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You have probably heard the “let’s do it our way” state-by-state argument derived from constitution versus Supreme Court squabbles over the last 150 plus years. Kids and their dentistry should not be part of this botched up disunited concept.

While dental care distribution is not a specific constitutional argument, it is hinged on this same go-it-alone mindset. Here is some background on how this state-by-state way of thinking and approaching issues has made a mockery of our union. The biggest misfiring was the supreme court's ruling protecting slavery. It was one of the first issues where the supreme beings let constitutional obfuscations get in the way of making this country a better place.

In consti-voluted scholar-speak, it goes something like this: each state has authority over their affairs in numerous ways, which the federal government cannot abridge, especially if we are actually trying to do something worthwhile for all Americans.

Still not sure what states’ rights has to do with dentistry? It might be difficult for me to tie it all up – but I like to make connections where no one else sees them. If you like it easy – surfing this half-pipe of a web blog diatribe might not be for you.

Basically, when these manipulative rights meanderings become a way to subjugate the less than powerful, the logic of states' rights is hard to follow. In this case we are doing it with dental care for children (and everyone else). You will see that the evidence is considerable for how inadequately our piecemeal state-by-glorious-state approach is working.

Okay, I’m not a constitutional scholar and have only seen one on TV, but this “we can do it our own way” has some pretty big flaws. Those who “pay” the most are usually the ones without the power to make big changes. Therefore, they fall farther and farther behind. Without a united effort, all we are doing is dribbling water on the blast furnace of oral deterioration and dental disease.

Besides the trouble with the constitutional garble of states' rights, I wonder how we can ask these same kids to say the Pledge of Allegiance. While “liberty and justice for all” is a great thing to stand at attention and spout (it still sends a shiver up my spine), the crisis in children’s dental care will turn most shivering into chattering teeth that end up falling out. Asking kids with no teeth to make a pledge to their country is not an oral tradition we should support. Even though I do not agree with sending my children to fight in most wars, we should at least give the kids a chance to get to that age in the first place.

We should unite our approaches rather than have 50 test sites that rise and fall for no other reason than haphazard state legislature funding and/or the individual economies of these great states. If dental health for kids is not something we should unite for, I am not sure why we have a United States Constitution or spew words that are based on little but historical tradition. I suggest we drop the "United" part and unleash the full power of individual fiefdoms running their own affairs into the ground. Or think of it this way: "Divided we fall – as we watch our kids’ teeth fall out too."

Ironically, the original concept for this specific dental blog was going to be about fun ways to get children interested in improving their oral/dental health. In that search I found a kids’ dental care activities link from the state of Tennessee's website. As I searched for similar websites in other states to make dental learning fun, I found a website link that detailed some survey results about children’s dental care in Pennsylvania.

As I discovered the ruinous level of dental health in our country – especially with lower income children – my direction for this blog changed. Maybe getting kids with decent dental care to do more was not that important. People who can afford Internet service and would likely spend time with their kids in this manner don't really need my help. It is much more vital to improve the oral health statistics of those who have not gotten much from the “states’ rights” way of approaching dental health (and all healthcare).

At this link you can find statistics on your state’s ability to go it alone in children’s dental care.

I discovered the following links, statements, and headlines after only a 15 or 20-minute search of dental health and children. It was disturbing how much we know and how little we do about it. Yes, there are very good people doing very good things. But our individual efforts seem to be one mobile dental clinic short of a legitimate response.

Sadly, the results I discovered reminded me of some of the pathetic things we are doing in third world countries (or NOT!).

One more rant before you peruse these troubling dental statistics. We are spending about $100 Billion per year to fight a war in Iraq. Whether you believe in this war or not, I hope it confuses you why we can’t find 1/10th of that amount of money and use it in a united manner to win our children’s health back. It might be unpatriotic or politically incorrect for me to think in these terms, but the choice between more dead Iraqis versus better dental health for our children seems to be a no-brainer.

Yes, the “bad guys” might get us if we don’t go get them where they live – but right now we are losing the future of many children by not fighting for them where they live. According to the constitution you have the right to hide in your state and avoid your fellow American’s needs. But remember this country would not be here to give you that right if it weren’t for the UNITED front that banded together to make it all possible.

So chew (if you still can) on these statistics and stories for a while and then let me know how we are going to make dental care better without getting together on this.

Dental Blog Commentary by RAC
DentalBlogger.com

National Dental Care Back to School 2001: Bad teeth epidemic among poor children
U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher last year declared that a "silent epidemic" of oral diseases afflicts the nation's most vulnerable populations -- its children, elderly and many minorities. Washington, D.C.

Pennsylvania Oral Health
Schoolchildren Needs Assessment: sampling was done at the health district level with Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. This study found useful and significant data on cavity and untreated cavity levels, which were especially high in the 6 to 8 year olds in the Northwest District.

Dental Outreach Programs
Kentucky has significantly high poverty levels. One in four Kentucky children live in poverty. Poor oral health is associated with poverty. Children with chronic tooth decay can also find it difficult, if not impossible, to regularly attend school and learn and perform at high levels.

Texas: Dental Decay
Recognizing that dental decay is the largest single disease, affecting children, and that high-risk populations (racial and ethnic minorities, rural residents and lower socioeconomic groups) experience disproportionate amounts of disease. The mission of Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas (MHM) is to improve the health those least served in the 72 county region of South Texas.

California: First Smiles is a statewide initiative to address the "silent epidemic" of Early Childhood Caries affecting children ages 0-5. It is the most prevalent chronic disease of early childhood and a major cause of school absenteeism

Oral Health – Oregon Dental Association

In Oregon, that translates into approximately five out of every ten low-income children having dental cavities.

Oral Health and Dental Access – The Local Perspective
Symptoms of this oral epidemic are easy to find in Champaign County (Illinois), where there is a serious lack of affordable dental services for low-income adults.

Mobile Dental Van - New York - Northern Manhattan: Washington Heights and Harlem

Florida Medicaid HMO Does Not Improve Children's Dental Care, Study Says

Annual Event "Brightens" The Smiles, Lives Of Underserved Children
University of Mississippi School of Dentistry

Critical Issues in Dental Education
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) School of Dentistry

Preventative and Restorative Mobile Dental Outreach programs
In Nevada, approximately 120,000 low-income children are in need of dental services.

Dental care remains the most prevalent unmet health care need for children in New Mexico

Inadequate access to dental care for children of families living in poverty is a nationwide problem

In Minnesota, low reimbursement rates for providing dental care to people on government programs has contributed to the numbers of untreated children.
Nationally, more than one-half of children ages 6 to 8 have tooth decay; one third of which goes untreated.

Dental caries prevalence and treatment levels in Arizona preschool children
CONCLUSIONS: The data show that dental caries is highly prevalent in this preschool population, with little of the disease being treated.

The report states that more than 51 million school hours are lost annually to dental-related illness. Percent of Medicaid-enrolled children, ages 1-20 years that receive any dental service: 44% in 2005
Data Source: Iowa Department of Public Health

In rural areas there are 29 dentists per every 100,000 people, compared to 61 per 100,000 in urban areas.

RESULTS: Only 12% of children greater than or equal to 12 months old had been to the dentist.
Oregon Health Sciences University School of Dentistry, Portland, USA.

END OF LINKS that show our un-united approach to improving dental health.