Modern Hygienist - October 2008 - (Page 12)

open | NEWS Restoring lives Give Back A Smile program restores more than 600 smiles. With its Give Back a Smile program, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) Charitable Foundation is helping to highlight the tragic effects of domestic violence during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. To date, the program that provides free cosmetic dental care to survivors of domestic violence has restored more than 600 smiles across the country. Since 1999, the program has followed its mission to “restore a life by restoring a smile,” and more than 6,000 AACD dental professionals have volunteered their time and expertise pro bono to work on the more than 650 cases that have been completed for a total dollar value of more than $6 million. “After suffering abuse, it is difficult for survivors to find something to smile about, and it’s even harder when they don’t have a smile to show. AACD members assist survivors of domestic violence by treating their dental injuries, restoring their smiles, their self-esteem and their lives,” AACD Foundation Program Manager Lisa Fitch says. “We are overjoyed that AACD volunteers have given so much of themselves by helping those in need.” Those interested in finding help through the Give Back A Smile program should visit givebackasmile. com, call the National Hotline at 800-773-4227 or send an e-mail to givebackasmile@aacd.com. Domestic violence survivors can then make an appointment with a counselor, domestic violence advocate, social worker or therapist to complete the advocate section of the Give Back A Smile application. After review by the program and a participating dentist, eligible applicants are connected with the volunteer dental professionals who provide treatment at no charge to the recipient. To make a donation to the Give Back A Smile program contact the AACD Charitable Foundation, 5401 World Dairy Drive, Madison, WI 53718-3900. Pulling together ADA asks Congress to strengthen Medicaid oral health programs The American Dental Association (ADA) recently called on Congress and other stakeholders to work together on getting greater participation in Medicaid from dentists to help the program provide necessary dental care to vulnerable lowincome children. In testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Domestic Policy, ADA Vice President Jane Grover, DDS, said the most effective thing Congress and the states can do to help the program attract more dentists to provide quality oral healthcare is to increase reimbursement rates for participating dentists. In addition, they should address ongoing administrative barriers and involve state dental societies and individual dentists as active partners in improving the program. Dr. Grover, who is the dental director at a federally qualified health center in Michigan, says many state Medicaid fees are well below what it costs dentists to provide care, and cited Michigan’s “Healthy Kids Dental” program for its effectiveness in improving access to oral healthcare. The program provides dentists with reimbursement rates and claims processing similar to that of common private-sector dental plans and has participation from 90 percent of the state’s dentists. To help states improve their Medicaid programs—and greatly improve dental coverage for low-income children—Congress should pass H.R. 2472, the Essential Oral Health Care Act, Dr. Grover says. This bill would provide enhanced federal matching funds if a state is willing to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates, address administrative barriers and reach out to the dental community. watch this! Click on the video below to hear how the Give Back a Smile program helped this domestic violence survivor. 12 modernhygienist.com | October 2008 http://www.myfoxal.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=39C8F84F26E8B864B375BDD7902EB347?contentId=1641113&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1 http://www.modernhygienist.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Modern Hygienist - October 2008

Modern Hygienist - October 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Letters News Modern Solutions Trends: Homecare Trends: Perio Trends: Ergo Trends: Mid Care After Chemo Professional Rewind Esthetic Expertise: Make or Break Relationship Hands-on Hygiene: Have You Seen the Light? Going the Distance Training for Life Presi-dental Politics Ad Index Moonlighting

Modern Hygienist - October 2008

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