Add dental care to another area whose costs are rising

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – One area where costs are rising that we haven’t highlighted yet: dental care.

UAB associate professor David Becker, PhD, said inflation was not the same across the board.

He said some sectors have been hit more and faster than others.

But when it comes to soaring dental costs, Becker said contracts with insurance companies are key drivers.

“It kind of slows down the rate at which it happens. It’s not like I’m a dentist and my energy costs or labor costs go up, I can’t immediately go out and adjust the prices on the shelves like at the grocery store,” Becker said. . “It goes much faster. Dentists have to wait until there is a new round of negotiations with insurance companies for these higher rates to be passed on to the cost of labor or other costs to get higher rates.

Dentists also provide services to patients who do not have insurance, so these service prices could possibly change even more quickly.

And Becker also points out that as more and more of us tighten our budgets, some may postpone preventative dental appointments, which could end up costing you even more in the long run.

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