By now the importance of regular dental care in the form of oral hygiene, nutrition, exercise and regular dental visits is a well-known fact. However, despite experts acknowledging the value of dental health, millions of Americans have no access to the professional dental care they need.
The findings have come courtesy of the Medicine and National Research Council. Since 1970, the independent, non-profit organization has dedicated itself to working produce unbiased opinions on medical issues as a way to improve the nation's health. The results of their latest report entitled "Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations" states that "persistent and systemic" obstacles are preventing a large collection of Americans from getting the dental care and dental treatments they need.
As a result, the nation's health is in a downward spiral. Dental neglect can have serious repercussions to an individualsâ€™ general well being. Decreased oral health has been scientifically proven to increase the odds of developing diseases and conditions such as respiratory issues, heart disease and diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and prevention have indicated that tooth decay is the most prevalent (yet preventable) chronic childhood disease in children aged 2 to 5 and affects 28 percent of that demographic. In a separate report the CDC has proclaimed that gum disease is a public health issue, as millions of Americans are unknowingly walking around with the condition. While some people are guilty of dental neglect and may know the truth, there are many hurdles that may block their access to dental care in the first place.
Dental Shortage Areas
America is a diverse country with thousands of little nooks and crannies teaming with life. Unfortunately some of those spaces do not have sufficient numbers of dental care providers to serve the needs of locals; those neighborhoods are officially called a Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA). Statistics indicated that over 33 million Americans live in HPSAs for and that compounds the dental problems facing the nation.
One reason is the dental shortage impacting the nation. According to The New York Times, "Since 1990, the number of private dentists has remained roughly flat, at 150,000, even as the United States population has increased 22 percent,"(http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/business/28teeth.html?adxnnl=1&pagewanted=2&adxnnlx=1307725920-TXxhGk/udcBwKdj93SjFLw). Other studies have indicated it is not really the quantity of dental care providers causing the HSPAs, but instead where the practicing dentists are located. Either way, the imbalance is unduly impacting children, the elderly, minorities and other fragments of the population that are deemed 'vulnerable.â€™