Hvorfor er tandlægen ikke gratis? Warum ist der Zahnarzt nicht kostenlos? Why isn't dentistry free?

Brækker du dit håndled, får du det fikset på skadestuen gratis. If you break your wrist, you can get it fixed in the emergency room for free.

Flækker du en tand og skal opereres i munden, skal Dankortet frem. If you crack a tooth and need oral surgery, you'll need your Dankort.

I gamle dage var der ikke så mange muligheder. Kun de rige havde råd til - In the old days, there weren't many options. Only the rich could afford to...

- at tage til tandlægen. Andre fjernede problemer ved at fjerne tanden. - to go to the dentist. Others eliminated problems by removing the tooth.

Enten hev smeden den ud, eller også løste man problemet selv. Either the blacksmith pulled it out or you solved the problem yourself.

Ofte fjernede man flere tænder. Det var normalt at give gebis til konfirmanden. Often several teeth were removed. It was common to give dentures to the confirmand.

- Så var smilet sikret i fremtiden. - Det er kunstige tænder. - That way, your smile was guaranteed for the future - it's artificial teeth.

For at forstå, hvorfor du betaler for tandlægen, men ikke lægen - To understand why you pay for the dentist but not the doctor

- må vi undersøge sundhedssystemets udvikling. - we need to examine the evolution of the healthcare system.

I 1800-tallet blev der dannet fagforeningssygekasser. In the 1800s, trade union health insurance funds were formed.

Mod betaling af et månedligt kontingent kunne man få lægehjælp - For a monthly membership fee, you could get medical care.

- men ikke tilskud til tandlægen. - but not dental reimbursement.

I 1920'erne blev det muligt at få tænderne trukket ud gratis - In the 1920s, it became possible to have your teeth extracted for free

- men man betalte selv for resten. - but you paid for the rest yourself.

I 1933 kom en socialreform eller folkeforsikringsloven. In 1933, a social reform or National Insurance Act was passed.

Her begyndte sygekasserne at give tilskud til tandlægebehandlinger. This is when health insurance companies started to subsidize dental treatments.

I 1973 overtog staten sygekasserne, der blev til den offentlige sygesikring - In 1973, the state took over the health insurance funds, which became the public health insurance.

- den vi betaler til over skatten. - the one we pay for through our taxes.

Sygesikringsbeviset ser sådan ud. The health insurance certificate looks like this.

Men tandlægerne blev ikke en del af sygesikringen. But dentists did not become part of the health insurance.

Man mente, tandproblemer ikke var en sygdom, men den enkeltes ansvar. It was believed that dental problems were not a disease, but an individual's responsibility.

Det er folks egen skyld, at de får huller i tænderne. It's people's own fault that they get cavities.

Staten gav tilskud til nogle behandlinger. The government subsidized some treatments.

I 1980'erne betød det, at folk betalte 55 % af tandlægeregningen selv.

I dag betaler vi 82 % selv, da priserne er steget og tilskuddene faldet. Today, we pay 82% ourselves as prices have increased and subsidies have decreased.

Flere politikere vil gøre det billigere eller gratis at gå til tandlægen ... More politicians want to make it cheaper or free to go to the dentist...

Man skal ikke kunne se folk i munden og kende deres indkomst. You shouldn't be able to look people in the mouth and know their income.

... for at sikre, at ingen dropper tandlægen for at spare penge. ... to ensure that no one skips the dentist to save money.

Især unge og folk med lav indkomst går ikke til tandlæge. Especially young people and people with low income don't go to the dentist.

44 % af de 20-årige har ikke været til tandlæge - 44% of 20-year-olds have not been to the dentist

- efter de er blevet 18 år og selv skal betale. - after they turn 18 and have to pay for it themselves.

Mange bruger pengene på andet end tandlægen, men det er ikke smart. Many people spend money on things other than the dentist, but it's not smart.

Man kan ikke lade være at børste tænder i 30 år. You can't not brush your teeth for 30 years.

Får du ikke forebygget tandproblemer, kan du få huller - If you don't prevent dental problems, you can get cavities

- tandkødsbetændelse og paradentose, hvor tænderne falder ud. - gingivitis and periodontal disease, where teeth fall out.

Ofte opdages tandproblemer for sent, og så kan det blive rigtig dyrt. Often dental problems are detected too late and can be very costly.

Går der fem år, er et lille problem blevet kæmpestort og dyrt. In five years, a small problem has become a huge and expensive one.

Men hvad koster det samfundet, hvis tandlægerne kommer i sygesikringen? But what is the cost to society if dentists are covered by health insurance?

Det regnede man på i 2011. This was calculated in 2011.

Hvis den gratis dækning udvides med to år, altså fra 18 til 20 år - If the free coverage is extended by two years, i.e. from 18 to 20 years

- vil det koste ca. 137 mio. kr. årligt. - it will cost approximately DKK 137 million annually.

Hvis den dækker op til 25 år, vil det koste 461 mio. årligt. If it covers up to 25 years, it would cost 461 million annually.

Hvis den dækker op til 30 år, vil det koste 768 mio. årligt. If it covers up to 30 years, it would cost 768 million annually.

If. Tandlægeforeningen vil det koste 13 mia. årligt, hvis alle skal dækkes. If. Dentist Association, it will cost 13 billion annually if everyone is to be covered.

Og kan det betale sig? And is it worth it?

Min tandlæge sagde, det ville blive dyrt. My dentist said it would be expensive.

If. Tandlægeforeningen kan det med stor sandsynlighed godt betale sig. If. Dental Association, it is very likely to be worthwhile.

God tandhygiejne giver også et godt helbred. Good dental hygiene also means good health.

Ingen huller. No gaps.

Det er svært at måle, hvor meget man kan spare ved at have god tandhygiejne. It's hard to measure how much you can save by having good dental hygiene.

Og hvor skal pengene komme fra? And where will the money come from?

If. tandlægerne er det ikke realistisk med gratis tandpleje til alle. According to dentists, free dental care for everyone is not realistic.

Men de håber, tilskuddet hæves, så man igen kun skal betale halvdelen selv - But they hope the subsidy will be increased so that you only have to pay half of the cost again.

- og at børnetandplejen sættes op fra 18 til 24 år - - and that children's dental care is increased from 18 to 24 years old.

- hvor man bedre selv kan betale regningen. - where you're better able to pay the bill yourself.