Dental benefits widen, waiting lines grow
Submitted by seachange on Tue, 2008-08-12 01:54.
Some balk at giving care, call subsidized rates too low. Kay Lazar, Boston Globe, August 7, 2008 Two years into the state's bold healthcare experiment, its early success in expanding dental coverage may be threatened by a shortage of dentists willing to treat newly insured patients. Since getting free or subsidized dental coverage in 2006, more than 200,000 low-income adults have climbed into Massachusetts dentists' chairs for work on their long-neglected teeth. But increasing numbers of patients are expected to seek care, and advocates fear the wait for appointments, now three months at community health center clinics, will grow. ... Dental
Broken System
The problem is a broken system. Milton A. Glicksman, Southborough, Boston Globe, August 12, 2008 We applaud the Globe for bringing to light the many obstacles faced by those trying to access oral healthcare in Massachusetts ("Dental benefits widen, waiting lines grow," Page A1, August 7). While it is true that a lack of dentists participating in the MassHealth program is one factor, there are many others, not the least of which is the system itself. What business could possibly survive by spending an inordinate amount of time on administrative paperwork just to serve a certain segment of customers, and then lose money on each person they finally get to see? The Massachusetts Dental Society has made great progress in recruiting more of our members to participate in MassHealth. In fact, we've doubled the number in the last 18 months. But we know that more needs to be done. The problems in providing access to care are both chronic and systemic, dating back for decades. And the solutions won't be achieved overnight. By the dental profession and the state working together, we will be able to meet the growing demand of all those seeking high-quality oral healthcare. The writer is president of the Massachusetts Dental Society. © Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company