Call 954-427-3755
For Appointments

201 S.E. 15th Terrace, Suite 105
In the Cove Shopping Center
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

News

United States Dentistry vs. Foreign Dentistry

:: How do you define real value? ::

When most people think of Dental Tourism they think of traveling outside of the United States to receive low cost dental treatment. During these trying times you will find that Dr. Maureen O'Flanagan is truly interested in your continued well-being and will do everything she can to help you without ever having to consider traveling abroad for dental treatment.

In fact, Dr. O'Flanagan is finding that many people who live outside of the U.S. are seeking quality dentistry and recognize that her quality dental services can be more cost effective in the long run. Dr. O'Flanagan makes it easy for people to receive dental treatment while on vacation with flexible appointment scheduling.

Medical Tourism has been around for centuries but modern transportation has allowed it to develop and flourish in countries once thought unrealistic for this industry. "Google" the term up and you will be overwhelmed with stories from allegedly happy and fulfilled medical patients who decry and denounce the American Medical System while exuberantly praising the cost of traveling overseas and having an operation performed at some global garden spot for significantly less than what they would have paid in the U.S.A. Dental Tourism patients are also traveling to Mexico, Thailand, Hungary, and India and bragging about the same cost advantages. Good for them! Now let's consider some reality issues that very few people want to shed light on.

First of all, we live in an age when the word "responsibility" is used so often, a reasonable person would think it impossible for anyone to misunderstand what the definition truly means. Unfortunately, too many times, too many people use "responsibility" to mean how "you" are expected to act and not them!

Your dental problems were created by you and you alone. You chose to consume foods, beverages and products such as tobacco that stripped the enamel from your teeth, caused gum disease, tooth decay and loss and a multitude of other problems not to mention what these things did to your overall immune system which would eventually become less than adequate when needed to fight the debilitating diseases that many of you gave yourselves.

For years dentists tried to warn you and work with you and even had to put up with the abuse from Physicians and the A.M.A. who considered dentists to be something other than real doctors. Then finally, around 20 years ago, someone realized that dentists were the first "Guardians" of the body due the fact that they could detect the onset of systemic diseases with a regular check up and cleaning.

Yet, still, many patients refused to come in for a check up and cleaning that turned a two hundred dollar visit into a seven thousand dollar reconstructive procedure!

The reasons why it costs that much is because Dentistry is far more equipment intensive than general medicine, especially when procedures other than cavity repairs are required. Additionally, insurance costs, especially liability insurance, which is ridiculously expensive, are completely out of control; but that’s okay because Washington says we don’t need Tort reform!

The liability and responsibility that doctors have for their patients in America is very high, but regrettably few patients take the same level of responsibility for their health and well being until their situation is much worse than it ever had to become.

Remember all those stories about the extensive diagnostic dental care you saw when you "Googled" up Dental Tourism? Of course you don't because there weren't any. The majority of sites talk about "Cosmetic Dentistry" and the others regale you in the cost of a procedure and a vacation afterwards.

Did you ever read about how a foreign dentist performed a "comprehensive exam" and detected the onset of a life-threatening disease such as Diabetes, Leukemia, Oral Cancer, Heart Disease or some other disease or abnormality that dentists are trained to detect as part of a "Total Health Care Team" and not someone looking to make a fast buck from a set of veneers? No, you haven't and I doubt that such a story will ever be written about "comprehensive exams" because in the majority of foreign countries dentistry is about "Cosmetics" and not the "overall systemic wellness and health of the human body."

In the United States of America, a Comprehensive Exam is required on all new patients and at least every three to five years for existing patients as prescribed by the American Dental Association (ADA). Eight (8) separate, yet, completely interconnected exams are performed during the Comprehensive Exam and collectively they are designed to detect the onset or diagnose the presence of Diabetes, Leukemia, Oral Cancer, Heart Disease, Tissue damage, Gum Disease, and many other abnormalities. The reason why you don't hear about these exams is because unlike America where Dental training and practices are held to rigid standards, and patients have the right to pursue unresolved issues through the legal system, foreign countries offer neither of these.

Additionally other areas of concern ought to be the ability of you and your dentist to communicate effectively in the same language; having a high standard of infectious disease-related protocols in place since foreigners seldom have natural immunities against diseases common to a host country which could pose a significant danger to an already weakened individual; proper utilization of sterilization procedures for equipment such as high speed dental drills and other devices used in dental procedures which need water to operate properly.

In many parts of the world safe drinking water is not always available. Water that is unsafe to drink is also unfit for dental treatment especially surgery; protection against harmful drugs is nonexistent in some countries; quality of post-operative care can vary dramatically between countries; dental tourism is totally unrealistic for procedures requiring multiple visits.

Ultimately the final decision for your health care is your responsibility. Cost vs. price vs. quality of service can at times be daunting when trying to determine the best course of action. Before reaching your final decision, discuss your situation with your doctor in depth and explore every payment option available to you. During these trying times, you will find that a doctor who is truly interested in your continued well-being will do everything they can to help you without ever having to consider traveling abroad for treatment.