Kristen Jarrell, an Alexander County resident and licensed foster parent in Wilkes County, has had a dickens of a time trying to find a dentist for children in her care.
In North Carolina, one of the requirements for a child entering foster care is a health and emotional trauma screening that includes an oral health assessment. For any needs identified, the state Department of Health and Human Services requires follow-up care and monitoring.
“What that looks like in real life is hours of phone calls, being told over and over ‘We don’t take Medicaid’ or ‘We’re not accepting new patients,’” Jarrell said Tuesday during a news conference at the State Legislative Building in Raleigh. “And if you do find someone, you’re often waiting weeks to be seen.”
Source: NC dentists push for higher Medicaid payments to tackle access crisis / North Carolina Health News