Well, not quite a million dollars. A dentist can equip a 3-chair office with all the updated chairs, hand-piece units, lights, digital radiograph units, supplies, computers, lab equipment and so on for a ‘measly’ sum of around $250,000-$500,000 depending on perceived name brand ‘quality’. When I was practicing, the average dental office overhead was just north of 70% and I don’t believe that has changed much today. I felt like a fricking economic/management genius 30 years ago with an overhead of 48%-54%. With the cost of dental school, not to mention carried debt from undergraduate programs, it is extremely difficult for new grads to start or buy a practice. Most have to work like dogs for a few years to pay down that debt in order to qualify for loans for that desired practice. Only to go back into massive debt for that desired practice hoping their limited business know-how carries them to ‘glory land’..... The only Docs one would see for $12/hr are the ones with diplomas from ‘Backwater’ India, China, or Africa. Hell, even a nurse wouldn’t give you the time of day for less than $20/hr and it would be a desperate RN at that price.
Now not saying costs can't be reduced. Government had produced a lot of overhead that could be removed with minimal effect on quality! Regulations that jack up the price of their education. Regulations that force doctors to spend time and money on things unnecessary for your care. Regulations that increase the cost of developing and manufacturing their equipment and your medications. Regulations that increase the cost of your insurance for coverage you don't need or want. High taxes to support big government that leave doctor and patient both with less to spend. Chop the real waste, the government and its cronies. At least with traditional american health care you receive clear value for what you spent.