The subject of
Dentists to poor people: Drop dead can't be any more clear. The
Boston Globe's Alex Beam tells the harrowing story of how dentists are putting their own self interest well beyond that of people. According to Beam:
Dentists, who seem like perfectly nice people when you meet them at after-school events or at the grocery store, are carving out a bizarre public persona that is a mixture of Simon Legree, Snidely Whiplash, and Dr. Evil.
The women and men who fix your teeth now make more money per capita than doctors. To preserve their high incomes, dentists have historically refused to participate in Medicare because of low reimbursements, and ditto for Medicaid. Now dentists are resolutely — some would say fanatically — opposing efforts to let dental hygienists and dental therapists deliver prophylactic care to children, the elderly, and to poor and underserved regions in America.
