Dental care for many kids is subpar

Dental care for disadvantaged children and youths isn't absent in Daviess County, but it isn't top-notch, either.

On the positive side of the ledger, students attending six of the 20 elementary schools in Owensboro and Daviess County receive free dental screenings and follow-up care by volunteer dentists. Some charity dental care is available. For instance, the Christian Dental Mission uses volunteer dentists and hygienists. The emergency room at Owensboro Medical Health System is available for the treatment of dental problems.

But each of those positives has a negative flip side. Rudimentary math says that if six elementary schools offer dental screenings and follow-up care, 14 do not. Office hours are limited, and the waiting list is long at the Christian Dental Mission. And the fact that an average of 10 dental patients per day resort to the emergency room for care points to a lack of access to regular, traditional dental care.

Financial factors contribute heavily to the lack of dental care for the poor. About 11,000 children and youths in Daviess County qualify for Medicaid services, but reimbursement to dentists for providing that care is so low (35 to 50 percent of normal) that few dentists are willing to see Medicaid recipients. News that the rate of reimbursement went up just this week by 30 percent is heartening, and we hope it brings more dentists into the equation. However, as dentist Mike Johnson told the Messenger-Inquirer, less than 1 percent of the total money available for public assistance goes to dental care. Legislative action will probably be necessary to change that dynamic.

What is also heartening is that a local organization, Citizens Health Care Advocates, is exploring ways to improve and expand dental care for financially at-risk children and youths. Ideas include relying on dentists in private practice, creating a new clinic or expanding existing clinics, and focusing on education and prevention. All are good options that warrant further investigation.

It is undeniable that preventative care is a huge key in the dental health of young people. Screenings pick up problems that are easily solved before becoming much harder to deal with. Regular sessions with dentists and hygienists help children learn and establish good dental practices, which will serve them well the rest of their lives. From the self-esteem standpoint, so important to young people, having healthy, attractive teeth is irreplaceable.

This community is fortunate to have an organization such as Citizens Health Care Advocates willing to explore, evaluate and present options for a tough problem.