The Lion's Pride Volume 9 (January 2018) | Page 55

health care policy. Improved health and dental insurance programs will
help close the dental care gap in this country.
What can the US learn from the different ways in which other
large, developed countries address the dental and oral health of their
citizens? An article published in the Journal of the Canadian Dental
Association (JCDA) gives good information on dental health care in
Canada and 4 additional countries: Australia, New Zealand, the United
Kingdom, and the United States. The authors consider how much each
country spends on dental care, how dental care services are distributed,
and each country’s oral health outcomes. (Birch & Anderson, 2005) The
article cites health data statistics, per capita spending comparisons, and
survey data about adults “who needed care but did not consult a
physician or dentist due to cost,” (Birch & Anderson, 2005) this gives
reasonable context and relevant comparisons between the 5 countries.
The references cited by the article include many sources from
government, university, and national and international organizations.
The article concluded that per capita health expenditures were relatively
high, particularly in Canada and the US so “any perceived problems
with oral health… are not the result of low levels of spending” (Birch &
Anderson, 2005). The authors recommended to instead “look at the
sources of funding and the organization of services” (Birch & Anderson,
2005). Public funding on dental care as a percentage of total government
spending disproportionately affects “the less prosperous members of