News

A local nonprofit says the Council Bluffs community, and Iowa as a whole, is facing a access to care crisis for oral health services.

Firefly, formerly known as Family Inc., said that 57% of children under age 13 in Pottawattamie County are covered by Iowa Medicaid, but there are no longer any dental providers who accepts new Medicaid patients, according to a news release.

Accepting new patients isn’t required of dentists as it is for other health care providers. The state’s reimbursement rate for dentists is about 40% of their typical fee, making it a financial challenge as most Iowa dentists are small businesses.

“More than half of children in our county are covered by insurance that is no longer accepted by providers,” the release states. “This crisis has been brewing for a few years and continues to get worse.”

Tooth decay is among the most common chronic diseases of childhood, especially among children from low-income households or who are ethnic minorities. Untreated, it can cause chronic infections, abscesses, mouth pain, problems eating and sleeping, growth delay, school absence and poor well-being. In rare cases, it can cause sepsis and death.

To address those issues, Firefly’s I-Smile program teamed up Friday, May 3, with dentist offices to provide free treatment. BlueJay Dental, Broadway Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, My Pediatric Dentist—Bayliss Park, Valley View Dental and Omni Dental-Council Bluffs all participated.

Children were selected in advance for the event based on need, according to the release. A free screening, preventative treatment and care was provided during Give Kids a Smile.