It’s Time to Address the Dental Crisis

Dear Fellow Vermonter,

Last week, I asked you to write into the Bernie Buzz to share some of the experiences you have had with accessing dental care in your life. I also put the call out nationally to see if some of what Vermonters are experiencing is being felt in communities around the country.

Frankly, I was shocked that more than 500 Vermonters responded to that request, as well as Americans from almost every state in the country.

Time and again, we heard from Vermonters and people across the country who told us that dental care was too expensive and that it was very difficult to obtain the dental services they needed. We heard from people who said: “I am in constant pain,” “I can't afford dental care,” “I can't find a dentist,” “My insurance won’t cover the dental procedures I need,” and “I worry about my children’s health.”

These are the type of responses you might expect if we were living in a third world country. It shouldn’t be happening in the United States, the richest country in the history of the world. 

These responses give voice to a dental care crisis that is causing widespread suffering for Vermonters and people all over this country – suffering that too often goes unseen.

That is unacceptable and has got to change.

That is why today, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, I held a hearing to examine what we can do to address this crisis. You can watch the full hearing above or HERE.

That is why today I introduced what I believe is the most comprehensive piece of dental care legislation in the history of our country.

And that is why I will not stop until health care is a human right in this country, and that includes dental care. 

Attached are dental stories my office received from Vermont and across the country.

Sincerely,

Not Alone: American Dental Stories

Llalla, from Randolph, VT

I shattered some of my teeth due to a calcium and potassium deficiency. My muscles locked up, even in my face. I'm losing bone in my jaw so with missing teeth and teeth about to fall out, I'm making soups and stews and puree meat in order to get nutrients I need. I'm trying to get back in the work force and I'm just not presentable with teeth that are now sideways, missing and jutting forward. I can't get a job that might give me dental as a benefit because my dental situation. I was told too many of my teeth were still good so I couldn't get them all removed and then get a nice set of dentures. Braces to fix these “good teeth” are way more expensive than dentures. I have Medicare and Medicaid and would love to be able to eat without the need to puree everything.

Gayle, from Plainfield, VT

My husband and I started going to Thailand for dental care 20 years ago because dental work is so expensive in the US and we needed implants and caps.  Plus, we get a great vacation for what our dental work would cost us in the US.  We'd like to have our teeth cleaned twice a year but paying $200-300 for a cleaning is ridiculous.  Now that we are 80, our enamel is not great any more.  We Americans have not been taught how important good teeth and clean tongues and gums are in terms of our healthcare.  Why not?

Dr. Havaleh Gagne, from South Burlington, VT

I am a Radiation Oncologist, with interest in geriatric oncology. I have many retired patients who cannot afford, or have difficulty paying for their dental care after head and neck radiation. The problem is similar for those with Medicaid. It is a struggle for patients to find a dentist, or oral surgeon who takes Medicaid, for what little Medicaid pays, out of pocket expenses are beyond most people's budget. When people have dental problems, they lose teeth, when they lose teeth they can't chew, when they can't chew, they eat poor quality food, when they eat poor quality food they are not as healthy. This is compounded when teeth are infected and cause other severe health problems when not addressed in a timely manner. Also, in our American culture, having nice teeth is more socially acceptable. I have patients who are missing front teeth, are embarrassed and don't speak or smile in public this results in social isolation which is a risk factor similar to smoking in predicting early death. I can probably find patients to share their story, but would need their permission before passing along contact info. It is ridiculous in this age to single out one part of the body that gets sick and doesn't get care.

Lindsey, from Georgia

I broke my two front teeth mostly out in a bad fall in middle school, and had temporary caps put on the remnants at an emergency dentist until they could be replaced with permanent ones. I’m 29 now—but I still have those “temporary” caps. They flake off into my food when I eat.

Tanya, from Minnesota

My mother quit taking me to the dentist at the age of 10. Due to lack of health insurance in my 20s I had to have an emergency impacted wisdom tooth extraction with only local anesthesia. It took almost 10 years of having dental health insurance to have all my teeth issues resolved.

Michelle, from Pennsylvania

I went years with chipped and broken/jagged teeth because I couldn't afford the repair. I just had them taken out last year. My daughter's father had a workplace accident that busted out all his teeth and he's not been able to have them repaired. Dental is healthcare!!

Mel

I didn't see a dentist for nearly 10 years, which included most of my teens and early 20s, due to having no health insurance. Since having health insurance I've managed to get a few pulled and a few filled but have literally racked up over $1500 in credit card debt from it.

Pati, from Idaho

Dental care for seniors on limited income is very expensive! And, at a time in life when we’re most likely to need it. I have put off work that needs to be done because of the cost & so has my husband.

Anonymous, from Ohio

I definitely put off getting my wisdom teeth pulled until they rotted out and broke because I couldn’t afford the procedure even with “dental insurance” that covered basically nothing but cleanings.   Had to get a “dental credit card” when I did, the payments were back breaking.

Antonio, from Texas

Both my wife and I have had to travel numerous times to Mexico for our dental care due to exuberant prices even though we have “dental insurance”.

Noelle, from California

Haven’t been to the dentist in probably at least 15 years. Too expensive. Only went when it was an emergency. Just got Medicare Scan that had dental. Even with insurance paying I had to pay out enough to have bought a car, in some states a house. I basically depleted my savings!

Tim, from Wisconsin

I currently have three cracked and broken teeth.  I have had this issue over a year now, and even with insurance it will cost me $1000 per tooth to crown.  I don’t have 3000 in a lump sum, but they have collected $50 a month to be “insured” for 22 years…

Merrie, from Louisiana

I've been waiting since before covid and a breast cancer diagnosis in 2021. I'm on Medicare now but they only covered half the cost of my crown. My mother passed away last year without being able to afford the dentist in the last 10 years of her life.

Gayle, from Plainfield, VT

My husband and I started going to Thailand for dental care 20 years ago because dental work is so expensive in the US and we needed implants and caps.  Plus, we get a great vacation for what our dental work would cost us in the US.  We'd like to have our teeth cleaned twice a year but paying $200-300 for a cleaning is ridiculous.  Now that we are 80, our enamel is not great any more.  We Americans have not been taught how important good teeth and clean tongues and gums are in terms of our healthcare.  Why not?

Anonymous, from Michigan

I live in Michigan I have a full bottom denture and a top partial plate I broke my partial n I lost my bottom denture n I have to wait five years for my insurance to pay for new teeth

Anonymous, from Arizona

I have been grinding my teeth most of my life, now 73. At 50 years old most of them fell apart. I have been living on SSDI since 1993 and no way to pay for dental care. A few months ago I traveled to the nearest city and to a dentist that can do dental surgery for an estimate of restoring my mouth. I have many teeth broken off at the gum line. 7,500.00 to restore my mouth and fit me with dentures. Now I am poor and in hospice but wanted to tell my story even though I live in Arizona. I know I am not alone in this situation.

Anonymous, from Maryland

I have a dental issue that needs to be taken care of but I do not have the funds to have the procedure because my insurance only covers 15% leaving me with a bill that I cannot afford to pay. In the meantime, I use the temporary filling and Tylenol to ease my pain.

Stephanye, from Mississippi

I have had to wait months to get into a lower cost dental clinic for root canals, fillings, and crowns. I am 70 years old.

Wanda, from Idaho

I've been blessed to have a Union job and was covered by insurance. A unexpected medical retirement left me without dental insurance for a couple years. I couldn't get a cleaning done as preventive, because I was due for x-ray and couldn't afford the $400! Ended up with having to have a lot of work done, when I was finally covered again.

Amanda, from New Hampshire

My mom is in excruciating pain most of the time because of her teeth. She needs so much work done. Dental care is health care and should be as accessible as such. She is on disability. At first she was on Medicaid and they paid for quite a bit, but when she reached a certain age she was switched to Medicare and now barely anything is covered. And it's very hard to find a dental practice that takes her insurance.

Meagan, from Minnesota

When I moved out of state, I lost my insurance and my new job didn’t offer affordable coverage, so I went without. I haven’t been to the dentist in over 8 years. I finally have an appointment in a few weeks and I’m pretty nervous about the damage that was done in that time.

Mary, from Illinois

Medicare and Medicaid dental coverage is a complete joke in my area. Our local health department will accept it but they only do cleanings and fillings. If you need anything else there isn't a single dentist within 100 mile radius that will accept it. And forget about finding a pediatric dentist. I have a friend that took out a loan and is paying out of pocket for her daughter to get the dental care she needs. It's ridiculous.

Nicole

I am 60 years old and I have never had dental insurance my entire life! I have worked in childcare centers for over 40 yrs and it is not offered, and if it is, it's too costly. The last time I was at the dentist was when I was 12. I am not even joking.

Anonymous, from Delaware

I went for 10 years without dental care, because I could not afford dental insurance, and the prices for regular care were too expensive. Eventually, I found a dental school in my area that had reduced cost procedures for low income patients. It took over a year worth of appointments, and still several thousand dollars, to get all the fillings, root canals, oral surgeries, and crowns I needed to have done. Then again, a few years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of those crowns broke. Because I now made slightly more than the upper limit of what that dental school considered “low income”, I did not qualify for their reduced cost services, but I still couldn't afford dental insurance or full cost dental procedures. I wound up forgoing treatment on that tooth for 2 years. I have dental insurance now, because of the Obamacare health insurance marketplace, but coverage for major procedures still won't start until 6 months into the coverage year, meaning I have to wait another month before I can have what's left of that now unsaveable tooth pulled. It may be years before I can afford to get implants.

Donna, from Virginia

As a small business owner from 2012 to 2022, I could not afford insurance for me or my employees. I sustained broken teeth due to cavities, two of which I just elected to have pulled because I couldn’t afford repairs. You learn to just chew on your good side and hope for the best. In 2022 I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer; luckily I had applied under the ACA during Covid and received Virginia Medicaid so my cancer treatment was covered. To prevent breast cancer from spreading to my bones, I need a medicine called Zometa. Due to side effects, this requires your teeth to be in good health before it’s administered, and I had not been able to afford any dental care for years (long ago I had enjoyed coverage under my ex-husband’s wonderful federal employee benefits). Unable to work during & after cancer treatment, I was broke and my only option was our local community health (formerly “free”) dental clinic. I still had to pay $75 and more per visit and appointments are hard to get but I got my teeth fixed and am now able to receive the Zometa, which will hopefully prevent the cancer from progressing to my bones. I believe Virginia Medicaid has since added dental coverage but it is very hard to find a provider.

Anonymous

I have never understood why dental or vision is not considered regular health care all covered under health insurance hearing also.

Makes no sense to me

Deborah

My 28 year old granddaughter, mother of a 9 month old, has no dental insurance and is now adding additional medical debt in addition to birthing debt because she has an abscess tooth: 1200. Root canal. 1100 crown. Only in America can a young family become indebted to the point of poverty because of healthcare.