Dental care expenditure and experts differ between countries. According to the United Nations membership status, there are 195 countries globally. Still, the list differs if you consider countries that participate in international sporting events like International Olympic Games and Football competitions, and other micronations. According to local Brooklyn dentist Dr. Culpepper, flossing cleans around 40% of bacteria in the teeth. Part of his recommendation to maintain hygienic oral hygiene is to brush, floss, and then use mouthwash, and the cycle should be repeated at least twice daily. Countries in the international system are also grouped into different layers economically. Some countries are regarded as developed and developing states. One significant trait of developed countries is the availability of basic amenities such as security of lives and properties, good road networks, standardized economy, and functional health care system, which may be in limited supply in developing countries. For this writeup, a comparison shall be made on dental care costs in low and middle-income countries, contrasting it with what is obtainable in developed countries. Below is a list of some low- and middle-income countries and their corresponding household dental care cost:
N.B: For claritypurposes, all dental services amongst different countries are converted to U.S dollars.1. BangladeshIn Bangladesh, the cost of household dental expenditure is proportional to the dental care services. For dental service like:
- Digital ultrasonic scaling regular cost $20
- Digital ultrasonic scaling irregular cost $30
- Polishing $20
- Advanced Polishing $35
- U.V. Teeth whitening with the latest kits $75
- Filling (tooth color matching light cure 8th generation) cost per tooth $50 - $60
- The cost of Crowns is $300 per tooth
- Titanium Dental Implant average cost is about $900
- Implant/Abutment/Crown $1525
- Full Porcelain/Ceramic Crown $500
- Porcelain Fused to Metal Crown (precious alloy) $550
- Zirconia Crown $550
- Implant Crown (including abutment) $850
3. Philippines Below is the expenditure of dental services obtainable in the Philippines:
- 607 dollars per unit for All Porcelain Crown using Emax
- 607 dollars per unit for Porcelain Veneers using Emax
- 265 dollars per unit of Direct Composite Veneers Using U Veneer
- 431 dollars per unit of Prefabricated Veneers
- 823 dollars per unit for Zirconia Crown or Bridge
- 352 dollars per unit for Composite Crown or Veneers
- 470 dollars per unit for Porcelain On lay or Inlay (Emax)
- 215 dollars per unit for Composite On lay or Inlay
- 431 dollars per unit for one session of Laser Bleaching/Whitening
- 588 dollars for two sessions of Laser Bleaching/Whitening
- 1078 dollars for Cosmetic Gum Surgery
- 392 dollars per unit for Porcelain Fused to non-precious Metal Crown & Bridge
4. Ecuador Ecuador has a quality health care system with a top-notch dental care service. The cost of getting dental cleaning and exams is only $30 per person, which is far below what is payable in the U.S and other neighboring North American countries. Also, the price range for cavity repairs and filling is within $25 to $30. Partial plate treatment costs about $325, and to fix a complete set of dentures costs about $900 with a dental office visit, impressions, fitting, and lab work inclusive.
Conclusion Gaining access to dental care in low- and middle-income countries is not as easy as in top countries like the United States. However, it would be helpful if you were careful not to patronize the services of quacks while searching for the cheapest dental care practitioners. To make sure that you are in the right hands, do proper research by checking online reviews and asking close friends for recommendations. Of course, no price is too much to pay for quality dental care, and if necessary, you can head over to developed countries for the procedure. Most of these countries offer insurance or discounts that can help in reducing the extravagant cost of health care in developed regions.