Dental care is sometimes an afterthought when it comes to health, but untreated tooth decay can result not just in sore jaws but compromised physical health and lost job opportunities.
A report released last week by the Oral Health Transformation Task Force envisioned a future in North Carolina where oral health is “comprehensive and seamlessly integrated with overall health.” The task force report was prepared under the auspices of the NC Institute of Medicine and puts a focus on Medicaid beneficiaries and others with low incomes.
State Medicaid director Jay Ludlam said he hopes the report highlights the importance of dental health and the far-reaching consequences of neglected teeth.
“My hope is that people acknowledge and recognize the importance of dental health and see it as something worth the investment, and conversation about how we can support dentists and the community of dentists and the people of North Carolina with better dental care,” he said in a Friday interview.
Source: NC doesn’t pay dentists enough to treat Medicaid beneficiaries, new report says / NC Newsline