Are Dentists in India Really Expensive?

While most people wouldn't mind a brighter or straighter smile, it's pretty rare to find someone who actually enjoys visiting the dentist, even for basic cleanings. More than 40% of India did not see a dentist last year, according to NIH statistics. For many, the discomfort of having a veritable stranger taking metal picks, tubes, scrapers and other tools to their wide-open mouths is too much to bear. And given the country's ever-tightening financial waistband, there's another aspect of seeing the dentist that's equally daunting.

Those who have visited a dentist -- or considered it -- in recent years know that even the most basic dental procedures can be quite costly. Dental fillings can range from more than Rs 1000- 1500 , depending on the size of the filing, while more invasive and time-consuming procedures like a crown or molar root canal go for about Rs 8000 per tooth [sources: Diento Oral Health Care].

There are a number of reasons why dental procedures are so expensive:

First, services are performed by trained professionals. Dentists are doctors who go through many years of college, dental school and specialized (read: expensive) training. Like many other professionals -- lawyers, accountants, expert mechanics -- dental services are priced accordingly.

The big boys, of course, play with big toys. The tools on hand at a general dentistry practice include highly specialized equipment that is not only pricey to purchase, but also to maintain. X-ray machines cost upwards of Rs 2,00,000 . A simple dental chair with the necessary light, trays and hookups, meanwhile, costs about Rs 5- 20 lakhs. This, of course, doesn't take into account the costs of surgical tools, as well as the anesthesia and other medications used in procedures such as root canals and fillings. Additionally, dentists often turn to third-party labs and other dental product companies for things like crowns and dentures, which can also drive up the costs of certain procedures.

Certain practices have multiple assistants, massive electricity burdens and insurances to deal with. Being technologically advanced also comes with a price. Sterilization control adds a huge amount to the maintenance charges of an office. I am sure I am yet missing a few key factors which burn a hole in the pocket.

If the thought of all of this has you reaching for your toothbrush and floss then go ahead and maintain your oral hygiene and visit your dentist regularly.

I'm sure we all have had a friend or a relative who has flown in from a developed country to avail dental treatment in India due to the fact that the treatment in the country is inexpensive as compared to the rest. Hence living in the country only helps one attain the best dental care at a good price!

The next time we find our dentist expensive, lets reconsider!

DR SAHIL A. CHHEDA
BDS. PGDBA.
Oral implantologist
Fellow in Dental Lasers

Address:-
DIENTO ORAL HEALTH CARE,
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SONAWALA BLDG 1-A,
165 TARDEO ROAD,
MUMBAI-400007,
MAHARASHTRA,
INDIA.
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