The Surgeon General with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)has
launched Healthy People 2020, which is in the process of developing health care
objectives for the next decade. To learn more about Healthy People you can become a
member of the Healthy People Listserv by e-mailing listserv@list.nih.gov with the message
text “subscribe HEALTHYPEOPLE”. The Department of Health and Human Services is
looking for public comment regarding healthcare plans for the new decade. You can make
your opinion known by registering at:
The Department of Health and Human Services is looking for public comment regarding
healthcare plans for the new decade. You can make your opinion known by registering at:
Healthy People Comments
I encourage each ADSA and ASDA member to submit your comments to the Department
regarding pain, fear and anxiety and their effect as a barrier to dental care. The ADA’s
inclusion of Pain, Fear and Anxiety as a barrier to dental care will have widespread
repercussions, ultimately helping dental patients requiring anesthesia/sedation. Several
things will have to happen. Special programs will have to be developed to identify this
patient population and address their specific needs. Just as dental care coordinators have
proven to be an asset in identifying and locating dental providers for at need dental
patients, especially the underserved and economically impoverished, their role could be
expanded to include the needs of patients avoiding care because of pain, fear and anxiety.
Research will need to be expanded and include the multitude of effects that pain, fear, and
anxiety have on patients seeking routine dental care. Is the access to care for
underprivileged/low income patients dramatically effected because of pain, fear and
anxiety? Dental Schools and training programs will need to increase their emphasis on
education in pain and anxiety control for all dental students and residents. Recognition of
the problem will also require addressing the additional care, time and effort needed to
treat this population. New procedure and diagnosis codes may need to be created to
address these patients’ care. Convincing the ADA and Surgeon General to include pain,
fear and anxiety as a barrier to dental care will require all dentists involved in
anesthesia/sedation to be proactive and voice their opinions on this subject to both the
ADA Council on Access, Prevention, and Interprofessional Relations (CAPIR) and the
Surgeon General - Department of Health and Human Services.