Healthcare is Healthcare

In my life, I hold many titles: doctor, husband, dad, son, brother, employer, etc., and today I feel a responsibility to convey my personal point of view as a health care provider and a dad.

In dentistry, I hold the belief that unless an individual is in pain or has an infection, dental care is more of a ‘want’ than a ‘need’. Anyone can survive without teeth and be happy if that is what they want. The choice is up to the individual.

This week, I am feeling exasperated and taken aback that our Supreme Court has chosen to categorize women’s health into a bucket of what they can and cannot legally do with their own bodies. As healthcare providers, it is our job to do no harm and to support an individual with information and unbiased facts regarding their physical and mental health. I understand that there are many opinions about abortion and that not everyone will agree.

However, denying a woman, or any individual, any type of healthcare as a political or religious directive is denying healthcare and therein, causing harm. As a dad and a husband, and maybe one day a grandfather, it is imperative for the women in my life, as well as every woman throughout the entire United States, to have as much a say regarding their uterus, as their teeth and any other parts of their body.

In my 25 years of practice, I have had the pleasure to hire and work with many amazing and diverse individuals, as well as the opportunity to treat countless patients from various backgrounds and lifestyles. In the end, what is important to note is that health care is health care, and women’s healthcare is not something to be imposed upon by politicians.