management of thumb sucking habit

[drsushant]

All the panelists agreed that organized dentistry must make coalitions with community groups and advocates for the underserved to effect significant changes.

In the view of policymakers, the situation has improved because more children are getting dental care, oral health is improving, and costs are being kept down, the panelists noted, so the dental profession has to carefully articulate its concerns.

Vujicic explained: “What is our argument for saying there is a problem if more kids in Medicaid are seeing a dentist, and the average cost of care is going down?”

Dr. Brown concurred: “We need strong evidence to get a sympathetic response,” adding that dentistry has been a victim of its own success. “The percentage of GDP [gross domestic product] for dentistry has plummeted because the profession has been so successful with prevention,” he added. “We need evidence that doesn’t look self-serving.”

More must be done to lobby lawmakers to provide or mandate coverage for dental care besides that mandated for children under the Affordable Care Act, the panelists said.

Dental care is going down among people between the ages of 20 and 64, according to Dr. Brown. “That’s where the big-ticket items are,” he said.

Many states have successfully sued the federal government to get increases in Medicaid programs, Dr. Bailit noted.

“We need to convince adults of the vital importance of oral care,” Vujicic said. “We need to convince legislators that it [dental coverage] is a good purchase. It saves emergency room costs, results in fewer days off from work, and increases wages.”

Another factor, he said, is America’s growing Hispanic population, which traditionally uses less dental services.

Changing attitudes about who should pay for dental care also has come into play, the panelists noted.

One Colorado dentist recalled a patient who balked at spending $1,500 for orthodontics after spending $6,000 on a new bike.

“The attitude has become, ‘We are entitled to dentistry,’ ” he said. “But it’s not an entitlement — it’s a need.”

In times of tight money, people think discretionary income shouldn’t be used on healthcare, especially dentistry, the panelists observed