Blurred lines

When news came through that there would be a comparison website for private dentistry launched I have to admit I was uncomfortable with the idea. Is this just because I know how I use a comparison site for my car insurance (unashamedly going for the cheapest option) and don’t think that dentistry can or should be considered in the same way. I don’t like the idea that a dental patient chooses where to get treatment purely based on price. But if we are getting idealistic then I don’t like the idea that some people don’t value or look after their oral health, just as I don’t like the fact
some dental work is beyond the financial means of many patients. Life isn’t ideal!

So is the opinion on the uniqueness of the dental market valid? Are patients still just patients or are they now customers? As dentistry has evolved to become more concerned with oral health management and prevention than invasive treatment or extraction perhaps the lines have become a little blurred. What about those who want tooth whitening? Do visitors to your practice see themselves as patients awaiting treatment or just customers paying for a service?