FOR MANY people, the pandemic has meant putting dental appointments on hold.
Many have postponed appointments because of the high risk of coronavirus transmission and infection in dental settings.
The nearness of dentists to the oral cavity and the nature of dental procedures that produce aerosols, for example, have led health authorities to recommend that non-emergency oral health attention should be delayed.
“COVID has put a spotlight on the consequences of going without dental care,” says Dr. Cecile A. Feldman, Dean of the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.
Dr. Feldman, in a press release from Rutgers University, talks on how to ensure that dental care is within reach for all.
The dean of Rutgers School of Dental Medicine discusses how people avoiding dental appointments during the pandemic is raising awareness of challenges in the dental health system.
The number of Americans who have been unable to see the dentist during the pandemic has drawn attention to the importance of regular, accessible dental care, Dr. Feldman explains.
“Not being able to see the dentist for months unless it was a dire emergency helped people realize how important it can be.
“Tooth infections that could have been caught early wound up abscessing. Patients who might have just needed a filling between visits required root canals.
“Dentists are often the first to detect oral cancer, and a lapse in appointments means some cases could have been caught sooner, improving the odds for early intervention and recovery.
“For people getting crowns or bridges, teeth shifted because they couldn’t see their dentist for work to be redone.
“Many people have dirty teeth due to their putting off routine cleanings.”
Also, Dr. Feldman says, “there is anecdotal evidence that indicates a rise in bruxism – the term for teeth grinding – because of the stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic.”
It’s not just the pandemic. Dr. Feldman points out that some Americans don’t live close to a dentist. And there is a shortage of dentists even in the world’s richest country.
Teledentistry helps. Distance dental consultation is now widely used because the pandemic has restricted movements and even actual dental appointments.
“Dentists can call patients to ensure they are performing good oral health hygiene and then after checking in to reinforce the importance of oral healthcare,” Dr. Feldman says.
Then there are financial issues. Dr. Feldman cites numbers from the American Dentistry Association showing that 33.6 percent of Americans lack dental coverage.
“Many have trouble affording care even with dental insurance, which, compared to medical insurance, often covers only a small portion of treatment costs.”
The situation has improved with the Affordable Care Act or Obama Care after it was approved in 2010.
Even then, the American health care system has traditionally considered oral health apart from overall health.
“That needs to change,” Dr. Feldman says. “Oral health care needs to be seen as just another facet of physical health and wellbeing, and dentists and other oral health providers need to be covered the same way as other specialists, like ophthalmologists or cardiologists.”
As it is, Medicaid and Medicare – America’s public health insurance – pay dentists extremely low rates compared to other providers. Dentists get paid for actual treatment but not much for screening or diagnosis.
The red tape is also a hindrance to oral health coverage. To get accredited, dentists must deal with five different administrative companies instead of just one universal system for every dentist with a valid license.
“We need to do everything we can to make sure affordable oral healthcare is available to everyone, and make the process of providing and obtaining it as easy as possible for both patients and dentists,” Dr. Feldman says.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the former Associate Dean of the UE College of Dentistry, former Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, past president and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy, and honorary fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists. Honorary Life Member of Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515./PN
