CHICAGO, Illinois—The PBS “Frontline” documentary series has aired Dollars and Dentists, a special program that investigated what it referred to as the “broken nature of the dental care system” in the United States.

According to the PBS piece, more than 100 million Americans do not have dental insurance and cannot afford treatment.

Related information, click here.

Dollars and Dentists attributed this lack of patient care to the Medicaid system, stating that it did not provide enough of a profit margin to dentists treating children at Medicaid rates. The segment implied that there are few solutions available to solve this access to care problem; however, extensive analysis conducted by the Academy of General Dentistry and other dental organizations has found that this is not the case.

Dollars and Dentists showcased the plusses and minuses of high-production dental franchises, which many claim will help to decrease the cost of care for Medicaid rates. The AGD shares the concerns voiced by Frontline that, as a business model, dental franchises that focus on quantity before quality may not be in the public’s best interest.

“I am concerned by business models that emphasize production quotas and do not individualize treatment for every patient,” said AGD President Jeffrey M. Cole, DDS, MBA, FAGD.

“The focus becomes the company’s revenue rather than personalized care. Each patient deserves the type of time and attention provided by the traditional dental team business model, which promotes better oral health.”

In the Academy of General Dentistry Barriers and Solutions to Accessing Care white paper, the AGD renews its call for proven dental care solutions and quality care, which were originally outlined in its 2008 White Paper on Increasing Access to and Utilization of Oral Health Services.

The AGD calls for an increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates, greater efforts to improve oral health literacy and education, expansion of water fluoridation, and the creation of loan forgiveness programs for dentists working in underserved areas, among numerous other solutions that preserve the focus of providing quality care to each individual patient.

“Although complex in nature, this issue is not so complex that it cannot be solved,” said Dr. Cole.

“The dental community needs the cooperation of key decision-makers to help organized dentistry move forward and implement the solutions that will lead to better oral health for all Americans. That is what any dentist—and any AGD member—would want.”

For more information, visit www.agd.org.

To comment on this topic, go to http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/.