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Health care reform has been one of the major agendas of the new administration.  Everyone has been wondering how exactly it is going to work and what it means for them – both personally and professionally.  The dental community has specific concerns because  dental care is essential to the overall health of  every individual.  Unfortunately, the general public does not always realize how  oral health can literally be a life and death situation.  Recent tragic reminders, such as the case where a Californian woman’s gingivitis resulted in the stillborn birth of her child or the  12-year-old  boy in Maryland who died of a brain infection caused by a dental abscess, serve to raise awareness about how important oral  health  is and  why dental care needs to be included in the health care reform plan. There are several sides to the debate and it is important to dental professionals to know what the implications of health care reform are for their practice.

First, it is pertinent to know that the American Dental Association has a resolution in with Congress, proposing why access to oral health care is imperative to the overall health of the nation.  Outlining the reasons why such coverage is essential, this resolution speaks of how prevention and maintenance are key factors of dental care and this can be achieved with broader coverage and greater access to dental facilities in areas where these facilities are lacking.  Educating the general public on the relationship of dental health and overall health can help to increase the success of health care reform.  The ADA proposes that those that are in greater need be first in line for care, such as children, elderly and pregnant women.  They also impress that privately  funded care can be beneficial for small employers to provide, since most dental problems can be avoided with proper routine care.

If this resolution is seen into fruition, how will it effect the practice of dentistry?  Concerns have arisen with some dentists about how this will affect their costs .  Will there be tax increases?  Will you feel as if you are being penalized for being successful?  These are some of the questions that are being asked.  The concern is that nationalized dental health care will result in higher bureaucratic costs and a lower standard of care.  Will this necessarily happen?  That seems to be the fear about any kind of national care put into place.  The fact remains that having access to dental health care will result in increased wellness overall.  In order to be part of the solution, the dental community needs to work  with lawmakers to make sure that care does not decrease because of greater access.

Submitted by Submitted by Millennium Dental Cosmetic Dentistry, in Los Angeles, Ca.