# What Accounts For The Existence Of Dentists **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 15, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-accounts-for-the-existence-of-dentists/317047 "2005-08-15T03:07:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-accounts-for-the-existence-of-dentists/317047/21 "2005-08-16T21:55:18Z")
> [@hibernicus](#): > > I have been told that in France, many dentists start out with the intention of qualifying as a doctor, but if they do not get high enough marks at the end of their first year (pre-med) to continue, they are allowed to study to become dentists instead. Is this correct? More or less (I believed it was at the end of the second year, but it could be at the end of the first one). At least it seemed to be the case when I was a student. However, I’ve been told once since by a dentist that now, a number of students willingly choose to become dentists despite having high enough marks to become a physician because a dentist, on average, makes more money than a GP. (The general principle is that, if your marks are high enough, you can choose between medecine and dentistry, people with the highest marks choosing first. Of course, if your marks aren’t high enough, you’re just out. There’s a numerus clausus on medical studies in France). ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-accounts-for-the-existence-of-dentists/317047/22 "2005-08-16T22:12:13Z")
> [@Cub Mistress](#): > > In the spirit of the OP, we also have chiropractors, optometrists, psychologists, and osteopaths that are all called “Doctor” without being MDs. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few more examples. Podiatrists ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-accounts-for-the-existence-of-dentists/317047/23 "2005-08-17T01:06:19Z")
> [@CC](#): > > Along those same lines, I’ve always been struck by the fact that you can have any number of physical ailments that would somehow be covered by your medical insurance (hopefully). But let that ailment occur in your mouth, and you have to have a separate type of insurance to just cover that region. We don’t have separate types of insurance for bones or for muscles. But we have a separate insurance policy when it comes to teeth. It is most peculiar. Yeah, and pretty idiotic in some cases. People with certain (usually quite minor) heart valve issues are supposed to take prophylactic antibiotics before getting their teeth cleaned, to prevent heart infections. Years ago, when I had a stupid HMO that my mom lovingly referred to as Inhumana, I tried to fill an antibiotic prescription written by my dentist using my HMO prescription card. The pharmacist told me they couldn’t honor it because the prescription had been written by a dentist rather than an M.S. We’re talking about generic antibiotics which cost only a couple of bucks more than my $5 copay. I protested that the antibiotics were for a medical rather than a dental issue, to no avail. But the HMO was happy to have me waste half a day off work to sit in their waiting room and waste the time of their M.D. rewriting the exact same prescription. (No, I didn’t - I just ate the balance, but it’s the principle of the thing.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-accounts-for-the-existence-of-dentists/317047.md?page=1)