dentalgraphMore Americans are turning to the emergency room for toothaches and other avoidable dental problems, according to a new report by the Pew Center on the States.

Preventable dental conditions were the primary reason ER visits for dental problems increased 16 percent from 2006 to 2009. Most of those cases could have been avoided by regular checkups that went untreated, analysis said, but many didn't have access to a dentist.

Hospital visits can be reduced simply by strengthening oral health and reducing costs by making "modest investments to improve access to preventative care," Pew says.

Complete your profile to continue reading and get FREE access to BenefitsPRO, part of your ALM digital membership.

  • Critical BenefitsPRO information including cutting edge post-reform success strategies, access to educational webcasts and videos, resources from industry leaders, and informative Newsletters.
  • Exclusive discounts on ALM, BenefitsPRO magazine and BenefitsPRO.com events
  • Access to other award-winning ALM websites including ThinkAdvisor.com and Law.com
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.