Lack Of Access To Dental Care A Growing Problem In Nebraska
There is a severe problem with access to dental services in Nebraska, according to a new report.
A report compiled by The Centre for Health Policy at the University of Nebraska, revealed that there are no dentists in 20 counties in the state. Research also showed that there is a shortage of dentists in a further 48 counties.
Dr Jim Stimpson, director of the Centre for Health Policy, said that the most alarming news is that the situation seems to be getting worse. This is because the number of dentists working in the state has been steadily decreasing over the last five years.
The report showed that there is an average of 55 dentists per 100,000 in the state and last year there were 1,028 dentists practising in the state. However, more than 50 per cent of them were working part-time and only 39 per cent worked in rural areas, which contributed to serious problems with access. Some patients were forced to drive up to two hours to see a dentist.
Dr Stimpson said that the shortage of dentists is undoubtedly contributing to high rates of dental diseases, especially in rural areas where it can be very difficult to organise even a routine check-up because of the travelling distances. Without regular appointments, many face a higher risk of decay, gum disease. Furthermore, early warning signs of oral cancer often go unnoticed.
Co-author of the study, Dr Kim McFarland, said that most dental issues can be prevented but many wait until they are in pain and can no longer tolerate it.
The shortage of dentists has also lead to an increase in the number of emergency room admissions, as people often have nowhere else to go. However, doctors aren’t trained to handle dental cases and they can usually only provide short-term pain relief.
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