CultureShock! Tokyo by Yuko Morimoto-Yoshida

Author:Yuko Morimoto-Yoshida
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789814435918
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish

Dental Care

Japanese dentists (shika or haisha) perform all regular dental care procedures, including fillings, root canals and cleanings, but they do not perform orthodontics.

As not all dentists have the same knowledge or use the same techniques, Japanese people often ask friends and colleagues for recommendations. For routine treatments, Japanese people visit dental clinics; for complex procedures, they sometimes go to dental hospitals affiliated with dental universities. Dentists, unlike other doctors, usually take appointments.

Basic dental procedures are covered by public health insurance, so insured patients should take their insurance cards with them to dental appointments. Optional treatments and better quality crowns are not covered by insurance and can be quite expensive.

The notion of preventive dental care (for example, regular teeth cleaning) is not yet widespread in Japan. Theoretically, public health insurance is accepted only for necessary procedures and not for preventive care so most dentists do not accept insurance for simple check-ups and cleaning. However, when patients claim that ‘something is wrong’, dentists will often accept the insurance. Some Japanese doctors who have received training overseas are more aware of the importance of preventative care and are more open to accepting public insurance for regular check-ups.

Previously, people considered certain teeth misalignment (such as crooked teeth) to be charming. As a result, few children and almost no adults wore braces. Now, the benefits of tooth alignment on health and beauty are being emphasised.

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