Orange County Dental Care Endorses Expanded Access to Children's Dental Care
A recent report out of California faults the state's poor access to children's dental care. Dr. Ail-Reza Etemadieh of Orange County Dental Care endorses expanding access to children in need.
Laguna Hills, December 16, 2014 (Newswire.com) - A recent audit of California’s health care program for low-income residents showed that of the 5.1 million children enrollees, half did not receive proper dental care in 2013. Moreover, it was found that in many counties, there were no qualified providers to fill healthcare needs and that many dental offices refused to accept new Medi-Cal patients. President of Orange County Dental Care, Dr. Ali-Reza Etemadieh, believes that dental care needs to be expanded in order to protect the health of children in Orange County and across California.
“The oral health of a person contributes to their overall health,” stated Dr. Etemadieh. “And positive dental practices must be established when an individual is a child. That is one way to guarantee good health as the child ages. It is upsetting to realize that so many children are going without proper dental care.”
The audit exposed that there are many shortcomings within the California Department of Health Care Services, including the fact that there is a serious failure to adequately monitor the program. This in turn is “putting child beneficiaries at higher risk of dental disease,” stated State Auditor Elaine Howle in a letter to California Governor Jerry Brown. The report also places considerable blame on poor provider participation, which could be attributed to low reimbursement rates. The rates for reimbursement have not increased since fiscal year 2000-2001.
“The State of California must shift its focus and realize just how important it is to properly expand dental care to child patients,” stated Dr. Etemadieh. “At Orange County Dental Care, we place considerable emphasis on educating parents on just how important it is to begin promoting positive oral health even before a child has visible teeth.”
It is anticipated that because of the findings of the audit, certain recommendations will be honored. The primary contractor, Delta Dental, is expected to expand care by contracting with more Orange County dentists and California dental offices. The contractor will be required to submit annual plans describing how the dental system will improve access in underserved areas.
“I hope coverage is expanded to serve more people—children and adults alike,” noted Dr. Etemadieh. “Dental care in Orange County continues to evolve, just as health care does across the United States. It is necessary to keep up with demand as more people enter the system and require proper access to dental services. At Orange County Dental Care, we will continue to deliver the best in care to our patients in an effort to protect their long-term health and wellbeing.”
Orange County Dental Care is a general dentistry practice led by Dr. Ali-Reza Etemadieh that is located in Orange, California. The practice specializes in general dentistry for adults and children, pedodontics, orthodontics, periodontics, oral surgery, and endodontics. You can all Orange County Dental Services. The state-of-the-art Orange County dental office is located at 665 North Tustin Street, Ste. W, Orange, California 92867. The staff can be reached by calling 714-628-9910 Monday through Friday between the hours of 9am and 5pm and on Saturday between 9am and 3pm. The office has openings on Sundays by appointment only.