Increase Access to Dental Care in Maine
Vote “YES” on Question 2
Tuesday, November 2nd is Election Day. The ballot includes a question about
supporting dental clinics in Maine. This is how the question reads:
“Do you favor a $5 million bond issue to be awarded on a competitive
basis to increase access to dental care in Maine, $3.5 million to be used for
a community-based teaching dental clinic affiliated with or operated by a college
of dental medicine to be matched by $3.5 million in other funds, and $1.5 million
to be used to create or upgrade community-based health and dental care clinics
across the State to increase their capacity as teaching and dental clinics?”
Maine Equal Justice is supporting this question and we urge you to vote ‘Yes’
on Question 2 as well.
Why is voting ‘Yes’ on this question so important?
We have a dental crisis in our state. Maine has a dentist shortage. There is
only one dentist for every 2,300 people. This is expected to grow as more dentists
retire over the next decade. Maine doesn’t have a plan to fill these dentists’
shoes. The unmet oral health care needs in Maine will increase without more
dentists.
Dental disease contributes to poor overall health, leading to increased healthcare
costs. When people have dental problems it also affects their career opportunities,
social relations and mental health. Dental pain is one of the leading causes
of avoidable Emergency Department (ED) visits for MaineCare members and people
without insurance. The average cost for being seen in the ED is drastically
more than if the same procedure had been provided in a clinic setting.
The dental bond that’s on November 2nd ballot will help address these
problems across Maine. Every dollar of the funding will go to dental clinic
space. Of the $5 million, $3.5 million will go to a clinic that will be part
of a new Maine-based dental school. Dental students will provide dental care
to patients from the community alongside licensed dentists. This clinic could
provide up to 12,000 low-cost visits per year to Mainers who are interested
in receiving their dental care here. The other $1.5 million will help improve
access by supporting community dental clinics around the state. With care provided
by both licensed dentists and fourth-year dental students, these community clinics
could see an additional 48,000 patients per year.
Passage of Question 2 will be a victory for people in Maine who struggle
to find affordable dental care. We urge you to vote ‘Yes’ on Question
2!
MAIN
Update Table of Contents |
MAIN
Home Page |
MEJP Home Page
