National Health Care: Whither Goeth Dentistry?*

National health insurance is reemerging as an important issue on the national health policy scene. The continuing escalation of health care costs in the US and increasing numbers of individuals without access to health services are stimulating a variety of proposals to redesign the structure and financing of the American health care system. Some change in the current system toward a more national approach to health care is inevitable in the years ahead. While dental care is subject to pressures similar to other health care services, little attention is being accorded dental services in the various national health care proposals that are being advanced. This may be due largely to organized dentistry's reluctance to define a role for itself. If dentistry is to be included in such a plan, it is essential that concerted efforts start soon and that the various public and private sectors of dentistry work collaboratively to develop the dental component to such a plan. The future oral health of the public and the future health of dentistry as a profession depend on it.     

National Alliance for Oral Health Consensus Conference on Medically Necessary Oral Health Care: Legal issues

This paper examines medical malpractice law as it applies to medically necessary oral health care. The basic legal concepts and reported cases involving medically necessary oral health care are reviewed. It is concluded that dental professionals and consumer advocates must advance their educational and legislative advocacy efforts so that health professional colleagues and the public will become aware of the importance of these services and insurers will routinely include coverage of medically necessary oral health care in their medical and dental policies. While failure to provide medically necessary oral health care can be violative of patient rights and legally actionable, medical malpractice litigation should always be the behavior modifier of last resort.     

Oral Health Care Reform in Finland – aiming to reduce inequity in care provision

Background  

In Finland, dental services are provided by a public (PDS) and a private sector. In the past, children, young adults and special needs groups were entitled to care and treatment from the public dental services (PDS). A major reform in 2001 – 2002 opened the PDS and extended subsidies for private dental services to all adults. It aimed to increase equity by improving adults' access to oral health care and reducing cost barriers. The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of the reform on the utilization of publicly funded and private dental services, numbers and distribution of personnel and costs in 2000 and in 2004, before and after the oral health care reform. An evaluation was made of how the health political goals of the reform: integrating oral health care into general health care, improving adults' access to care and lowering cost barriers had been fulfilled during the study period.     

2007年全国“爱牙日”活动介绍

健康的牙齿能伴随您终生；爱牙健齿强身；定期检查口腔，早期治疗口腔疾病；早晚刷牙，维护口腔健康；科学用氟，预防龋病；使用含氟牙膏刷牙有益口腔健康；坚持使用含氟牙膏，正确使用含氟牙膏；用保健牙刷和含氟牙膏刷牙。     

Findings from the Dental Care Supplement of the National Health Interview Survey, 1983

This report describes the prevalence of edentulism, problems associated with use of dentures, and reported use of fluoride products in the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States. The statistics reported are based on a sample of 105,182 people about whom information was collected using the 1983 Dental Care Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics.