Report Title:

Dentists; Serving Vulnerable Population

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii enjoys a reputation of being a healthy state where its residents enjoy a longer lifespan than in most other states; and

WHEREAS, in the area of oral health, Hawaii is not that fortunate because recent findings indicate that dental services are not reaching a portion of the adult and child populations in rural areas, neighbor islands, and those populations with high rates of poverty, who lack insurance, and particularly those who are covered by the State's Medicaid/QUEST programs; and

WHEREAS, children in Hawaii have some of the worst oral health conditions in the nation, with key oral health indicator rates up to four times higher than the national average; and

WHEREAS, the islands of Molokai and Lanai, for example, have very high proportions of five-year-olds with baby bottle tooth decay; and loss of baby teeth can lead to problems with the later presentation of permanent, adult teeth; and

WHEREAS, there is a high correlation between socio-economic status and the condition of a person's oral health; and

WHEREAS, although Hawaii has a favorable dentist to population ratio of eighty-one dentists per one hundred thousand residents, dental service for the State's Medicaid/QUEST program is provided by only thirty per cent of Hawaii's practicing dentists and while insurance programs provide full dental coverage for children, adults receive only emergency care, not preventive care; and

WHEREAS, adults' oral health needs if poorly treated can affect their physical health, including their ability to obtain adequate nutrition, and dental problems can lead to more expensive treatments if left to a later stage; and

WHEREAS, the factors of culture, diet, dental education, lack of accessibility in the rural areas, availability of dentists, and limitations of insurance coverage all conspire against healthy oral dental care for the poor, those living on the neighbor islands, and especially children; and

WHEREAS, a combination of lack of understanding of the importance of regular check-ups and the high cost of dental care increases the likelihood of the downward spiral in oral health in this State; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Health offers dental care to low-income individuals and families and the Department of Human Services administers the Medicaid/Quest programs and both these departments have experience with the issues of oral health in the State; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, the Senate concurring, that the Departments of Health and Human Services are requested to develop strategies to meet the oral health care needs of underserved areas and underserved populations, especially children; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Departments of Health and Human Services are requested to consult with dental care providers, health plans, community health centers, dental clinics, and the Board of Dental Examiners to develop specific rules and legislation to increase the supply of dentists and dental hygienists to provide services in underserved areas and for underserved populations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services are requested to report findings and recommendations to the Legislature twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, the Director of Human Services, the Hawaii Dental Association, the Board of Dental Examiners, and the Hawaii Dental Health Plan.