Putting off dental maintenance? If you're 18-22, book a checkup this year to avoid steep future costs.
Treatments like crowns, root canals, and wisdom tooth procedures often cost hundreds or even thousands of euros. While emergencies are unpredictable, many foresee upcoming needs.
Dentists expect packed schedules as dental care drops from the basic health package for young people starting January 1, 2011. Currently included, this coverage ends after the House of Representatives' June decision to save 110 million euros.
Vulnerable
The Dutch Dental Association (NMT) highlights young people as a vulnerable group, prone to unhealthy lifestyles that harm oral health. They've written to House party leaders urging reversal of this austerity step.
The NMT worries many young adults, including students, won't get extra insurance and will skip dentists post-January 1.
