Comments on: Lining Up For Free Dental Care

With A Third Of Americans Lacking Dental Insurance, Free Clinics Become Only Hope For Many

[ratchow1962]

This a really a terrific story.I commend the dentists who would donate their time to provide dental care to the less fortunate in America.

Watching this on the news tonight reminds me that here in Canada,the national health insurance plan called Medicare does not cover dental treatments.
if you cannot afford to buy private health insurance here or receive this insurance through your job which is how I get my dental coverage,then you are screwed
and have to pay it our of your own pocket.

[bridan212]

I am a registered nurse working in the field of community health for The North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System. Specifically, I work for N.O.R.C. (Naturally Occuring Retirement Communities) programs in Queens and Nassau. These Supportive Snior Programs programs are state and federally funded as well as supported by generous contributions from private foundations who believe strongly in the concept of aging in place while remaining as independent as possible. The NSLIJHS has been providing free dental services to seniors in five of these N.O.R.C.s through the NSLIJ MOBILE DENTAL UNIT. which was made possible by an 18 month grant from the United Way. This invaluable service has made a difference in the level of dignity and quality of life for a number of senior members in the community. You don''t need a Hollywood smile to feel like a million bucks!

[THEBESTAPPRAISER]

I LIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND AM IN NEED OF REMOVAL OF MY 20 REMAINING TEETH. THEY ARE ALL INFECTED AND ABCESSED AND THE PAIN IS RIDICULOUS, A BOTTLE OF ANBESOL EVERY 3 DAYS. THIS HAS BEEN CAUSED BY TAKING NORCO, DARVOCET, PERCODAN ETC., ETC FOR 10 YEARS FOR A SPINAL PROBLEM AND I AM ALSO A DIABETIC. IF YOU CAN HELP, I WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL, E-MAIL ME AT [e-mail]

[nyscof]

It''s wonderful that these dentists do this but the rest of the year, 80% of dentists refuse Medicaid patients. And the American Dental Association and its state affiliate groups lobby states and Congress not to allow any viable group to fill the void.

Fluoridation is a huge failure but dentists keep pushing it because they know it''s keeping governement off their backs. It''s time that instead of dentists mandating fluoride in our water, legislators must mandate dentists actually treat more Mediciad and un-insured Americans all year long. If they won''t, it''s time to train Dental Therapists to do the job. DTs have worked for decades in developed countries doing the same work as dentists - only cheaper and in areas where dentists refuse to go. It only takes two of three years training. Let''s get on with it.

[barbaraf4]

Wonderful story!

[bb19631]

I applaude these dentists, a job well done to help the non-insured people. Professionals should do this more often, pro-bono work. After all you went to college to get a degree to help people, Am I right?

[THEBESTAPPRAISER]

DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW A DENTIST THAT WILL HELP ME? I AM IN NEED OF SOME SERIOUS DENTAL WORK, SEE MY COMMENT (THEBESTAPPRAISER) AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO CN HELP ME