Dentistry has changed a lot since today's guest, Gary Scott, graduated from dental school in the early 90s. Some things—like the more hands-on education and emphasis on student shadowing—have gotten better. But with the way higher education and dental insurance are structured makes it much harder for new dentists to get off the ground and start their own practices.

In this episode, Gary and I chat about how the challenges he faced getting into dentistry have evolved, making it much harder for new dental professionals to establish themselves and find success. Plus, we'll talk about the role dental insurance plays in creating an antagonistic relationship between practitioners and their patients, and how everyone but the insurer almost always loses out.

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I can't wait for you to hear from today's guests, Drs. Jana and Lara Baatenburg. These sisters stuck together through their undergraduate degrees, into med school, and even into their residencies. They now own their own practice where they employ a unique type of medical care: concierge medicine.

After a few years practicing, they both knew they wanted the opportunity for a more personal connection with their patients. While the sisters explored a few other possibilities, they ultimately landed on "concierge medicine," essentially a healthcare model where patients pay a monthly or annual "membership fee."

This practice style allows doctors to have fewer overall patients, giving them more time to focus on each patient individually. It also allows them to be a lot more accessible to their patients if they need to be seen last-minute. And, in many cases, the membership fee can actually cost less than insurance premiums while providing a higher level of individualized care.

Join us as we dive into Jana and Lara's world of patient-focused healthcare that thrives outside "traditional" practice models.

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Anyone who's attended school out-of-state knows it has its unique challenges, but what about pursuing higher education in a totally different country?

Icelandic orthodontist Dr. Gísli Árnason is back in this episode, and we're discussing what it was like for him to specialize in orthodontics across country borders and an ocean. (Meanwhile, in the states doctors can't even cross state lines and provide care with the same license!)

We also discuss what it's like for him to practice orthodontics in a small community and some of the unique challenges that come with it, the prevalence of dental insurance fraud in Iceland, and more about Icelandic dental practices!

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My first-ever recording—set in Northern Iceland—makes this episode with Dr. Gísli one I’ll never forget. We break down Iceland’s healthcare and dental systems, discussing both flaws and improvements.

But the real jaw-dropper? Dr. Gísli’s reaction when he learns just how much debt doctors in America take on compared to those in Iceland and across the EU.

And to make it worse—while U.S. medical education costs have skyrocketed by over 80%, the largest dental insurer didn’t increase reimbursements for over a decade. You won’t believe his response!

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I hope you're ready for our third and final episode with Dr. Kurt Lindberg! We had a really insightful conversation about some of the overlooked nuance when considering the future of healthcare in the US. From "concierge medicine" (which I have a future episode that I can't WAIT to share) to the difference in provider accountability in medical versus dental practices, Kurt brought up some topics that were even new to me.
We also talk about what offering comprehensive healthcare could actually look like, where financial waste comes from for Medicare patients (I'll give you a hint: it ISN'T from preventive care!), and some of the ways we might actually be able to get this crazy healthcare system to change.
Kurt's TEDx Talk – You Get What You Pay For: Transforming the US Healthcare System
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zNfXHmT0fI
Want more dental podcast action? Be sure to subscribe, and check out my website for sneak peeks of future episodes:
http://www.stephaniewright.com/wright-to-the-root/
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The idea of "universal healthcare" is pretty divisive in the US. Those arguing against it worry about increased individual costs as they pay for healthcare for undocumented immigrants or unemployed citizens. Those in favor of it argue it's more important to provide adequate care for the entire population, regardless of immigration or employment status.

What if we could make everybody happy, making healthcare more affordable, more efficient, AND more accessible? It's more likely than you'd think!

This episode with Dr. Kurt Lindberg was an incredibly insightful one as we tackle the topic of universal healthcare, single-payer healthcare, comprehensive healthcare, government health insurance, or whatever else people like to call it. In particular, we talk about how not offering comprehensive healthcare actually makes it more expensive, even for patients with private insurance.

We also cover the lack of price transparency for office visits, diagnostics, medications, etc. due to negotiations between healthcare systems, insurers and pharmaceutical companies. Oh, and the classic insurance battle of what's "really necessary" for a patient's medical treatments. I can't wait for you to hear it!

Kurt's TEDx Talk – You Get What You Pay For: Transforming the US Healthcare System

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zNfXHmT0fI

Want more dental podcast action? Be sure to subscribe, and check out my website for sneak peeks of future episodes:

http://www.stephaniewright.com/wright-to-the-root/

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Since starting his family medicine practice in 1999, Kurt realized the US healthcare system is stuck in a vicious cycle. Patients who can't afford preventative care end up having serious (usually expensive) medical events, like a heart attack or stroke. Medical practitioners are so busy trying to keep up with the increased demands caused by these larger events that they don't have time to stop and think about how to prevent those serious events in the first place. Then patients are so bogged down by medical expenses they still can't afford care to prevent future medical events!

We dig deep in this episode, touching on how universal healthcare is not, in fact, a perfect system. But, our entire healthcare system—providers, insurers, even patients—needs a serious mindset shift toward more proactive, preventative care to keep costs down for everyone. Plus, we'll discuss how educating individual patients and the general public is one of the best, most helpful things practitioners can do to support their patients.

Kurt's TEDx Talk – You Get What You Pay For: Transforming the US Healthcare System

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zNfXHmT0fI

Want more dental podcast action? Be sure to subscribe, and check out my website for sneak peeks of future episodes:

http://www.stephaniewright.com/wright-to-the-root/

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America’s healthcare system is a mess—and I'm calling it out. I'm Stephanie Wright, dental and healthcare advocate, and host of the wRight to the Root podcast. Every other week, I dive into the issues shaping modern healthcare, sharing insights from medical professionals around the world. Expect bold, no-BS conversations about building a system that puts care over profit. Listen to wRight to the Root on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.Want more dental podcast action? Be sure to subscribe, and check out my website for sneak peeks of future episodes:

https://stephaniewright.com/podcastIf you want to stay connected, check out my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/wrighttotheroot