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My father, Dr. Jan Linhart, has now been practicing dentistry for 30 years.  I myself, though, have only been practicing for about a month at NYU dental school!

The other day I saw a pretty young woman at the school for the first time.  She had not been to the dentist in well over a year, and had some serious issues.  One of her molars, which had previously been crowned (capped), had just fallen out a week prior to her visit.  Why didn’t she come in earlier?  Why did an otherwise health conscious woman neglect her mouth?

This brings me to the real question, why do people NOT go to the dentist?  This usually stems down to three reasons:

1. Money
2. Time
3. Fear

Money is a factor that influences most of our lives.  The dentist costs alot of money.  Why?  Because becoming a dentist, the supplies needed to practice dentistry, and the time needed to perform dental procedures, are very expensive.  So many people do not go to the dentist because they would rather spend their money on other things.  At NYU dental, we charge less than half  of what most practitioners in New York cost.  This low cost is compensated for by the amount of time it takes for the dental work to be done.  Time is another reason why people don’t go to the dentist.

Time is money, and in NYC, time is precious.  My dad is a master at performing the most intricate dental procedures in the shortest amount of time.  At NYU, it takes us at least twice as long as it takes Dr. Linhart.

Fear is another key reason people avoid the dentist.  According to my dad, “most patients’ fear is derived from a bad childhood experience with the dentist.”  Today, advances in anesthetics, lasers, and other developments allow us dentist to be as painless as possible, while still ensuring quality care.

So money, time, and fear are three reasons why people do not go to the dentist.  But back to the original question, Why go to the dentist?

Regular visits to the dentist will keep your mouth healthy and clean.  At Dr. Linhart’s office, 4 month recall for cleaning is the usual.  This will ensure that your mouth stays cavity free.  This healthy state of your mouth will keep it pain free, keep visits (time consumption) to a minimum, and keep costs low.  So visit your dentist often!