recently shared with Becker's what he thinks are the biggest misconceptions about dentistry.
Editor's note: This response was lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What is the biggest misconception about dentistry?
Dr. Noel Liu: The biggest misconception about dentistry is the cost and how most people feel it’s so called "expensive." Expensive is just a misconception and a relative term most people associate dentistry with. One needs to compare dentistry in terms of overall healthcare costs and the value it brings to people’s lives.
The other misconception is dentistry is that dental visits are only made when there’s a problem and/or a symptom such as sensitivity or pain. If there’s no pain, most people rationalize it as being normal and all is well with their dental status.
A third misconception in dentistry are insurances. Most patients feel that their insurance plan will cover everything that’s needed and they will owe nothing. Most patients get a shocker when they find out that most plans cover merely $1,500 to $2,000 and the rest is out of pocket. Everyone should treat their dental insurance as a preventive plan and that any coverage by the insurance companies is a bonus.