According to a survey carried out by Ifop and published on the website Dentaly, the French have difficulty accessing dental care. The reason ? their cost. During his electoral campaign, Emmanuel Macron had however announced full coverage of crowns and dental prostheses by social security and mutual insurance companies. The French remain skeptical. Carried out with a sample of more than 1,000 French people, the study reveals that access to this type of care has deteriorated over the past five years.
Overpriced dental care
Barely more than one in two French people go to see their dentist once a year, a drop of 4 points in five years. More and more French people testify on the contrary not to have gone there for at least two years: 25% of the subjects of the study currently, against 15% in 2013.
The reasons for this decline in visits to the dentist in France? The budget, first. 45% of those questioned explain that they cannot afford it. Five years ago, only 35% mentioned the question of financial means.
The problem is not so much the cost of the basic consultation, which still discourages 22% of people in the survey. The real obstacle to dental care is due to the cost of prostheses: the study reveals that more than one in three French people are unable to afford the treatment. Moreover, this type of care is currently the least well reimbursed in the sector for 73% of French people.
Too many waiting times
To these factors must be added very long appointment times which discourage 31% of French people. Between 2014 and 2018, the average wait time for a dental appointment fell from 27 to 40 days.
Although an agreement has recently been reached between the social partners on the subject, the majority of those questioned fear that the capping of fees for the fitting of prostheses and crowns will cause a drop in the quality of care.
Read also:
Cannabis is also harmful to teeth
Dental health: no more mercury fillings for children under 15
