American Dental Association White Paper Targets Dental Care for the Underserved

Reaffirming its leadership role toward better oral health for all Americans, the ADA has produced a white paper that also challenges policy-makers and the US to improve access to dental services. The white paper, "State and Community Models for Improving Access to Dental Care for the Underserved," was presented October 1 to the House of Delegates meeting in Orlando, Florida, as "a resource for change," states ADA President Richard Haught. He said the white paper and its feasible models for positive change contribute to growing momentum among the ADA, constituent dental societies, and many other organizations. The models in the paper are innovative programs currently in operation--three at the state level and two community based. All of them, according to the white paper, have produced significant gains in both utilization of dental services by Medicaid-eligible children and participation by private-practice dentists. Brief summaries of the five models, as delineated in the ADA white paper, are presented. (Contains 1 table.)