The revenue forecast has been released and legislators are putting together their preliminary budgets.
Now is the time to send a message to legislators: Click here for a simple tool to find your legislators and urge them to restore dental coverage for low-income adults.
More than 450,000 Medicaid-eligible adults lost dental coverage due to state budget cuts in 2011. It is time to reverse that “forced error.”
Too often the seriousness of dental problems is overlooked, as if the mouth is somehow disconnected from the body. But oral health is essential to overall health.
Dental care is also an economic issue because low-income adults can’t get jobs if they are in pain or have obvious dental decay. In addition, people suffering from the extreme pain of a toothache will seek expensive ER care, if they can’t get care in a dental chair. This drives up healthcare costs for taxpayers.
Email your legislators today and tell them providing dental care for low-income adult is the right thing to do.
Oral Health Watch
1 days ago
Discrimination, the language you speak at home, education, and where people live and work all influence health. A health care system that addresses these social determinants can help remove barriers to care, improve outcomes, and build healthier communities. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
4 days ago
DentistLink is a free referral service with friendly and knowledgeable referral specialists connecting people to dental care in their community whether they are uninsured or insured, including Apple Health (Medicaid). #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
5 days ago
Nearly half of working parents report taking time off to address their children's oral health needs. Preventive oral health care access means less pain, fewer missed school and work days, and lower treatment costs. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
6 days ago
Washington’s Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD)Program helps young children with Apple Health coverage get the preventive dental care they need, reducing future dental costs and setting kids on a lifelong path of good oral health. Supporting prevention is good for kids and a smart ...Read moreinvestment. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
7 days ago
Water fluoridation helps protect everyone's teeth against cavities regardless of age or income level. But it is especially beneficial for our neighbors and community members who experience barriers to dental care access, including children, lower-income workers, senior citizens, and people ...Read morewith disabilities. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
1 weeks ago
An estimated 30,000 to 45,000+ Washington residents end up in hospital emergency departments each year for preventable, non-traumatic dental conditions like untreated cavities, deep abscesses, and severe pain. When people lose access to basic, preventive oral health care, untreated cavities and ...Read moretooth decay don't just disappear—they worsen. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
2 weeks ago
When we invest in dental care access, we invest in people. Supporting preventive and restorative care for lower-income children and adults means stronger communities, a healthier workforce, and more kids ready to thrive. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
2 weeks ago
Healthy smiles start with everyday prevention. Community water fluoridation, brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, and regular dental checkups help keep teeth strong and cavities away. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
2 weeks ago
Money invested in early, accessible pediatric oral health care can yield massive returns in the workplace. When kids have access to preventive oral health care, it means working parents having to take less time off - especially for hourly wage workers. #teethmatter