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Workers without insurance doing without dental care

Neglecting oral health can lead to more serious problems, dentists say.

$\uFEFFDr. Kayvon Nezhad of Gentle Dental\uFEFF\uFEFF said business has not been affected by the economy, but said patients who have been will \uFEFFsettle for cheaper, less effective procedures. Staff photo by Marshall Gorby$

\uFEFFDr. Kayvon Nezhad of Gentle Dental\uFEFF\uFEFF said business has not been affected by the economy, but said patients who have been will \uFEFFsettle for cheaper, less effective procedures. Staff photo by Marshall Gorby

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By Everdeen Mason and Cornelius Frolik, Staff Writers 10:31 PM Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Some area residents are shunning dental care to save money, which can create or exacerbate oral health problems and lead to more expensive procedures.

The problem is compounded in Springfield. The city is considered a Health Professional Shortage Area, meaning there are not enough dentists here to meet the needs of the community, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that about one-third of Americans skipped dental care or check-ups in the last year because of the cost. More than 432,300 of the roughly 1.38 million residents in the region do not have dental insurance, according to the most recent Ohio Family Health Survey.

Nationally, about 64 percent of Americans visited a dentist in the past 12 months, according to the Gallup and Healthways Well-Being Index report for May, released earlier this month.

Oral health and dental care are the top unmet health care needs among low-income people, said Commissioner Charles Patterson of the Clark County Combined Health District.

“And there have been grants that have come into the county to try and help that,” he said. “Those ultimately have been drops in the bucket for what is needed.”

Dr. Kayvon Nezhad, owner of Gentle Dental on North Limestone Street, said some patients have cancelled appointments and opt for cheaper, less effective procedures instead of the more expensive procedures that will heal them.

“If they don’t have pain or infection, people don’t want to come in,” Nezhad said. “They think of it as cosmetic, and it’s not. People will break a tooth and not understand the repercussions of not doing the proper procedure. A small fix now and you’ll save a big fix tomorrow.”

Rocking Horse Community Health Center sees many uninsured patients who need dental care, and refers them to Dr. Amber Wright of Smile Wright Dental on Selma Road to make up for the lack of accessible care, said Dana Engle, CEO of Rocking Horse.

Wright was unavailable for comment. Patterson said Wright “provides mainly to children, but she gives great dental care to our low-income families. They have a way to help folks; they basically are on a sliding-fee scale rate so they can be able to work with Dr. Wright.”

Roughly 39 percent of Ohioans — about 4 million people — do not have dental insurance, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

About 45 million Americans under the age of 65 do not have dental coverage, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Brian Holmes, 44, of Dayton, visited the dentist every six months for cleanings and check-ups when he had dental insurance. But in 2008, he lost his coverage and he also learned he had multiple cavities and worn-down fillings. He said he’s been unable to afford the treatment.

Holmes said he would not be surprised if his dental problems have spread and he now needs thousands of dollars in treatment. He said he hopes that in several months, he will be eligible to sign up for dental insurance through his employer.

“I’m 99 percent sure as soon as it becomes available, I am going to sign up for it,” he said.

Since the start of the recession, fewer employers have offered dental coverage to their employees, which diminishes the likelihood they will visit the dentist, said David Owsiany, executive director of the Ohio Dental Association.

“The data shows you are less likely to seek preventative care and treatment if you don’t have dental benefits, which means if you have an issue, it gets worse, and the treatment gets more invasive and more expensive,” he said. “Getting preventative care saves money.”

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