Welcome to the Wisconsin Dental Association

Consumer Awareness: Access to Dental Care | | | | |

Access to dental care
Get information about dental access in Wisconsin, Medicaid facts, WDA proposals to address dental access disparities, how to share your concerns with legislators and more.

State holds hearing on audit that shows HMOs being overpaid millions for dental services
The Joint Legislative Audit Committee held a hearing on a recent audit that shows Medicaid patients enrolled in HMOs in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine and Kenosha counties have greater trouble accessing dental care than patients covered under a straight fee-for-service program in the other 68 counties of the state. Read a copy of WDA testimony and view the hearing presentation.

Letters to legislators from BadgerCare Plus recipients
Many BadgerCare Plus recipients are confused and frustrated by the new program. If you're one of these patients, tell your local state representative(s). The WDA has developed four letter templates for you to customize and send to your legislators as another way to show them how a system that was supposed to help all Wisconsin residents has, in some instances, actually hindered their ability to access care..

Why dentists don't (and won't) cost-shift
Many advocacy groups, the state Department of Health Services (DHS) and state legislators have asked the WDA why dentists do not treat all people in need of dental care and cost-shift the losses on to private-sector patients as is done in medicine.

Dentists Do Serve & Make a Difference
These examples of WDA members’ charitable dental care efforts illustrate how “Dentists Do Serve” their communities and “Dentists Make a Difference” for underserved children and adults.

Dental Medicaid PowerPoint
View a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the dental access issue from WDA member dentists’ perspective. The 17-slides include graphic photos of the substantial treatment needs of many low-income children and adult patients and documented, below-market reimbursement received by dental practices from the state’s MA program.

Medicaid/Two Cents for Tooth Sense™
Wisconsin's low-income children and adults are unable to access dental care with the same frequency as patients who are not dependent on the state's Medicaid/BadgerCare program. Dental access improves in states where fair market rates are implemented. If legislators are unwilling to make dental access a priority within the 2007-08 budget, the WDA proposes fair reimbursement rates be provided by implementing a fee on distributors, manufacturers and wholesale dealers of soda.

Donated Dental Services
Donated Dental Services (DDS) is a program directed at those who are unable to afford needed dental care because of a limited income that is clearly linked to a permanent disability, chronic illness or advanced age (65 and older).

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