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February 17, 2008American Dental Association Calls for All Stakeholders to Work Together to Help Medicaid Fulfill Its Mission to Provide Dental Care to Underserved Populations |
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From Ascribe Newsfeed: The American Dental Association (ADA) called on all concerned public agencies and private parties to work together to help Medicaid fulfill its mission to provide dental care to vulnerable populations, particularly low-income children. In a statement provided today to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Domestic Policy, the ADA called on health professionals, policymakers, parents and others to work to remove barriers that block access to oral health care services. Albert Wynn (D-Md.) and Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) would draw more private practicing dentists into Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program by significantly increasing federal matching funds for states to improve their plans. Second, Rep. Elijah Cummings' (D-Md.) "Deamonte's Law" (H.R. 2371), addresses dental workforce needs by providing grants to dental schools and qualified hospitals to increase the pursuit of pediatric dentistry. The ADA said better and more comprehensive data of dental services needs should be collected to ensure Medicaid targets its resources more effectively. It also calls for an assessment of Medicaid and SCHIP program effectiveness. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. JADA, a monthly journal, is the ADA's flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit the Association's Web site at http://www.ada.org/.
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