Aliyah Blog 81: Dentist & Optometrist

Introduction

Dentists and optometrists aren’t the same thing though I can’t keep up with myself so I’m condensing. American is paerve. It’s fine. I don’t miss manufactured experiences and over stimulation of senses to hide how everything is … paerve. It’s steady state. Predictable. Great for business. Israel keeps it exciting.

Oh, and healthcare is 100x better here. Israel spends 6.7% of GDP on healthcare; the U.S. spends 17.6% or about $15k per person per year mostly going to waste. I’ve written about the efficiency of healthcare here, the hospital, and other things – now for the dentist.

Dentist

I wrote about the private dentist experience before. It’s $70 including x-rays, no health insurance needed. Well, I have quasi-government health insurance here (as does all of Israel) so I thought why pay $70 when I can get it for free?

The good:
– make an appointment with the health insurance’s app;
– checking teeth incredibly efficient – poke around my mouth for five minutes and blow air and out in five minutes.

The bad:
– have to make a separate appointment for a cleaning which is not likely going to be at the same time;
– trying to get kids’ appointments together – and two of them each – does appear to be possible (seems they quasi-randomize your choices of dentist and location each time)
– it’s the exact same price as a private dentist

The teeth checking was free … the two x-rays cost $20. (Why private dentists take 6+ X-rays, I never understood – charge per X-ray?)

The cleaning … turns out I didn’t have appointment for one though they had an opening a few hours later so I came back. That cost me $50 and I didn’t realize … someone called me that night and asked me to pay. Oops.

The female haredi dentist who spoke no English (which is great; I get to practice Hebrew) had no mercy. It was a thorough cleaning and poking. Then she asked if I wanted fluoride treatment. Yes. Then she cotton swabbed … I thought she was applying Novocain for some reason. They use British medicine here which has some differences. It left this sort of sticky seal on my teeth for a few hours.

The optometrist

Eyeglasses in America are another terrible part of American healthcare. Luxottica has a vertical and horizontal monopoly … lenses that cost less than 75 cents to make are sold for hundreds of dollars. I always bought online, and these glasses companies will ship to Israel (I use Zenni). However, I wanted the full Israel experience and wanted my eyes checked.

Optometrists, in this country, are found at the black of glasses stores. Instead of optometrists selling glasses, glasses sell optometrist services. You don’t pay for the visit so you feel like a terrible person if you walk out without buying glasses. Insurance doesn’t pay for glasses unless you have the most expensive plan (then only paying part) or you have +9 or worse eyesight.

At the end of the check, I asked her to check the pressure of my eyes – why hadn’t she done it? It’s never been a problem, though as an American, I’ve been told to look out for this as a sign of … I’m sure it was something and it’s always done at the eye doctor. This doctor asked me how I even knew such a test existed? Then instead of using a machine that shot air into my eyes she used this thing with a little prod on it that poked my eye. Debatable which is more annoying.

Then buying the glasses … there’s a gazillion options. Cheaper than an eye glass store in America. Cheaper than Costco … because the price includes the eye exam … more expensive than online. Excellent experience until I had to get into the store to pick them up.

Bonus: Referrals

I’ve been asked if you need to speak Hebrew here to get around? Yes and no. It’s much easier when you speak Hebrew … I had a prescription for blood work from about a year ago. Finally went to get it done on a fast day … I pushed some buttons on the machine … it said I didn’t have an appointment. The receptionist told me to make one on the machine and take a number … I think.

Then I waited a long time until my number was called. (Fast days are apparently popular days to get your blood done as you need to fast for blood work as well.) “You don’t have a prescription”. So? In the US you don’t need one for Quest labs. So … they were having a doctor I never met write one for the things I requested. Why do you need a doctor to do that if they’re just going to approve what I want anyway?

I think I was supposed to make the appointment with the doctor in the first place and had I understood more clearly, I would have saved hours.

Same with taking a kid to a specialist … needed a referral. Our regular doctor wasn’t in so another doctor, who we never met, gave the referral. Why waste the time on that? Spent an hour on hold because we needed it that day … received it for the wrong child. Then we went in person to the receptionist and got it right away. <shrug> Waste of resources … I think. Maybe it actually prevents waste because people are less likely to go to specialists that they don’t actually need.