CONTACT: Carol S. Weber, APR, Director of Public Relations
PHONE: 414-755-4108 (direct)
E-MAIL: cweber@wda.org
WEST ALLIS, WIS., May 14, 2010 – Dr. Kent Vandehaar of Chippewa Falls, president of the Wisconsin Dental Association, today released the following statement regarding Gov. Jim Doyle’s signing of Senate Bill 656, which authorizes up to $10 million in borrowing to help the Marshfield Clinic build a dental education outreach facility in central Wisconsin.
“This issue has created important dialogue in the Legislature regarding the need to improve access to oral health care for the state’s most vulnerable individuals. However, this proposal is just a small piece of the access puzzle, which has received a great deal of attention from policymakers.
“There is much more to do to truly ensure Wisconsinites living in rural and disadvantaged areas can get the quality dental care they need. More can and should be done to make basic dental health care practical and cost-efficient so all individuals receive appropriate care. While the Marshfield proposal may be one step, the WDA continues to believe that the most direct and effective way to solve this issue is for the state to provide adequate funding for its dental Medicaid/BadgerCare program. Without adequate funding, our state’s dental access crisis will continue to worsen.
“We look forward to working with all interested parties on positive public policy solutions that are aimed at improving the delivery of oral health care to everyone in Wisconsin.”
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The Wisconsin Dental Association was established in 1870. With more than 2,900 members statewide, the WDA represents 83 percent of all licensed, practicing dentists in Wisconsin. WDA members are committed to promoting professional excellence and quality oral health care. The WDA is headquartered in West Allis and has a legislative office in Madison. It is one of 53 constituent (state-territorial) dental societies of the American Dental Association – the largest and oldest national dental association in the world. For more information on the WDA, call 414-276-4520, visit our WDA.org Web site and find us on Facebook and YouTube.
