Survey: Recession Forcing Low-Income Families to Sacrifice Kids` Dental Care

Poll Shows Nearly Half of All Low-Income Parents Forced to Choose Food,
Transportation and Housing at Expense of Regular Check-Ups for Kids

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(Business Wire)--
A recent survey of low-income parents has found that financial stress caused by
the economic recession is forcing many families to choose between basic
necessities such as food, transportation and housing, and routine dental care
for their children - exacerbating an epidemic of poor dental health among
children from underserved communities.

"There is an overwhelming need for dental care for economically-disadvantaged
children across the country," said Dr. Steven Adair, a faculty member of the
Medical College of Georgia and Chief Dental Officer of FORBA, the nation`s
largest dental practice management company focused on care for low-income kids.
Adair oversees clinical and quality initiatives at FORBA`s nationwide associated
network of Small Smiles dental centers.

"The surgeon general has called tooth decay among low-income children a silent
epidemic," he said. "The financial hardship brought about by the recession is
putting more children at risk for tooth decay and more serious, even
life-threatening, health problems."

"The results of this survey indicate an ongoing need for dental education in our
communities, and a continued commitment of resources that help ensure the
lifelong oral health of children in need," said Burt Edelstein, Chair and
founder of the Washington, D.C.-based Children`s Dental Health Project, which
advocates for policies that improve children`s access to oral health services.

"Current health care reform efforts in Congress offer a number of opportunities
to improve children`s oral health. Information from the survey can help inform
current congressional efforts on reform that stress education and prevention as
well as treatment. When parents are forced to sacrifice their children`s health
to make ends meet, there are consequences that can have a lasting impact on a
child`s overall health, speech, nutrition and development," said Edelstein. "The
financial pressure felt by many of these families is putting children`s health
at risk."

The national online poll, conducted May 29-30, surveyed 210 parents of young
children in households with annual incomes of $35,000 or less. The survey found
that among respondents:

* Nearly half (44 percent) said they have experienced financial difficulties
related to the current economic recession, and have been forced to choose
between dental care for their children and other necessities such as food,
transportation and housing.
* One in five (20 percent) take their child to the dentist less than once per
year, far below the American Dental Association`s recommendation of two annual
check-ups.

* Approximately 16 percent indicated that their child is uninsured, and more
than 40 percent said their family receives government health assistance from
such programs as Medicaid and CHIP.
* Approximately 18 percent said they have trouble locating a dentist who will
treat their child, a finding that reflects a national problem: in some states,
fewer than 1 in 4 dentists will treat children from low-income families that
receive Medicaid.

Among the respondents who indicated that the recession had forced tough
financial choices between dental care and other necessities, the results
indicate even greater challenges to children`s dental health. The survey found
that of those who indicated financial stress:

* Almost three out of four (74 percent) said their child visits a dentist less
than once each year.
* A large majority (86 percent) said they have trouble finding a dentist to
treat their children.
* Three out of four (75 percent) said their children are uninsured.

"About 80 percent of the tooth decay found in American children is found in only
20 percent of children, and most of those kids come from low-income families,"
said Adair. "Care for these children must remain a priority both for parents and
communities."

"At a time when many families have been affected by a loss of income and other
hardships, we are going to continue to engage communities with vital care and
education initiatives," said FORBA Chairman and CEO Michael G. Lindley, whose
Small Smiles network of associated dental clinics has provided free screenings
for nearly 10,000 children this year. "We will continue to work to ensure that
children in need get the healthy smiles they deserve."

Survey details and tips for safeguarding children`s dental health may be found
by visiting: www.smallsmilesusa.com.

EDITOR`S NOTE

Please contact Amanda Keating at (202) 898-0995 or Amanda.keating@rubinmeyer.com
to reach the following experts, who are available for interviews and comment:

* Dr. Steven Adair, DDS, MS, Chief Dental Officer of FORBA and faculty member of
the Medical College of Georgia. Certified by the American Board of Pediatric
Dentistry and a fellow of the American College of Dentists, Adair is also the
former editor-in-chief of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and has
served as a member of the AAPD Board of Trustees. He has advised the Commission
on Dental Accreditation, the Joint Commission of National Dental Examiners, the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Dental Products Panel, and the U.S. Air Force.

* Dr. Burton L. Edelstein, DDS, MPH, Chair and Founding Director of the
Children`s Dental Health Project. Burt Edelstein is a board certified pediatric
dentist and professor of dentistry and public health at Columbia University,
where he is Chairman of the Section on Social and Behavioral Sciences. Burt
practiced pediatric dentistry in Connecticut and taught pediatric dentistry and
oral health policy at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine for 21 years before
committing to full-time health policy practice. He served as a 1996-7 Robert
Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow in the office of U.S. Senate minority leader
Tom Daschle with primary responsibilities for CHIP. He also worked with the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services on its oral health initiatives from 1998
to 2001, chaired the U.S. Surgeon General's Workshop on Children and Oral
Health, and authored the child section of the U.S. Surgeon General's Report Oral
Health in America. With support from the American Academy of Pediatric
Dentistry, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Dental Education
Association, Dr. Edelstein founded the Children's Dental Health Project in
1997.

for Small Smiles Dental Centers
Amanda Keating, 202-834-3179
Amanda.keating@rubinmeyer.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009