Small Smiles in the News Again

Small Smiles is clinic style pediatric dental practice operated by 'Corporate Dentistry.' That is, a dentist buys a franchise from Small Smiles and provides dental treatment to children. The problem is that it is one of the few places where children on Medicaid can receive care.

Another problem is that Medicaid programs around the country pay dentists fees that are sooooo low that they are below the cost of doing business.

In general, a dentist that agrees to participate with certain private dental insurance programs or agrees to work for Medicaid fees must perform volume dentistry in order to earn ANY MONEY.  That implies that some of the dentistry performed may not even be necessary but is done anyway.

While I was in the hospital having my total knee replacement there was a story about a Small Smiles clinic being indicted for performing unnecessary treatment on children receiving Medicaid. Matt Lauer, the host of the Today Show, was righteously indignant that corporate dentists would hurt children for money.

The fact of the matter is that if Society cared about these poor children's dental treatment, it would pay reasonable fees to have their teeth fixed. If we don't pay dentists to earn a living by treating these indigent children then Society must take responsibility for the quality of the care that these children receive.

This is not a 'do gooders' or liberal philosophy but rather it is how we, as a people, decide to treat poor children.

Pay people well and then hold them accountable. Pay people a little and well....you know what the results will be.