Ted didn’t go to the dentist for years because of his debts. “If you know you can’t afford the dentist, you postpone a visit.” He ended up having to have a large portion of his teeth removed. “I just had a rotten mouth, everything was all jagged.”
In the Netherlands, 650,000 people avoid the dentist for fear of a high bill. This is evident from research by the KNMT, the professional organization of dentists. This can make simple complaints worse.
Shame about teeth
Ineke Wagendrever saw the consequences of avoiding a dentist visit in her practice. In addition to impacting health, it also affects daily life, the dentist explains. “Shame about your teeth and mouth odor can lead to social isolation or reduced opportunities on the labor market.”
That is why Wagendrever decided to open a new practice in Hoorn together with Marco Pachon, where, as of January 1, in addition to regular oral care, they also offer oral care for people who cannot afford it themselves.
Pachon and Wagendrever work closely with the municipality, which refers people who qualify for oral care for minimum income. These are residents of the municipality of Hoorn who have not been to the dentist for a long time and cannot pay for the care themselves.
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