Wednesday, Jan. 5th 2011
California Dental Insurance coverage question: How can you know what your true cost is for dental insurance plans that say they pay out by a percentage but has up to UCR. I asking because right now I have a PPO plan offer to me though my job. However whenever I go to the dentist to use my dental PPO plan what do I ask about the UCR?
Tuesday, Jan. 4th 2011
California looking for a additional dental plan: I just got my benefits though my job. I was told that my dental benefits will not cover for major dental work until I have it for one year. That I really only could get preventive and basic dental care for right now. I would like to know if I could get an additional dental coverage until then?
Tuesday, Jan. 4th 2011
Preventing and Controlling Oral and Pharyngeal Cancers : The available evidence on the effectiveness of population- based interventions for early detection of pre-cancers and cancers was insufficient to support a recommendation by the Task Force. Therefore, research in the following areas is a high priority:
-
- How sensitive and specific is oral examination as a screening tool?
- How valid and reliable is oral examination conducted by various dental and medical practitioners in detecting pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions?
- How sensitive and specific is oral examination aided by endoscopy, brush biopsy, vital staining, genetic markers, and other emerging clinical technologies?
- Is the use of oral self-examination kits feasible, valid, and reliable?
- How effective are individual or population-based interventions in detecting pre-cancers and reducing the incidence of invasive cancer?
- Are population-based interventions effective in detecting pre-cancers and early cancers? And is early detection of pre-cancers and cancers effective in reducing cancer morbidity and mortality or improving quality of life?
- How effective are population-based interventions in reducing disparities (e.g., socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic) in oral cancer incidence and mortality?
- What is the effect on oral cancer incidence, stage distribution, and mortality of reducing alcohol and tobacco exposure?
- What effects do education interventions and materials have on awareness of oral cancer and the prevention behavior of consumer groups, healthcare providers, healthcare organizations, and government agencies?
- What are the effects of early detection on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life among population subgroups at high risk for oral cancer (e.g., tobacco users, alcohol abusers, the elderly, racial or ethnic minorities, and the poor)?
- How effective are laws, policies, and incentives in encouraging healthcare providers to conduct oral examinations for cancer detection in high-risk populations?
Monday, Jan. 3rd 2011
California dental sealants prevent tooth decay and also stop cavities from growing: Sealants prevent tooth decay and also stop cavities from growing. The Surgeon General’s report on oral health indicates that sealants can reduce decay in school children by more than 70 percent.
What Are Dental Sealants?
Sealants are thin plastic coatings applied to the tiny grooves on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. This is where most tooth decay in children and teens occurs. Sealants protect the chewing surfaces from decay by keeping germs and pieces of food out.
Learn more about sealants, including how they help prevent tooth decay and how they are applied, from this Dental Sealants Fact Sheet.
Back to top
What Are School-Based Sealant Programs?
School-based dental sealant delivery programs provide sealants to children unlikely to receive them otherwise. Such programs—
- Define a target population within a school district
- Verify unmet need for sealants
- Get financial, material, and policy support
- Apply rules for selecting schools and students
- Apply sealants at school or offsite in clinics
School-based sealant programs are especially important for reaching children from low-income families who are less likely to receive private dental care. Programs generally target schools by using the percentage of children eligible for federal free or reduced-cost lunch programs Tooth decay may result in pain and other problems that affect learning in school-age children. Learn more by reading Oral Health and Learning* (PDF–81K). This report addresses the following:
- Lost school time
- Oral health and learning
- Nutrition and learning
- Programs for improving oral health
Sunday, Jan. 2nd 2011
California CDC-Sponsored Expert Work Group Publishes Updated Recommendations for School-Based Sealant Programs: The recommendations were developed by a work group of experts in the fields of caries prevention and treatment, oral epidemiology, and evidence-based reviews. The work group also included representatives from professional dental organizations.
The expert work group examined new evidence on:
- The effectiveness of sealants in preventing new decay and progression of early decay
- Methods to assess decay
- Sealant placement techniques
- Scientific reviews of program practices
Based on this evidence, the following recommendations are provided for practitioners in school-based programs:
- Seal pit-and-fissure tooth surfaces that are sound or have early decay, prioritizing first and second permanent molars.
- Use visual assessment to differentiate surfaces with the earliest signs of tooth decay from more advanced lesions.
- X-rays are not needed solely for sealant placement.
- A toothbrush can be used to help clean the tooth surface before acid etching.
- When resources allow, have an assistant help the dental professional place sealants.
- Provide sealants to children even if follow-up examinations for every child cannot be guaranteed.
These recommendations are designed to guide practices of state and community public health programs for planning, implementing, and evaluating school-based sealant programs, as well as to complement the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs’ evidence-based clinical recommendations for sealant use* published in 2008.
Several other publications provide more detail about the studies that were conducted by work group members. The published studies are provided below.
Saturday, Jan. 1st 2011
Untreated Dental Caries (Cavities) in Children Ages 2-19, California: Over 19% of children ages 2-19 have untreated cavities; a child’s complete preventive dental program should include fluoride, twice-daily brushing, wise food choices, and regular dental care.
During August, families across the country will prepare to send kids back to school. It’s a great time to check whether your children have had dental exams in the past 6 months. If not, please schedule them as soon as possible. CDC is rerunning this data & statistics feature to emphasize the importance of untreated cavities in kids.
CDC is highlighting data about untreated dental caries (cavities) in children ages 2-19 in the United States, during three time periods: 1971-1974; 1988-1994; and 2001-2004. While percentages of untreated cavities have declined from 1971-1974 (25% in children ages 2-5 and 54.7% in children ages 6-19), data for the most recent time period still show high levels of untreated cavities: 19.5% in children ages 2-5 and 22.9% in children ages 6-19.
Sex Not a Significant Factor
A breakout by sex shows similar percentages during each time period by age group. Among 2-5 year olds, males had 26.4% untreated cavities in 1971-1974; 19.3% in 1988-1994 and 20.0% in 2001-2004; respectively, females had 23.6% untreated cavities in 1971-1974; 18.9% in 1988-1994 and 20.1% in 2001-2004. Among 6-19 year olds, percentages of cavities dropped by more than half from 1971-1974 data to the later for both sexes (54.9% in males and 54.5% in females) to the 1988-1994 (22.8% in males and 24.5% in females) and 2001-2004 (23.9% in males and 22.0% in females) time periods.
Race and Hispanic Origin a Significant Factor
Black children and Hispanic children of Mexican origin had significantly higher percentages of untreated cavities than white, non-Hispanic children. In the two time periods for which data are available for all races, 1988-1994 and 2001-2004, respectively, 13.8% and 14.5% of white, non-Hispanic children ages 2-5 had untreated cavities, as compared with 24.7% and 24.2% of black children ages 2-5 and 34.9% and 29.2% of Hispanic children of Mexican origin ages 2-5. For 6-19 year olds in 1988-1994 and 2001-2004, respectively, the percentages were 18.8% and 19.4% of white children, 33.7% and 28.1% of black children and 36.5% and 30.6% of Hispanic children of Mexican origin.
Percent of Poverty Level a Significant Factor
Between 2001 and 2004, 19.6% of 2-5 year olds and 31.5% of 6-19 year olds below 100% of the poverty level had untreated cavities, as compared with 25.4% of 2-5 year olds and 32.7% of 6-19 year olds between 100% and less than 200% of the poverty level. In contrast, only 12.1% of 2-5 year olds and 14.7% of 16-19 year olds
Untreated dental caries, or cavities, refers to untreated coronal caries, that is, caries on the crown or enamel surface of the tooth. Root tips are classified as coronal caries. Root caries are not included. For children 2–5 years of age, only dental caries in primary teeth were evaluated. Caries in both permanent and primary teeth were evaluated for children 6–11 years of age. For children 12–19 years of age and adults, only dental caries in permanent teeth were evaluated.
Friday, Dec. 31st 2010
California Dental for Less, Teeth Whiting does Orange and Banana peels help to whiten your teeth: For a very low cost I was told that Orange and Banana peels can help to whiten your teeth. And they do a better job at whiten teeth then say baking soda does. My teeth are not as white as I would like them to be but can not afford whitening treatments.
Thursday, Dec. 30th 2010
Dental care in California, Broken Tooth Needs a Root Canal: Just a few days ago I broke a good part of my back molar off. It not hurting me too bad but I know I need for it to be fixed. A few people are telling I may need to have a root canal and a crown done. Do you know of a good dentist with cheap prices?
Wednesday, Dec. 29th 2010
Dental Insurance for Braces in California, Adult braces and dental coverages: I am finding it hard to find dental insurance that offers brace coverages for an adult. The few dental insurance plan that I seen will only offer orthodontic coverages to child up to age 19. What do 28 years do when they want to have braces to fix their teeth?
Tuesday, Dec. 28th 2010
California Dental Insurance, Supplement Dental Insurance: I would like to get two dental plans that I can use in order to save me the most money on my dental cost. I need major dental work that is going to cost me plenty. So I thought I would like to get to plans and combine them like a supplemental dental plan. Is that a good idea?
Monday, Dec. 27th 2010
California Dental Insurance Coverages for a Root Canal on Molar: Root canal needed in New Jersey: I live in New Jersey and will be moving to California and in need of a root canal as soon as possible. I have been putting my dental care off for a while not do to not having money but I see that was stupid of me since I been pricing out root canal only to find out how expensive they are. Where should i go?
Sunday, Dec. 26th 2010
California Dental Health Care, Currently Unemployed with no dental benefits: Right now I am currently unemployed with no dental insurance benefits. My last job offer me dental so I was able to see the dentist two to three times a year. Now after being laid off for the past ten months I worried about my teeth care. I get some help with my medical and but need better coverage.
Saturday, Dec. 25th 2010
Dental Health Care, Why is having dental work so expensive in California: I do not get why dental services need to be so expensive. Having just gotten back from my dentist I was told I would need two root canals which will also need to be crowned. I am one of the lucky few that does have some limited dental benefits though my employer.
Friday, Dec. 24th 2010
California Dental Insurance Health Care plans: A close friend of mine really needs dental health care. She does not have dental insurance and only works about 25 hours work weeks. She said she has tried getting payment plans from dental different dental office for dental services she will need but was turned down each time for poor credit.
Thursday, Dec. 23rd 2010
I am a army vet and although I get some dental coverages though the Vet Affairs dental reimbursement program. I am having a hard time getting any help for my missing tooth that I have and will need to get a dental implant. The costs for the dental implant exceeds dental reimbursement program fee schedules posted. Now what do I do?
Wednesday, Dec. 22nd 2010
Do to a rotten tooth that broke off four days ago my fiance has been in some very bad pain. I took him to the hospital which only have him some pain killers and antibiotics but that was all they would do for him. They told him to see a dentist. However he does not want to go. Now what?
Tuesday, Dec. 21st 2010
I would like to know how much having a set of full mouth dental implants would cost. My husband has both top and bottom dentures for many years now. He does not like them and he seems to always be griping about them. I would like for him to have dental implants but I know they are expensive.
Monday, Dec. 20th 2010
California Dental Insurance, What is an estimated cost for dental care: Part time student full time worker. Even though I do have a full time job I do not get dental benefits. I would like to get an estimated cost idea for dental services since I have a back molar that has been really hurting me in the past few days.
Sunday, Dec. 19th 2010
I am currently living in New Hampshire just moved here two months ago. I am looking for dental insurance because my current dental plan does not work in New Hampshire and I was told I would need to look for a new plan. This will be the first time shopping for dental insurance on line since I am an adult.
Saturday, Dec. 18th 2010
Maine dental care, dental bridge needed but I have no dental insurance. What can I do I am getting turned down with all the dental insurance companies I have bother to call so far. I have three missing front teeth. I just want a bridge so I can have nice looking teeth. Where do I get them?
|
