Think Like a Mechanic: It's Time to Change the Oil

A real-world look at the practice of dentistry from Dr. Clary's perspective...

If your practice is anything like mine, since the economic downturn you are seeing more people neglecting their dental health. They are postponing appointments, or sometimes just skipping them altogether and ditching even the most BASIC dental care.

As you know, this is a dangerous approach, not only from an oral health standpoint, but from a systemic health standpoint. Gum disease has been linked to a variety of physical illnesses including heart disease, low birth-weight babies, progression of Alzheimer's disease and increasing the difficultly of blood-sugar control in diabetics. Throw on top of that the fact that the incidence of oral cancer - which is only curable when caught early, most often during preventive exams - is on the increase and you have the perfect storm.

ALL of these conditions, from tooth decay to oral cancer, are much less expensive to treat when identified in the early stages. There are techniques for treating these conditions, when caught early, that don't even require anesthetic. But when neglected to save a buck, patients are setting themselves up for treatments like root canal therapy and tooth loss that can run into the thousands of dollars.

Our patients seem to be ignoring simple economics when it comes to dental health. The top argument for missing or putting off treatment is the expense. This is interesting, because we all know how reasonably priced preventive dentistry is. It is the root canal and the implants and the cancer that really rack up the big bills. Routine preventive care and addressing dental problems early SAVES thousands of dollars in the long run.

But as dentists we aren't doing enough to get this point across. So, for just a second, let's think like we're mechanics. Instead of working in the mouth, we're working under the hood. What advice would we be adamant in giving our customers?

Routine maintenance helps prevent the cost of more expensive repairs like engine failure or transmission failure. Spending $30 on an oil change every few thousand miles can help you prevent an engine failure that's going to sting the pocket book for thousands. And that message is so hard wired among car owners that there are quick lube shops everywhere. Many folks out there just don't want to risk engine failure.

But when it comes to their mouth, to their PERSONAL HEALTH, they are willing to cut corners.

It's time for us as dentists to be more aggressive in laying out the scenario for neglected preventive care. It's NOT okay to hope everything's alright and put off that routine screen another six months. And if a patient is experiencing trouble they need to be clear that putting off treatment isn't going to get LESS expensive the longer they wait.

As dentists we have bent over backwards in a quest to ensure the patient is catered to. We have implemented flexible payment terms, we have created detailed treatment plans, and we have allowed them to direct their care. And all of that is good. But we need to be sure they are directing and not neglecting.

We need to send the message that it's time to change the oil. If it's good for the mechanic, it should be good enough for us.