[UnklGene]

Hillary-care in 2009!

[VOA]

Socialized medicine doesn't include taking care of a person's mouth?

What a freakin' expensive rip-off!

[raftguide]

"The reason Jones lost his teeth is simple: he is poor. There is no public dental insurance for the working poor"

I didn't get a vacation last year because the government didn't give me one!! Woe is me!

[andy58-in-nh]

This is Socialism in action. It can never be proven to fail, because its intentions are more important than its results. For its proponents, the answer is, and always will be: more money. Freedom of choice and independent decision-making are denied, and the most vulnerable are made to suffer while the elite get to opt out of a system they've inflicted on everyone else. It is a vision of HillaryCare in the USA, and a cautionary tale for those who care to pay attention.

[Drango]

The reason Jones lost his teeth is simple: he is poor

Nonsense. Plenty of poor people have their teeth. I say he didn't brush.

[goldstategop]

The Dentists are angling for their place under the Canada Health Act. I'm moved to tears.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

A lot of private insurance plans simply don't offer stand-alone dental insurance. It's very expensive, either through insurance or for the patient paying out of pocket at the dentist's office.

Also dental care is very infrequent. Other than getting yearly cleanings, which can easily be paid for out of pocket, some people can go years without the need for dental work. That's another reason why people don't buy dental insurance.

I oppose universal health insurance, but I am open to states using a portion of the sales tax to encourage private insurance plans to offer stand-alone dental insurance for people, which would be at reduced rates as everyone is paying the sales tax anyway.

[CzarNicky]

using his wife's entire savings to pay the oral surgeon's $600 fee.

Her entire life savings is 600 Canadian Dollars?

[OldPossum]

looking for a new job and awaiting the birth of his first child.

Did not see this before. He is unemployed, has acute dental problems and he and his wife are going to have a baby. How could the writer not note that the guy is dumb as a rock?

[trimom]

Toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss. Lay out, what, $10 for this stuff and by and large, you can get by. Yes, having cleanings by the hygienist and exams by the dentist are important, but you still have to do the maintenance.

[Sybeck1]

Brush Your Teeth,
Round and Round,
Circles Small,
Gums and All.

Moving Your ToothBrush the Round and Round Way,
Will Keep Your Gums Healthy From Soft Tooth Decay,
So Clean Very Carefully 3 Times A Day,

Go Round And Round,
Yeah!! (HotRod Harry raspy voice)
Round and Round.

[AngrySpud]

Rubbish. Lack of preventive dentistry might be partially responsible for losing a couple of teeth early -- but Clyde here is a slow learner. Never brushed, never flossed, never changed his habits to save the rest of his teeth.

And by the looks of his chin stubble, he only shaves once a week. Probably bathes once a week (except in winter when he does without). Clyde never pays attention to personal hygiene.

He's a natural born salesman, they say? Salesmen all lie through their teeth. Clyde has a problem with that!