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A new report shows major gaps in dental care for people in Michigan, especially in the Upper Peninsula and in urban areas.
The report comes from the Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health.
Executive Director Amy Zaagman says efforts to improve access to oral health services continue to fall short.
The report says one in four third graders in Michigan has an untreated dental disease, but the need is not the same across the board.
And there is at least one area in 76 of Michigan’s 83 counties where there is a dental shortage to the point where there’s is little to no access to dental care.
Governor Rick Snyder says the state has addressed the gaps in dental care, somewhat, through the Healthy Kids Dental program.
Money was included in the budget to expand it to include every county in Michigan.
However it only helps kids through the age of 12.
The governor would like it to expand and hopes money can be included in future budgets to do it.
