The main reason people avoid the dentist isn't fear
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The biggest reason people skip out on going to the dentist isn't fear or inconvenience; it's cost, KIDY reports. A study published this month in Health Affairs found people are more likely to forego dental health because of cost than any other type of health care.
And that's a problem because avoiding dental care can have other health repercussions down the road, according to Health Central. HealthDay News reports the study found that 13% of working-age adults don't go to the dentist because of the cost.
And nearly 25% of low-income adults are dissuaded from the dentist by cost. Cost is more than three times more likely than fear to be the reason people skip the dentist.
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In fact, cost is the main reason for not seeing a dentist even among people who have private dental insurance. Study author Marko Vujicic points to maximum benefit limits and high co-pays in most dental coverage as the culprit.
"Anything beyond checkups, like getting a cavity filled or a root canal and a crown, you're looking right away at 20% to 50% coinsurance," he says.
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Fillings can cost more than $600 and crowns more than $1,400. In 2015, 40% of dental care costs were paid out of pocket; that's compared to just 11% of total health care costs.
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"It seems like medical insurance is doing a better job at protecting consumers from financial hardship than dental insurance," Vujicic says. The study shows it may be time for dental insurance to move away from a "pay per procedure" model.
(Studies show flossing likely a waste of time.)
This article originally appeared on Newser: The Main Reason People Avoid the Dentist Isn't Fear