Since the Medicaid dental benefit for adults was eliminated on July 1, hundreds of thousands of Michigan adults now have nothing more than a toothbrush to maintain their oral health. Please continue to appeal for reinstatement of the benefit by contacting your State Senator and Representative to send the message loud and clear that reinstating the benefit is the fiscally and morally responsible choice.
We should learn from the past – when the Medicaid adult dental benefit was eliminated in 2003, it had far reaching impacts on the state’s safety net infrastructure. Providers were forced to ration care for everyone; clinics had to reduce services or close altogether, which reduced access to care for both adults and their children; Medicaid only allowed dentists to provide third-world standards of care by just pulling teeth; jobs in the dental care field were put in jeopardy; the participation of many clinics in clinical education programs was discontinued; and equipment and facilities were underutilized.
Also, mark your calendar to attend a Legislative Day on Wednesday, July 15, in Lansing. Please join us at the Michigan Dental Association (Lower Level, 230 N. Washington Square, Suite 208, Lansing, Michigan) to gather materials and talking points at 1 pm, then head out to meet with your state legislators. Please call your legislators’ offices prior to July 15 to set up meetings. The time is NOW to voice your opinion! Collectively we CAN make a difference.
