Dr. King's Legacy
By Dean Rotbart, Director
TEAM 1500
Today we honor the life and vision of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. King was one of the foremost advocates of “equal access” and would no doubt have endorsed any efforts to remove the economic and racial moats that block the poor and minorities from receiving proper medical and dental care.
Oral health must not be the exclusive providence of those who can afford to visit oral surgeons and dental anesthesiologists. Working men and women in the inner cities, rural
For millions of Americans, there are two barriers to getting the oral health care they require. One is economic. The other is fear.
Oral sedation dentistry removes the fear factor. When used by dedicated dentists following existing
That leaves only cost as a barrier.
The
Among the thousands of dentists now providing safe oral sedation to their nervous patients, hundreds are located in the inner-city and in small and rural communities that don’t enjoy the on-location, fulltime services of oral surgeons and dental anesthesiologists. These dental patients, and many more, will be flat out of luck if the
Dr. King’s spirit and vision have inspired so many Americans to think beyond what is easy and instead focus on what is right.
It would be easy to let the
It’s a lesson we should take to heart on this very special remembrance day.
Dean,
I have spoken with you about this article. It is excellent. It is a most auspicious platform to form for our group. It is definitely politically correct in its nature. There would be inherent difficulty in arguing its point of view. Obstacles such as fear and cost are well elucidated. The indigent, inner city, rural folks are particularly hard hit with the new proposed guidelines. I am sure the next presidential elections are going to highlight again national health insurance or equal access for all. I am not endorsing national health insurance here but the apt concern for all Americans is better access to health care, regardless of one's political party. These new proposed guidelines will definitely thwart the process. Martin Luther King epitomizes this American "dream." To come across as a special interest group to protect one's turf is a tough stance to defend in our political climate especially when it comes to preventing equal access care for all.
I am sure the opponent's antithetical viewpoint will be one of safety for the American public. Prove to me OCS in adults is safe. I have e-mailed TEAM 1500 in the past concerning this but have not seen an answer. I am not saying that all potential strategies of TEAM 1500 need to be divulged for all to see. However, I do think it would behoove us to formulate a nutshell of facts concerning the safety of OCS in adults. I don't think this needs to be hidden. The facts can speak for themselves. Most of us as dentists are just not that naive. Sadly, I have had to go to other websites to garner this information for my own edification. The information is out there be it factual or anectdotal. I think we will need this data to prove our point. We should not have to go to other sources to get our information. We need this information from a dialectic standpoint. For example, I believe the OMFS printed a report stating that there was I death in every 740,000 cases of GA. How many studies have shown one death for OCS in adults utilizing the guidelines we promulgate? Have there not been more studies showing deaths with IV sedation? If we have to increase our CE hours by 4 times would it not make sense for those practicing IV or general to increase their CE requirements by at least the same or more? After all that is where the preponderance of deaths have been.
Let's keep our primary theme of equal access but from a dialectical standpoint let's stand poised and ready for the antithetical arguments.
Bob Simmons DDS MAGD
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