> Some dentists prescribe them even when they're not needed, since it won't be harmful to use a tube of the stuff every year, or even every 6 months, and it's profitable to them.

How is it profitable for them? If I get a prescription from my dentist and fill it at a pharmacy, how does my dentist make extra money from that transaction?

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kevin_thibedeau 2 hours ago | parent [-]

Once the sales rep is happy with your performance pushing product, you get invited to expenses paid conferences in the tropics.

	▲	sarchertech an hour ago \| parent [-]
		1. That is something that has happened. However, it is highly illegal and it is regularly prosecuted. 2. You can go here and look up any payments (cash or otherwise) from pharmaceutical companies to your doctor. All payments over $13.82 are reported. https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/ 3. Even if the dentist’s drug rep was interested in committing a felony. Fluoride toothpaste doesn’t have enough profit margin to send dentists on expenses paid international vacations. We’re definitely not talking about enough money to risk jail time. 4. Most physician groups and hospitals prohibit taking money from pharmaceutical companies or at least low limits. 5. My wife is a physician and most of our friends are physicians. No one that either of us knows has ever gone on drug company sponsored conference trip. 6. I always check my physicians and dentists on the open payments site. I’ve never seen any of them taking more than a few bucks for meals.