Dental health is a crucial part of overall well-being, yet most medical insurance plans do not cover dental care and a separate dental policy typically pays a maximum of $1,500 per year. This gap leaves millions of individuals without access to essential dental services, leading to severe health issues such as life-threatening infections (including other bodily organs and the blood), heart disease, diabetes, and poor nutrition. According to the National Association of Dental Plans (NADP), approximately 74 million Americans have no dental coverage and those who do have it do not cover dental implants.  

Traditional dentures can be very uncomfortable, limit what foods a person can eat, cause degeneration to the jawbone and require adhesives to be applied in the mouth daily. Fillings and root canals typically are temporary and are not the most reliable solutions, especially considering the material used and do not address tooth loss. Titanium implants, on the other hand, can last a lifetime. When combined with a ceramic or porcelain crown, they look and act like a natural tooth, are customized to the individual and that person can eat everything they could with natural teeth. 

The average current cost of a total restoration with dental implants (full mouth) will run a person approximately $40,000 or more out of pocket. This reality many times leads to depression and self-isolation. Now consider how much these separate dental insurance plans really help. They don't, and our medical insurance policies cost enough as it is. With the medical technology in today's world there's absolutely no excuse for medical insurance and dental insurance to remain separate (there never has been). How can oral health be considered cosmetic when it's one of the main gateways to our overall health and is considered medically necessary? Veterinarians do not separate the two, so why has our own continued to do this? 

Integrating dental insurance into medical insurance plans would ensure comprehensive healthcare for all and reduce long-term healthcare costs by preventing serious conditions that arise from poor oral health. Sign this petition to urge policymakers to include dental insurance in medical insurance plans for a healthier future!