"Sorry Doc, I Can't Afford That Treatment"

Trust me when I tell you that many people cannot legitimately afford health care in general and dentistry in particular. In fact, I do not understand how some of my elderly patients can afford $800-$1000 a month for their medicines. I get this.

(Have a told you that as a freshman dental student, I only had twenty five cents in my pocket for a cup of coffee and if it wasn't for the generosity of my classmates, I probably couldn't have made it through the boring classes without more coffee.)

But have  you seen the statistics about Super Bowl Sunday?

You will bet: 10 billion dollars on the game!!!

The food and drinks will cost: 11 billion dollars

Let's put this in perspective. Collectively patients spend 100 billion dollars for dental care in one year.

"I don't have the money for that treatment" is really a statement of "I don't value that tooth and I will not spend the money on it to save it...AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT WHEN AND IF A  PATIENT TELLS ME THAT.

People will spend money on things that they value and want. And that is not good or bad but just a fact.

If someone wants to spend $110,000 a year to send their child to NYU Law School, that is how they want to spend their hard earned money. If they don't want to spend money on their teeth...I understand that as well.


21 BILLION DOLLARS TODAY...NOW THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY.