Relevant paper, this guy goes to 180 different dentists in Zurich for an opinion
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320070183_Health_Se...
(PDF) Health Services As Credence Goods: A Field Experiment
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320070183_Health_Se...
(PDF) Health Services As Credence Goods: A Field Experiment
"In the experiment, we vary the socio-economic status (SES) of the patient and whether a second opinion signal is sent. Furthermore, measures of market, practice and dentist characteristics are collected. We observe an overtreatment recommendation rate of 28 % and a striking heterogeneity in treatment recommendations. Furthermore, we find significantly less overtreatment recommendations for patients with higher SES compared to lower SES for standard visits, suggesting a complex role of patients' SES. Competition intensity, measured by dentist density, does not have a significant influence on overtreatment. Dentists with shorter waiting times are more likely to propose unnecessary treatment."
I’ll make sure to wear a Rolex when I’m at the dentist, jeez. You think they’d go after people with more money for needless treatments, damn.
A patient checks the dentist’s bill.
- What’s this item: ‘Maybe — $800’?
- Maybe not, then, - says the dentist, crossing it out.