I was teaching federal employees at an onsite retirement seminar recently when an attendee from the previous year at the location stopped in. He informed me I had saved his life. I told him he must have been confusing me with someone else as I would have remembered administrating CPR or the Heimlich maneuver.
He said he remembered me from the previous year when he attended one of my seminars. During my retirement training sessions I always stress to the audience to get their – and their families’ – annual health physicals and go to the dentists as the examinations are already “baked into their premiums”.
What I mean by “baked into” is that their premiums incorporate or include the costs of the exams as a factor in calculating the price of the premiums. You already are paying for the visits. Therefore, why not take advantage of them?
Silvia Madrigal, Family Nurse Practitioner and Marathon Health Regional Clinic Leader, says that examinations allow providers to obtain a comprehensive picture of the patient’s overall health.
“Routine physical exams, help me identify health risks for my patients before they become complex health problems,” she offered in an online article, Encouraging Employees to Get an Annual Physical Exam for Better Health.
“The value of using an annual physical exam in an incentive program is that practitioners have the opportunity to catch health issues before they become bigger and are harder to control,” Madrigal says.
“When conditions go untreated, employees will often take make more trips to the ER and take more time off work which is going to be costly for their employer. Employees are less likely to leave a job if they feel that they’re being taken care of … which creates better outcomes for both them and their employer.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many health assessments were delayed due to various factors related to the pandemic. These delays included routine check-ups, preventative tests, screenings, and appointments for chronic disease management. A study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that patients underutilized these services, and that perceptions of risk and uncertainty played a role in these decisions.
The retirement seminar attendee admitted he had neglected to go to the dentist but because of the seminar followed my advice to follow through on an appointment.
During the dental visit he was given a panoramic (PAN) or cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging scan. Dentists use these imaging for endodontics, periodontics, oral surgery, orthodontics and other procedures.
The scan revealed he had a 90% blockage of his carotid artery.
Carotid artery blockage can lead to a condition known as carotid artery disease. This disease narrows the arteries that supply blood to the brain, increasing the risk of serious health issues such as strokes.
A carotid artery blockage of 90% is considered severe. Immediate medical attention is crucial to preventing permanent brain damage.
So, it wasn’t me that saved his life. A dentist really saved his life.
We are supposed to visit a dentist every six months for cleaning and a dental exam. Only two-thirds of American adults do so according to the Center of Disease Control.
An estimated 15% of people worldwide suffer from dental anxiety. According to an April 2023 study in Health Affairs women fear a dental visit more than men.
Dentophobia is fear of the dentist. This fear can stem from past negative experiences, fear of pain or loss of control, and even the sounds and smells of a dental office.
If you or a family member suffer from dentophobia, I encourage you to consider this resources from PsychCentral the National Library of Medicine to better understand dental anxiety. The National Library of Medicine is a more scholarly approach to the topic, but it includes useful tables on interventions and techniques for patients who may fear visiting their dentist.
Who knows; maybe someday you will get credit for saving someone’s life.
