Floridians don’t have a lot to smile about; state ranks 44th for dental care
The Sunshine State didn't shine at all in various dental metrics, with rankings varying from 31 to 38, according to the findings.
At the bottom is
Besides the cost of dental care, which makes access out of reach for many Americans, another hindrance is the scarcity of dentists in some regions, according to WalletHub.
Dr.
WalletHub reported that a checkup runs
The analysis was done using 25 metrics to come up with rankings, with weighted importance assigned to each on a 100-point scale.
Some of the metrics included such things as the share of teens who visited a dentist in the past year, treatment costs, dentists per capita, the share of people who have fluoridated water, availability of school-based dental sealant programs, the share of adult smokers, and availability of Medicaid dental benefits for adults by state.
Medical professionals in
NCEF and the Healthcare Network joined forces with the
The Healthcare Network also operates dental centers in
"Our objective is for everyone who comes through our door, whether insured or not or whether they have a job or not, to be able to get the care they need," Lasanta-Garcia said.
For children who need oral sedation in the clinics for dental procedures, there used to be a waiting list of two years, but that has been reduced to six months.
When hospital-based general anesthesia for a pediatric dental issue is necessary, the waiting list has reduced from more than one year to less than one year, said
Recently,
The nonprofit
"It's disappointing to learn that
Physicians become frustrated with the challenges of managing chronic diseases related to poor dental care, such as diabetes, he said.
"At present, we have over 40 patients on a waiting list for care. Therefore the (clinic) is expanding our program to meets those needs."
The WalletHub report said
The state came in 31 for adults who experienced oral pain in the past year.
The lack of dental coverage through employer benefits plan and low benefit levels is a driving factor, Van Pelt, with the Healthcare Network, said. In 1960, the typical benefit coverage was
Families without dental insurance often face the choice of buying food or getting a dental problem addressed, Lasanta-Garcia said.
"They will choose putting food on the table," he said. "We see that every day."
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