Thursday, October 01, 2015

Fluoridation Fails Georgia

Dental Visits Decline As Dental Emergency Room Visits Rise

In Georgia there were about 60,000 visits to Georgia emergency rooms for "non-traumatic" dental problems – oral health issues not caused by injuries. That cost more than $23 million (2007).[i] According to Capaldo, the problem is not a lack of capacity in the system. Most dentists in Georgia have the ability to see more patients. Rather, patients face barriers to getting needed care such as fear of the dentist, time off work and cost, according to a news release from the Georgia Dental Association.  Georgia is 96% fluoridated.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adult-dental-visits-decline-as-dental-emergency-room-visits-rise-300152917.html

 
in a state with about 4,700 dentists, only about 1,600 take Medicaid, and still many of those aren't taking new Medicaid patients. The problem is most acute outside Metro Atlanta.