I’m American and in addition to our messed up healthcare system. Teeth are simultaneously so important that I have to see a specialist (dentist) for routine care, but so unimportant that it’s not included in my healthcare coverage. Is it like that elsewhere?
I’m in the UK. We’re covered up to 18, then again if you’re pregnant or I think a year after birth. Apart from that medical care is heavily subsidised, so say a root canal is £230 or something like that, but anything cosmetic is private and pricey.
That’s true in theory, but less.so in practice. In our area there are no dentists accepting adult NHS patients so unless you’re registered already then your only option is to go private. This seems to be increasingly common and is making dentistry private by the back door.
https://healthwatchsuffolk.co.uk/news/dentalcrisis/