Dentist shortage pains New York: View

You may want to consider acting on that toothache you’ve been ignoring for six months, or soon the soreness in the back of your mouth could be compounded by a new headache: Finding a dentist. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, New York state may face a shortage of dentists as early as 2025, as demand is expected to far outpace supply, with 1,024 fewer full-time dentists than needed. This is expected to become the third highest state shortage in the country.

While the intensity of the projected shortage has been debated, some developments relating to supply and demand are undeniable.

First off, the state’s population is aging, and older adults generally have more dental needs than younger people. Further, compared to the elderly populations of the past, baby boomers have largely kept their natural teeth, which require more care than dentures.

THE NEWS: NY's first new dental school in 50 years opens in Hawthorne

Second, under the Affordable Care Act, dental benefits are not required for adults (benefits are required for children), and those who want coverage are forced to enroll in costly standalone plans. A bill introduced in the House of Representatives last year would extend dental coverage to ACA participants. Though this particular bill appears stalled, a growing understanding of how dental health is connected to overall health will eventually lead to the creation of similar bills over the next decade.

Finally, New York state is already facing a shortage. A 2015 survey by the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute and Families USA found that 26 percent of New Yorkers are not visiting the dentist because of “trouble finding a dentist,” which is significantly higher than the 15 percent national average.

While the number of dentists is expected to rise as existing dental schools in the state graduate more dentists and new dental schools open, incentivizing dentists to work where the need is greatest — in rural areas and inner cities — remains a challenge. Currently, according to a 2015 report by the Center for Health Workforce Studies, though 16 percent of the state’s population lives in rural communities, only 8 percent of the state’s dentists are located in these regions.

Despite these challenges, there are a number of ways New York can meet this growing demand for dentists.

One possibility that would require state legislative action is to pass the “Dentists Across New York” bill. The legislation would authorize the Department of Health to add dentists to the successful “Doctors Across New York” program, which provides financial incentives to doctors who choose to work in underserved areas of the state.

Another option would be to expand rural health immersion programs. Medical schools have long offered students the opportunity to shadow doctors practicing in rural communities for academic credit. The program has proven to increase the likelihood that students choose to practice in a rural community following graduation. Similar programs should be adopted by dental schools throughout the state.

Finally and most importantly, we need to create more academic pathways to dentistry. This past summer, Touro opened the state’s first new school of dental medicine in nearly 50 years. Expanding dental programs and increasing the recruitment of students of diverse backgrounds into these programs will serve the greater good, which is an ideal fundamental to our school’s mission.

In the end, New York’s increased demand for dentists is a real issue that warrants a comprehensive response from government and academia. Much like that lingering toothache, it would not be wise for us, as a state, to ignore this problem any longer.

The writer is founding dean of the Touro College of Dental Medicine at New York Medical College in Hawthorne.