Half Of Adults In Kentucky Do Not Have Dental Insurance
A recent survey has revealed that half of adults in Kentucky do not have dental insurance.
The new Kentucky Health Issues Poll revealed that 51 per cent of adults in Kentucky do not have any kind of dental insurance; this equates to 1.7 million people.
The poll also showed that 49 per cent of patients who do not have dental insurance have put off having dental treatment because of cost.
These results are from the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati. It carried out the research during September and October of 2012. The poll also revealed that 39 per cent of adults in Kentucky do not have a dentist and of those, 79 per cent said that they had not seen a dentist or been to a dental clinic for more than five years.
The survey was carried out on a random sample of 1,680 Kentuckian adults; participants were asked to answer questions over the telephone.
Dr Susan Zepeda, who acts as the president and chief executive of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, said that oral health is an important indicator for general health, but with so many people lacking dental insurance, it is no surprise that such a large number are going without regular dental care.
Dr Pamela Stein, dentist and faculty member at the University of Cincinnati, said that the link between oral health and general health is strong and the figures are alarming. Dr Stein said that most people are aware of the link between poor oral health and diabetes, but many are not aware of the wider-ranging implications of neglecting regular dental appointments.
Join this Discussion