Good dental health is extremely important and its benefits extend far beyond just your mouth. In fact, oral health — the health of your teeth and gums — has a major impact on overall health, medical costs, and quality of life.
“The significance of the mouth as part of our health is often overlooked and underappreciated,” says Dr. Caswell Evans, Associate Dean for Prevention and Public Health Sciences, UIC College of Dentistry. “Our vision of ourselves, how we are seen by others, and even our employment is influenced by our oral appearance,” says Evans, who has written extensively on the burdens that poor oral health can place on public health.
In India however not everyone takes dental health too seriously unless a person is in pain. So not many go for regular dental check-ups. Lack of awareness about oral hygiene and high costs involved in going to a private dental clinic are major deterrents particularly as most health insurance policies don’t cover dental treatment cost.
Lack of facilities for many treatments besides the long wait time often deters people from going to government hospitals. Consequently, choosing the right type of treatment, selecting a clinic, or considering payment options, all primarily depend on affordability. The cost of dental care in India can vary widely across different cities and even within cities and towns.
“Dental infrastructure and equipment are not only expensive to purchase, but also to maintain repair charges sometimes reaching the roof,” states a blog on dentalworldindia.com.
The use of advanced materials and cutting-edge technology can also increase the cost of dental treatments but often results in better outcomes and faster recovery times, justifies the blog. As consumers try to balance cost with quality of care, many end up making choices which may prove expensive in the long run if the quality of treatment is not good. Following several complaints about expensive root canal treatment, implants, filings, cost of making dentures, etc., on its platform, LocalCircles on the occasion of World Oral Health Day has conducted a survey to find out how those needing different dental care have been faring over the last 3 years.
The survey received over 46,000 responses from citizens located in 369 districts of India. 64% respondents were men while 36% respondents were women. 41% of respondents were from tier 1, 28% from tier 2 and 31% respondents were from tier 3, 4, 5 and rural districts. 74% Indians surveyed pay over Rs. 1500 for a tooth filling, prices range from Rs. 100 – 1500 per tooth with no clarity to consumer Post Covid, charges for medical consultations, services and procedures have seen a substantial jump in most areas.
The survey asked consumers, “How much did your dentist charge per filling (most recently) when you or your family member went for a tooth filling in the last 3 years?” Out of 15,693 consumers who responded to them question 16% stated “over Rs. 3000); 31% of respondents stated, “Rs. 2000- Rs. 3000”; 27% of respondents stated, “Rs. 1500-Rs. 2000”; 11% of respondents stated, “Rs. 1000- Rs. 1500”; 10% of respondents stated, “Rs. 800- Rs. 1000” and 5% of respondents did not give a clear answer. To sum up, 74% Indians surveyed pay over Rs. 1500 for a tooth filling; prices range from Rs. 100 – 1500 per tooth with no clarity to consumer.
While 1 in 3 Indians surveyed pay over Rs. 10000 for a tooth root canal treatment, prices range from Rs. 500 – 15000 per tooth with no clarity to consumer Root canal treatment, a dental procedure to replace infected or damaged pulp in a tooth with a root filling, can cost very little in a government run hospital but can be heavy on the pocket in many private dental clinics.
The survey asked consumers, “How much did your dentist charge per root canal treatment (most recently) when you or your family member went for it in the last 3 years?” Out of 15,608 who responded to the question, 34% indicated “over Rs. 10,000”; 12% of respondents stated “Rs. 8,000- Rs. 10,000”; 19% of respondents stated “Rs. 5,000- Rs. 8,000”; 11% of respondents stated “Rs. 3,000-Rs. 5,000”; 19% of respondents stated “Rs. 2,000- Rs. 1,000”; and 5% of respondents stated “Rs. 1,500 – Rs. 2,000”. To sum up, while 1 in 3 Indians surveyed pay over Rs. 10000 for a tooth root canal treatment, the average price ranges from Rs. 500 – 15,000 per tooth with no clarity on prices to consumer.
73% Indians surveyed want the government to cap prices of dental treatments like filing and root canal to make them affordable. Given the wide difference in prices of root canal, filling, and other dental treatment cost across the country, the survey asked consumers, “Should the government consider capping the price of dental treatments like filling and root canal to make them more affordable?” The question received 15,184 responses with 73% stating “yes, absolutely”; 20% stating “no, should not be capped” and 7% of respondents not giving a clear answer.
To sum up, 73% Indians surveyed want the Government to cap prices of dental treatments like filing and root canal to make them affordable.
In summary, the survey clearly shows that across the country there is a huge difference in the charges of different dental treatment/ procedure. As there is no fixed rate or ceiling on what a dentist can charge for a procedure, 74% of Indians surveyed pay over Rs. 1500 for a tooth filling while the charges range from Rs. 100 – Rs. 1500 per tooth. As such there is no clarity on what the justified charge is.
Similarly, while 1 in 3 Indians surveyed pay over Rs. 10,000 for a tooth root canal treatment, the prices range from Rs. 500 – 15,000 per tooth. Lacking clarity on what the justifiable charges should be, 73% Indians surveyed want the Government to cap prices of dental treatments like filing and root canal to make them affordable.
“LocalCircles plans to share this study with concerned authorities in the expectation that the government will intervene to fix a ceiling on the charges for different procedures so that dentists don’t charge consumers unnecessarily when the treatment is essential and not optional as for cosmetic purposes. Bringing dental treatments under the ambit of Ayushman Bharat will make it more accessible for the financially weak consumers,” the community social media platform said in a statement.
