Coon Rapids, Minn. -- Apple Tree Dental, the nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing dental care to Minnesota residents who would otherwise do without, is commemorating its 20th year of service to charity patients and other special needs clients.
More than 600,000 Minnesotans are not able to get the dental care they need -- enough people to fill 10 Metrodomes. Dental care for this group of vulnerable patients is the top unmet healthcare access need in Minnesota.
Why are so many vulnerable patients not getting dental care? The supply of dentists is actually growing smaller, with Minnesota ranked 50th among the states with the greatest reduction in the number of dentists to citizens.
Other obstacles to dental care access involve dollars and time. Patients who receive government support simply cannot get dental care. Many dental offices do not accept these patients because state reimbursements do not cover their costs, and many practices are not equipped to accommodate the special needs of those in a wheelchair or with developmental disabilities.
"Dental care is a choice that is often taken for granted, but for nursing home residents, people with disabilities, low-income families, and others, dental care is often beyond reach. The barriers can be financial, physical and cultural," says Apple Tree Dental CEO Michael Helgeson, DDS.
"Many dental offices simply cannot accommodate special needs patients, and limits on government reimbursements mean most dental offices may actually lose money by treating these patients," he adds.
During 2004, nonprofit Apple Tree Dental had to write off more than $2 million in uncompensated care.
