I have faith in Italian dentists.

When my true love goes to a medical clinic in Sardinia, I always tag along. Out of curiosity. I wanna learn. All about socialized medicine. So far, I like what I see. It ain't perfect. No system is. But it's good. Just as good as in America. And maybe better. Better in the respect that in countries with socialized medicine, the health benefits/results are usually better. And health care costs less than in the U.S. Maybe it's efficiency that pays off. Reaps healthy dividends. Health care costs more in the U.S. because of the profit motive. Insurance companies and providers want to make more than a buck. They want exorbitant profits, I suspect. At least that's the way it looks from my vantage point. I'm covered by my U.S. health insurance (Medicare and Blue Cross/Blue Shield) in Italy. But I have no dental insurance. So if I need any tooth work, I'll pay out of pocket to an Italian dentist. I've got faith that Italian dentists are just as good as American dentists. And cheaper. To give it a test, I'll go in for a tooth cleaning this winter. Costs me about $80 in the U.S. I'll let you know what it costs in Sardinia. --Jim Broede