News

March 24, 2010

State Proposal Would Close Dental Clinics for Special Needs Patients

Minneapolis, MN -- The Minnesota Dental Association (MDA) expressed alarm at a proposal being advanced by the Minnesota Department of Human Services to close five State Operated Services (SOS) dental clinics located in Fergus Falls, Willmar, Cambridge, Brainerd, and Faribault, in an attempt to save the state up to $3 million.  The proposal will dramatically affect the state’s most vulnerable citizens - adults who are permanently developmentally disabled - and will create a huge access to care problem for these individuals. 

“The SOS dental clinics serve adults who cannot get dental care elsewhere,” said Dr. Bruce Templeton, MDA President.  “These individuals are the most medically complicated and behaviorally challenging to treat and cannot receive care in just any dental office, as the DHS report wrongly assumes. Special needs patients require specially trained dental professionals and equipment to manage their care and frequently require sedation or general anesthesia during dental treatment. Closing these SOS clinics will, in effect, mean abandoning these vulnerable patients with no other options for treatment.”

The MDA has been aggressively working with the legislature in an attempt to avert DHS’ plans to close these five dental clinics.  Under the DHS proposal, SOS clinics in Fergus Falls, Willmar and Cambridge will close May 1, with clinics in Brainerd and Faribault closing over a 15-month period. 

The Minnesota Dental Association is the voice of dentistry in Minnesota, representing 81% of practicing dentists.  It is committed to the highest standards of oral health and access to care for all Minnesotans.  Learn more at: www.mndental.org.

March 18, 2010

MINNESOTA DENTISTS DONATE $1.7 MILLION IN FREE CARE TO CHILDREN IN 1ST QUARTER, 2010 

RECORD NUMBER OF CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE CARE THROUGH GIVE KIDS A SMILE OUTREACH 

(Minneapolis, MN)  - -   A record number of needy children received comprehensive free dental care from Minnesota volunteer dentists and their staffs during the first quarter of 2010.  The free care was provided to 6,069 children by a record number of volunteers during the Minnesota Dental Association’s Give Kids a Smile outreach.

The free care was provided in February when 538 dentists across the state opened their offices and clinics to provide completely free dental care to children whose families cannot otherwise afford the care.  Over 3,000 dental professionals volunteered their time and many offices will continue to see the children for free for needed follow-up care.

“Minnesota dentists are proud to help close the gap for thousands of low income children who are not getting the dental care they need and deserve with all the government budget cuts,” said Dr. Robert Templeton, president of the Minnesota Dental Association.   “But the public needs to know that charity care is no solution.”   Give Kids a Smile is sponsored by the Minnesota Dental Association.

This year marks the 8th consecutive year the Minnesota Dental Association has sponsored Give Kids a Smile. Since its inception, the program has served 38,000 young children and the donated services top $11 million dollars in value.  On average, each dentist in Minnesota donates $18,000 of care annually to their communities through a variety of charity care for children, seniors, the disabled and families facing economic hardships.

Tooth decay is the single most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States according to the federal statistics.  All children are urged to see a dentist for their first exam within six months of the eruption of the first tooth or within the first year of life.

The Minnesota Dental Association is the voice of dentistry in Minnesota, representing 81% of practicing dentists.  It is committed to the highest standards of oral health and access to care for all Minnesotans.  You can learn more at www.mndental.org.

Editor note:  See our video which shows the impact of the latest budget cuts through the eyes of patients.  Go to : www.mndental.org

February 23, 2010

NATIONAL STUDY GIVES MINNESOTA’S
DENTAL POLICIES FOR CHILDREN LOW RANKING

Pew Study Finds State Dental Policies Fail One In Five Children 

(Minneapolis, MN) --- A national study by the Pew Center on the States released today finds that the State of Minnesota is “doing a poor job ensuring proper dental health and access to care for children most in need.”   In fact, the Pew Report gives Minnesota only a ‘C’ grade in state policies for dental health and access to care for disadvantaged children.

Minnesota Dental Association President Dr. Bruce Templeton says, “The report confirms what the Minnesota Dental Association has been saying for years - Minnesota is falling short of its responsibility to provide good oral health to the state’s children.”

Solutions advanced by the Minnesota Dental Association include:

• Addressing the lack of dental professionals practicing in rural and low-income areas.  Successful means of attracting dentists to these areas would include tax incentives and student loan forgiveness programs.  In addition, in order to be effective in solving the access problem in these areas, new mid-level dental providers must be obligated to serve these populations.
• Providing adequate funding for state dental programs.  Minnesota pays dentists a very low rate to treat patients in government health programs, well below the national average.  Despite many states’ fiscal constraints, last year 27 states increased reimbursement rates for dental services.

In states where reimbursement rates were increased, dentist participation in state programs and the number of children receiving dental care grew significantly. 

“Minnesota dentists have a long history of providing disadvantaged children with free or underfunded dental care,” stated Templeton. “Our recent Give Kids a Smile event, for example, provided an estimated $1.7 million in free care to underserved children in just two days.  However, we can’t do this alone....charity care is not a health care system.  We need a solid infrastructure that provides prevention, education and early intervention - a dental home - for all children.” 

The report did mention a number of sound policies are in place in Minnesota, including water fluoridation, use of allied dental professionals in placing sealants, and reimbursing medical providers for early preventive dental health care.

The report in full can be found at:  http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/costofdelay 

The Minnesota Dental Association is the voice of dentistry in Minnesota, representing 80% of practicing dentists.  It is committed to the highest standards of oral health and access to care for all Minnesotans.  Learn more at: www.mndental.org

January 7, 2010

MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER DENTISTS SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS FOR FREE DENTAL CARE FOR NEEDY CHILDREN IN FEBRUARY

(Minneapolis, MN)  - -   Minnesota dentists will provide free dental care to less fortunate children on Friday, February 5 and Saturday, February 6 at nearly 200 locations statewide.  The Minnesota Dental Association is sponsoring this unique outreach effort, called Give Kids a Smile, for the 8^th consecutive year.  Appointments are being scheduled now.

“We know that government funded programs for families have been dramatically cut.  Volunteer dentists are trying to close the gap for the low income children who are not getting the dental care they need and deserve,” said Dr. Robert Templeton, president of the Minnesota Dental Association.  “With no eligibility requirements and no insurance paperwork for patients, each volunteer dentist treats these children straight from the heart.  We are very proud of this.” 

This year marks the 8th consecutive year the Minnesota Dental Association has sponsored Give Kids a Smile and more than 2,500 volunteer dentists and dental professionals will provide the care.  Since its inception, the program has served 32,000 young children and the donated services top $10 million dollars in value.

Patients seeking appointments should be under the age of 18 and accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.  People interested in scheduling an appointment can call United Way 211 (just dial 2-1-1) or the statewide toll-free number 1-800-543-7709 or see a list of clinics providing care at www.mndental.org.  Information on specific services that will be provided will be outlined when an appointment is scheduled.

The Minnesota Dental Association is the voice of dentistry in Minnesota, representing 81% of practicing dentists.  It is committed to the highest standards of oral health and access to care for all Minnesotans.  Learn more at:  www.mndental.org.