Cuts in dental benefits for the elderly, poor, and disabled in Kansas have been a devastating blow, according to a story in the Lawrence Journal-World & News.
"Not only is there the financial cost, but there is also a human cost when people need dental care but cannot find a dentist that can provide services," Connie Hubbell, director of the Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved, said in the story.
Kansas legislators are now meeting to review the impact of recent budget cuts, the newspaper reported.
In 2007, Kansas funded basic dental care for thousands of Kansans who were elderly or had physical or developmental disabilities. But those services were eliminated in January because of budget cuts.
In addition, Kansas is reportedly experiencing a shortage of dentists, according to a recent article by the Kansas Health Institute. In addition, only 25% of Kansas dentists accept Medicaid patients, compared with 80% of Kansas doctors, according to Hubbell.
Sen. Laura Kelly (D-Topeka) said perhaps the Legislature should consider proposals that would allow dental hygienists to do more procedures as a way to increase access to preventive dental care.
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