SURGEON GENERAL RELEASES SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS ON ORAL HEALTH

Report underscores importance of oral health and access to care

PARSIPPANY, NJ (July 11, 2000) – Oral health matters. That conclusion is drawn in a report released by the Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. David Satcher, and endorsed by the nation’s largest affiliation of dental plans, the Delta Dental Plans Association. The much-anticipated report marks the first time that the U.S. Surgeon General has dedicated this level of attention to oral health issues, and includes a number of significant findings and recommendations.

"Everyone concerned with the state of oral health in America has anticipated this report since it was commissioned," said Walter VanBrunt, president and CEO of Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey. "As dental insurance providers, our organization fully supports the Surgeon General’s decision to focus on this important issue."

The report states, "Oral health is essential to the general health and well-being of all Americans and can be achieved by all Americans. However, not all Americans are achieving the same degree of oral health."

Report findings indicate that Americans have experienced significant improvements in oral health over the past few decades. Contributing factors to these improvements include the widespread fluoridation of municipal water, improved dental treatment options, a strong emphasis on preventive dental care, and the emergence of dental benefits as a common and valued workplace benefit. However, not all populations have realized these improvements in oral health. Areas such as access to care and burden of dental disease show the greatest disparities among populations defined by sex, income, age, and ethnicity. The Surgeon General declares this a "profound disparity," and states that dental and oral diseases affecting certain populations amount to a "silent epidemic."

"Access to care makes a tremendous difference in oral health status, and the Surgeon General’s report acknowledges that availability of insurance increases access to care," said D. Scott Navarro, DDS, vice president, professional services, and dental director, Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey. "People with dental insurance visit dentists one and a half times as often as people without coverage. This often means healthier mouths, healthier people, and cost-effective treatments for problems before they require more expensive procedures."

Just why is oral health so important? The report references a number of recent studies establishing strong connections between oral health and overall health. Dental health affects some of the body’s most essential functions, including speech, chewing, and swallowing. Other studies have demonstrated relationships between periodontal diseases and systemic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and pregnancy complications.

The Surgeon General’s report outlines a number of suggested actions, including strengthening oral health literacy among policymakers and the public, increasing public/private partnerships to address oral health disparities, expanding initiatives for health promotion and disease prevention, and accelerating the building of the nation’s science and evidence base on oral health issues.

Dental coverage providers like Delta Dental can play a key role in implementing many of the Surgeon General’s recommendations. In New Jersey, Delta Dental plays an important role in providing dental health services to underserved populations. Delta Dental sponsors programs like New Jersey school visits by Captain Supertooth, who spreads the word to students about the importance of good oral hygiene; the University of Medicine and Dentistry, which provides grants and scholarships for dentists and dental students; the PANDA (Prevent Abuse and Neglect through Dental Awareness) Coalition, which teaches dental professionals how to recognize and report child abuse; the Dover Free Clinic and the Paterson Dental Clinic, which provide dental care to the needy; and the Bloomfield Health Careers Foundation, which trains dental assistants and dental hygienists.

Public and professional education is an area where dental benefits providers play an active role. Delta Dental Plans Association is also dedicated to outcomes research, clinical research, and evidence-based care, all of which improve the efficacy and cost-efficiency of quality dental care.

Dr. Navarro concluded, "We have the ability to drastically reduce some of our nation’s most common dental diseases, like dental cavities and periodontal disease. Legislators, educators, communities, and healthcare providers need to work together and make a conscious effort to focus on this important issue and continue improving our nation’s oral health."

Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey, Inc., is New Jersey’s leading and largest dental benefits carrier, providing coverage to more than one million people through contracts with employers in New Jersey and Connecticut. The Delta Dental Plan system is a national network of independently operated, not-for-profit dental service corporations specializing in providing dental benefits programs for employee groups throughout the country.