Insurance

Your hands are your livelihood. In a flash, a career that took decades to achieve can come to an end. Meanwhile, the monthly bills keep rolling in and financial obligations mount as you’re out of work. This is an unpleasant but important topic for all dentists.

In light of the recent investigative film that examined the flaws in the dental care system, dental professionals from across the country have expressed mixed reactions. FRONTLINE and the Center for Public Integrity were behind the production of the film.

The investigative team at the television show FRONTLINE and the Center for Public Integrity, joined forces to produce the film “Dollars and Dentists,” which examined the dental care system and offers some solutions to correct problems found within it.

The Supreme Court rules the Affordable Care Act constitutional. On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act. According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Website, the law puts in place comprehensive health insurance reforms that will roll out over four years and beyond, with most changes taking place by 2014.

The investigative team at the television show FRONTLINE and the Center for Public Integrity, have joined forces to produce the film “Dollars and Dentists,” which examines the dental care system and offers some solutions to correct problems found within it.

Ben Popken, columnist for the personal finance blog Smart Money, points out that most dental insurance coverage plans are poor. Dental price clubs, which offer pre-negotiated lower rates to consumers, might be a better option for the uninsured or those who have maxed out their annual insurance payout.

Health in Reach announced earlier this week that it would be merging with its largest competitor, PriceDoc. Both services offer an online platform where consumers can go to compare prices on dental services. Both companies will now operate under the Health in Reach corporate brand, and Health in Reach CEO Scott Sangster will remain in the top executive role.

The recent merger between Health in Reach and PriceDoc will allow dentists and prospective patients to connect and for those prospective patients to compare prices on dental care before booking an appointment. The online platform allows dentists to offer cost-saving deals to consumers who are paying for dental care out-of-pocket.

Would you like to know how much other dentists in your area are charging for a crown? For an extraction? For a cleaning?

Research presented by the American Association of Dental Research shows that periodontal treatment and appropriate dental care can help lower the medical costs for diabetic patients.

COLUMBUS, Ga., July 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aflac (NYSE:AFL), the number one provider of voluntary and guaranteed renewable insurance in the United States, provides a simple, no direct cost option for employers to make dental insurance coverage available to employees without the hassle of network restrictions, deductibles or annual premium reviews. Addressing a top employer challenge of making competitive benefits available to attract and retain talent, Aflac's dental insurance policy helps meet the needs of both employers and employees.

Intraoral cameras should be used on every patient because doctors and patients alike can reap benefits from the images they take, Drs. Jason Luchtefeld and Frank Clayton said. They also have specific recommendations about what images they see as musts for each of their patients.

A hygienist lays out many of the frustrations dental professionals and their patients face when it comes to dental insurance. Editor’s Note: The opinions reflected in this article do not necessarily represent the views of the editorial staff of Modern Hygienist and Dental Products Report. Photo: Getty Images Dear Sir,

It comes as no surprise that people living in lower income areas don't often visit the dentist or receive preventative care because health care is less accessible and health insurance is not always available to those with low wage jobs. From educational attainment to safety to public health, residents in America's poorest neighborhoods are so often found to be at a disadvantage. And now according to a new study, they're also much more likely to be in physical pain.

Dr. Paresh Patel, 41, a resident of Edison, NJ faces insurance fraud charges along with charges of tampering with dental records and obstruction of administration of law for providing the Middlesex County Medical Examiner with false records, Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan said in a statement today.