For the past six years, the MDS has attempted to address part of this issue through our Dentistry For All program, which offers dental services at reduced rates for income eligible families not covered by MassHealth. Unfortunately, even this does little to fill the gaping holes both in teeth and in the system. While dentists undergo years of specialized training to treat oral health problems, we are far more interested in preventing them, which has been, and will continue to be, our commitment as a profession. Thus, the Massachusetts Dental Society is again calling on the State Legislature to consider the growing dental needs of thousands of families when considering this year s budget. Besides providing the needed resources to provide dental care, this additional financial investment would actually save money.
Poor teeth result in poor overall health.
Poor overall health means more physician and emergency room visits. And this ultimately costs the entire health care system more money. In fact, about half of all children visiting hospital emergency rooms for dental problems are there for infections and swelling caused by tooth decay gone untreated. And when treated at the E.R., they usually receive little more than an injection of antibiotics along with pain medication and a referral back into the same failing system for follow up care. It is much more expensive to treat dental problems in a hospital emergency room than to prevent them in a dental office.