One of the biggest changes ever proposed to Medicare is working its way through Congress, and if it passes, and is signed into law by President Biden, it would put a smile on the face of tens of millions of beneficiaries—literally. The change would add dental benefits to Medicare for the first time since the
“The ADA has a duty to respond when Congress intends to act on adding a dental benefit to Medicare.” This was one of the key messages in a new FAQ the ADA created in order to explain the ADA’s response to a legislative proposal currently being considered by Congress that would expand the nation’s Medicare
Are you keeping an eye on your eyes and teeth? Whether you realize it or not, both are important to your overall health. Let's start with eyes. A comprehensive vision exam can tell you more than whether you need new glasses; it can reveal other conditions that might be affecting your health. Here are a
As Congress considers expanding Medicare to include dental benefits as part of the fiscal year 2022 federal budget, the American Dental Association is advocating for a distinct program that would provide comprehensive dental care to low-income older adults. Dr. Klemmedson "We hope that an innovative approach that is adequately funded and efficiently administered and utilizes
Life is returning to normal. But where dental health is concerned, normal may not be good enough. According to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even BEFORE the pandemic, one-third of American adults under 65 hadn’t had a dental exam or cleaning in more than a year. That is a
In the last decade, most debate and discussion on reforms related to healthcare have focused on Americans’ general health insurance plans and costs. And for good reason. And though our health system is convoluted and complicated, it gets even more complex when we examine what is happening with dental care. The intersection of hefty insurance
The ADA is asking the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to prioritize several oral health issues. In a June 9 letter to the new CMS administrator, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, ADA President Daniel J. Klemmedson, D.D.S., M.D., and Executive Director Kathleen T. O'Loughlin, D.M.D., said that under her leadership, the new administration is “well-positioned to tackle
Studies have shown that teeth grinding has increased during the pandemic; we can help protect your smile. Now that we’re more than a year into a global pandemic, we are learning more about the variety of indirect effects that COVID-19 has had on the population. We have seen it affect our mental health, our emotional
Cosmetic dentist Kourosh Maddahi noticed a trend among his patients in Beverly Hills, California, beginning around March: Demand for treatments, everything from teeth whitening to full smile-makeovers, was higher than pre-pandemic levels. Even international virtual consultations restarted as people again consider traveling to the United States for cosmetic dentistry work. Why now? Maddahi said the
Your dentist might be the first person to suspect you have sleep apnea, a medical condition that can increase your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Snoring is one of the most common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea, but it’s not a universal one. Some people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) don’t snore—and some
