Dental Situation Dire in the USA, as a Third Cannot Afford Treatment
A recent investigation has revealed a dire situation in the USA, as a third of people cannot afford dental treatment.
The report, which was compiled by The Centre for Public Integrity and PBS Frontline, was aired earlier this week. One young girl from Florida, aged 5 and named Trinity Way stole the limelight. Trinity was forced to go to the emergency department for dental treatment after her grandmother was unable to afford to pay a dentist and was unable to get an appointment with a Medicaid dentist, despite the fact that she is covered by the scheme.
Dr Frank Catalanotto, from the College of Dentistry at the University of Florida said that Trinity’s story is all too common. He also explained that 1,200 children in Florida receive dental care in emergency rooms across the state and only 25 percent of children covered by Medicaid are able to access the care they need.
The report entitled ‘Dollars and Dentists’ revealed that a third of people delay dental appointments and avoid having treatment because they cannot afford to see the dentist.
The report comes shortly after it was revealed that there has been a significant increase in the number of Americans resorting to emergency departments for dental treatment. There has been an increase of 16 percent in dental cases, which has increased pressure on emergency room staff, who do not have the relevant training to provide the necessary treatment. Doctors and nurses are able to administer pain relief but this is often all they can do for their patients. This in turn had lead to a number of patients returning to the ER on a regular basis. The trend is worrying because the cost of emergency room treatment is considerably higher than preventative dental treatment.
Figures showed that in Minnesota, around 20 percent of dental cases in the ER are return trips, while in Florida there was a 40 percent increase in Medicaid patients visiting the ER for treatment. In South Carolina, there has been a 60 percent increase in emergency dental cases over the last four years.
Dr Catalanotto said that the recession had made the situation worse, as many people have lost their jobs, which often come with employment benefits including health and dental insurance.
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