President Obama has spoken openly about his plans for health and dental care in the USA. Speaking at a community event at the Nevada town hall in Las Vegas, the President addressed a number of concerns raised by local residents.
The event allowed people to ask the President questions about both general health and dental healthcare, subjects which are currently extremely contentious across America. Obama plans to radically change the structure of the health system in America as it currently favours the wealthier citizen and leaves thousands of people without access to affordable health and dental care because they can’t afford even the most basic insurance plan. Currently, one third of Americans do not have dental insurance.
The dramatic changes would enable all American citizens to access the care they need and will prevent vulnerable groups such as the elderly, lone parents and young children from going without the additional support they require. The new system will also promote preventive dental treatment in a bid to improve national standards of dental health and reduce the need for complex dental treatments in the future.
When quizzed about new measures for oral health, the President said he was keen to raise awareness of the importance of good oral health and urged people to take care of their teeth and gums by regularly brushing and flossing. He also added that people should be aware of the potential risks of poor oral health, with research consistently proving that dental health is an indicator of general health and poor oral health can contribute to serious general health issues such as heart disease.
The President has come under fire for making ‘unrealistic’ claims about healthcare in America, with many saying that there is no money available to make such drastic changes; however, supporters of Obama’s policies are backing the long-term aims of the proposals. In the long-term, ensuring people have access to basic healthcare services and preventive medical measures such as early screening programmes and educational initiatives, will hopefully decrease the need for more complex, costly procedures in the future as well as improving standards of health.
If the money isn’t available to complete the drastic overhaul, the President has suggested that children will be targeted as a means of developing good habits and preventing the need for expensive treatment later on in life.
