| A real and tragic disparity exists in health status
between insured and uninsured Americans, especially in oral
health care, said speakers at a recent oral health partnership
meeting in Washington, D.C. The meeting included representatives
from HRSA and 50 public and private organizations.
Tooth decay -- childhood's most severe chronic disease --
hits poor children especially hard, with 80 percent of dental
disease affecting 25 percent of America’s poorest children.
Lack of access to dental services leads these vulnerable children
to suffer from early tooth decay, which can cause infection,
fevers, stomach aches and debilitating pain.
The need to improve oral health care led Congress to pass
bills that increase dentist participation in Medicaid and
strengthen the dental infrastructure. In Wisconsin,
the "Healthy Smiles for Wisconsin" initiative builds
school and community partnerships to make sure that no child
goes without adequate oral health care, preventive services
and education. But too many U.S. children still suffer and
more needs to be done, speakers said.
U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., told participants
that using public-private partnerships is a critical strategy
in successfully reaching out to the community and increasing
access to oral health services. This strategy, among others,
is part of a National Oral Health Plan and is outlined in
the Surgeon
General's Oral Health Report.
As a result of the meeting, HRSA plans to maintain contact
with the participants and track their contributions to improving
the nation's oral health.
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