Good oral health impacts more than a smile. It brings a host of health benefits as people age, including a lower risk of dementia, diabetes and heart disease, research suggests. But many older adults can’t afford regular dental care — or they live someplace where dentists are in short supply.
That’s why AARP is urging Congress to make dental care more affordable and available.
We submitted a letter to U.S. Senate lawmakers last week ahead of a committee hearing on the dental care crisis in America. In our letter, we urged Congress to:
- Make routine dental coverage a standard benefit in Medicare
- Require that a “robust” minimum standard of dental benefits be included in private health insurance plans
- Encourage states to include adult dental coverage in subsidized health plans for lower-income residents
AARP is also pushing Congress to address a shortage of dentists in many parts of the country. States such as Maine, Minnesota and Vermont, for example, allow dental therapists to provide basic dental services, such as fillings and extractions.
Source: Improve Access to Dental Care, AARP Tells Congress / AARP