The devastating condition in oral health care and dentistry services in US has attracted attention from various quarters of study. Research has been conducted to access the actual condition and to investigate on causes of poor oral health care. The medical system in US is collapsing since it can only be accessed through better medical covers. A big population that does not have proper medical cover is left under the care of corporate entities. In consideration of the urgency of need in dental healthcare in US, corporate equity-backed firms have stepped up to fill-in the gap. Besides, the state of oral healthcare in US is the responsibility of everyone; patients, healthcare providers, the insurance industry and the corporate equity-backed firms. Unfortunately, the state of oral healthcare in US continues to deteriorate since the terms of operation for corporate entities and healthcare providers are expensive.
Role of the patient in solving poor Oral healthcare in the US
From Dollars and Dentists , the patients contribute to the poor conditions in dispensing dental healthcare in US. Some patients are ignorant when it comes to reporting early symptoms of dental disorders (Frontline, 2012) . Patients could decide to ignore certain symptoms that might seem harmless at first sight but lead to terrible dental disorders. For instance, Vanesa ignores a mere tooth decay that eventually results to her losing the teeth.
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Just like Vanessa, many dental patients ignore early symptoms of dental disorders. Such ignorance causes patients to seek late medical attention hence jeopardizing the effectiveness of the treatment plans (Frontline, 2012) . Moreover, parents should monitor and report on juvenile patients such as kids with cavities. Kids might not able to notice cavity disorders and other dental disorders that are common among kids. It is therefore the duty of the parents to monitor and report any abnormal dental developments on their kids.
The role of the healthcare provider in dispensing oral health care in US
The national healthcare providers are to be blamed for the failed state of oral healthcare systems in US. The government has failed in dispensing dental healthcare through poor reimbursement of dentists in US (Frontline, 2012) . In Dollars and Dentists , much dental healthcare issues are to be blamed on failed institutions, poor reimbursement schemes for dentists in Florida and the rest of the State. Dentists in US are largely taxed to fund different government schemes.
The meager income disbursed to dentists is not enough to cater for taxes and other expenses, dentists are forced to do several jobs at a time so as to make more money. Poor payment of the dentists is one of the leading causes of collapsed dental healthcare issues in US ( Hanlon & Berro, 2019). Oral healthcare can be well dispensed at various health care centers, if the government offers dentists better reimbursement schemes. Poor reimbursement of dentists has hiked dental healthcare services, making it as expensive as 1800$ per visit to dental health care centers.
The role of the American Dental Association (ADA) professional organization in providing oral health care in US
The American Dental Association (ADA) is to be blamed for the state of oral health care in the nation. The body has been mandated with overseeing practice of dental healthcare in US. Nevertheless, many dental malpractices such as wrong treatment plans and hyped fees for dental services have been perpetrated under their watch ( Hanlon & Berro, 2019). ADA should play the role of a watchdog in ensuring professionalism among practicing dentists. ADA should also monitor the formulas for charging dental services in various oral healthcare providers to prevent extortion of unsuspecting patients.
ADA should devise and enforce ethical guidelines that would govern the practice of dentistry in the US. It is the role ADA to ensure that dental healthcare is offered in the most ethical and transparent mannerism ( Hanlon & Berro, 2019). The American Dental Association should also recommend the inclusion of oral healthcare in insurance covers. It is a moral obligation for the body to ensure that oral healthcare in US is dispensed without malice and prejudice.
The role of the insurance industry in offering quality oral healthcare in US
Insurance facilities do not cover dental healthcare in US. The insurance medical covers provided by many firms do not include oral healthcare. The situation leaves dental patients exposed to extortions from private oral health care providers ( Logan, Catalanotto, Guo, Marks & Dharamsi, 2015). Moreover, Medicaid patients are not much preferred in healthcare centers since the insurance firms are slow in reimbursing funds to healthcare providers.
According Dollars and Dentists , there is an urgent need for insurance packages offered by American firms to include oral healthcare cover. Including oral healthcare in medical covers for citizens would save a big population that cannot afford the private medical facilities. ( Logan et al, 2015). The state of oral health care would be improved greatly by extending insurance cover to oral healthcare. Including oral healthcare in insurance covers would mean better remuneration for dentists and subsequent improvement in dental healthcare.
Role of the corporate business models and equity-backed firms in providing quality oral healthcare in US
Corporate business models are a unique entity in healthcare provision. These facilities provide healthcare at a lower cost, while supplementing charity and sponsorship funds. According to the film, corporate equity-backed centers are the worst in extorting dental patients. In Dollars and Dentists , "Kool Smiles" is a good instance of such equity-backed corporates with financial documents revealing that the organization over-charge dental patients ( Logan et al, 2015). The corporate organizations take advantage of desperation among patients to extort funds through overcharging patients. These corporate equities backed healthcare providers should uphold moral and basic human decency to patients rather than overcharging them.
Dental practitioners in corporate equity backed organization do not regard ethics and morals in high regard while attending to dental patients. In Dollars and Dentists , “Kool Smiles” health care providers in Florida are accused of using the wrong treatment plan to increase the cost of treatment ( Logan et al, 2015). A dental practitioner recommends the use of crowns in correcting tooth fractures other than the filling option. Crowns are expensive options and are not ideal for use since they keep on falling from time to time. The motive behind recommending crowns is to increase treatment fees charged on dental patients. These are poor morals and perverted work ethics.
References
Frontline. (2012, June 26). Dollars and Dentists. Retrieved December 1, 2019, from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/dollars-and-dentists/.
Hanlon, C., & Berro, M. (2019). Medicaid Incentives, Performance Measures, and Workforce Innovations Foster Access to Pediatric Oral Health Care.
Logan, H. L., Catalanotto, F., Guo, Y., Marks, J., & Dharamsi, S. (2015). Barriers to Medicaid participation among Florida dentists. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved , 26 (1), 154.
