Michigan is currently facing a shortage of dental workers that has left patients waiting months for an appointment, Bridge Michigan reported March 5.
Seven notes:
1. Michigan currently has nearly 8,000 dentists, but it needs at least another 400 to meet patient demand in the state.
2. Fifty-eight of the state's 83 counties are considered shortage areas.
3. The areas with the highest need for dentists include the state's rural communities and Detroit.
4. The shortage has led many patients to wait weeks or months for an appointment.
5. A lack of dental coverage in the state has also added to the accessibility issues, and many healthcare providers are worried the problem could be exacerbated if Medicaid funding is cut under the federal budget.
6. The state has taken several measures to ease the burden, including raising reimbursement rates, launching mentorship programs, investing in public health clinics and adding dental therapists.
7. The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services also hired a consultant to develop a plan to bring more dental professionals in the state.