Dental Visits Drop When Public Coverage Shrinks

In the Netherlands, a big question has been whether cutting back on public dental coverage affects how often people go to the dentist. Some politicians think it doesn't, but let's look at the facts. First, it's important to understand that dental care is not just about fixing teeth. It's also about preventing problems before they start. This is why preventive care is so important. In 1995, the Dutch government reduced public coverage for fixing teeth. Then, in 2004, they did the same for preventive care. The idea was to save money, but did it really work out that way? Researchers dug into data from 1981 to 2019 to find out. They looked at how often people went to the dentist before and after the changes. They compared people with public insurance to those with private insurance and to younger people, who weren't affected by the changes. Here's what they found. After 1995, people with public insurance went to the dentist less often. Right away, there was a drop of 3. 5 percentage points. And each year after that, the number kept going down by about 0. 6 percentage points. When they looked at adults aged 20 to 45, the story was similar. Right after the change, dental visits dropped by 4. 6 percentage points. And each year, the number went down by about 1. 2 percentage points. So, did cutting back on public coverage save money? Not really. Fewer people went to the dentist, which means more problems could go untreated. This could lead to bigger, more expensive issues down the road. It's a classic case of penny-wise, pound-foolish. The lesson here is clear. Policies should be based on evidence, not just guesses. When it comes to health, cutting costs in the short term can lead to bigger problems later on. It's crucial to think long-term and consider all the angles. After all, health is wealth, and investing in it pays off in the end.