The role of free dental programs in care provision for the underserved.

UNLABELLED Due to the shortcomings of the existing healthcare delivery system in general, and the dental field in particular, safety net programs are not simply optional; they are mandatory to help meet the overwhelming healthcare needs of the underserved. Free dental clinics are a vital part of this system, and indeed, millions of actual dollars, millions of dollars worth of services and thousands of hours of professional manpower are donated each year to provide free dental services for the needy. The short-term benefits of these clinics are obvious, the rendering of dental care to tens of thousands of individuals per year who would otherwise go without. The long-term advantages may be somewhat less than obvious, however. Given that most dental professionals have limited contact with the underserved, the free clinics offer the opportunity to bring in volunteer dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants who may then gain first-hand knowledge of the access crisis and work directly with North Carolina's growing population in greatest need of dental care. Additionally, the free clinics often offer the same benefit for dental students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as for undergraduate pre-dental students. This is a key aspect, as for every one of these students who may eventually enter the dental profession with a willingness to provide for the underserved population, tens of thousands of individuals in need could potentially receive dental treatment over the span of a dental career. The challenges of beginning and maintaining a free dental program over the long term are daunting. However, for those willing to invest the time and effort, the resources are available for long-term success with a resultant significant, positive impact on the dental care access crisis now in existence. As stated by Dr. Franklin M. Boyar in describing his free dental program in Florida, " PROJECT Dentists Care is simply an organization that brings together unmet health needs of indigent populations within our communities with the desire of individual dentists to help their fellow man, along with the responsibility of a profession to deliver needed care to the underserved." Inherent in consideration of itself as a profession is the understanding by the component members of dentistry that it is indeed a responsibility, not simply an option, to deliver needed dental care to all citizens, regardless of their ability to pay. At the heart of any successful resolution of the dental care access crisis is the ability of dental providers to accept this responsibility, significantly increase Medicaid acceptance, willingly participate in access initiatives, and provide the care for which they have been granted licensure by the citizens of North Carolina.