The Affordable Care Act has significantly reduced the number of uninsured Americans, yet the law does not make dental care a priority, according to The Hill.
Here are four key thoughts:
1. While the ACA has significantly reduced the number of uninsured Americans, adults do not necessarily have to be offered dental insurance under the ACA. Adults are also not required to buy dental insurance for children under the law despite tooth decay being the No. 1 chronic disease affecting children.
2. In the United States, more than 100 million individuals do not have dental insurance and the 2015 Federal Reserve Board of Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households found dental care access has remained the same over the last decade.
3. The number of individuals seeking dental treatment through emergency room visits is on the rise with dental-related emergency room visits almost doubling from 1.1 million in 2000 to 2.1 million in 2010. The lack of dental coverage will cost Medicaid a large sum of money down the line.
4. Many serious diseases such as heart disease and diabetes are greatly impacted by oral bacteria and disease. Oral disease is very preventable from good hygiene and a visit to the dentist, but many Americans do not seek dental treatment if they are not insured.
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