New Pennsylvania Dental Association President Will Focus on Improving Access to Care

New Pennsylvania Dental Association President Will Focus on Improving Access
to Care
Dr. Thomas Gamba of Philadelphia to continue PDA's efforts to improve patient
access

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Dental
Association (PDA) recently installed Dr. Thomas W. Gamba of Philadelphia as
its new president. Dr. Gamba, who served as president-elect for the past
year, said improving patient access to oral health services will continue to
be a major focus of the organization.
"All Pennsylvanians deserve access to quality dental health care," Dr.
Gamba said. "The Pennsylvania Dental Association is working with the General
Assembly on several efforts to improve access to oral health services
throughout the Commonwealth."
Dr. Gamba said the PDA is supporting legislation (HB 1649) that would
require water systems with 500 or more customers to adjust the levels of
naturally occurring fluoride in their water in an effort to improve the oral
health of Pennsylvanians. Currently, only about half the population of
Pennsylvania is served by water systems with the optimal level of fluoride to
prevent tooth decay. Sixty years of scientific studies have proven that
fluoride prevents tooth decay and is safe to consume.
"It costs a community between 50 cents and $3 per person per year to
fluoridate the water to protect people from tooth decay. For most
communities, every $1 spent on fluoridation saves $38 in dental treatment
costs," Dr. Gamba said.
In addition to fluoridation, Dr. Gamba said the PDA is supporting the
following legislative efforts to improve access to quality dental health care:
Requiring Insurers to Cover Anesthesia for Children and Special Needs
Patients. PDA advocates requiring insurers to cover general anesthesia
for young children and special needs patients who cannot receive treatment
in dental offices. Twenty nine other states require this coverage to
ensure that the most vulnerable patients receive dental care.
Increasing Funding for Student Loans. Pennsylvania's student loan
forgiveness program currently reimburses dentists serving in underserved
areas as much as $64,000 over four years. However, the debt load for
dental students is estimated to be $162,000 and higher. PDA believes more
funding in the student loan forgiveness program will attract more dentists
to rural and urban areas that are underserved.
Expanding Dental Services. The PDA is seeking an expansion of duties for
certified dental assistants and expanded function dental assistants. This
shift would allow dentists to treat more patients, increasing access to
dental services throughout the Commonwealth. Kansas, which passed a
similar law in 1998, found that more patients were able to receive dental
care.
"Oral health is a key component to ensuring healthy people, both children
and adults," said Dr. Gamba. "As President of the Pennsylvania Dental
Association, I look forward to working with lawmakers and health organizations
to improve access to quality dental care in our communities."
A graduate of Villanova University and Temple University's School of
Dentistry, Dr. Gamba joined his father's practice in Philadelphia where they
worked together until his father retired in 1985 after 51 years of practice.
In 1981, Dr. Gamba was awarded a Fellowship in the Academy of General
Dentistry, signifying over 500 hours of post-graduate, continuing education in
various phases of dentistry. He has been a clinical instructor at the
University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and has lectured in
practice management at Temple University's School of Dentistry. He is also
the consulting dentist for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Dr. Gamba serves on the American Dental Association Council on Ethics,
Bylaws and Judicial Affairs. Some of the offices he has held include President
of the Philadelphia County Dental Society, Chairman of the Board of the
Liberty Dental Conference, Council on Annual Sessions of the American Dental
Association and Speaker of the House of the Pennsylvania Dental Association.
He is also a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and the International
College of Dentists.
Dr. Gamba and his wife, Cynthia, have been married since 1971 and have two
grown children. They have lived in South Philadelphia all their lives and are
active in their church, as well as in civic and charitable organizations.
For more information on the PDA, visit http://www.padental.org.
SOURCE Pennsylvania Dental Association

Robert Pugliese of PDA, +1-717-234-5941