Iowa dentists step up, and policymakers should, too

By Dr. Bill Strohman

--

‘Smile.”

We ask people to do it all the time - for photos, to lighten up a heavy moment or to welcome someone.

But what happens when you don't have a reason to smile? That hidden in your mouth is a secret - you haven't been to a dentist in a long time.

On Friday and Saturday, Iowa Mission of Mercy (Iowa MOM), the state's largest free dental clinic, will take place at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids. All Iowans are invited to participate, and there are no restrictions based on age, geographic residency or income.

You will have access to cleanings, fillings and extractions from hundreds of dentists and other dental professionals who have volunteered their time and talents. In the past two years, Iowa MOM has served more than 2,200 Iowans and provided more than $1.4 million in free dental care.

If only it were so easy every day.

Iowa dentists have continually worked with policymakers to ensure there is a meaningful benefit under Iowa Medicaid. In the past two years, legislative and regulatory actions have passed ensuring that more dentists can serve more of Iowa's children in the Hawk-i program, which provides health care coverage for uninsured children of working families.

Additionally, adult periodontal (gum disease) care has been re-established along with full adult endodontic (root canals) care.

The lack of sufficient Medicaid funding continues to be a barrier to oral health care. In 2009, Medicaid oral health funding was again cut, this time by 2.5 percent, which means Medicaid continues to be funded at pre-2000 levels and is getting worse.

In most cases, current funding does not cover the cost of services and forces the dentist to take a loss each time a Medicaid patient is provided care. Despite this reality, more than three quarters of private-practice dentists in Iowa treat Medicaid-eligible patients, which ranks as one of the highest private-practice dentist participation rates in the nation.

Why do they provide service at below-cost reimbursement rates? Because Iowa dentists are passionate about providing quality oral health care.

We invite you to come see us at work during Iowa MOM this weekend in Cedar Rapids. You'll see it on the face of every volunteer, as well as the patients. You won't have to say “smile” because it will already be there.

It's time for the Iowa policymakers to step up. Let's make sure there are smiles all year-round.

Dr. Strohman is president of the Iowa Dental Association and practices in Algona. Comments: info@iowadental.org