I think dentistry should be part of the general medical system instead of being its own realm. It has better checks and balances and there would be less incentive to harm patients for profit.

The current dentistry system makes it easy to do things that are against the patients well being. Many Dentists have a solo practice where they need to generate income to keep the doors open so they lean towards work that is profitable for them. I'm sure there are many dentists that do their best to minimize having to work on a patient but I'm sure that there many that have no problem trying to get the most money out of a patient.

I'm surprised there hasn't been a push towards creating a specialty like Doctor of Dental Medicine in medical schools. A guess there's no incentive to do it.

Dentistry is full of shameless shams. That is part of the reason it (along with Chiropractic) is not often covered by universal healthcare insurance systems. The exceptions are limited, about 12 countries at most [1].

[1]: https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Depart...

I have made the argument on many occasions that the "security industry" is absolutely rife with iatrogenics [1] and factitious disorder by proxy [2].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iatrogenesis

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factitious_disorder

Doesn't surprise me... We need a cleanup in the dental industry.

I have a molar that has been declared a 'pre-cavity' for two decades now. My wisdom teeth need to be pulled b/c they are going to become 'problematic'... still waiting for problems 30 years later. When I inform them I don't want the x-rays, I have been told by several DDS's in 2 states that it is state law that they must snap pictures. My one filling came when I was 9 & my mom still gets angry at Dr D for not having $$$ to pay his rent/student loans that month. My teeth may be coffee stained & aren't unnaturally bright white, but they are solid & all mine. F the dental industry, at this rate I'll take my yellow teeth to the grave.

> When I inform them I don't want the x-rays

I try that too, but they don't want to treat you if you don't get them even though they are treating an external organ (they are going to drill/grind it anyways), and dental x-rays are linked to brain tumors: https://www.webmd.com/cancer/brain-cancer/news/20120410/dent......

Also I had my fair share of dentists that do root canals for no reasons...

I'm thinking about going to a poor country to get my next treatment...

They only desist when I inform them I 'may' have had imaging done in the recent past.

Back in AZ, many people I know visit Mexico for a day of eating, shopping & a dental visit. Not necessarily in that order.

One dentist bringing in $1.4 million per year, before he started the fraud/malpractise?

Sure, that probably includes paying two other people (one admin, one dental nurse), but still?

The car repair industry has been doing something similar for many years.