Dentists across the United States are coming together to help children in need. Within the United States and through out the world, organizations like Dentists Without Borders for Children are giving back.
Dentistry can be expensive,
yet families work hard to have good insurance coverage that provides basic dental care for all family members. Doctors and parents alike recognize the value of good dental care for children, especially. When a child learns about the importance of dental health at a young age, they are more likely to have good oral hygiene and dental health as an adult.
What about the families in the United States and beyond that can’t afford insurance or don’t have enough money to pay for even low-cost dentistry out of pocket? These families opt out of dentistry, treating it as a luxury. For a family that struggles to put food on the table, or worse that is homeless, there is very little need for good oral hygiene.
Unfortunately, though, these families ultimately begin to have dental difficulties. Cavities, plaque and gum disease al become an issue for low-income families. Tooth decay is a rampant problem for this population. Often, when the pain of a sore tooth or gum becomes too much, they resort in going to the emergency room where prices for dental care skyrocket.
There is hope for impoverished, low-income and homeless families in this country and across the world. This hope is coming in the form of help from charitable organizations like Dentists Without Borders for Children. These organizations are providing free dental services for children in families where dentistry is unaffordable.
These organizations, some local and other international, offer a variety of specific dental services to all members of the household. However, most organizations see the value of providing good dental care to children as a preventive measure. So, the majority of patients treated are children. Because children who receive dental care will more likely go on to be adults that take care of their teeth, charitable dental groups are eager to spend time treating children.
Some of the common services that these dental units provide are such things as regular cleanings, treatment of cavities and occasionally even minor surgery like tooth extraction. Often, the team will assess the overall dental health of the patient and proceed from there. The majority of the children treated have never been to a dentist, so the possibility for multiple needs is great.
Of course, there are many organizations in communities throughout the United States that provide these kinds of services. Not every child or family qualifies for free dental care. However, there are ample providers of low-cost dental care, like private practice dentists, clinics and other facilities that are working long hours for low-income families.
Dentists Without Borders for Children and other dental organizations around the country and world are working hard to provide dentistry to homeless, impoverished and low-income children. Through the efforts of volunteers, children throughout the world are receiving the dental care that they need for a healthy life without tooth pain.
