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AGD Responds to Inaccuracies in the Institute of Medicine’s Report

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Posted: July 13, 2011
AGD Responds to Inaccuracies in the Institute of Medicine’s Report

CHICAGO (July 13, 2011)—Today, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council (NRC) released the report, Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Vulnerable and Underserved Populations. The Committee on Oral Health Access to Services, formed by the IOM and NRC in the fall of 2009, drafted the report as a culmination of more than one year’s worth of work. The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) embraces the two core principles included in the report, that oral health is an integral part of overall health, and that oral health promotion and disease prevention are essential to improving access to care; however, the AGD does not support the suggestion that remote supervision of an allied dental professional will provide the public with access to high-quality care.

“Increasing the role of auxiliaries, including expanded function dental assistants, providing greater preventive care within the traditional dental home, in concert with the numerous proven solutions proposed in the AGD’s White Paper on Increasing Access to and Utilization of Oral Health Care Services, will have a far greater impact in improving the current oral health care system than expending the finances to change the system itself,” says AGD President Fares Elias, DDS, JD, FAGD.

The AGD is pleased to have had the opportunity to testify before the Committee on Oral Health Access to Services on March 4, 2010, and appreciates that the report incorporates many of the assessments and solutions encapsulated in the AGD’s 2008 white paper on this subject. Some solutions incorporated into the recommendations of the report include increased enrollment of students from underserved populations, support for funding of Title VII programs, and Medicaid improvements.

However, the AGD is concerned that the IOM report furthers some misconceptions that could have been mitigated by the inclusion of private practice dentists on its committee: These providers, most of whom practice in the private sector where the majority of patients are treated, could have provided significant insights into the reality of removing the barriers that have historically prevented underserved populations from seeking, and receiving, quality oral health care. Yet, despite the best efforts of the AGD, the American Dental Association (ADA), and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the IOM committee declined to include any representatives of private practice dentistry. Additionally, only 1 of the 15 reviewers of the report was a private practice dentist.

The IOM and NRC have expended significant resources to develop a highly comprehensive report whose conclusions and recommendations mostly match those of organized dentistry. While the AGD may take issue with a few of the recommendations contained in this report, those recommendations, if implemented, could put our most vulnerable citizens at an ever greater disadvantage and result in an increased threat to establishing and maintaining proper oral health. The AGD has reached out to develop a sound working relationship with the IOM and will continue to build upon this relationship to promote solutions that are truly in the best interests of the public.

About the AGD
The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is a professional association of more than 37,000 general dentists dedicated to staying up-to-date in the profession through continuing education. Founded in 1952, the AGD has grown to become the world’s second largest dental association, which is the only association that exclusively represents the needs and interests of general dentists. More than 786,000 persons are employed directly in the field of dentistry. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management, and overall coordination of services related to patients’ oral health needs. Learn more about AGD member dentists or find more information on dental health topics at www.knowyourteeth.com
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