A recent article in The Journal of Evidenced-Based Dental Practice points to the high costs associated with emergency room visits caused by tooth decay among our nation’s children.
Despite the fact that tooth decay is preventable through proper oral hygiene and a healthy diet, one study found that in the course of one year more than more than 165,000 children landed in the emergency room due to this condition. The costs associated with this phenomenon are staggering — at least $55 million per year. Most visits occurred among the uninsured, and Medicaid was the most common payer for cases involving children, at a cost of about $300 per child.
Needless to say, prevention is less painful and expensive than an emergency room visit to treat a severe case of tooth decay. For organizations like Small Smiles that treat children on Medicaid, the cost is much lower — and it helps overall that opportunities arise daily in Small Smiles dental centers to educate parents and children about proper care.
That’s why dental professionals who serve low-income communities should continue to stress the importance of healthy habits at home and regular visits to the dentist’s office. This course will continue to ease the pressure on the nation’s emergency rooms, keep health care costs down and ensure that dental problems for children never get so severe that they wind up in the ER.
Access to caregivers who serve kids on Medicaid is another issue highlighted by this study. Given that Medicaid is only accepted by 25% of all dentists nationwide, some families may feel they have no other choice than to visit the emergency room. Making families aware of the providers that do accept Medicaid should be a health care priority for the dental profession and our communities as well.
