We’re often drawn to the city to find a bargain. This kind of thinking makes sense to the extent that there is usually more variety in cities and prices are driven down by competition. Because there is more choice, you’ll also be more likely to find an option that suits your budget.
This is usually true when it comes to buying products--physical things. But where services are concerned, you could be wrong thinking you’ll be better off heading to the big city.
Dental treatments are a prime example of this. At Cuffley Village Dental we charge small town prices for big city procedures.
But just because these procedures cost less doesn't mean they are cheap and nasty. Thanks to the luxury brand industry, we've come to think that a high price automatically means better quality and improved reliability. When it comes to dental treatments, this is not necessarily so.
There are a number of factors which contribute to the higher cost of dentist visits in urban hotspots. Here are some of the main ones:
Greater demand for dental procedures (particularly cosmetic procedures) drives up their cost.
It is one of the fundamental laws of economics--when there is a high demand for a product or service, prices rise as buyers compete with each other to get hold of it and retailers know they can comfortably push up prices without losing customers. The converse is also true--lower demand means prices are lower. With fewer potential consumers, retailers have to create incentive for customers to buy their product or service.
Higher commercial rent means you pay more for your dental visits.
A similar logic applies to the cost of rental spaces. Strategically situated commercial spaces in crowded urban areas are usually in high demand and as a result can be very costly. Retail spaces in London are particularly dear, where there is only so much space in the city centre. The higher rent has a direct bearing on prices. A high street dental practice in London will almost certainly have to charge their clients more as a result.
The high cost of living means dental professionals tend to charge more.
There are no two ways about it--it is simply cheaper to live in the country. Rent is lower, property is cheaper and often food is also less expensive because it is more immediately available from the surrounding farms.
This, coupled with the fresher air, scenery and less frantic lifestyle is why we were drawn to Hertfordshire and specifically Cuffley in the first place. It is also why we don't have to charge exorbitant prices to make a fair living from our dental practice.
For city dentists, on the other hand (as for everyone else), increased expenses typically translate into higher prices.
So there you have it. Don’t think you need to go to the big city to get value for money. You can get dental procedures in smaller towns, like Cuffley, for the same price if not a bit less. And importantly, because you’ll be visiting a small town dentist, you won’t feel like you’re a nameless client on a dental conveyor belt in a machine that cares more about profit than personal relationships.