Why Growing Numbers of Americans Are Embarrassed to Smile

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wendell-potter/why-growing-numbers-of-am_b_6985694.html

Under comments:

Emily DeJan · Top Commenter · UICC
How about adding dental care to Medicare and Medicaid? My dental health was superior when I was working with great insurance. But once I became disabled, dental visits became out of the question. I just had one quarter of my teeth cleaned and it cost me $250. The total tooth cleaning will cost $1000.00 and will have to be done over many months so I can afford it. My husband needs a crown. The last one I had cost $250 when I had dental insurance. My husband is going to have to pay $2500.00. Needless to say he won’t be able to get that crown. My sister, a cancer survivor, had an estimate of $34,000 for reconstructive dental work. This is absolutely insane and as far as we’re concerned, we are in a third world country when it comes to dental health. I moved to a rural area after I became disabled and missing teeth are the norm around here where there is a lot of poverty. We no longer have the right to make fun of “British” teeth. Ours are worse.

http://www.governing.com/topics/health-human-services/gov-why-are-dentists-opposing-expanded-dental-care.html

http://www.kob.com/article/stories/s3597164.shtml#.VR9fQvnF_bY

10/21/2014, Dental therapists could be solution to shortage of dentists in NM

According to a 2013 report by the New Mexico Health Workforce Committee, there’s one dentist for every two thousand people in the state…