In a recession economy, patients are more likely to defer dental treatment due to economic reasons. In this survey, two out of three dentists reported an increase in emergency calls.
“I do see a lot of patients delaying treatment, and opting for less expensive treatment, but emergency care is still about the same,” offered a Tennessee dentist. Indeed, 31% of dentists said they had noticed no change.
“Our production is the same as last year but our collections are lagging,” said a Kentucky dentist. “More people are making payments on their bills instead of paying them off entirely.”
“We’ve especially seen an increase in cracked teeth due to severe clenching from stress,” noted a California dentist.
Read more: Emergency Dental Treatment Increases in Recession Economy