It’s the early afternoon, and I am getting ready to head to the restaurant I serve at in Portland. I’ve brushed my teeth, and am finishing flossing when a piece of my molar falls out of my mouth. Feeling the gap with my tongue, I confirm a part of my tooth is missing.

I take good care of my teeth – I brush twice a day, floss and rinse with a fluoride mouthwash. In previous years, I would have called my dentist immediately. However, like so many low-income Mainers I do not have dental insurance and am struggling to pay for the care I need.

Nearly half of Maine residents do not have dental insurance. For members of MaineCare, only emergency dental coverage is provided. A 2006 study showed preventable dental disease was the primary reason MaineCare members ages 15-44 visited the emergency room. In 2009, MaineCare spent $6,590,888 on these kinds of avoidable ER visits (and often the cause of the dental disease was not addressed).

We need to invest in preventative dental care for Mainers not only because it’s economically responsible, but because health care and dental care are human rights. A bill that would add exactly this kind of comprehensive care to MaineCare, L.D. 1453, was passed in the previous legislative session. However, it lacks funding and currently sits on the governor’s desk.
More voices of support must be heard by our representatives if this bill is to be ratified and funded, providing Mainers with the care they deserve.

Robert Lewis-Nash

Portland

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